401 / 772
That
Satan
temptéth
of
to
negligence
in
hearing the
verd.
373
thing
requireth
at our hands
to
bee performed before our
our
Mites
be-
tomtningto
Gods
affemblies,
and
fomthing
afterwards. Be-
fire
we heave.
fore
we come
to
the
hearing
of
the
word,
there
is
required
'due
preparation,whcreby
our minds
are
made
fit
veffels
to
receiue
the
fpirituall treafure
and.
food
ofour
foules.
For
if
we
come
into
the congregation
ofthe
faithfull,without
any
premeditation,reuerence,or
regard'of
the
ac}ion
which wee
are
to
take
in
hand
;
if
we
prefent our
felues
ràfhly
and
vn_
aduifedly,
as
if
we
went to
a
play, or to
difpatch fome
world_
1y
bufineffe;we
(hall
hardly
keepe our minds from
negligent
wandring
and
worldly
dif
}ra
&ions,
which
will
make
the
word
ofGod
fruitleffe and
vnprofitable.
Now
this preparation
doth
principally
confil
},
firfl
in
the
§,Sea,_Z,
purging
of
our corrupt
affeaions,
to
which
dutie the
wife
Wherein
thin
man
exhorteth
vs
;
Ecclef.4.17.
Take!
heed
to
thy feete
when
Preparation
thou
entreFF
into
the
hoofe
of
God,
that
is, bescarefull
to purge
1
C.4
.,
thine
affe6lions
which
are
the feete
of
thy
foule.
And
this
Was
typically
f
gnified
by the
outward wafhing
of
the Ifrae-
lites before
the
promulgation
of
the law,
Exod.i
9.1o.where
Exod.19.1o.
by
the
wafhing
oftheir
clothes and
bodies,
thepurgingof
the
fecret
corruptions
ofthe
heart
was
fgnified
and
repre-
fented.
Which dutie
is
neceffarily
to
be performed,
of
all
thofe'who
will
hcare
the
word
with
profit for
as
the
mof}
pure liquor
is
defiled and
made vnprofitable for
vfe,if
it
bee
put
into
a
polluted
and
flunking
veffcll
;
fo
the
pure
liquor
of
Gods
word
is
defiled
and made
fruitleffe,
vnto
all
thofe who
receiue
it into
a
heart polluted with
vncleane
affeaions
:
As
therefore
(.2iofs
was
enioyned by
God
to put offhis fhooes
from
his
feete, before
he
might
tread on
that
ground made
holy by Gods
prefence,or
receiue
the Lords
ambaffage
to
his
people
;
fo
he
requireth ofvs
that
we
put off the fhooes,that
is,the corruption
ofour
affe&ions,
before we tread
vpon
the
hohe
ground
ofhis Church,
there to
beare
the
glad tidings
of
the Gofpell,concerning our euerlafiing deliuerie out
of
the bondage
ofour
fpirituall enemies.
What
thefe affe&i-
ons
are
the
Apofile
Limes
partlie
fheweth,
Iam.i.i9;name-
IamesLlg.
lie
wrath,
filrhineffe,
malitioufneffe,
to
which Peter
ad_
r.Pet._z.ß,.
deth
diffmulation
and hypocrifie, enuie and euill
fpeaking.,
-Bb
3