·. ftlrt 11; A. S11int fJr 4Brutf; ISj · , .. of God and keep it.lPfal.to6.J. & I I9.l,2.~""I. ·I,2.God bimfelf' pronounceth- them ~leffed. that medit~te day and ni~ht in. his· Law and that make tt the1r whole dehght ; andbecaafe of the incr~afe of Light and Holinefsextolleth the times of the! Gofpel far above thofe of the Law, affirming the leafl: in ~his Kingdom of God to be greater as to the honour and priviledge of his fla– t ;on, then the · Prophets, ·or rohn Baptift, Matt?b. I I. Il, 12. And would you wifb me to believe fuch ignorant men as you , before the God of Heaven tha~; contradicl:eth you? 2. I will not believe you, becaufeyoser o~jeEfirm u nothing but a ~ JJl,zjpbumus accufatiM&j tht Living God. lf it were true that Preaching is bad, it is Chrifr then that is bad that dotb command ir. But I am fure that ChriH is not bad: and that fuch as Blaf– pheme him, do iuo their cofl:. It i~ he~ that bath laid a Neceffity ; onz.u,and1-veebeuntomif Wepreachmtthe GofpelJ 1Cor.9.16.' and that cbargeth us to feed the fioc~ of God, I Per. 5.2. Yea the fpirit chirgeth us bcfwe God and the Lr;rd {efus Chrift whfJ fbalt judge the quick_ and the dead at lcis Appearing and his ~ingdom, that rn pre~~tch the Word and be inflanrin feafon, oat of feafoli, rtprove, rebuf<!, exhort with all /l}ng fujfering 11nd dotfrine.J If any one be to be blamed for all this preaching and ftir for heaven, it is Chrifl: that chargeth it fo flrid:\y npon us. And if thou dare by the blame l.1pon the L~rd, fpeak out, and fiand to it at judge~ mcnt. 3. I kr:ww it is falfe that you fay, that the world is t-he' worfe for all this pre-achig and Gocllinefs, becaufe it u tf.~ttinft the very (· •Jfite of Chrift, and of the Holy Ghoft. Chrifi was a diligent preacher himfelf, and dare you accufe him for it ? He came into the worlq to bring us the Light of heavenly Truth : ancl dare ;: you fay tl~at it ~ere better be ~ithout it.It is the workof theHoly , GhoH: to 1llumnutte and fand:l.fie men, and do you think that be . do.t~ us hurt ? Chri~ dred :o wafh ~tnd pnrifieby the -wor-J·, and Spmt, the Church wh1ch 1s hts Body, t~at he might, prcfmt it IP_ot!~fs to the -Father, Eph.;. 26. 27. .And darefl:. thou .fay that \,;hnfl: came to ~o us harm ? By this thy defpiGng of ,Ms; bene– fi.ts; thou fhewefl: that thou haft yet no part in llim or in ·his fa~ vmg bene.firs;, but art in the t;all ·of .bitternefs' and bond of thy iniquities , and thy h~a.n is no(, rig~ht .in the flght of Go-:1 · ·- - · · . tJ . '
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