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…

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 then 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 civill men; this is the difference, where the common profane man goes to ⟨p. 111⟩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 ⟨p. 112⟩those heavenly dainties, that we thrive no more by them? Other ages, like Leah, were blear-eyed, 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.

Vse 1. If so, that whoever hath to do with an Ordinance must sanctifie God in it; and that there is so much required before, so much in the time, so much afterward; Oh! how few then shall we finde, that sanctifie God in this Ordinance? Some there are, who openly prophane this Ordinance, some who steal a draught of damnation to themselves, your close and civill men; this is the difference, where the common prophane man goes to ⟨p. 111⟩hell the plain road way, this man steals to hell behinde the hedge; And indeed, the best of men do not sanctifie God as they ought in them. Alas, what preparation before wee 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 behinde? Are wee 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 wee not shame our meat, discredit