Babington - Houston-Packer Collection BV4655 .B23 1615

2. Petition. rvpun the L order Prayer. fweete tb many moe,in a fuller meafure, byreaCon Of blcfhìng of this meanes as hat's bene faid. lfthe loafel e whole, the c,hildren get not cuerfofull niorfels as when it is cut and broken vnto them :preaching parteth the bread,and maketh vs fecde in this fullermealure, through the ,gracious 61cf1'ng of oui God. 1f the fire be coucred with any afhes, the heat breaketh not our fo ;;ready as it would if the afhes were away : cuco fo, if in the word ofGod, when we read it, any one thing we vnderftand not, as'.vc with to doe, this meanes ofpreaching vneouereth tb t hcauenly fire unto vs, that earfl we felt not fo muds, and the Lord bcflow- ittr 8üs grace upon his owne appointment,, me fii_e.flafheth into our faults, and we, as men and women rauifhed with hcaueii y good,' peheeiue and fee the po- wer of preaching.Thus did it to the Eunuch whom we name;' before. What hce read at the firfl, hee vnderflood not : but when Phzhtpreached vnto him, the fire brake out to his lofting good, and he vehemently cried to be baptized. And fo to the ref+ whom fo lately we noted. O powerful' meanes therefore of the Lord to the eretling of his kingdoms in vs, cite true and plaine preaching of the word. Readingprofiteth, but preaching more t and reading therefore is good, but prea_ ching;isbetrer.This blelling pray for suer among(+ vs: this 'sidling vlz,if the Lord vouchfafe it. Confider what bath bene faid, and not onely laid, but prooued, that the Lord hath appointed this meanes as the moll notableflof all others to the cre &ion ofhis kingdome in vs, wherof we fpea ce, that tthath had this bleff ng to thoufands and ten thoufand thoufands that haue harkened thereunto : that the contempt ofitis death, and that eternal' both of body and foule: and then weigh with thy felfewhat thou daily doefl.Ifthou want it,whether thou feeke it. If thou haueit,whether thou vfeft it, &fhake to thinkeofthy (hutting out of this kingdom here & for euer :for the contempt of the means whereby we arc brought into it all of vs. Let neither ignorance of fo great a good withhold thee any longer, neither the deadlyfuggeffions ofthat tempting foe induce thee in pride, to make fearefull Fee efulicx. exceptions againft the Lords ordinance, to fans thy fouls. Either for that the man ccpiionsa. liketh thee not, or his meafure, or manner, or whatfoeuer.For truly iliac bring the nm(1 bearing glad tydingsofthrGcf. ell, his feet are ben urifiill ,Ifhefpeake from the Lordlice chrd.ordprea, muffbe heard. And if hee be the appointed meanes betwixt the Lord and thee, I meane thine owne Paffor and teacher, thinke whileft it is to day of the flrength in deed of thy exceptions ro heare him, and feare the Iudgemcnts, 4vink at the Wrath, tremble at the vengeance moli afíüred to thec,without repentance: ifthey be too weake, They bane not coft thee awey,ótlt theyhaue cafine ara.ey, faid the Lord to his Prophet then, and weigh it well, whether the Lord truly may not fay it of thee now to thy death, refuting the arcanes appointed by him for thy life, vpon fach grounds as Satan bath fhggef+ed, corruption norilhed, and the triumphant truth of the Lord will confume in the fudging day, to eternal' woe. It was well Laid ofthat worthy inllrumcnt in Cods Church vpon like occafidn. A to rem uerftead tfnak -pn/1 e, vGicnngzteman f er or conf%ttrettaa eft : ec fidelster manors uo r . zt f trerfim msmguema gaai pro Chr f iene hebere vzair, debere et adharere Í ua,,,,,, , v- p: C'cow ipfrz, attic, 5,páá. rainzfferio frus, c, Let the Aitabaptìíls conftífe and accknowhdge that where - focuer there is a minifter duely placed, and loth his ductic faithfully and careful - ly, there everyone that will bee accounted a Chriflian mull cltaue vntà- him,and with the ref+ of the flock and congregation vfc his miniftne. But what doe they? as many of vs its will not follow their errors, although we neuer fopurelypreach the word of God,yet do they take vs for rauening wolu,es & they fo abhor vs, as that they thinke they fliould commit an offence worthie ofdeath if they fhould be prefent but at one Sermon ofours.Then do they thinke to makefuddenly mmnifters of their owne, & they being fo made, in a moment then do they draw the people, and make contrarie congregations of their owne, to the renting of the Church a_ (under, that the name ofC od cannot be called vpcn with that ore content & con_ Iams.7. cord that it o tight to be. Meditate many times, ere the Lord firike thee, what f a Saít 51

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