Page:Preparation sermon, before receiving the Holy sacrament.pdf/8

 It is our ſins that have done all: O curſed ſin! If ye would not be unworthy communicants, ye ſhould come here with a great mourning for ſin, for all your by paſt ſins, and for your breaches of vows ſince the laſt ſacrament, for crucifying Chriſt over again, and cauſing his wounds to bleed afreſh O is your heart whole and hard, go home and regrete it, and cry to God, That you are afraid of unworthy communicating, and dareſt not approach his table with ſuch a heart. And endeavour to be as much affected in time of communicating as if you heard every piercing groan of Chriſt in the garden, and numbbred every drop of blood that trickled down from him, and had been preſent and ſaw the ſoldiers driving in the nails and stabbing in the ſpear. Did the rocks rend, the ſun vail himſelf, and the heavens mourn in black, and will your ſouls remain unaffected? Look upon him till your hearts be ſet mourning as one mourneth for his only ſon and be in bitter neſs as one is in bitterneſs for his firſt born, Zach. 12. 10. Let all the ſprings of ſorrow be opened and guſh out.

10. It is to communicate with looſe wandering hearts, that are thinking on the world when they ſhould be fixed on Chriſt's dying. Will any venture to come here and ſit down to-morrow with the world in their hearts, and their thoughts roving about it, and not to much as give any notice to Chriſt's dying groans, more than it were the death of ſome East-India prince they were hearing of. What have you to do with the world at Chriſt's table? It will make him abhor you. O go home this night, and take pains to cleanſe and empty your hearts of all the rubbiſh of vain imaginations; bring no worldly thoughts to this place to-morrow, but ſay to the world and all things thereof, as Abraham ſaid to the young men, Gen. 22. 5. Abide you here till I go and worſhip yonder. Endeavour to come here with