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

Therefore Reader, take some time and pains to commune with thy own heart, before thou goest to the Sacrament. Charge it upon its allegiance to God, to hear thee patiently, and to carry it self suitably. If I receive this Supper with an holy preparation, it will be a seal of, and an help to my eternal salvation; it will be an earnest of matchless love, and an entrance into an endless happy life; but if I eat and drink unworthily there is death in the pot death in the cup; I eat and drink my own damnation. O how doleful is that one word Damnation! What a dreadful sound doth it make in mine ears! What fearful sighs doth it cause in my soul! Damnation is no trifling business. ⟨p. 264⟩God threateneth it in earnest. The damned feel it in earnest, and shall I jest with it? Surely I were better eat the bread of affliction, and drink the water of adversity, then eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily. Canst thou be so bloody as to stab thy self, and thy Redeemer to the heart with one blow! O my soul, bestir thy self, awake out of sleep, and do not dally about the concernments of eternal life and death, let thy care and conscience be such; in fitting thy self for this sacred Ordinance, that thy Saviour may see, thou hast an high respect for his precious blood, and a tender regard to thine own everlasting good.

Therefore Reader, take some time and pains to commune with thy own heart, before thou goest to the Sacrament. Charge it upon its allegiance to God, to hear thee patiently, and to carry it self sutably. If I receive this Supper with an holy preparation, it will be a seal of, and an help to my eternal salvation; it will be an earnest of matchless love, and an entrance into an endless happy life; but if I eat and drink unworthily there is death in the pot death in the cup; I eat and drink my own damation. O how doleful is that one word Damnation! What a dreadful sound doth it make in mine ears! What fearful sighs doth it cause in my soul! Damnation is no trifling business. ⟨p. 264⟩God threateneth it in earnest. The damned feel it in earnest, and shall I jest with it? Surely I were better eat the bread of affliction, and drink the water of adversity, then eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily. Canst thou be so bloody as to stab thy self, and thy Redeemer to the heart with one blow! O my soul, bestir thy self, awake out of sleep, and do not dally about the concernments of eternal life and death, let thy care and conscience be such; in fitting thy self for this sacred Ordinance, that thy Saviour may see, thou hast an high respect for his precious blood, and a tender regard to thine own everlasting good.