A Body of Practical Divinity

2. The Soul-dress is the exciting and stirring up the Habit of Grace into a lively Exercise. 2 Tim. 1.6. I put thee in remembrance, that thou stir up the Gift of God which is in thee: i. e. The Gifts and Graces of the Spirit. The Greek Word to stir up, [Greek or Hebrew], signifies to blow up Grace into a Flame. Grace is oft like Fire in the Embers, which needs blowing up. It is possible that even a good Man may not come so well disposed to this Ordinance, because he hath not before taken pains with his Heart to come in Due Order: He hath not stirred up Grace into its vigorous Exercise, and so, tho he doth not eat and drink Damnation, yet he doth not receive Consolation in the Sacrament. Thus you see what this Dressing of our Souls is, before we come.

2. The Soul-dress is the exciting and stirring up the Habit of Grace into a lively Exercise. 2 Tim. 1.6. I put thee in remembrance, that thou stir up the Gift of God which is in thee: i. e. The Gifts and Graces of the Spirit. The Greek Word to stir up, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, signifies to blow up Grace into a Flame. Grace is oft like Fire in the Embers, which needs blowing up. It is possible that even a good Man may not come so well disposed to this Ordinance, because he hath not before taken pains with his Heart to come in Due Order: He hath not stirred up Grace into its vigorous Exercise, and so, tho he doth not eat and drink Damnation, yet he doth not receive Consolation in the Sacrament. Thus you see what this Dressing of our Souls is, before we come.

Thirdly, This Solemn preparing for the Sacrament is, in begging a Blessing upon the Ordinance. The Sacrament is not like Physic, which hath an inherent operative Virtue: No, but the Efficacy of the Sacrament depends upon the Co-operation of the Spirit, and a Word of Blessing. In the Institution Christ blessed the Elements. Jesus took Bread and blessed it. In the Text, the Sacrament, will no further do us good, then as it is blessed to us. We ought then before we come, to pray for a Blessing on the Ordinance, that the Sacrament may be not only a Sign to represent, but a Seal to confirm, and an Instrument to convey Christ and all his Benefits to us. We are to pray that this great Ordinance may be Poison to our Sins, and Food to our Graces: That as it was with Jonathan, when he had tasted the Honey-Comb, his Eyes mere enlightened,