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3
2.8
7,afons
mourog
vs
to the diligent
hearing
of
Gods
word.
nourifhment
from
their
fpirituall
n other,
the Church
;
and
the
ftrongcr they
waxe
in,grace,the more
earnefily
they
de-
fire
a
greater pittance till they become
perfe&men
in
Chrift.
And
therefore where there
is
no
delire
of
this
foode,there
is
no regeneration
nor
new
birth.
Gods word, the
Moreouer
the
word
of
God
is
the
foode
of
our foules,
food
of
our
thereby
we
are nourifhed,and the
graces
ofGods
fpirit
con
jowes,Pf
en to
firmed
and
increafed in
vs;
and therfore
it
is
not
fufficient
to
be
rescued.
eate,of this
foode
Once
or
twice,
but
continually,
euen
as
of-
ten
as
the Lord
calleth
vs
to this
fpirituall
banquet.For
as
the
body
will
waxe
faint,and
quickly perifh,
vnleffe
that
which
waf}eth away
be continually
fupplied
by
nourifhrnent:
fo
wil
Abe foule
languifh and
waxe
faint
in
fpirituall
graces,
vnleff®
it-be often nourifhed
with this
heauenly Manna.
Let not
therefore
Satan perfwade
vs,
that
feldome
hearing
of.
Gods
word
is
fuficient,whereas this banquet
is
often prouided;for
though
in
the time offcarcitie by the extraordinarie
bleffing
ofGod,we
may
goe with
Elias
fortie
daies in
the ftrength
of
onemeale,yet
if
we feede no
oftner'when the
Lord granteth
vntays
plentifull prouifion
of
the fpirituall
foode, our
foules
will
be
hungerfiarued.
Neither
let our often
receiuii.g
of
this
heauenly
nourifhtnent,
caufe
vs
with the vnthankfull Ifrae-
lites
to loathe
it,or
like wayward children,
or impacient
lick
patients,fpititout
ofour
mouthes againe;
for
ifour
appe-
tites
be
thus cloyed
through
a
furfet
offatietie,furely
we
are
to
fearer
left
the
Lord who
is
a
cunning phyfition,
will pre
fcribe
vs a
long
faft,til we haue reçouered
our
flomacks,as
he
threatneth
Amos
8.i
i.
Iwillf
nda
famine in the
land,notalit-
Amos g.
ái,
mine
of
bread.,nor
a
thtrfl
of
water,but
ofhearing the
word
of
the
Lord.
fled
then wee
(hall
wander
fro3n
fea
to
fea,andfrom
the
North,euen
to
the
Eafi
fhall
re
rtenne to
and
fro
t
efeeIee
the
word
ofthe Lord
and fhall
notfinde
it.
Laflly,
though it
fhouldbe granted
that
we had
attained
That wrJhkiat
vnto
filch
a
meafure.of
knowledge,
that
wee
íhould
needs
often
heare,
no more, yet
are
there manyreafons why
we
fhould cótinu-
though
we
Wank
heare
Gods word with
as
great
diligence
as
euer we did;
fu
ffitient
;
for the
end.
ofour
hearing
is
not
onely
to
know, but
alto
to.
knovvtedge,
prahife,, not
only to
inforine,our
itidgenients,but
alío
ra'r'e-
forme