The Epiftle to the Reacle.r. . in the_ir Clo{ets with God, _ thei~ own fouls would thriy~ -- 'better, andthings would Jucceed better abroad; Mr. · ~ogers &eingfilencedfrompublick work, defired his, Hearers to fpend ·that -time they were wont to come tohii Leflure in, in ferio,us Prayer and Meditation in 'their Cto[ets 1 ftnd he was confide(1t Satan rvoul4 bea lofer, ant;/ their{oulsgainers by that providence : ...lnd this I ca~t a_ffirm, that if f'er– fons woul4fpendpart ofthat ti'(ne inJeeret Prayer they take 'to runaprot~dto S~rmons£n.,theywouldbe better pro{icient.u :Not but that· h~~ripg t'bc word is necejfary., and fo is this ; nor muft the ~n~ iuftteour·the;pther :ye.a,thefe fecret _duticf. ·help us to -profit by publick.. Ordinances. Ifdung be pour'id ·.down on heaps in theJie!d,it doth no goo4; it muff lfefp'reat/ ·abrolflt/> before it mtlR,s fruitful e;round. The plaifter-heals nqt' except it bf applyed, fo the ~ordm!Jft ·be (pread on our he~trts by (eriouJ1ndfecret Medittftionand'Application_,or elfe it will never makg our fouls · he~tlthful and fru~tful; and then 7Ve muft pray O'!JCY it, for thcjh'~Wers ~~ div~ne grace to wafi1 it ancf work it into our hear($ .~ .lvfan:.,v Ser:_· mons arf lof! for want of foul.ttaking them·home to their: Clofets,a!Jd turning them tp Prayer: I feat all wi{lbe' lit": tle enough that Minift_er's can preach or write t~pon_ thi~ Theam; I doubt jlill, this work_. will be ,either totally neg.:. leEtedernegligentlyperforJ1!:ed: it's anhar4 work,theSpir# :muft travel in it; and (faithgood Mr. B_ains.J the Sai~J_ts canendure}etter to hear an hour., than to 'pray ~ quart~r: ye~e ourtriflinghearts willmaksanye,x_cufe toJhift fronrthif_ duty, or fhuffle it off; n~ty ,though it be itJ exchangefor ano· ther,aJignthe Work is ofGod, and tending much to thefoul$ .glJod, Oi'" elfe Satan ar'·d our corrupt he4ris wouldneverr~ ~uch hinder fir oppoje it. · · . , . · · ;, , I foor Soul, it may be -thou loo~eft abro_ad 1 anq[eeft m!§~~ wickpdnefs committed, holine{s perfecuterJ, thy God dijli1• noured-, many thingsout oforder, thouw,anteft a e.apacitJ to bring aremedy: I muft therefflrt [dJ to . thee tfJS #' .s; ed'J Albertus Cral}tziqsf~id to Luther~ when /Je h~g . - '
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=