Doct. (3.) The next point is that rvhere there is a cause, God ivill correct first or last, and where there is this cause mentioned, irreverent coming to the communion, he will do it because he is just. If we prevent f it not by repentiuipc, and so afflict our souls, surely we must fall into God's hands. He will lose the glory of none of his attributes. Where there is a cause he will correct. Sin is against his nature, against his truth, against his manner of dealing with us by favours and benefits, and thei'cfore he will correct us.
For even as smoke goes before fire, and as conception goes before birth, and as seed-time goes before harvest ; so sin goes before some correction or other universally, I unless it be those daily infirmities that God's children fall into, those sins of dail}' incursion, as we call them. When we labour to knit our hearts fast and close to God, some infirmities slip from us that God overlooks ; he takes not notice of every slip ; § he bears with our infirmities * as a father bears with a son that serves him,' Mai. iii. 17. And yet if we allow ourselves in any infirmity, we shall not go unpunished. II Infirmities are one thing, and allowance and defence of them is another. Therefore I beseech you make this use of it. IT
Use. Take heed of sinniucj upon this false conceit, We shall escape, u-e shall never hear of it again. No ; it will be owing fii'st or last. As we say of those that make bold with their bodies, to use them hardly, to rush upon this thing and that thing: in their youth, they may bear it out, but it will be owing them after ; they shall find it in their bones when they are old. So a man may say of those that are venturous persons, that make no con- science of running into sin, these things will be owing to them another day ; they shall hear of these in the time of sickness, or in the hour of death. And therefore never sin upon vain hope of concealing ; for as there is a cause alway, and ' this cause,' so where there is a cause, God will correct his own children.
Again, where there is this came, God will visit. What was this cause ? This cause was irreverent, unprofitable coming to the holy table of the Lord. AATiy, is this so great a matter as to provoke God's judgment ? Oh, yes ! Favours neglected provoke anger most of all.
Is it not a great favour for the great God to condescend^ to help our weakness in the sacrament ? Is it not a special favour that he will stoop to strengthen our weak faith this way ? And shall we, when he con- descends to us, rise up in pride against him, and forget our distance, forget with whom we have to deal ? No ; God will be honoured of all that come near him ; if not by them, yet in them. Those that come not to God now
♦ ' See it clear that there is a cause, and usually some particular cause ' in B, C. — G. t That is, ' anticipate.' — G.
X This reads more accurately in B, C ; 'So some sin or other goes before correc- tion universally.' — G.
§ ' From us ' in C— G. || ' For infirmities ' in B, C— G.
\ ' Therefore . . . use of it ' omitted in B, C. — G. ^ ' To descend ' in C. — G.
80 judgment's reason.
in Christ, a Father, they know not his goodness ; and those that come irreverently, know not his greatness and majesty. Take heed, therefore, when we come before God, that wo come not with strange fire, as Nadab and Ahihu ; that wo come not irreverently and unpreparedly, with carnal affections ; but that we converse in holy business with holy affections. Is it not a great pity that those things which God hath ordained for the com- fort of our souls, and the help of our faith, that we by our carelessness should turn them to our hurt, as we do by an iiTCverent coming to the holy things of God ? We procure our own judgments, and therefore we ought to help this irreverent demeanour and carriage of ourselves in the holy things of God by all means, with the consideration of his majesty, and our dependence upon him ; * and such considerations, which I cannot now enter into, because I hasten. So you see these things clear, the cause, and the particular cause, this cause.
To go on to the kuids therefore. The kinds are set down in three de- grees :
1. Some are weak.
2. And some sick.
■ 3. And some sleep.
Nay, ' many are sick and weak, and many sleep.' Here are three de- grees, like the three degrees of sin amongst them. Some are more pre- sumptuous than other, and,
Doct. 4. God, who made all in number, u-eight, and measure, dispenseth all in number, iccight, and measure. Some are weak, and some are sick, which is greater ; and some sleep, that is, die.f Even as in the common- wealth, those that are discreet governors have degrees of punishment, as the stocks, the prison, and the gibbet, violent death, and the like ; so God, the great Governor of heaven and earth, according to the different degrees of sin, hath different degrees of correction.