648 Meer Creenhams `Readings fencesarenot inueigledwith angoutward things; ournatural I powers beingreuiued,haue then their greateft libertie. Whereforefceingby naturewe are notcapable oftheword; but it goeth withnature as againfí theMreame oragainO thehake : how rieceffarie is it in the morning that the firs} thingto come to oureyesshould be the templeofthe Lord ; thefiat thing to curcares, hisword,& tofeafonour mindeswith meditation of thefame: fo that wemay walke with Elia!, all the darafter,in the Mrengthof thole things,which out of the word of God . we haue heardor read. Andalthoughnotime is vnfit for the word & praier : yet nowwe (poke not fimphewhat time is fir,but whattime ratheris moll fit herein to be vfed. On the contrarie,when we haue been trauailing inour worldlie bufineffe, many thingshaue occupied ourfenfes,andafter muchtrauaile,we prouoke our appetite to receivemeate;andafter muchlabouring,and mucheating ioyned withwearines,muchdulnes creepeth uponvs , which hardlie willadmit vs withanygoodprofit toheart theword ofGod. For cven Gods children thoughthey (hivebyall meanes,that they become not oppreffcd with meate and drink ; and yet they feeleafter their repafl,a natural) heauines and dulnes,which rnaketh them Idleableand fit ro receiaetheword withreadincs and reuerence. Forto the receiuing ofthe word and prayer, two things efpeciallie areneceffarie: that is,aprepared minde beforewebegin;and an examina. tion,andmeditation withOur feluesafter we haue ended: els,ifwe come handover head,asgood neuera whitas neverthe betcer.True it is indeed,thatas a mangoingcontinually inthe funshall in timehauea blackehew:fo in oft hearing a man may attaineto fomeknowlege,buthe (hal ne. tierwithout this truepreparation and examination ofhis heart attaine to thefoundneffeofiudg. ment.Moll needful)it is with preparedminds to come to the word andprayer;becaufe whenwe hearethe word,theLord commeth downeintothe Church as itvs ere amongvs ;and whenwee pray,we mountvpas it were to heauenamong the Angels: whereforeweearenot tocome to fo high a banketwith vnwafhedhands, norcodrawneèreto themariage, withoutour wedding garntent;butwemufftake heede,withwhat foote we enter intothe houle ofthe Lord,leaf! hap- pily we offer the facrificeoffooles, Forfooles tbinke they haue donewell, whentheyharegiuen theirbodilie prefence,whenthey haueheard & prayed as othersdo,neuer preparing theirhearts, or examiningtheir ovine wants. But wemull learne trulieto fèarchourfelues,and according to ourneceflirics snuff wepray, thatthe minifiers mouthmay be opened , who in preaching is the mouth of God (peaking to vs,and in praying is ourmouth fpeakirg toGod forvs. And furely as for the heartiedesire ofthe godly giuen euill men haue fometimes their .: mooches openedto fpeake fome good things; cues fo for want of this affe&iaa in the hearers the good minister Both tot fpeaké fo plentifully and fruitefnlly, as were tobe wished. Wherefore, ítandefthou in needeto be comforted ? Mandellthou inneedetobe humbled ? Mandeff thou in needeto beexhorted ? pray that thine heart maybe prepared toconceiue chofe things which efpecially concerne thine citate, and thatthy paftor may open hismouth tothy profit. For, for the prayer of the godly, the mouthof thevngodly !hallutter profitablethings: Balaam(hall bidefor Jfraelifake, and theLord will beunto them asanVnicornes borne, again! Balsams turfing : AndCaiphar!)hall propheciegood things ofChrist: On thecontrarie, becaufè thepeopleare ill, Dareid(hall number them, and the Lord (hall make dry and barren the graces of God in the miniter, when the hearts ofthe hearersarenotprepared. Andas this preparingof our felues isneceffarie; fo alto meditation, and applying that to our (Clues which we haue heard andprayed for, thatwe may feehow theword beiongetlsto vs, andwhat euentour prayers hauc.For alas what precious fcede is cart inthe high waycs fide, becaufe by meditation it is not laidevp, butthe diuell is fuffred to comeand lcale it from vs ? To what endeis theword, ifwehue notaccording to that which wehue learned ? Ifeuery man fhallenterthus intohimfelfe, O Lord, howmany fermonshaue Iheard, buthow little haue I profited bythem? how long have thy mmifters preached? but how 'llendcrlyhaue I pra&ifed ? then shouldhe feewhatcómfort he had in the lifeof lefus Chrift, when fomanypearles haue beencartto fwine,and fuckholy thingshaue been giuen todogs.Likewifeas ueedefullis this examina' tienofour Celtics inprayer,that,ifafter I haueprayed I haue obtayned, mine heart maybe enlarged to thankfgtuing:IfIhaue notreceiued,I may fearch the caufe inmine owne con. fcience,and tbinke, that the Lordwould haue use frill tocontinue my prayers vetohim. Wherefore, preparation andmedita- tion. preparation. Theminifierie. Paragonyid,- craft. Num.x;.xx. aI. dHeditgion.
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