The right receiving of Christ· Or, An appendix to the worthy communicant, or A treatise shewing the due order of receiving the sacrament. By Jer. Dyke, late minister of Epping in Essex. Which was intended by the said author in his life time to be annexed to this treatise of the sacrament; as appeares in the epistle. Wherein a Christian may know, whether he hath rightly received Christ in the sacrament or no.

CHAP. IIII.

The great danger of not Receiving Christ.

THirdly, Consider the great Danger of not Receiving Christ. It is a * 1.1 wonderfull dangerous thing not to re∣ceive Christ when God offers him, and when he seekes to us, and invites us to receive him. It is a great sinne not to receive Christ, Joh. 5. 43. Yee receive me not. John complaines, 3 John 9. 10. that Diotrephes received him not, and that he received not the brethren. This is com∣plained of as a great sin. And if a great sinne in Diotrephes not to receive John, and not to receive the brethren, how much more is it a great sinne not to re∣ceive Christ? specially when he offers himself to be received of us? It is com∣plained of as the hainous and horrible sinne of the Jewes, Joh. 1. 11. That he came to his owne, and his own received him

not. It was the foule sin of the world, that when Christ as God was in the world, and the world was made by him, that the world knew him not, Joh. 1. 10. but it is made the greater sinne of the Jewes, that when he was manifested in the flesh, and he came to them in per∣son, and offered himselfe to them, yet they received him not. And our sinne now under the more cleere light of the Gospel, will be greater then theirs if we receive him not. And as the sinne is great, so must the danger and punish∣ment of it needs be great, if we receive him not. They to whom Christ is of∣fered, if they receive him not, it may be said of them in this case, as our Saviour speaks of the Pharisees in that, Luk. 20. 47. They shall receive the greater Damna∣tion. There is a greater Damnation for some men then for other some. There is Damnation for such as know not God, and never heard of Christ, but for those that have heard of Christ, and have had him offered unto them, and have refused, and not received that of∣fered Christ, there is a greater Damna∣tion.

If men receive not so great salva∣tion, Heb. 2. 3. as is offered by receiving Christ, how shall they but receive the greater Damnation? Consider that, Mat. 10. 14, 15. Whosoever shall not receive you, and heare your words, shake off the dust of your feete; It shall be easier for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of Judgement then for that Citie. Why so? See the reason, ver. 40. He that receives you, receives me, and so also, he that refuses you refuses me. So then, he that refused to receive the Apostles, their sinne was that they refused to receive Christ. And what should become of those that refused to receive him? Gods vengeance shall lie heavier upon such mens heads at the day of Judgement, then upon the head of a cursed damned Sodomite. That sin shall presse and sinke a mans soule deeper into hell then Sodoms sin. How heavie and dreadfull will Sodoms Hell be in Hell, whose sinne made a visible Hell on earth? and such an Hell on earth, the monuments whereof remaine ex∣tant, and exemplary to this day, to be a terrour to all ungodly ones. And yet

as heavy as Sodoms punishment shall be, it shall be easier then thine, that recei∣vest not Christ when offered unto thee. Indeed when Christ would have come into a village of Samaria, Luk. 9. 53. they would not receive him, and they did not receive him, sayes the Text. The Disciples would have had fire from heaven to have consumed them. And if they thought they were worthy of fire from heaven, that would not receive him but to lodge in their Towne, and in some of their houses; How much more shall they be judged worthy of fire in hell, that doe not, and will not receive him into their hearts, when his Ministers offer him to men, and labour to make ready for him? And though then Christ would not have fire come downe upon those Samaritans, yet when the time of judgement comes, he will bring fiery vengeance upon all those that have not received him into their hearts, 2 Thes. 1. 7, 8. When the Lord Je∣sus shall be revealed from heaven in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our

Lord Jesus Christ. Not to obey the Go∣spel, is not to obey the commandements of the Gospel, as not to obey the Law, is not to obey the commandements of the Law. Now the maine commande∣ment of the Gospel is, Receive the Lord Jesus Christ. This commandement not obeyed, will bring fiery vengeance on his head that obeyes it not. Oh that men would but thinke seriously of this danger. The stoutest, sturdiest, and most rebellious spirit that ever was, when he shall see Christ come in Glo∣ry, shall then with howling and wring∣ing of hands cry out upon himself, Ah cursed wretch that I am, oh that I had had the grace to have received this Lord Christ, when he was offered to me! Ah beast and foole, that I received him not when I was so often pressed to it, now shall I receive vengeance, and wrath for ever, because I received not the Lord Christ! Nay thinke upon one thing al∣so before that day come. There will be a day of Death before the day of Judge∣ment: Thou must dye, and thou know∣est not how soone, and when thou com∣mest

to dye, like enough thou wilt take up Stephens prayer, Acts 7. 59. Lord Je∣sus receive my spirit. Then full faine wilt thou be to have Christ Jesus receive thy soule. Now wouldest thou in good ear∣nest have Christ Jesus receive thy soule when thou dyest? why then, be as wil∣ling to receive Christ Jesus into thy soule whilest thou livest. He will re∣ceive no soule that hath not first recei∣ved him. In vaine shalt thou cry at thy last gaspe; Lord Jesus receive my soule, if thy soule have not before received him. He will returne thee a cold and a comfortlesse answer, Oh now yee can call to mee to receive your soule, I cal∣led all the dayes of your life to receive me, for these thirty, forty, fifty yeares together, and you would never bee brought to receive me. As you have dealt by me, so will I now deale by you. I will now be quit with you, I called upon you to receive me, and yee would not, now cry you on, and howle on to me, to receive you, I will as little regard your calles, as you regarded mine: your owne measure be mete unto you. Let

this meditation sinke deeply downe in∣to our hearts, and as willingly as wee would have Christ receive our soules at death, and as willingly as wee would be received into everlasting habitations at the last day, so willingly, so gladly re∣ceive the Lord Jesus Christ now he is offered to you in the Gospel.

It being a matter of so great conse∣quence and necessitie to receive Christ, * 1.2 how may wee come, and what must be done to receive him?

They that will receive Christ, there must be two things done by them. * 1.3

• 1. All hindrances must be removed.
• 2. Some positive duties must be done.

Notes

• * 1.1

  3.
• * 1.2

  Quest.
• * 1.3

  Answ.