Eighteen sermons preached in Oxford 1640 of conversion, unto God. Of redemption, & justification,…

2. The next action requisite before my coming to the Sacrament, is the whetting of my appetite, and preparing of my stomach; I must come with an hungry desire, as a man that comes to his meat that would live and be strong: we think meat very ill bestowed on him that hath no stomach: Unless we eat Christs body, and drink his blood, we can have no spiritual life. All the ⟨p. 449⟩question, and the main business is, whether I come thirsty or not, as an hungry and thirsty man with an Appetite after his meat and liquor; longing after Christ, as the Hart after the water brooks. When a man comes dully, and as Children that plays with their meat, cares not whether he eats or not; when a man comes, I say, without an appetite, its time for God to take it away from him. Its an unworthy coming to come with an unprepared stomach, and without whetting our faith to feed on Christ Jesus crucified.

2. The next action requisite before my comming to the Sacrament, is the whetting of my appetite, and preparing of my stomack; I must come with an hungry desire, as a man that comes to his meat that would live and be strong: we think meat very ill bestowed on him that hath no stomack: Unless we eat Christs body, and drink his blood, we can have no spiritual life. All the ⟨p. 449⟩question, and the main business is, whether I come thirsty or not, as an hungry and thirsty man with an Appetite after his meat and liquor; longing after Christ, as the Hart after the water brooks. When a man comes dully, and as Children that playes with their meat, cares not whether he eats or not; when a man comes, I say, without an appetite, its time for God to take it away from him. Its an unworthy comming to come with an unprepared stomack, and without whetting our faith to feed on Christ Jesus crucified.

3. The third action requisite to a worthy Comer, is cleansing of himself. I would fain come, may a man say, to the Lords Table, having such need of it, as I have, and having such an appetite and desire to feed on Christ; but I am to come before a great King, therefore I must wash mine hands in innocency. In the Gospel according to Saint Mark, the Jews found fault with Christs Disciples, because they came with unclean or common hands: For so the word signifies, and is so used by the Apostles as equivalent thereunto. I have learned to call nothing common or unclean. Now when I come to meet the Lord in his Ordinances, I must put off my shoes from off my feet, for the place where I stand is holy. Wash your hands you sinners, and purify your hearts you double minded. The purifying of the soul is that