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…

We will speak a little of the first, which is an Introduction to those which follow.

That they who have to do with any Ordinance of God, draw near to God. Doct.

That they who have to do with any Ordinance of God, draw neer to God. Doct.

You see it is the language of the Spirit of God here, that to have to do with any matter which concerns the Worship and service of God, is, do draw near to God. And in other places it is called a coming before God, a treading his Courts, an approaching to God, a meeting of God; all which languages imply thus much, that ⟨p. 8⟩who ever have to do with God in any Ordinance, draw near to God. You tread his Courts, you come into his presence, you approach unto God, you meet God, you have communion with God; Nay, you have to do with God's Name; God's Ordinances are part of his Name. Nay, you have to do with God himself. He that hath to do with any Ordinance, with any part of his Worship, hath to do with God himself. When you have to do with the Word, when you go to Prayer, when you have to do with the Sacraments, you have to do with God himself in them. What could the Word do, either in commands to engage us, in Promises to comfort us, in threatenings to terrify us, if we had not to do with God in them? What were Prayer, but a distracted seriousness, a religious madness, if we had not to deal with God in it? What were the Sacraments, but gaudy ⟨p. 9⟩Pageants, nay, empty fantasies, beggarly elements, if we had not to deal with God in them?

You see it is the language of the Spirit of God here, that to have to do with any matter which concerns the Worship and service of God, is, do draw neer to God. And in other places it is cal'd a coming before God, a treading his Courts, an approaching to God, a meeting of God; all which languages imply thus much, that