38o Chap. 3 3, An E.xpftion upon the Boo)¿ of Jog, Verf.2 3, thofe that pnbl,fhit or (as the old translation bath it ) great be the Companyofthe Preachers. They are rare, alto, because not to be had at focne times and inmany places. Look over the times or ages of the world, and you will find, force of themwere dark times, dales of ignorance, there were few interpreters ; look_ at any time or at this time over many parts and places of the world, and you fhall find fuch interpretersare not to be found in the greateftpart, in the molt places ofit. Not one to be had in fame whole countries and huge traéis of the earth. Goe.roall the Heathen andMahometan nations, and you flail not find one of thefe meffengers, or interpreters ;. goe to Greece,which anciently engroffed all knowledge, and was famous for all forts of learning, yet an interpreter is fcarc dy tobe found there in thefe dayes, Coe. to the popifh nations, though they bear the name of Chriff, and'aboundwith learned men, men learned in the knowledgnot only ofcommonArts and Sciences, but in divinity and the Scrip- tures; yet in the fence here fpokenof theyhave not many inter- preters, the moll being fuch aspervert and wretlthe Scriptures, and lead the people into errour , rather the meifengers of, ntichriff, then of Chriff ; Satans emiflaries,then Gods interpre- ters.So then,ifwe confider,that feveral partsand countries of the world are quitewithout,they have none,and others are filled with falle teachers 8e interpreters of the word ofGod,which are werfe then none,we mutt conclude an interpreter rs one ofit thoufand,. Again, Ifwe turne our eyes to thofe parts of theworld, where there are many found,orthodox,faithfull meffengersand interpre- ters of the word of God (withwhich bleffing thisnation (above many, if I fay not above all) bath been crowned for a hundred yearstogether ; England as ferufalem ofold (Ifa. 21, t.) may well be calledavalley ofvifon, a.feìninary cfJeers, becaufe ofthat abundance and variety of vifions and divine revelations which Godbath flaredus with in therelatter ages) yet (I fay) even here as in all other the bell reformed Proteffant Churchesand chritfian, nations, an Interpreter may be called eneofa thotifand ; and that in a twofoldreference. Firff, Ifweconfider, the whole bodyofany reformednation, Miniffers are but few comparecltoall the people, theyare hardly fo much as one of a thoufand, throughout that whole nation ; therearebut fewwho give thettifelvesup to the work of the nif
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