1oz e7Vfeditations. light of theword they fee light. They fee the fubtiltie offinne, and therefore they fhunne ir,andthey aretaken with an horror asit were ofal manner ofhereles,they forefeeGods iudgements andpreuent them, and fo are theykept fafe andpreferued from esill. Thus farrehauewe been debated fromvngodly companie,both by precepts and reafons. The fecondpart ofthis dehortation followethfrom this place to theend ofthe chapter. Vert. 20. Myfonne,attend unto mywords,incline thine carevnto millings. Tro/itbyreg- ding,preach- ing,andma- ferrangoftbe overt!. HErefolloweth the dehortation,wherein we are forewarned ofthe corruption which is in ourfelues : yet beforethe Wifeman commeth to giue any fpeciall or particular precepts of this corruption, he doth afterthis manner deliuerfume generaliprecepts for the vieofthe word,wherebythis corruption maybecured in vs. Thefegeneral! precepts are letforth in three verfes,wherein firft there is generallyrequired of vsgreat attendance vnto the whole word ofGod in thefe words: Attendvntomy words. Secondly, wee are commanded to heart theword. This preceptbindeth vs toheare, whether the word be read or preached,or whether itbeconferred of:for all thefewaieswe maygetgreat pro- fit byhearing the word. Andbecaufe we are not eafily drawne vntothis hearing,there-. forethe precept is very effeauallydeliuered in thefewords : Enclinethine care. In which kindeoffpeech there is firft noted, our naturali llothfulnes and fecuritie,which ofour (dues baneno gooddeflre or inclination to heare,vnielfe God by his fpirit doe worke it invs,andbore through our Bares. Secondly there is noted this ; that wee fhouldheare, though it bepain forvs to doe; wee muff (trineand ftruggle with ourfettles that wee may heare,when the Lord dothneuerfo little ftirrevs vpthereunto. Verf.at . Let themnot departfrom thineeyes : hnt l eepe themin the middeflof thineheart. INdick words is a third charge givenvnto vs,andthat is this, thatwee fhould makea profitablevfe for our felues in the reading ofthe word, and inbeholdingof the crea- tures :for both thefe walesweemay winnegreat and goodItrength toovercome our cor- ruption,andboth thefe exercifes are in the wordcommendedonto vs. The fourth and talc precept is contained in thelatter endof theverfe in thefe words : Keepe them in themiddeff of thoseheart. In this precept is prefcribed the mannerof the vfingand doing of thefor- mer duties : forall ofthemmull be donewith theheart, wee mutt give attendanceto the word,not onelywith the ftilnesand quietnes of the outward members,but weemull alto beattentivewith our heares,wemutt heave theword read,preached,and conferred of,not with our outward Bares alone,but alit) with our very hearts. Wee arenot to relt in the, fimple readingoftheword, or thebare beholdingof the creatures : butweemuff labour for a fourththing,wee mutt looke that onrhearts beprefent,when wee either made the word,or behold the creatures. And yet there is afurther thingto behere obferued: forby tYVe mnß this commandementweare charged today vp inour hearts all the profit whichwe learn pore" the bythefemeanes.Itis notfuf icienttovfe them, itisnot enough tofeele fomeprefent vie word inour and profit bythem:but we muff lay vp in our hearts whatfoeuergainewee get,thatwee andmedttay may be ftored and prepared forthe time to come. This mutt beedoneby prayerandme- now. dilations for ifwee prayferuentlybefore,after, and inthe vfingof there meanes: and if after wehave vied them,we doediligently meditateupon ehem,boththatwe maybecon- firmedin eachdutie,andalfo that wemayapple them toour owne particular andprivate vie : thenvndoubtedlyGodwill give a bleffing to hismeanes rightly vied, andwillwrite thefruiteofthem in our hearts, yea theLord will glue a further bleffing vnto them ; life vntovs,andhealthvetoour flefh,as itfolloweth in the z z.verfe,whichbefore bath been expounded. Thefe verfesare very notableand worthie ofall remembrance: for they commend vn- tovs all themeanes whereby Gods word is made effedfuall onto vs, as hearing,readíng, preaching, praying, conferring,meditating,and fùch like godly and heavenly exercifes. In otherplaces of the Scripture,fometimeone, fometime another is mentioned. Bat here all
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