173 ThePreachers plea. 9Verfe ç. words.ofthe Lawi,and therfore not to any gloffeupon them.Iar:(v. er,that in cue_ ry mansconceiuing,itwasnot the foundofthe words which made them weep, but the vnderflandingofthe words,andthe apprehenfionof the fenfeand mea_ áing,and intentof thewords.Now they were theLeuites which cawfedthepeople tovnderliand the Lamr: fo that,fith thevederflanding the lawmade them weep, (as common fence muff needs mat) it{mull nece farily follow,that it was the Leuites their expounding, andnot their onely reeding whichlo effected their harts,anddiffolued them into teares.Conldthewords ofthe lawhaveaffceted.thi9; had they hotbin vnderftood,andnot theirgeg thefinft, thatmadr the l l irpein e e m e peciple, vnderftand ? You namedalfotwo places out of S.Iohn sThefe things arewrit ens '11.1. 7: thatyoufhot/d(oe mighr)6eleeue; and howcan thingswritten makevs to beleeue, ag'i°IBfla' but onlyby reading?This isa very flangeargument.Thepurpofe of.thhtplace traót. na.ty- (in the iud ement of the learned) is to acquaint vs both particularly. with the cord.,Hago $ ) cord. Ws- féopeofthat(Cory,andgenerallywtththecommondrifto fthewholefcriptprÉ tics. which istobring vstobeleeue, andbybeleeuing onto life etereall:The placeis ordinarily vrged byour bell Diuines,to iuflifte thefufficieney of the Scriptures without Traditions, Nowwhat is this to prouereading tobe preaching ? Yes (fayyou) for how can that which is writtenmakevs to belecuebut onlyby reading ? Indeed it is crue,to the endthe matter of the Scripture may bring vs to belieue it mull be knowne,and to the endit may be knowne,it mull be read: Is therefore the ael of reading the begetteroffaith? furely no.I aske this que- flion,Howcan that which is readmakevs to beleeue,vnleffe it be vnderfloedi I hopewe will not make the words of Scripture likewords ofconjuration, the very noife whereof(hall etfeet that which is intended. Ifthen the vnderflanding ofthat which is readbe neceffaryontofaith, whymay Inot faywith theEunuch, Hew fk&s4,31, canwevnderfandwitheutagreidef. Thoughthen it bee true, thatthings written cannot makevs tobelieue, except theybe read, yet it clothnot follow, that therefore onelyreading is fulficientveto faith. The Scriptures muffhe vnder_ flood as wellas read ,thev muff be beleeued to bee true;aswell asvnderftood, theymullbe applied in particular, as well as affented vnto in general]; tothefe the readingofthe Scriptures is the next flepafter writingthem,but yet notthe thing which is onely neceffary. Asmuch may be faidofthatother place,wheee eternalldfe is promifed tofearcbirgthe Script:res, aud.refearcb(you fay)is,to read svhitak. cepa, to reade is buta degree to fearching. I remember the wordsofa reverend Di_ s,o.t.,.a. ninevpon that place;Chrifl(faith he) clothnot onelyexhort to remit/seScriptures vt to inquire intotbem,andto lift them thorowly:he requireth fucklaborious diligence; noniegaat asthey viewhichfeeke into the earth fortreafure that is hidden.The Scriptures m°do,errn muff be read that they may be feaeched, but the nakeda/Soften/lug or ofliea. ring read is nofearching.But ofthefeplaces enough, vnleffeyou benot fatisfi- ed:The othernowifyou pleafe. Nymph. Iwi11norondertebetorepwpenyou : ifhereaftermakingvfeofthefe rep. lotions which I receimefromyeu,1Mallmeetwith further oppeftion,lwill notBare toQC. quaintyowtherewith.ln the meow tiwe,Iwilltel what I bose heaidelleagedtoprone the wordreadro be (as ¡faid)ofmorepowertemonothen any Preachers Sermon,. Two places Iremember abateothers; the one,thefpeech ofChrifi to the Iewes;lf yee belieue clubs.1:47. not Mefeswritings,howfhallyebeleeuemy words s? Epaph. Why? what ofthat? wherein doth that place make for this purpofe? Nymph. Here theyfay, our&onio hi wfelfeaferbethgreaterpower ofwerbMgfaith auto the writtenScriptrires,then ontohie ewne malllively andexcellent Sermons. Epaph. This puttethme inmindofthe Paying ofSlomen,He thatwringeth his ulrlou.;o.33 nofe,caufeth bloodto come out °.Here isa ruing-ell peruerting a ofthe Scripture,and xsPet.;a6. a forcing that from it,whichwas neuer intended in it, To beleeueMofeswritings, ts,tobeleeue thematter which Mofes wrote:and toMeowChrifis werds, is,tobe- lerne the matterwhichChrift fpake; fo that our Sauiours fpeech is this in other words; vl
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