OfHearing thenvòrd, in theirbelt ëffate, andpit to the belt kindeofdutie,,becaufe our fenfes and the partsof ourbodies areabout thebufrnes offauingofourfoules,andabout the bufinesofthe Lords glorie. TheHeathen laidy thatthe goodly ornaments ofthe world and frame ofallthings, wasmolt worthiethe feeing,as though a manwere borne,andcame into this life onelyco xeà i:ipifé take a view ofthem,and foci) depart withouthauing anyvfeor profit ofthem;and though wordo %God,if he neuerfelt the power ofthe Sunneyor thefweetnes Of flowers,or any other thing: ntudi thebelt ha- more may I fay fo muchofthe word,though a manMould neuer haue benefit by it, yet fci rin? good itis,of itfelfeythat it is molt worthie thehearing,though it benothing but heard:But befidesourheariog,the Lordhash ioyned a fpeciall profit to the word, aseither the tàniug Or condemningofourfelues,fo that theword is thereforemore carefully tobe heard, be- caufe it isaccompanied with turbo benefitas the failingofourfoules : God (faith Lohn)fö {axed the world,tbat hegam hisonlybegottenfnneforeis,that whofeuerbeleereeth inhim,Amid- not perifb,bui hateeuerla/fing life. But howfl ailwe beleeue, faith Paul;Rom. r b.ifweheare reot? howfhall weheare withoutpreaching?and howfball they preach,vnleffe they befeet?Sothat it is preaching thatbrings hearing,hearing breedes beleeuing,and by beleeuutgwe arefated, s.Cor.r and fohowfoeuer the iolly fellowes of this world and others acco:npt thereof to be but madnelfeor foolifhncs,this fame foolifhnesof preaching, MichPaul,bringeth faluation : Preaebüig. this fooliflt thing (I fay)ofpreaching, and this !lenderthing ofhearing is theway to fal- nation. But yet a degree further.Naaman refuting the conunandenient of the Prophet concerningthe waffling hhnfelfeina riser,which was notat home in his &wile tountrey; his feruant faithunto hiin,Father,ifhe hadcommanded theeagreater th'ing_.woesldefl thon not baue done it?and why then is it much towall in this ritiereSa maywe layoftheword, If wee will not doefomuch as heart the word,which is focafe smattertodoe, whatwould wee hauedone,ifwe fhould haue climbedvetohearien tohaue fetched itfrom thence,or dig- gedto the lids to fetch it thence, or croll'ed the feastohalehad itthence ? But the Lord; faith theApof le,Rom. to:hathdealt moremercifullyforvs ,andprovided better for our cafe,we needenot take fach paines'asto got vp tobesuco, or downetohell for the Word; but iris brought even to vs,andpreachedfamiliarly :and thereforein refpedt of theright that theLordbathontovs, inrefpebtofthe beltemployingofourfenfes,in rcfpeóÌ of the dignitie ofthe word,and in regardofour eafineffe in hearing, wee mud needeshearethe word. Another argument is tlrisybecaufe,when 'calledoponandJIretchedMine armedaily to rásgfaith the Lord by hisProphetundve wo,oldnotheart mwcrie as longas ye can cric,I will not heareyou: But ifwee doeheare the Lord, hewill heartvs, and communicate onto vs thegraces ofhisholy fpirit, and whatfoeueris needful! for our faluation. If thenthe mat- terftand fouponout obedience tothe Lord,that wefhall reape fogreat a benefit,bccaufë he requiresbut even by the lawofnature,to doe to liimyas we would haue hah defile with vs ; itis goodequitie,that ifwewill not heare theLord whenhefpeakes,fpeake weeneuer: . . fo loud or long,we fhotiid not beheard ofhim: TheIaftreafon is this,whenMary was oca copied in hearing our SauiourChrilt, and Marthawas bufied in miniftringthings about her houfe,Chrilt faith flatly,Marybath chofen.thegoodpart,&why ?Itfhall not betaken awayfrom her. Marthaspart,indeath (hall be taken away,and come to nought,and fa maywe fafely fayofall our things concerning our trades in this life, they mutt cease; and when deathcomes, they (hall Issue anend; but Marier part (hall notbe fo, that is,what- foeuerfaith,loue, orobedience wee haue attained by theword preached,it (hall abide by vs with peace of conlcience in this life, and afterward it will accompanit vseven to the kingdome of heauen:But Marthawas Marthafor Chrilt,weare Marthas for Martha,we are all for the world,but this Shall be takenfromvs: Every manmay therefore fàfely reca kon thus withhimfelfe : Surely,allmy paine,my profits,my trade,&all will end in death: this is notthegood part,therefore Iwillheare the word,and thisfhall neuer be taken from`. me. Sothat as in-the former wee are made partakers Of the omnipotencie of God; ifwed 'ware hisword : fahere we fee we(hall communicate inthe eternitieOf Ood,ifwe choofe Maria. part : but if weepreferre the other, wemutt goe,but ourpart mufttarrie aftervs, and bee taken from vs. Good ratite thenhaue we to heare the word : but who ishethat thinks himlelfehappy to liguethe woador chink5/1'6t ltitrdelf¢snorehappy to geta good bargaiue;
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