;74 V f "our preparationbefore tie hearethewordofGod. that is, attendvnto the more deepe points ofDiuinitie ; in a word, euery man is to examine his partiéular Hate, and to fearch out his greaten wants, that fo comming toheare the word, hee maymorediligentlyapply fuch do&rines, inflru- 61ions,and exhortations as fhall be mofl fit for his vfe andbe- nefit ; for that which is food to one is poyfon to another, and that falce which is fit to heale one fore,dothmake another to fef}er and ranckell , andone part oftheword ofGod being applied tomen ofdiuers eflates, doth worke diuers effe&s; one it feedeth, another it poyfoneth ; one it healeth,another it w'oundeth ; to one it is the fauour of lifevnto life, and to another it is the fauour of death vnto death : and therefore before wee come to the hearing thereof, wee are to examine our Dates that we may applie and make profitable vfe to our feluesof that which is moff fit to nourifh and flrengthen vs inGodsgraces.. weare tovfe LaPIyandmofl': efpeciallyweare to vfe cameland heartie carnet prayer. prayer vnto the Lord that hemay open ourblind eyes, fo as wee P1alm.a9.i . mayfee thewonderfull things ofhis law, that he will takeaway our ionic hearts,and give vs flefhy hearts inwhich his word may moreeaf lybe imprinted; that hee will with the oyle of his gracebowour Hubborne wines, and make them flexible and inclinable toperforme obedience to his will, reuealed in his word,that he will fan6ifie ouraffe&ions and purge them from their naturali corruptions,that hee will difill the hea- utenlydewofhis holie Spirit into our mindes and barraine hearts, that fo the feedeofhisword beingwatered thereby,, may yeeldaplentiful) haruefi in grace and godlineffe. .And thefe are the duties whichweemull performe in the of the duties timeofour preparation : nowafter we are thus preparedand which to mMS7 haue prefented ourfelues into Gods hólie affemblies, there performe in are alto other duties tobe performed, to the end that Satan hearing it,to. fet ourfelues may-not dif}ra&our minds, and fo make the word which we in Gods prey heare fruitleffe : firthwee are to fét our felues in theprefence "e ofGodwholookethvponvs,&beholdeth all our behaviour- in this anion, according to the exampleofgood. Cornelius A61.1o.3 3. Here (faith hee) wee are all prefent before godto 4eareallthings.thatarecommandedthee ofGod.AndifWe thus doe,.
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