Hieron - Houston-Packer Collection BX5133.H54 S4 1624

TheTredchersplea. 303 mente yet therebywas chiefly rneant the conuerßon of theWorldby theptea ching of the Gofpell, towhich it pleated our Sauiour todepute his Apoftles.1h"ia and their Succeffors : a worke indeed farcegreater then any ofthofemiracles'origtn.ilom c whichhe wrought berevpon earth by his owne immediate power. His worké'in tra. itis, Iconfeffe,tbeconuerfìonoflinnets, (for neitherishe thatplantethanyehm%,tteili&q,r,4a neither he thatwateretbb P;)yet he thoughtit moft agreeing tomans infirmity and -P t Q.L39° weakeneff_,aud thebelt meanes both For the furtherance ofhisowne glory,and the tryall of obedience , to put men in the feruice ofhis Church that they may pray the people , /, Chr:fEs ffeadtobereeonciled winoGodq. Who then can gaCor.q.s , without greatprcfumprion,and noleffe contemptofGods Maiefty, relievp> on anyother meanes forhis 1piritual edification,whenas the Lord baththought it meeter to pat hit words in thewouthofa manr, and to be with it t, then to fpeake r trrem.t,g. from 'linnet] by an immediate voice, or to employ thole miniflrin; Spiritsin 1 Eao4.4't that (mice , whichnotwithftanding, freTeentforthfor theirfakeswhichfhallbe, ?mires offalnatioatl' Great is the benefit of prince reading, efpecially of the t rcbrr4 Bookes of holyScripture; 'but yet , assilting attendanceto reading, ina Mini. fler°, is tomakehim thebetterable toditcharaehispublike duty, inexhortation u e TIm.4.i3 and De7rine : So the chiefe end ofprivate fearching the Scripturebyinitiate men, is in refpe&ofthe publike Miniftery, thatbeforehand they may bepre- pared to it, and afterwards may the better knowhow to profit by it. Foe the former of rhefe two (namely preparation by reading to thepnblike hen. ring,) it is a fir faying ofChryfc/iome : Wee doe (faith hoe) oftentimes tett cbYfHetath; yen before hand , the Text whereof our petiole is to entreate , that in the meant dt La; " whsle you (taking your Book! , and weighing the famine and (fate ofthe place) may make your miedos fitter to receiue thole points which(hall afterward bee "daliue- red. As indeed the ignorance of the people in the language of the Scrip. turc, and thegeneral; courfe and Rory of theBible , makcth preaching to be much leffeprofitablevino them. Nowfor the latter, towit, thevfe ofprivate "reading for profit after hearing, weebane that memorableexample of'thofe worthyGentlemen ofBerea, who hearingthe Apoftles preach , and receiutng the Word with all readinfie fearehed the Seriptstres daily ; whether thole things "eft a. a XMs ty, es, Nymph;Why, but (may ithefail)isnot the Scripturethe groundand fonndationofall your Dellrinesudareyouable tofaymore,or toffeat aberterthenmanyboth ancient and learnedmen,whofeexcellent Sermonsareput inpr:nt,andcebofegodly Treatifes are extant forthe benefit andcertifier efGedrpeople l Epaph. Ifwe preach vneoyou anyotherdoâriee then that which the Scrip. tare will allow, sveare worthy ofPots curfe Y; Weeknow andcenfe¡fe the Bi-yCalr., r, s, his to bee the moll exatl rule, andflaare, andcanon, bj which .all our Sermons'PPaefii Cyst", mullberried: weeacknowledge alto, that holy men which haue written touch- ai Talon a r4 ing matters ofreligion, andhaue publilhed their well laboured,and zealoully item ; iyf de limedSermons,haue (many ofthem) fee down the truth ofGod foundly, a cur. andbin the meanes ofmuch comfort towell-affebed people:brit yet, though the do&rive be thefame in flabit ante, thatis readprivately, and which is pub- likcly delwcred, yet thelike fruit cannot Followvpon both. Ifyou demand a reafon, I can giuenobetter then that whichChrift gaueofGods reuealing chore things to babes, AN hichhe hid from the wife and prudent , Eticofe iris het saufe the herdha goodpleerfore itlocha. When the peopleof Ifrael were in their iourneytocanean,and were fed with bread from heairen,we wadethat ifvpon çMay. 'xl the weckedaies, any man had referuedof the Mannatillmourning, it war full ofwormerandftan¢e e : but being kept the day before the Sabbath vnti it mor- ning, it Jietvkenor, neither was there= any Worme therein b I would faine ice who ouldzinc foeanyorherreafou,why theillannaMould at theone time corrupt, b vestsa4. at

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