O f duties te. &e performedinhearingCods word. 377 doe,we (hall not carelefly and negligentlyheare theword of the Lord,but with feare and trembling as in hisprefence,be' forewhom the earth trembleth,and thefoundationsofthenoun- Pfalm. 18.7. tames moueandlhakZe,as it is Pfal.Y8.y, Secondly, wee are to heare the word preachcd,not as the :.hvemuß . wordofa mortall man,but as it is in truth theword of the e- heare it as uerliuingGod, according to the exampleofthe Theffaloni- the wordof ans : r.Theff.2. T 3. when (faith the Apoflle)yee receiued the i Thef.a. r 3,. wordofGod hichyee heardofvs, yee receiued it not as the word ofmen, but as it is indeed the mord ofCod. For the Minifler is not his owne fpokefinan, but theAmbaffadour ofthe Lord, it is not his ovine meffage whichheebringeth,b,ut the Lords. embafrage :and hence it is that the Prophets and Apoflles prefixe before their writings, thefe and fuch like fpeeches, Thewordofthe Lord, The burthen of the Lord, Thusfaith the Lord: foalto theApoflleprofeffeth inhis owne name,and in, the behalfe of all Gods true Miniflers, that they are the Lords Ambaffadours,who in Chrifls fleadbefeech their hea- rers that they will be reconciled vntoGod, 2.Cor.5.2o. We 2.Cor4, :,a. muff not therefore looke vpon theman, but onGodwho. fendeth him; nor on the earthen veffell, but on theheaaen- -ly treafure which it bringeth ; nor on the fimpleneffe of the casket, but on the precious pearle which is contained in it ;. norvpon the meaneneffe of the Ambaflàdour, but vpon the gloriousroyaltie ofthePrince who Pent him; and on hisam-- baffage,which is the glad tiding oftheGofpell ;the word of faluation and life, which is able to faueour foules, and then his feete will feemebeautifuIl, and none (hall be better wel- come, then fhall wee not contemneor negle& theirminifte- rie,but receiue ioyfully,reuerently, andattentiuely the word preached by them, reme:nbring what our Sauiour Chrift bath(aid,Luk.to.16.Hoe that hearethyouhearethme,and hee thatde.ffi fethyors de.s ifeth me,and hethatdeffiifeth me defJifeth him thatfnt me. Thirdly, letvs flirrevpour felues to'reuerent attentionby 30.4.. the confederation of thofe ineflimable benefits which -are ;,vyemut: deriued vnto vsby thehearingof the word, as that-it is thé pirrevpour, liuely feede whereby weeare begottenvntoGod, the»foóde'felues with GE
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=