r 9 The Preachfriplea. 447 methority, the mercyofonrLordmightpardon them. But as thegood Doaor faith, Wemin not hopefor the l,1 hauingbetter meanesofinfiruaion. V'hcn theout- word oririnary meaues failed , Gods hand was not flrortned, but he was able euenin themiditof blindoe(fe, tofauethole which belonged to the eIeEti0nof grace. As for vs , it (hall not be fate forvs to negk£l:Hesfogreatfalnation ° , orto a Heb.a.3, 'recoil, thegraceofGod invalnea, foolifbly adnenturing our (clues upon the vn- xuCor.á,t. known conditionofour fore-fathers.And this I hope may fuffice totake away theedgeofthis fancy. It ishumanity tothinke theheft ofour fore-fathers, but itisdinínitytolooke carefullyto our felues. Nymph. lamgladyou hamfarnJhedmewithfoMicient an anfineretothis excep_ nett,which lhalebeen oftenafmiltedwah ;andmdeed, hecaafe ofthe commoníliin&of natnre, it/Inked, thedeeper impr eo,andir:haMorehardlymarooned. Bat Ithinke this that yoahaaefedmaypreaaile there, mbere ebflmatewilfalneffehath notgottenthe ma. fiery: and therefore1milliay tint vp dtffely, as ewerGoliahhi.:freedwas laiedvp rr iSam.ni 9. :Hat Imaymar bane itinreadineffe forflach upurpaih. Rut Sir, there ureyei mareot6ic- ¿fian, ofthefameflampe,rokich I mallentreateyoaalfa tocleer, abat foyou maymake me perfeeffcholler in thin point. Epaph. Who would thinke it polltble that men fodill and vncapable in mat- ters whichconcerne their greatengood, (would beaboundingwitharguments, wherewithto pleade euea againfl their owne foulest Butthedinel is a cunning inflru&er , and laboureth to firengthen men in ignorance , (becaufe it is the fceptorofhiskingdome) as muchas it ispollible. Letvs beate thereforewhat the ignorant,withwhom it hath beenyour hap to tonuerle, haue yet further to állesge. N mph.7"hyfay,that the mell learnedafyon all,mboart calledPreachert,wbenyore haae(hewed thevrrerm f ofyamcunning,canfaynomore then theyknowalready,name- ), that th, y malt loueGod aboveall, and their neighbours asthemfe lues:ar% Peeing they kyowthis wellenough already,mhat needeth(fey tbey)any moreinfiraltioa Epaph. This is a conceit (carne worthy the confuting: yet left my Pence fhould breed an opinion in you', that there is more in it then indeed there is, oh but confider ofit by the like: Ifa man fpeaking of husbandry,andhearingano- ther todifcourfe ofthegreat skil,and long experience that is requifate tomake amanagoodhusband, fhould fay byandby, Tuih,whattalkeyou fomuchof skill and knowledgeherein? Why?Iti, netbing6atthis,toplow ,toJim,and torope r fhould not filch aonedeferuedly be laughedat, and be a (come to thole which hearehim? Yes,andnot without pure ; forevery manknoweth, that though this be the fummeof Husbandry, yet thereare dinersparticulars belonging eo thefe,which are neither foone learned,nor eafily pradlifed: fo that he who deli- rethtobeagoodhusband, and toprofit byhis labours, and tomake thebelt óf. eneything, muttnot fatisfie himfelfe toknow this, that there in nothing inhuf- bandry but toeare the land, andto reape the fruit; but he mart learnealto what belongeth to the rightperformance ofthefe, otherwile hemayerre in rowing, play the foote in plosnitsy, aadconsc bore in reaping. And euen fo it is inthis cafe.tror it is,that the far ofall religion confifteth inthis,in lottingGod ahume all,anda mails neighbour ashimfelfe: but wbat then ? If a man fhall thinkeby andby that he isa goodChriftiall, andknowes enough, becaufeheapprehen- deth thole generals,thefame is exceedingly deceived, for there aremany other branchesbelonging to each ofthefe,which vnleffe a mando know,he enanevre Tone Godas hr nuahi,nor hisoseighbonr ars he fInali: fo that to my feerning,e.. trencommon reafon is fuffiyient to eonuince mens ignorance herein. There is not the mean fl prof<lfron, the ccurfeft trade, theplaineft occupation, but it hath(as we fly': a certainemyllery in it, there aremany rules belcngiug to it, which muft be knowne, not in grolle onely, but evenvery peccifely, before a man caninany mediòcritypraEtife the dutiesof the fame, -- Xx} Nymphs
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=