373 / 808
VAR.,
q..
8phefians,Chap.3.
357
i
n
us,
yet
not
in
fo
great meafure
as
the
Word
preached:
fo it
is
with
the
Word
as
with the Elements
and
Creatures which
fuftaine us, fim-
ply taken, they are not
fo
good to
us as
when
they
are skilfully
co-
qued
:
So
the
Word
dreffed and difhed
forth
to
us
by
the
Stewards
of
God,
is
of
force greater nourifhmentthen otherwife.
This thenconfuteth the
Papifts
that
are
in
this point cleane contrary
to the Apoftle, he
faith
that
by thefe things read,
they
(hall
underftand
what
is
his
knowledge;
they
fay
the
common fort
of
Gods people
can
underftand nomore by hearing
the Prophets
and Apoftles read
,
then
if
they
fhould
heart
an
unknowne language. Againe,
that their
curfed
pra'4ife
in
taking away
the
key
of
knowledge,thepublick,and
in
a
man-
ner private reading
of the
Scripture,in
which
fad
they
are
like
the Phi
-
liffines
putting
out
the
eyes
ofSampfon, and
taking
away
the Smitbes,
not
leaving
a
weapon
in
Ifrael.
It doth
convince
us in
praiife,
for though
we
hold
not
that the Pa-
pift
doth, yet
we are
negligent
to
read
them,
as
if
the reading
of
them
were not
a
matter
of
fuch
benefit.
And
in
the
3
.place,feeing
that
reading
is
fo
beneficiall,wemuff be
ex-
hotted that
would
fit
apart
fome time to
fpend this way;we are
fo af-
fefted
to the
writings
ofour
friends,that
if
a
letter come in,when
we are
about to fit
down,
we will
nottaft
any
thing till
we have read
it: Thefe
writings are the letter
of
God to
us.
If
we have any
thing bequeathed
us in
fome
Will,
we
will
have, if
not
all
the
Will,
yet the
claufe
of
itperfeétly
in
memory,
and at our fingers ends:
Thefe
things writ-
tenareGodsteftament,that
we cannot
without great indignity
neg-
le&
them. Againe, why doe you delire gold
and
liver
t
But
b'ecaúfe
it
is
of
that
price
that
is
can purchafe any
earthly
commodity:
But
what
is
that
in
comparifon
of
the
Word,
which together with the
Spi.
ritworketh unto
life
everlafingt'
If
one
of
you
fhould this
day walking by himfelfe, heare the voyce
of
God
breake out
of
heaven,
he
would bee aftonifhed
at
the hearing,
and perhaps he
would
eafily
be perfwaded, that he
fhould ponder e-
very fyllable:
Why,
this
Word
is
as
great,
and
as
much ,
in
this
thou
haft
God
(peaking
by himfelfe,by men,by Angels, by
all meanes
to
draw thee unto him.
Wherefore
if
thou
arc
defirous
to
heare
God
fpeak
as
I think
Come
curious fpirits are)
thou
haft
Mofes
and
the Prophets,
the writtenwill
of
God
,
which convey God
fpeaking
to
thee dayly.
Againe,
is
there
any
that
hopeth to
gaine lands and
poffeffons, and
will
not acquaint himfelfe
with the
evidences
which
may lead him
thereunto?
In the written
Word
lyeth the great grant
of
that
blef-
fed land
promifed to
Abraham, and
to
his
feed,
and
from thence
how
it is
entayled unto
us
of
the Gentiles.
Naturally we
all
delire knowledge,
as
the
blind
man
deprived
of
his
fight:now
from the
Word
floweth
all
knowledge
as
the
river
from the
Seas, and
enricheth
the
mind with a quick and (harpe capacity.
Lafly,
wee delire
to
heart
tell
of
ftrange things
:
what more
ftrange then
to
read
of
that
celeftiall Palace
beyond the
Starres,
cal
-
I
i
led
t:
The Papilis
ere
proved
wito
difparage
this
etercife.
yf.
:.
rfe
;.
Sundry mo-
tives
to pro-
vokeus
to
a
dayly
reading
of
Gods word.