3 6zTentatiesn takenfrom thecudliliesofilliniflers,anfivered. keth erreCluall to whom he will by the inward operationof his holy fpirit, by whornfoeuer it is dcliuered; and being thofe rniniffers which are moil holy and vertuous cannot-at their plea litre irifufe grace into their hearers ; for Pam/ may i.Cor.3.3'. j,1 nt,andApoilosm.aymater,(r:t God-meth the isacrea[;fo that neither the one nor the other areany thing in thentfelues without Godsblellîng; fceing alfo thofe who are loofeand vicious,ifthey truly preach the truth it felfe, cannot by their badneffe hinder Gods ordinance, but that corr,tning from their rnouthes it will be effecrluall for the connerf-.onof men vntoGod,and the eternal' faluation ofthofe that bcleeue;for though vntohimfelfe it be but a dead letter, yet the fpirit of Godmay giue life veto it in thofewho receiue it;and though hepreacheth for glory or gain, or for enuie and f+rife,yet we Phil. r, /5%18, mut+ with the Apof+le reioyce that Chrifl is preached anyman- nerofwal',and reape the fruit thereoftoour eternall comfort. Laf+ly, feting thevvifdome ofGod thinketh it good to fend ambafladors ofboth forts,fanólified and vnfàn&ified,andof tentimes maketh the word in the mouth of a faithful' and godlyminif+er thefauour ofdeath unto death, and the fame word in the mouthofone who is voide ofgrace and fanc`lifh- cation the fauour of lifevnto life, to the end that we fhould not depend vponman,but wholly ref+and relie our felues vp- on Gods own ordinance, giuing and afcribingvntohim the wholeglory andpraife ofour conuerfion and faluation; let not Satanperfwadevs to thinke the worfe of the pureword ofGod,becaufe ofhis corruption who deliuereth it:for what were this but to refufe a comfortable ambaffage from agra- ciousprince, becaufe we diflike thequalities of the ambafla- dours? what were thisbut to fcorne to receiue a kind letter froma lowing father, becaufe the carrier lothdifrleafe vs ? what is this but to refute a rich treafttre,becaufe it is brought vnto vs in anearthen veffell which is fraile and brittle? what is it butlike proude beggers to refufe-the bountiful' aimesof a merciful' prince, becaufe it is deliuered vnto vs by an Am- ner who iscouetousand hard hearted ? Yea,what is it but to croffe our Sauiour Chrif+s expreffe commandement, who commanded all to heare euen the Scribes and Pharifes who fate
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