Perkins - BX9315 P465 1597

Receiuing oftheSacraments. r ejtdteop | from man, but asfrom (fhrifl leftsthconly m<DoSlor ofthe Church:Andthey I *tPetsX7i rc8ar<^not fomuch the Embafl'adour, or his abilitic, as the Embaffage o f reconciliation lent from the king ofhe&uen. Afterthey haueheard the word,they are bettered in knowledge & in affecti- J 1 nPC>I. *19-on,& they nremember it,& meditate vpon it continually, that they may frame 11 • all theirdooings by it. Wordly men vfe to buy bookes offt atutes & to haue the in their houfes to reade on, that theymay knowhow to auoide danger of law. I oPfai. 1 1 9. And fo the faithful do alwaies fet before them Gods word, Sc in al their doings it Atheir ° Courtfeller,leaft they fhould come into danger ofGodsdilpleafure, H XLV I I L , . The fecond workeis, the receiuingofthe Sacraments; o f Baptifmeonce onely, when a man is openly and foletnnely admitted into theChurch: and o f the Lords Supper often.The firft iealeth vp to the heart o fa Chritfian, thathe is ynitedvntoChrift, andhath true fellowfiiip with him in being fully iuftified before God, and inwardly fandtified.Thefecond lerueth to feale vp inthe heart o f aChriftian the continuall growing and increafing of the fame graces. This thing euery true beleeuerfhal haue often experience of,either in or after the receding ofthe Sacrament: and yet it fhall not bee fo alwaies, for fometimes the p Cant.2,j. Church beingp brought intoChrifts V/inefeller,fitallfall into afwewneand not feeleany refrefhing there. Yetthebelceuerisnot to beedilmayd,ifhefeelenot alwaies comfort prefently after the Sacrament. A fickeman fecles no comfort or nouriflimete,when he; eatethmeate,& yet it preferueth his life: So the weak Chriftian thqughhe feele himfelfe not nourilhed at the Sacrament by Chrifts f bodie and bIoud,_yet hee fhall fee in time thathis foule fhall bee prelerued thereby vntoeuerlafting life. Furthermore, when a Chriftian feelethnocom- fort by the Sacrament, let him then humble himfelfe before the Lord more heartily than euerbefore,confeflinghis finnes and praying for increafe ofgrace, and thenhee fhall feele thefruite o fthe Sacrament. ! XL1X. The third worke is, a rclieuing o f the poore brethren inCbrift, proceeding Rdiefi of 0f a brotherly kindnes towardes them.This is alpeciall worke notto be done to the poore. ajj men as <;ajnt p aule faith,*1 Doegood toallmen, but especially to them u Gal 6.1 1 . ofthehoufholdoffaith. Directions for this matter are the faithfull o f Hierufai dem ,r Whowere allin oneplace, and had allthings common .• f namely irrvje, f Afts 432" -dfid theyfoalde theirpofejfions & goods,and parted the toal men:as eueryone had need.Alfo thdbrethren at Corinth in their extreame pouertie1 relieued the Churches o fMacedonia liberally, not onely according to th:trpower,but j * j o 1 - ftraining themfeluesbeyondtheirpower*Yea this rcliefe muft goe further,euen u i,lohn.s to thebellowing o f a mansHfe, ifneedeforequire, (as Saint Iohnfaith)u//ere- 16' bywehaueperceivedLoue, that helaid downhis lifefor v s : therefore1veeopght alfo.tolay AowneourHuesforthe brethren. ' ‘ > Prayer, The fourthwork is, trueprayer; and Saint Luke fetteth put the faithfull, and * " " " ............. :"""r . r . the-

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