fay of the manna in the wilderness, that it tafted according as every one defired. This I may fay of the facrament, it will be different according to the different palates and conftitution of the communicants, like the word, to fome the favour of life unto life, and to others the favour of death unto death. The apo ftle compares baptifm to the paffing through the Red fea, which to the Ifraelites gave a paffage to Canaan, but it was a grave to the Egyptians, to fwallow them up. The Lord's fupper is an open pit for deftruction to fome, and a chariot to carry others on in their way to heaven. The apoftle tells us here the danger of unworthy communicating, notwithstanding which people moftly need rather a bridle than a spur to it. In the words confider,

1. The connection, in the particle For: which fhews the words to be a reason of that exhortation, ver. 28. But let a man examine himself, and fo let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup, viz. in the right manner; for the hazard is great if we do otherwise.

2. A duty fuppofed; eating and drinking; which looks fternly on the facrilege of the Papifts in taking the cup from the people, and putting in only wafers into their mouths, contrary to Chrift's exprefs command, Drink ye all of it. It is the people as well as the minifter that eat and drink judgement to themselves, ver. 30.

3. The way that many mar this duty: They do it unworthily, that is, unfuitably, unmeetly; they mar it in the making, not going about it in the right way and manner. They are guefts, but not meet guests for the holy table. They come to the marriage-feaft, but not with wedding-garments.

4. What comes of it. The confequences are dreadful. They eat and drink damnation [Gr. judgement] to themfelves. This judgement to fome is temporal, to others eternal. This they are faid to eat and drink to themselves; it becomes poifon to them, and so they take their death with their own hands. While the

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meat is in their mouth, wrath goes down with it, as the devil did with Judas's sop. ·

5. A particular fin lying on them, which provokes God fo to treat them: They do not difcern the body of the Lord Christ; they do not duly consider the relation betwixt the elements and Chrift, and fo they rush in upon these creatures of bread and wine, that are of fo deep a fanctification as to be the fymbols of the body and blood of the Son of God: they fit down at that table, as to their ordinary meals, without that reverence and devotion that ought to be in those who fit down at fuch a holy table.

Two doctrines may be obferved, viz.

DOCT. I. Though the right way and manner of commu nicating be the main thing to be studied in that folemn action, yet many content themfelves with the bare doing of the thing, neglecting the doing of it fuitably, and in a right manner.

DocT. II. He that communicates unworthily, eats and drinks judgement to himself, while he eats the facramental bread and drinks the wine.

I fhall profecute each doctrine in order.

DOCT. I. Though the right way and manner of commu nicating be the main thing to be studied in that folemn action, yet many content themselves with the bare doing of the thing, neglecting the doing of it fuitably, and in a right manner.

Here I fhall fhew,

I. The neceffity of communicating fuitably and in a right manner.

II. Why it is, that though the right way and manner of communicating be the main thing to be studied in that folemn action, yet many content theinfelves with the bare doing of it, neglecting the doing of it fuitably, and in a right manner.

III. Make fome improvement.

417 I. I am to fhew the neceffity of communicating fuitably, and in a right manner,

1. God commands it, ver. 28. So let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. The particle is emphatiçal, as John iv. 6. Jefus therefore being wearied with his journey fat thus [or fo] on the well. Acts vii. 8. So Abraham begat Ifaac. The matter and manner of all duties are linked together in the command of God. What God hath joined let no man put asunder. He will have his fervice well done as well as done, 1 Chron. xxviii. 9. And thou Solomon my fon, know thou the God of thy father, and ferve him with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind: for the Lord fearcheth all hearts, and underftandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts. Mafters on earth challenge to themfelves a power to caufe their fervants do their work as they would have it; but though they leave the way of doing it fometimes to the difcretion of the fervants, yet the Lord never does fo, but always commands not only what, but how to do, i Theff. iv. 1.

2. No duty is pleafing to God, unless it be done in a right manner, ib. Unless it be fo done, it is not done to his mind. It gives not content to the heart of Chrift, though it may give content to mens own blinded hearts. God's will is the fupreme law; for we are his own, and what we do, we ought to study to do it to his mind: otherwife it cannot please him, do what we will.

3. Becaufe nothing is a work theologically good, but what is done in a right manner, Heb. xi. 6. Without faith it is impoffible to please him. There was a vaft difference betwixt Cain and Abel's offering, Gen. iv. 4. 5. The Lord had respect unto Abel, and to his offering: but unto Cain and to his offering he had not refpect. See the reason, Heb. xi. 4. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent facrifice than Cain. Bonum non, nifi ex integra caufa oritur, bonum eft. Hence the good works of the Heathens were but fplendid fins; and thofe of the unregenerate are fo, for they may do much, but not VOL. III. 3 G

with a perfect heart. One fins and damns his foul at the Lord's table, another communicates worthily. What makes the difference, but the manner of doing? Hence praying is accounted but howling; eating and drinking is not to eat the Lord's fupper, 1 Cor. xi. 20. Common eating and drinking are fins, Mat. xxiv. 37. Cloth may be good, and yet the coat base, if it be marred in the making.

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4. Though the work be in itself good, yet if it be done unfuitably, not in a right manner, it provokes God to inflict heavy ftrokes on the doer. Is not a mafter often at that, he would rather men had not done the work, than that it fhould be fo done? 1 Chron. xv. 13. For because ye did it not at the first, the Lord our God made a breach upon us, for that we fought him not after the due order. So Jehu did fomething for God, but not in a right manner: hence the Lord fays, Hof. i. 4. will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jebu. And the Corinthians having communicated unworthily, or not in the right manner, the apoftle obferves concerning them, 1 Cor. xi. 31. For this caufe many are weak and fickly among you, and many fleep. In the mean little is accepted, if it is rightly done: hence it is faid of Afa, 1 Kings xv. 14. The high places were not removed: ne:ertheless Afa his heart was perfect with the Lord all his days.

5. Only the duty done in a right manner does pro fper, and get the bleffing. Mark that fo, Matth. xxiv. 46. Bleed is that fervant, whom his Lord when he cometh, fhall find fo doing. A man may pray ten thou fand times, and never be heard; and go from one communion to another, and never be fealed to the day of redemption. A groan from the heart will do more than all thefe, Rom. viii. 16. Our meat can do us no good, and our cloaths cannot warm us, if we do not ufe them in the right manner. No wonder that ma ny are never the better of all the facraments they get, for they communicate not aright.

6. It we communicate not in a right manner, we

do no more than others, than hypocrites actually do, and Pagans may do. Hypocrites eat and drink, who fhall drink eternally of the wine of the wrath of God, Luke xiii. 26. 27. Pagans can eat bread and drink wine; nay the very beafts may do it. And fhall a Chriftian think he does enough when he does no more?

7. Lastly, God gets no glory otherwise from us in our duty, Matth. v. 16. He gets much dishonour by the way that many of us partake of his table. The means must be fuited to the end; and therefore our duty must be rightly done, if we would glorify God,

II. I proceed to fhew why it is, that though the right way and manner of communicating be the main thing in that folemn action, yet many content themfelves with the bare doing of the thing, neglecting the doing of it fuitably, and in a right manner.

1. Because to communicate is eafy, but to communicate in a right manner is very difficult. It is easy to wait on feveral days and hear fermons, to get a token, and eat the bread and drink the wine: but it is a hard talk to plough up the fallow-ground, to mourn for fin, to get the heart in cafe for communion with Chrift, and by faith to feed upon him. It is eafy to fay, we resolve to be for Chrift; but it is hard to pluck out right eyes, and cut off right hands; it is hard to fet idols to the door, and give the whole heart to a Saviour.

2. Because they obtain their end by the bare performance of the duty. As, (1) Peace of mind. Many confciences are half-awakened; though they be not fo far awakened as to give men no reft without doing duty in a right manner, yet they will not hold their peace, fhould a man neglect duties altogether. (2.) It gains a man credit in the world, and that is a ftrong cord to draw a man to the outfide of duties, Matth. vi. 2. It is no fmall matter to have a name, and to seem good; and to be called godly, is affected by those who