Truths `'urchaj. fit toesoygáodwarke.: whatfoeuer thou doll lacke there thou(halt be Cure to haue it aboundantly fupplyed: therethou (halt fee difmuered the great mi fleryof godlineffe,which is,Gadmanifefe4in theflefh, isflified inthe fpirit, feene of Angels, preached vntò the Gentiler,beleeuedon inthe world, amdreeeined vp intogloryb. Thus h Tim. ;,1Fó rhe Church is the place, and the preachingof the Word is the Treafurefubiesed ro the view, and offered ro thevfe ofall,which defire to receive ir. And indeede, heereinefpecially flandeth thedifference betwixt the wordRead, and the word Preached. The word read,isas a richwardrobe ofa Prince,where many garments ofcoil arefolded vp together in a narrow roome,which cannot fo fatisfie thebe- holder, as if thefame might befeuerally laid forth before him , timebeing alto granted him, to takenotice ofevery particular: becaufe,being lappedvp,hecan- not feethe whole beauty,and beingtogether, heis notable toobferue Buryfpe- ciaine. Euea fo itfareth with the Scripture. Ifaman Marethe word read,it can- not butdraw him to admire the maiellieandriches of the Text, and it willcafl come glimmering light vpon thevnderftanding; but when he heareth the riches of it laid open by preaching, it will much more aftoni(h hire3 yea, it will even rauilhhim (as itwere) (liking a greater terrour intohis confcience , caflinga clearer light eposhis judgement, workingmore mightily upon his affeaionsë This is notfpoken todifcounrenance the readingofthe word, or tobanilh the efeof It out of Gods Church,or todepriue it ofthat rerpeaiueefkimation which it dorh defense : nay, it is rather fpoken to thewinningof reverencethereunto: Forindeedethereinsornanhèareth the word read, morehumbly, obferueth it moreheedfully, or lifleueth unto it more affeaionately, then he, whobyprea- ching hash beene brought toknow the excellencieof the word. So then,heere I thin vpthisdoarine. He that defireth tomake this purchafeof theVW), mull repairetothe placewhere it is fet to Cale, cuestothe houleof God, where the word is trulypreached, and roundly deliuered. This point is an very neceffarytobe throughly vrged, inregardof the corn- The Pp, mon finne oftheworld atthisday, which isthis, thenegligent depending upon the minilieryofGods word. For, lsowfoeuerfound,and fincere,and often prea.. ching,be not fo vniuerrall and common as were tobe wifhed,ifGodwerefo plea- fed tothrufl out more painfullLabourers into hieharuefi (e) , yet it is farre more aMath.9.;s^ generally beflowed,then obediently and dutifully entertained. Fortruly,ifa man fhouldaskeormee ,what thatthing inmyopinibnis, which isatthis day aimoft in everyplace moll harefull,molt abhorred, mollirkefome, molt contemptible, tuft welcome, and lealiregarded ; Í know not(Í fpeake vnfainedly) howto an- fwer more truly , then tofay, it is the mihifteryand preachingofGods word. And tothe endthat I may not fpeake at random , but may laythis fault epos chofe in whoa-litis, Iwill diftinguifh chofe ofovr times(to letprofeffed enemies of our Religion, Pipit's, alone) whicheither comenot maleplace ofCale of Truth;or ellecome asgazers,toTooke on,and to fill vp number into threeforts : firfk, thecommonProteflant : fecondly, thePolitician : thirdly, the proud and felfe-conceipted man. By thecommon Proteflant, Ivnclerftsnd hick an one, as the Papillcalleth(infcornefolpeaking of vsall) a ParliamentProteflant, that is, aTime- feruer, who looketh nofurther,then to theLawof thePrince,who i4 ready for anyreligion, and is therefore indeedofnoreligion. Ofwhichhumor, thereare(the Lord knows)infinitemultitudes at thisday, all whore Bible is the Statute booke,and theArticles ofwhore faith, aregrounded upon pofitiueIn. iunitions. Now the commonReligionof this common Proteftant, I finde to be this. He hatha certaine notice of lovingGod aboue all, and his neighbour ad himfelfe,and that he thinkethis as muchas he needethtocare for, and after this manner he thinkethwithhimfelfe t I keepemy Cbarcb,ae wellas the moft 1 receiaé the Cemmanionat£afíer,acbecommeth agaodfabiek a nine quietly amongmyneigh. fioars,endwhereinamI now to befaandfaakwithall?indeed1envoi asterprecife: for bald 45
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