How to receive benefit from the Word and Sacraments. [ 594]
A Child may handle the Mothers breasts, may play with them, may kiss them, but all this while the child is never the fuller;* 1.1 Therefore the child when it would be satisfied, layes its mouth to the breast, gets the nipple fast, and then sucks and draws with its strength and might, and so fetches forth the milk out of the Mo∣thers breast. Thus the Word and Sacraments are the breasts of Consolation, and they be full of very sweet milk indeed, but there can be no satisfaction till there be suck∣ing; Men may come to the Sacrament and gaze upon the Elements, and eat and drink them, and yet not receive the sweet of the Ordinance; but if they would have the milk out of his breast, they must fall to sucking and drawing, with all their power and strength: Now it is faith actuated that sucks vertue out of the Sacrament, that sucks from Christ in the Sacrament, mortifying vertue to kill lusts, healing vertue to cure the pollutions of the ••eart, and quickning vertue to enable to duties, and actions of spiritual life.