eAdireífion for reading the Scriptures. This feare isin refpea ofGod hismaieflie and our owne corruption , to correa the prideof rèafon, and to controll our affeaions : and experiencewill (hew, that when our reafon and affeálions are tamedby miferie,calamitie,ficknes,and inward griefe, then we are very teachable.And whenmen erre,then the prideoftheirreafon is punifhed,asha he- Howie amine retikesand prophane perfons. Contrarily,God hisgood fpiricrelies'vpon the humbleto a cleereender- cltere their vnderftandmgs:but theyfirftcrucifie theirvnderftanding and affeaions, and it" rag ""d offer them vp in a facrifice toGod. andgooda f Faith inChrift is thefecond thingin thispreparation, tvemuft bring that with vswhen f.amnr. we cometo read,lookingon him ason the Mefliah, thatmultteacli vs all things: he is the Lianofthe tribeofPala, towham itisginento open the 600kgofGod. Heopened the hearts of theDifciples goingtoEmaus. Preachers build hay and stubble,becausethey doe not one- 1.0fr.a. lyglory inhim, but doe fceke credit and preferment by preaching themfelues. All he= retikes differ amonge themfelues , yet they all agree inthis that-theyerre from Iefus Chrilt. A heartprepared to learne is required, Pro,t 7.5 6. Wherefore is there aprice intheheart Good beast. efafade togetleifdome,andhe bathnoneheart ? Our Lord lefosCÜriftfaitb ,that thofethat brought forth fruit (when they bad heard)fomethirtie,fome fixtie,fomean hundred fold, they were fuels as reeeiued the wordwithagood andhonesheart,Lnc.8. Here faith a godly and learnedman, men arcfhutout bccaufe they come withouta heart. Now folioweth the properties that mullfollowour readings : whereofthefirltismedi- tation,the wantof whichmakesmen depart withoutfruit, though they read or 'rare dili- gently. Meditation makes that whichwehaue fead tobe our owne. He isbleed»Inch meditates in the lawday and slight. Plait . Mindandvnderftanding. Meditation is either ofthe Heart and affections. Meditationof thevnderltanding, is whenreafondifcourfethofthings read, or heard, .deditatiae, which the wife of the Heathen call, the refining of iudgement, the life of learning. They that want this, hots much foeúerthey haue'heard or read,yetThal! eheyneuer Isaac foundand fellediudgement. And for this caufeitis faid,tharthegreateflClerketarenot the' mifeffinen.. Meditationoftheaffeaions, is whenhauingadagio lodgement, weeuer digeft it and make it worke vpon our affellions. It is a continuall fearching ofour felues, and labou- ringto lay vp allthings in thetreafures of ourhearts:The otherwill góeaway except this be. soynedwith it: for iudgement will away except weframe our affeblions veto it. Meditation in iudgement goethbefore : then thisnmRfollow, that wemay befoundin Palfefeasts". iudgement before wee either feare or cheerevp our hearts, least we haue faIfe feares or f lfoioyes. falfe ioyes. Many are of found iudgement, and yet hauenot their hearten purged and touched : they can giue coun fell to others, butcannot follow it themfelues, becaufe they ioinenot affeélion with iudgeruent.Meditation without reading is erronious,and reading without meditationis barren. The next thing is conference. In miaturallthsingsman l'candeth in needeofhelpe, then s.confcreàte. much morein Iptrituall things he ftandeth inneedofothers. And as ironfbarpenethfrontfo onefriendanother, Pro.2y. Andastwoeies fee more, twocares hearemore,and twohands can doesnore thenone : fo this is a fpeciall communionofSaints,and God bath promìled, that when two orthree aregathered together in hisnarne,that he wil beprefent withthem by his fpirit,as he was corporally with hisDifciplesgoing to Emaus. Minders of God. Conferenceis either with -). equals. Or others. This rulemutt bekept, that conference with our equals molt beof thofethings which weheardOf ourMïnifters,asitmuit bekeptalfo in meditation,whichis a conference with our felues. We inult fora timelike babes hangat themouthes of the Minifters, becaufe we cannot tonne beforewe ,goe : naywe cannot goe withouta. leader, No man may T prefurne
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