A28622:176
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…
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 ...The guard of the tree of life, or, A sacramental discourse shewing a Christians priviledge in approaching to God in ordinances, duty in his sacramentall approaches, danger if hee do not sanctifie God in them / by Samuel Bolton ...
London: printed by M. Simmons for A. Kembe, 1644
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
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, &c. The fruit of the tree of Knowledge of good and evil might be wholesome in it self: yet Adam did eat his death, when he tasted of it contrary to God's command. So here the Sacrament, though in it self it be ⟨p. 108⟩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.
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 neerer heaven or hell: so never a time you come to receive the Sacraments, &c. The fruit of the tree of Knowledge of good and evill might be wholsome in it self: yet Adam did eat his death, when he tasted of it contrary to God's command. So here the Sacrament, though in it self it be ⟨p. 108⟩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 prophan'd. Hezekiah knew this full well, and therefore hee prayes, 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.