ThePreachers plea: Sot f tpheardtake.thtaeafthemouthoftbeLientwo legges,orapieceofancarey, theny Amos3.ls. when as the DanghterofS sonMIS becomeacSodome and not mush unlike vetoGo merrah:and withaU, that at theday ofChrifts appearing, when hetJima con- fame that man6f0; =, he mayhaue witneffes againft him outofall ages, both of ía Ther.a.8, the deceineablenet ofhis fupçrfhtious dofttin, andofthe crueltyofhis tyrannous and bloodyproceedings, That which I lay touching the times of the Egypti- an darkeneffe ofPopery, may be laid alfo of many parts of the Redline, which notwithftanding the long flourifhingof theGofpcllin this Land, yet (I knoW not throughwhore default) neuer enioyed the benefit and comfortof retied preaching : for though for themolt part it be true , that where' the Lord bath much people, there bee is not wanting to fend Come, whomay continue with them, 45 ecc6 o wcoiofGadamong them s yerashefdmetiwesvouchfafethaaMiati.toì preacher to impudentandflganeckedebildren,who willnot beare,to that end, that in theday ofvegeance,tbey tray know therebath beena Prophetamogthem b: foal- b Ezee,x4.,;i fo itpleafeth him by teeter and hidden, yea, and.very vnlikely courfes, toaf- foord vistofome hearts thebleffngof inward conuenîon , vpon whomhe bath not bellowed the banefitrof outward infiru&ion by a Preacher. But what then?Yet this remainethcerten,that as whenthe good meaner is wanting,and cannotby any way bee procured , the power and mercy ofGod mullnotbee difirufted : fowhen themeans is beftowed, his bounty cannot without great finne lee delpilcd. It is herein, as it is inthe cafeof the Sacraments : It is not limply thewant ofthem (whena man cannot, though faine he would become , partakerof them) but thecontempt which isdamnable. As for example,if a Fatherenneceffarily deferre the Baptifmeofhis Child longer then the time appointed by the order ofthe Church , it is a finne in him ; if the Childdye withoutBaptifine : So likewile for a man vfually to turne hisbacke from the adminillrationoftkeLordssapper making no reckoningof che comfort of- fered therein , it is doubtleffe afault, which Godwill notlet goeaway vnpu.. nilhed. The fame may ht laidofthe woed Preached, if a man be sfepriued of it through a kind ofvnauoida'aie neceffrty , limply there is no preiudicetohis faluation thereby,iffo be thefe things be ioyned with it : Brit that in this lirait, the'boledoe paste, after that great benefit of whichit is depriued : Secondly, cFfal4a.t: that a man doe both delire and require that one thing of the Lord , motto be- boldthehero), tithe Lord a,namely, the legitof theglcriom Gofpell of Chrifl,whtehdPfalny.4: is the lmageof God.: Thirdly , thatbee he carefull tovfeall fuch helper of tea- ea Co4 4, ding the Scripture, andofother godlyTreatifes , andofconference withmen ofknowledge, as may poffbly beeprocured. But if fo bea manmay by any nicasesenioy thebenefit andcomfout of Preaching, though it beewithfome both charge and trauell : ifthen hetcarelelly negleft it, and trail toother meanes,nodoubt the Lordwill cnrfe chore meats, vetohim,which forall that in elicit owne natureare good , and might profit, iftheywere not vfedwith. contempt of the principall, Thisis my itidgement touching thin fuppofall,rhac by prelfing the worth ofpreacliing,we doe confine asit wereGods grace,and rye it comic tongoes, and doe cut them fhortofallhopeoffaluation,wbicbby any occaf on bauelined ordoe huewithoutit. Nymph. Well fr, thin b ndofinen for all this is notfatisfitd, áatbeingbencen byar- gnmentend Scripturefromone fendsoma, they forthwithrantsto another , andfee& notfo mach hewtomabea diredl reply, at toheapvp dinerlityofobsekions. Andtherm fore when thet banePaidall theycan,fortheprefng of thofiparticularssthe vanitymisers emu haaelaidopento thefoil; then (hoping to obtaiae thatwhichmultitude ofwerdt, whiehwith wet ofreafon theycannot) theywildneedsknewareafas; Why there may not be as much good gotten by their owne private reading in the Bookes of the Scripture, and inother good Sermons andTreatifes whichare fee forth, ay by hearinga Preacher io the Church,
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