MgagnMP5EMMTMMIk 477 The PraerlsrrcPlea t7« oT«nar;f:.:.,C......,._C_ _a_.__.._ Logue, making knowne the worth and neceffity of that whch wee call Preaching, ArmingAllis howaman mayprofit by it, both for the tnformi g dims Iudgement,and thereforming of hts life, Epaphrewa Miniftera. Nymphetsa privareman b. a col 4.tz. Iirympbas. bVet_iI. Ir,valeffe Islavery, much iut fake, Ihawoftenheardyeuinyearpabhke Sermonsurge thefufficiency that ought tobe inaMnßer, and ofeci- altpfor theclearing ofdoubts and cafes efconfceenee among thfe, of whoa* theholy Gbofl hobmade himveer.Jeer. Epaphrae.tt isnot vnlìke,that among otherpoints delivered, in the ordinary Miniftery , youhaue receiued thisallo : forI amwell aduifed that of old i was the appointment ofGod , that thePriefls lipsAmidpreferue knowledge, andmenf.oaldfeeke it at his mouths. Sothat weall,as manyas tender a Mal.a.7. the goodof he ChurchofChril1 , haue esufe tobewaile our countrieselate, inwhich are fo manyi'elswttheatwater, asS, Peter termeththem b,and that not hn Pcr.t.i7. vnfitly:for asaWell placed bythe way fide, in regard of theoutward feeming thereof, putteth the poore thinly traueller in hope offome refrelhing: who re- pairing to it,and finding nothing but emptines,goeson his way with thegrea- ter difcouragemeat: fo there kind ofinenfanding inthe ChurchofGod, doe by reafonof theiroutward habitand femblance ofgrauity,make thewearied, diflreffed,and perplexed Chriftian co nceiue, that ifhe have recourfe to them, he lhallcertainly be relieued : but yet when he makes triall, he findeth them to his greatergriefe,notvnlike to theimages ofthe Heathen , Which banemoothes asdfPeake not u, not having the tongue ofthe learned, that theyfltenld knowhow to mi- ce Pli,L r 15.t fuller awordintimes,binstisatteweary4. But tell me neighbour,I pray you, this dtfa,go,q. beinggranted,what you would inferte hereupon ? Nymp. Sure,thatwhich I would inferrehereupon, isthu ;thatyou beingbyyear cal- 1 aga Masser, arethereforeable,andbeingalto by theyraaideaceofGedthat Misslfer, tritonwh fi labours Imull efpec,ally depend e, areweulingaye toenterdifcoarfewith me, e tPet5.s and toaffordmeyour boll belpefor e ybettervaderflanding infamepsints,wbereto1 haste oflatedaies beenverymachperp lexed, Epaph.For mine ability inthis behalfe,what it ought tobe I know,and what Iwilhitto be, I know alfo; yet whatfoeuer it is, iutah be moftwilling(asmy duty is to fpetid mytime, ro bellow mylabour,and toemploy my bell endea- uours infoholy a bufinelfe,as is your buildingvp inknowledge, and yourfur- therance inthe wales ofgodlinete, Andl doeheartily with , that bothyou, and others of our neighbours , wouldmore oftengive methe likeoccafi on, I lhould then the better know yourdoubts, and fofit my felfto fpeake in preach- The profit of ing to currymans confcience, and you allofhouldby that meanesbeaefoluedconference in many things, which for lackeofeonferencemuff needs breed fcruple, efpe.betwlxethe cially in thole whichhaue noryet, through long eufìome, exerc,fedwitstedifcerne Miniger and bothgoodandtwill Thiswas the praftileof thedifeiples :Afterthat Chrift had_(ÿcÿ`5. 4l fpokeninpubl ike, when they had him alone,they askedhim g; yea, our SauioúrgMat4.to. ;urged them hereto himfelfe, enquiring ofthem after theend ofhis Sermons, whethertheyvnderffood all b they had beard , tothe end, that ifany doubt re- mained , it might be electedto them. his the probable opinionof fosseDi- Mat' 1 r. uines:that itwas theancient vfe in the Synagogues of the Iewes, that when he which taught,had ended fo muchas he had to fay,auy manmight Randvp, and moóue a queítion forhis further fatisfyiug,in the things delivered. Hence(as it isfuppofed) came thatfah ofChriftsin theGolpell, ofaskisgpseftoatofthe `.Doílorsus the Temple: and it is likely the Apoftlehadreference tothat, permit- tingthatliberty to all, Caningvntowomen,whofeasking wasappointedrobe . mire N'-mp,
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