The guard of the tree of life, or, A sacramental discourse showing a Christians…The guard of the tree of life, or, A sacramental discourse shewing a Christians…

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 ⟨p. 66⟩can with-hold nothing from us.

4. Now then, faith being steeled by such considerations as these, that there is a fulness in Christ, that there is a promise of this fulnes to be made over to us, and that the Sacrament is an Ordinance wherby God as by an Instrument will convey of this fulness of Christ to a poor soul: faith goes over to Christ, and by vertue 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 wee 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 palsie hand, though a weak and trembling hand; if we can but goe to him with a praying heart, Christ ⟨p. 66⟩can with-hold 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,