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…

There is yet another branch of the exhortation.

If so be that whoever hath to do with any Ordinance of God, hath to do with God in it; Oh then when ever you go to have to do with any Ordinance, be sure you take Christ with you. There is a necessity of this, 1. In regard of Admission. 2. In regard of Assistance. 3. In regard of Acceptance.

If so be that whoever hath to doe with any Ordinance of God, hath to doe with God in it; Oh then when ever you goe to have to doe with any Ordinance, be sure you take Christ with you. There is a necessitie of this, 1. In regard of Admission. 2. In regard of Assistance. 3. In regard of Acceptance.

1. In regard of Admission, God is a consuming fire, and we are but dried stubble, there is no approaching of him but in Christ, in whom we may have access with boldness to the throne of grace; God will not look pleasingly on you, if you come without Christ, here is no throne of grace without him; without Christ it is rather a Bar or Tribunal of justice, then a Throne of Grace. ¹It is Christ who makes that which was a Bar of justice, a Bench of mercy. In him we have admission. You go upon this Ordinance now, but go not in the strength of your preparations, but in the strength of Christ. Say, Lord I come alone in the Merits of Christ, to partake of the Merits of the Lord Jesus. I come in the blood of Christ, to partake of the blood of the Lord Jesus. I have endeavoured to prepare and fit my ⟨p. 30⟩[…] ⟨p. 31⟩