5os The l'reac1ersplea. ledgeof the truthwbichis according togedlmeee, and inthepower ofgodlinefe9, doe q 1m. ;.p. find their iudgements better flrengrhened , their faith more confirmed , their confciences morewrought vpon, and their affe Lions more quicknedby the word, whenitiseffeauallypreached &applyed, thenwhen irisbut onlyread vntothem. Andno maruell,for indeed it cannotbe that a briefe claufe ofholy Scripture,wherein, in a fport teneur ofwords (fuch is therichesofthe facred text)manyparticularsare comprifed,beingonly read, Should profitfo much, asifby preaching it were expounded, andaccording-to occafrons,applyedvn_ eitde0' ral. toGodspeople : If aman (faith the heathenOrator) comeinto a wardrope, tib8 wheremany richgarments arefolded vp togethei in a narrow roome, it can- not fofatisfiehim,as ifthe famemight feuerally,be laid forthto his view,time beinggranted to takenoticeof euery particular:`becaufe being lappedvp, bee cannotfee the wholebeauty, andbeing together, bee is notable toobíerue e. ueryfpecialty:euen fo it farethWith theScriptures : ifaman heart them read, itcannot butdraw him toadmire the maiefly and riches of them, and it will cart Come glimmering light upon the vnderflanding : but whenhee beareth them laidopen by preaching, it will much more aftonifh him , it will caenra. uifhhimasitwere, callingacleerer lightvponhis iudgement, and working more mightilyuponhisaffècions. This truth, allwhich trtily feareGod, are able to imfiifieoutof their owne experience. Now for others, I know they al- fo mart yeeldto this, thatthey finde theword being vrged and pealed by preaching, to be farcemore powerfull, , more piercing, more maieliicall, more awaking the confcience, more enuring through , euea veto the dixidngafunder of rHeb.4.t>: Pilootndtheff+irit,more drfeerniag the thoug sandtheintentrofthehearte: and this ismyfirfi reafon fetchedfromexperience , againfi which therecanbee no difputing: forit is in vaine to got about to perfwadeaman , that that thing is notfo,which heby obferuation hath lí11found tobe fo. Nymph. Ihaue well markedyonr f eecb,anddull cenfderedtheceurfe ofyour ar. gumentrendas Iamwehfirengtbnedbyo in thatgood opinioo,wbicb Ibrute alwares had ofpreaching, fe l amgladofone thingwhich l objeraodTurnerdlfeonrfe , namell,that 'clef-emu not altogether tocondemn reading, norm deßre the banThingopt out of the Church. ¡ca» cell you, où commonly fad, thatyou andothersfschnape»are , doe mißeke the readingoftheScrepuorel. Epaph, God forbid that I orany manShould hold fogroffeau errour, asto fAtls¡t.ar. contemn a courCe of that antiquity : Mops rem read in theSynagogue emerySad'. tABatt.tt Labdayfr. and there wastheLame oftheLaw and Prophet: r And our Sauiout Arayrena Chrificomminginto theSynagogue on theSabbath day ,ßoodoptoreade°. And for Surer erey.rs mine art,Iagree f theopinion ofa learnedmanofourlatertimes,that h 9 E E.eap.a. readingof the holyScripture in the congregation isgood,,to thatend,thacthe Tb,vie of phrafe and manner of(peakingof the Scripture,and the Scriptureit Celle might reading t1 bemoreItnowneand morefamiliarto the people: and I cunfdffe alfowith him, Sceipmre in theChurch that by that meanes the iudgementofthe people is confirmed in all points of religion,fothat thereby theyare made able tofudge ofthe interpretationofthe Scriptures, andof the doctrine taught them by their owne teachers or others* all this Iwillingly acknowledge. And howrimer men are difpofed to inter- pret it yet thatwhich is fpoken in thepraile ofpreaching, tendsrather tothe countenancing,then tothe difgrace o£reading :forhe who obferuethit Thal find, that Moue inprivate examine the Scripture more carefully, nonein publike heareit readmore refpeCtiuely, then thofewhom preaching hath taught to fee the rxcellency ofGodsword,and theworthof the Scripture. Nymph. Tomham done very welltomake lnewneyour judgementwitching the reading oftheScrtptnre;fortheconceit,that you think* bafe)eftheword read, is agreat prejudice toles inmanyplater, andis manyWens opinions, Ifitpleafeyou, comenot: I pray,:. toyo irfecond reefn, Epaph,
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