54 CHRIST'S 'Alarm comes that foolifh conceit, that reading is preaching, a te- net which many hold ? the truth is, it comes from hence, becaufe Generali preaching is made by moft Miniflers to ferve the turn ; Now, if this were preaching, reading were preaching indeed : But this is no preaching, preaching is the opening of the Word of God , and the applying of it, according as every man hath need, The not doing of this leaves poor people in their hardneffe and deadneffe of heart. This is the firft. Generals preaching is Inch a manner of preaching, as leaves the heart dead. Secondly, Morali Preaching is a dead manner ofpreach- ing. When Minifters preach honeft matter, but do not goe to the quick, they [tike at the boughes : They preach a- gain[t drunkennefle, and intemperance, and malice, and ha- tred, and tale- bearing, and lying, and covetoufnefle , and making of fhewes, it is very good to preach againft the fe things, and wee mull too, and let them know they are far from the Kingdome of God that live in thefe or any other fuch lofts. But alas ! this is onely to (tike at the boughes. If we would awake the confcience indeed,we mutt preach deeper than fo. The axe is laid at the root of the tree, Mat. 3.1o. John the Baptift was a lively Preacher ; now the Text fhewes he did not onely (hike at the boughes, but he laid his axe at the root of the tree. When Miniflers preach onely good Morali matter, this kind of preaching does not quicken. Firli, becaufe Morali preaching does not hit all, many are very Morali people, that have not one whit of grace in their hearts. True,this may hit Come. Paul told Felix of his intemperance, and how that there was a day of judgement to judge all fuch perlons, this made him tremble. Felix trembled, faith the Text,Aas 24.25.I fay,Morall preaching may ( larde fome,but it does not flartle all. Many Heathens have been fober and temperate, and true in their fpeeches; and juif in their dealings; and loving in their carriages; and painful' in their callings , as Paul faith, they have done by Nature, the things contained in the Law. Now ye know the
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