A Body of Practical Divinity

Resp. Yes: 1 Cor. 11.26. As oft as ye eat of this Bread. The Ordinance is not to be celebrated once in a Year, or once in our Lives, but often. A Christians own Necessities may make him come often hither. His Corruptions are strong, therefore he had need come often hither for an Antidote to expel the Poison of Sin; and his Graces are weak. ^*Grace is like a Lamp, if it be not often fed with Oil, it is apt to go out. How therefore do they sin against God, who come but very seldom to this Ordinance! Can they thrive, who for a long time forbear their Food? And others there are who do wholly forbear. This is a great Contempt offered to Christ's Ordinance. Men do as it were tacitly say, Let Christ keep his Feast to himself. What a cross-grained piece is Man, he will Eat when he should not, and he will not eat when he should. When God said, Eat not of this forbidden Fruit, then he will be sure to eat: When God saith, Eat of this Bread, and Drink of this Cup, then he refuseth to eat.

Resp. Yes: 1 Cor. 11.26. As oft as ye eat of this Bread. The Ordinance is not to be celebrated once in a Year, or once in our Lives, but often. A Christians own Necessities may make him come often hither. His Corruptions are strong, therefore he had need come often hither for an Antidote to expell the Poyson of Sin; and his Graces are weak. ^*Grace is like a Lamp, if it be not often fed with Oyl, it is apt to go out. How therefore do they sin against God, who come but very seldom to this Ordinance! Can they thrive, who for a long time forbear their Food? And others there are who do wholly forbear. This is a great Contempt offered to Christ's Ordinance. Men do as it were tacitly say, Let Christ keep his Feast to himself. What a cross-grain'd piece is Man, he will Eat when he should not, and he will not eat when he should. When God said, Eat not of this forbidden Fruit, then he will be sure to eat: When God saith, Eat of this Bread, and Drink of this Cup, then he refuseth to eat.

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