Gods word a flrong prote- Rionagainftal plots. PaffionSunday. Ser.33. onely lofe that whiteneffewhich it hadbefore , but thall fùrpaflé the fnow in whiteneffe. Inlike manner, aSinner maybe fowashed and fo clenfed, that hee may remaine more pureand more faire than theInnocent. Againe, water clen- feth,but asit wafheth, fo it waftethand wearethout that which it wafheth as it is to be feeneinyourLinnen : but the Holy-Ghost reneweththe Soule ,giuing new force andnew ftrength, ThyyouthAuldbe renewed like the Eagles ; and though our sutwardman becorrupted, our inwardman it reuiuedyet daybyday. The fecondeffeEtis, Tofertilise and fruEtifie the earth : The holy Spirit worketh thiswith great aduanrage;Myfoule without theeit barren, but by thy fa- uourable influence it bringgeth forth the faire fruits of Charitie, Ioy , Patience, Long-fuffering,Goodneffc, Gentleneffe,&c. All thefethings workethone andthe fameSpirit ., and therefore it is called Viuycator,A JuickningSpirit. The thirdeffeft is,Toquench thirst : Onely theHoly- Ghost canquench the thirst of the Soule; allother humanegoods increafe our rhirft,as it is proued in many places. And thereforelauiddid delire ofGod, that he would quench this his thirst; t_ty Soule thirfeth afterCod,theFountain oflitting water,andwo it me, &rc.He Both figh andgrone for his God and hisglorie,because onely that is able toquench his thirst. Neuer manflakeaa this man . TheHigh-Priefts and the Pharifees asked the Officers thatwere fent toapprehendour Sauiour , Why they had not brought himwiththem r and theOfficers answered, Netter anymanflake like this man. Wherein two things are to be confidered : Firft,The force of Gods Word. Secondly,Thclittle feare &great fecuritie which heinioyeth that preacheth, as alto he that heareth,and obeyeth. Many excellent Diuines haueharpt vpon this ftring,and great endeerings haue beene deliueredbyEcclefiafticall andSecular Hiftorians. Saul fentto lake Da- uid, theOfficers found him playing vpon his Harpe, andwere fo rauifhedwith the fweetneffeofhis Muficke, that they forgat themfelues and what the King hadgiuen them in charge : Hefenothers more ftoutand refolute, and the like hapned to them. TheKingbeeing inraged with anger, and waxing wondrous cholericke, went himfelfe in perfon toapprehend him,vfinghigh language, and throwing out greatmenaces &threatnings against him ; but hewas fcarce come thither, when he fell aprophecying ; who (accordingas fome will haue it) cat- chingholdofa Harp,began toplay vpon it,andto fing ; like vnto fottieSerjeant, who findinghim whom hegoes to apprehend , dancing at fome Wedding in a Countrie Village, layeth afide his Mace, andfalls adancingwith the company. The Fables report, That orpbese withhis mufickemade thetorments ofHell to ceafe,leauing thofeTormentors inaftonifhment and amafement.And great,que- ftionleffe, isthe fufpenfionwhich Muficke caufeth inour minds. TouchingEloquence,rare is that endeering of Cicero,whofe Oratorie aPoet called, Flexamina, è omninm rerpxRegina. That of Marcia Antonio that fa- mous RomanOrator, was fo fingular in this kind, thattheSenat fendinga Band of fouldiers to cut off his head, he did earnestly intreat them, thatthey would but glue himthe hearingof three or foure words : they did fo ; but thofe his words were fo powerful,that forsaking their former fiercerefolution,they fhea-, shed vp their fwords,and gaue him his life ; andwhichwas muchmore, theyfo meltedinto reares, That hanging their headsin their bofnee, andcalling their eyes is theground, they all fell aweeping. Plutarch telleth vs, how that Palemon,ahand- forne young manof Athens,but ofamolt loofe and difhoneft life, came in one day 547 The powerof Gods word. Theforced Eloquence.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=