4 '.A SAint or 11 Brute; Part n.· much corrupt the appetite, and make the fweerefl: thing feem bit– ~er. Are not S~craments fweet tO Y?U ?. otnd do Y.ou not delight m the fOmmamon of God and of. h1s Samts? I wtll not fay mu{:h toyo~, lc£1: it fc:em degrcfiive, but briefly ask you thefe few · Q.yefiions. I. Are the thoughts of God, of Chrift, 6f Heavm {-weet to you? If they he, me thinks the Ordinances £hoeld be fweet ! If they be not, its no wonder that you fet light b"y Sacraments if you can fet light by Chrift and heaven it felf. · > ~eft. 2. ]J not .fin grow~ fweet to JM ? If it be, the or..: dinances will not be fwecc ; no nor unlefs your fins grow .hitter. ~tlefi. 3. Doth not the world grow fweet to you, and your condition or expeCtations, and your thriving :f.l:ate, more plefant to you then herecofore ? If fo, no wonder if Sacraments and all fpirirual things, do lofe their fweetnefs. ~eft. 4. Have you been faithful in your preparation, by free confeffion, true hemiliation,ftrong refolution,hungring and thirfling after Chrifi, and all this furthered by diligent [elf-exami– nation? An unprepared foul mufi blame it felf, ific find not the fweetnefs of the Ordinan£e. The holy appetite and relilh,that is necelfary to your Delight, mufi be fiirred up mucfu in yo11r Preparations. ~eft ) . Are 'you careful and confcionable, humble and holy in your lives r If you negleCt God in yoar ordinary converfatirmJ, and walk not with him on other daies; you are unlike to meet him comfortably here. And if you are flight and carelcfs in your ordinary duties, you will find here that God took notice of it. ~efi. 6. Do you faithfully endeavour to ex~rcife Faith, Re~ pentance, Love and all Sacramental Graces in the ufe of the ordinances ? You come not to a meer rueiving_but to aJ?()rk. Have your fouls been.adorned with the wedding garment ? and do you come hither fo11 ameeting with th~Lord Jefus Chrifi? Do you fee him by faith, and takeall that 1s here Reprefented to you,as ifyon had feen th.e things themfelves ! Do you remefiol– ber that your Lord is coming, and do you lift up ro~r beads ID the expectation of your Redemption, a.nd .do thts m re~embrance of him till he come? An idle !oytermgmGodi work 11 not the way eo fi~d the (\Ve~tnefs of it. Clemens
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