Babington - Houston-Packer Collection BV4655 .B23 1615

To the gentlemen of glamorgan/hire. with Religion, and fo bothGods mercy and her Maie(ie f?;11 to remaine among vs. For him that fcrueth vs , and thus dealeth with vs from day to day, doth.not vetie fenfe inftru& vs, we mutt fettle againe, if wee will inioy him ? And is this to fcrue him, to retaine vnto our (clues the wages, that he bath provided for fufficient men, and to thru( into his cloth we care not whom? to furnifh his haruefl cvitft idle k>yte- terers, and neuer tolook after, no, nor accept being offered, mofl painful! labourers? No, no, he knoweth it, that mmiß fudge it, iris not. Yea, men themfelues"kitow ir, if the Lord would giuc feeling, and ftrength toäefie that Spirit of hauing,thdt cry- eth within and faith; refcrue it to thy felfe. Yet leaf any fhould pretend the con trary, where I with them well rciolucd of this point, may it be lawful( foi iAé, with your lotting leaues, fomething to lay dotivne in this bchalfe, that I woultLLwifh him to confider, who is not perfwaded of this duty, if I were to fpeak with fuch an one Firß, then I would haue himv ew the word of God that frail Band and fudge vs all, whë heaven & earth foal perifh.Than the which word norh:ng can be snore contra- ry to this fin, it either we refpeel the time of the Law, or of the Gofpell. For in them both this is euerdeliucred, and euer bet sport, that the people of God fhould bee taught, and men chofen out in ability, filch as the people might,reguire the Law at thetrmouths, though the meafure and manner were diners, as itpleafcà God to glue his guifts vntothem. What thing euer drew with it then, and at this clay ßi11 truly doth infer, a godly regard, and euen a neceffary confcience, when anyplace is void, by the laves we line vnder, alotted to that vie, to furnìfh it as fufficiently as we pof- fibly can and may for that vie. Otherwife by w it commeth to palie, that the people are notiauht. Now, this offence groweth either by negligence, or hy couetouf- itef e 13y negligence, when (nor weighing or feeling the finse of it) we arc drawn by áffe6-}ion, or kindred; or otter mens frites, tobellow fufftcient places vpon infuf_ ficient perfons . By couetoufneffe, when to referuc a portion to our felues, we doe the like. Both which are greeuous offences, both agaiuíZìod and -our Country,and in the Word very plainely condemned. If the firsi be rhetaufe, then crane I mope hartilr the confideration of thcfe, and the like condufions. The Lord threatneth to the Watchman- death, that warned' not his people, and faith bee will haue Their Eve,. 3. blood or bu & id handr,becaufe he did not cry. Now,by me bath been put in fuch an one very carelefly anti negligently for affection, or fuch like, that though he would yet for want of rbility cannot cry :and alaffe ! how then can I want my portion in that wrath of the Lord t at isthreatned againflall fuch'default?Secondly,as it is loue in iohn. ar.11. the Minilerto his God, to feed his Shiepe, fo is it afliredly in the Patton to caufe Tit.a. them colic fed. Contrariwife, it is want of loue in the Minißer, if he do not feede, and is it not as much in the Patron, if byhis default it come to paffe ? Thirdly, it is a great fault we thinke,to glue the calling to an vnworthy one,& s it no fault to give the lining to filch an one? Thus then we fee how the world quickneth our confckt]. ces in this bchalfe; if we be not dead. And a number more reafons might yet bee brought, if I fbotildmake a Treatife in a Præface. Onely this one more I -mull needs remember, which me think fhould awake any man alise in this insurer. In the fixt of Marke it is faid of Chrill, That grins ore, and feting agreat muititude of people gathe- 011ark.6, red together, he had compalfon of them, b. caufe they were like Sheepe ut:hoot a Sheepé- heard, anr/ be went eat and taught them many thirgr.And in the Greek it is more vehe- ment, expreffing as it were an aking of his heart, as we call It, or ayearning of his bowels, to fee fopittifull a fight, as fo many people without a teacher. Vpon which notable place I haue vied in my felfe to make two conclulions. Firfl a comfort, then a {rare. My comfort is this, that he which mourneth to fee his people' want the bene- fit of his word, will giuc hispeople his word if they Peek it, and with it,atid where he hat$ vouchfafed it already there continue it, bleffe ir, and glue it pbws-r if we pray. Fó ciherwife, how fhould it paine him to fee it wanting ? My lesee is tills, that ifhis heart ake to fee his (beep depriued of a Shepheard, he will affurcdly be reuenued e.. uen in great wrath of them that are the canters of it. And for fhril his fake let it be confidered, For as we hue, we may not aiwaies look to laugh, if we brake our God to

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