Twenty sermons preached at Oxford before His Majesty, and elsewhere

Now there are two sorts of people, to whom, if the Lord Jesus were coming in the clouds to Judgment, he would say, Depart into everlasting flames; and those are these that know not him, and obey not the Gospel of Jesus Christ, 2 Thes. 1.18. Now to these two sorts of people, Christ would say, if he were on earth, Depart from my Table, meddle not with those Mysteries: And they are,

1. Those that know not God: and indeed it is a most unworthy thing for an ignorant man to come to God's Table. Know, whoever thou art, that art such an one, •hat it belongs not to thee, it was appointed for an understanding people. The Lord invites not fools and block-heads to his Mysteries. God will not know them that know not him. If thou knowest not what the signs are, or the relation of them to the thing signified, hast no insight, or understanding of the Mysteries: Know that it's to no other purpose to thee to come to the Sacrament, that if thou wentest to a Mass, to see the Gesticulations, Elevations, or if thou wentest to see a play, not knowing to what end and purpose it was done. Such a one is not a friend of God, but an enemy that shall be destroyed in everlasting fire that knows not him. Deceive not then your selves, but seriously weigh it, and consider what a Judgment falls on us for this. What an unworthy thing is it, when as in one months space, or less, if a man had any care, he might learn as much as would bring him to Heaven. What saith the Apostle? 1 Cor. 15.34. Some have not the knowledge of God, I speak this to your shame. And a shameful thing it is indeed, when the knowledge of the Principles of Christian Religion may be had in so short a space, to be so grossly ignorant, as commonly many are. It's a most unworthy and a shameful thing to think the knowledge of Christ not worth thus much pains. Thou that carest not for the knowledge of God's ways, what hast thou to do to take his Word into thy mouth, to tread in his Courts? I doubt not but very many here too, are but Babes in Christ. An ignorant person then cannot possibly come worthily; for w• are to come with faith; and Faith cannot be without knowledge. And hence are they joined