The Christian-man's calling: or, A treatise of making religion ones business. Wherein the nature…

The King of Saints taketh exact notice, in what manner thou comest to his Supper; whether thou examinest thy Regeneration, and provest thy self to be one of the family, before thou offerest to eat of their food; whether thou carriest the Gold of thy Graces to the Touchstone of the Scripture, and triest their truth, before thou tenderest them to him for currant coin. He observeth with what sense of thy misery thou runnest for refuge to the spring of mercy: He knoweth whether when thou art going to this Heavenly Feast, thou hast the mouth of Faith; with what resolution against sin for time to come, thou goest for pardon of sins past: He seeth whether thou goest to this Gospel-Ordinance, in a Gospel-order; if not, both thy preparation for the Sacrament, and thy carriage at it, and after it, are eye-services to Jesus Christ: How holy therefore should thou be in them? Wouldst ⟨p. 258⟩thou trample upon the picture of thy dear Friend, or of thy lawful Sovereign, before their faces? Wilt thou tread under foot the infinitely precious blood of the Son of God, as if it were the blood of a Malefactor, or of a Dog, and that while he himself standeth by, and looketh on? Canst thou (Friend) find in thine heart to offer such an abominable affront to thy best Friend, and that before his face? Truly, if thou art not faithful in thy preparation for it, thou dost all this. Think with thy self, I am now to sit down at the Table of the Lord, amongst his own children: I know beforehand that the King will come in to see his Guests; even that King who is too just to be bribed, too great to be slighted, too wise to be deceived, and too good to be forfeited. O, my soul! what solemn provision wilt thou make for so sacred a presence? If in any time of thy life thou wouldst be extraordinarily serious, this is the season. O let thy preparation be such for this glorious Supper, that the Master of the Feast may see that thou art tender of his honour, watchful of his eye, and fearful of his anger.

The King of Saints taketh exact notice, in what manner thou comest to his Supper; whether thou examinest thy Regeneration, and provest thy self to be one of the family, before thou offerest to eat of their food; whether thou carriest the Gold of thy Graces to the Touchstone of the Scripture, and triest their truth, before thou tenderest them to him for currant coyn. He observeth with what sense of thy misery thou runnest for refuge to the spring of mercy: He knoweth whether when thou art going to this Heavenly Feast, thou hast the mouth of Faith; with what resolution against sin for time to come, thou goest for pardon of sins past: He seeth whether thou goest to this Gospel-Ordinance, in a Gospel-order; if not, both thy preparation for the Sacrament, and thy carriage at it, and after it, are eye-services to Jesus Christ: How holy therefore should thou be in them? Wouldst