CHAP.!. Npon the Epiflk of JAM :U s . VERS.T9o tQ yoH, I Pet. I. 2 5. ~ris not the VVord read,but the word p~eached : You may judg it avain artifice, count it t~ef~qJi.rJ:nefs ~fpreaching, but ~ds under the bldfing of a folemn m£htutlon; tt ple11[ed the f a·ther,&c. I Cor. f,. ~I. Therefore by the external voyce there is m~nt ehen a winiftcrilll excit11tion : Reading cloth good in itSl place · but·to Uight he.aring, out of a pretence that you can read bette; Sermons ~t borne , is a fin ~ Duties miC: timed lofe their oature; the blood i~ the cominenn of life when it is in rhe pro– per vdftls; but when 'cis out/cis hurtful, and breedech putrifactions and difeafes. -1.. It tbeweth how ready we lhould be to take all occafions to hean the Word : If Mimifiers mufi preach in [e~J.fon. and out of feafon, a people are bound to.hear: •Tis obferved, that a little before the French Maflacre, Protefianrs were cloyed with r.he Word, and fo - ~cis- now : Here(ofore they would run far and neer to enjoy fuch an opportunity; Mat·. 3. 5. Jcrufalem and J udut, and all the Re.. gion round.about, came to hear John; Some of thofe places menti– oned were thirty miles from u£nom beyond Salcm, which was the place were John baptized: 1 S4m. 3· I. The Word of the L(Jrd w.u precioJU in tho{e days; for there W.u: no open vijion. Heretofore Letl:ures were frequented, when they were more (ca.rce : TheWheat of Heaven was defpifed when it feU every day, Amos 8.• I Z,. J "U?i.fl [en.dafamine of thg JYord, and they foall Wan– der. from Set~ to Sea, from the North even to the Eaft, they fhaU nun. to andfro, a11d[hall n,ot ftn,de it : Then they would go far and neer for a little comfort and counfel; This is one of thofe enjoy– m..ems which is valued when 'cis 'Wanted: When Manna is acom– mon food, men luH f{)'; Q...uails, Nothing but this Manna. This fwiftnefs hete, (\le_weth t,he content men lhouid take in hearing the Word; bur, alafs! n_ow, men pretend every v.ain excufe, their Mer.ch."!ldi:c.e, their Farm, and fo cannot wait upon the Word of God; it may be? on the Lords Day, when they dare do .nothing, etl(ei bn.t few ta.ke-other occafions and opportunities: David.fairh, ffaf, 2~. 8. I h~ve loved the habitation of thy hou[e, the place \Yhere tkine.. honour dp;e/leth : •rwas. comfort to him to wait upon Qog; to. €om~ to the doors ofwifdom ; aburthen to us. 3.· I~ notech readinefs to hear the fenfe and minde of others up-. <ln t-he Word: we fhoulq not be fo puffed up with our own know– ~eag. b.ut w~Q:!_ould be fwift to hear what others can fay : ..I is a · X 3 - gre~~ - 1~7
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