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…

3. If we keep not up a conscionable use of Ordinances, distance will grow between God and you: As the Water-man may lose more by the omission of one stroke then he is able to recover again by many; so may you lose more by the omission of one duty, then you are able to recover again by the performance of many; especially, if this omission hath arisen, 1. from neglect of ⟨p. 22⟩God: 2. from carelessness: 3. from slighting of the converses with God: 4. or from the importunities and solicitations of Satan and our corruptions: 5. or, from the blandishments of the world: If upon such grounds, little dost thou know what thou losest by such an omission. If notwithstanding all endeavours, it be so hard to keep communion with God, what would it be, if we should cast up our Oars, and neglect it wholly? You see what a distance was bred between God & Israel, Jer. 2. And what was the ground of it? why, saith the Text, My people have forgotten me days without number; they had no care to keep and cherish communion and acquaintance with him, and so distances were bred between God and them: neglect of duty breeds strangeness, strangeness distance, distance falling off. A good caveat in these ⟨p. 23⟩days, when so many do cry down duty; shall we look upon that as our burden, which is our glory; our bondage, which is our privilege? what is the happiness of a glorified Saint, but only that he is always under the line of love, ever in the contemplation, and converses with God? And shall that be thought our burden here wch is our glory hereafter? By this, first, you come to see the face of God: secondly, you have converses with him: thirdly, you get new quickenings: fourthly, new encouragements: fifthly, fresh strength against sin: sixthly, new supplies against the temptations of Satan & the world: seventhly, fresh strength to walk with God: eighthly, armour against our lusts; and this is enough to make us conscionable.

3. If wee keep not up a conscionable use of Ordinances, distance will grow between God and you: As the Water-man may lose more by the omission of one stroke then he is able to recover again by many; so may you lose more by the omission of one duty, then you are able to recover again by the performance of many; especially, if this omission hath arisen, 1. from neglect of