5S2 The Dignity of Preaching. upon they would concludeapollibilityof turninga man , from the power of Satan vntoGod,without preaching.Hereuponlanfwer,thatwho (oihall fay, that Axg.was not conuertedvntillhe heard thatvoice,fhall defineran vntruth. For it is plain,thatAxg.hadbeforethat time beenin fpiritualaffeEtion,greatly exercifedwith acombat betwixt the Bethand thefpirit,as appearesplainely in the chapter going before this , whereas he reports the matter ofthe Voice And when this Voice came,he was on hisface weepìng,and at prayer,earnef_ ]yconfeffing hisfines, and defiring to bedelivered from them. This voice is rather tobe reputed a coafirmation,aad perfeélingofhisconuerfion, then the proper inurement of workiligit. Ifwewouldknow whereby indeed he was eeafef.&b.s. conuerted, let himfelfebe heard whole report this is , That beinga RiletOrici. 1'r34* aa,hecame to theCity wherein Amhrof e wasBtfhop,defiring there toprofelfe Rhetoricke : whilefl he was there, he would needsgoe heare Ambrefepreach, Nen ha._Not as a Teacher ofthe Truth, (fo are hisowne words) forhee thoughtthere rmveri, was none fuch tobe found amongthe Profeffors of the ChriflianFaith) but becanfehe hadontohim (hewed kindne(fe.Now marke what he fpeakes,dire- Adearn perto &ing his fpeech toGod Tohim I was bythee ledvnawaret , that by him Imight etasebm'nefri' throughknowledge be led'te thee : And fo hegoethon to(hew, howby hearing 91 aQ11 pmt" him , whom.(ashe repots other-where) he heard preachingeuery Lordsday, Wen át- he was brought bylittle ad little erehee wasaware, sererand serer to the pm: die o,. embracingof the truth. An excellent example for the confirmation of this mina,. point , thatpreaching is themenses of a mans conuerfion. And yet I adde, Scent 0'8t' thatincafe it were true, thatthe reading of that place had been the dire& '16'4 meanes of histurning; yet it were nothing to the preiudice of that which I now teach;for I would fay(&well Imight)itwas extraordinary,&fuckwhet. ofwe can make nortíle:and fo indeed whenfoeuer any man is brought tohaue fattinggrace, and true faithothetwife then by preaching, it isa coufeout of course; fuch whereinGod will(hewhispower andmercy, and the freedome ofhisproceedings ; not fuchwhereupon he will banevs limply andgenerally torelic. I ramiethen tomypoint, which is this :Wee haueno warrant to ex. pe& faluation any other way, then by dependence vpon preaching ; neither may we (tofpeakeofanordinarycourfe) perfwadeour felues wee are inthe way offaluation, vnleffewebe fenfrbleofour beingfet intoit by this meanes. God dothdiners things (asitwere)bywayofpreparingmentograce t filch see affli&ions,crolfes,inward affrightments; butwhenall isdone, and fpoken that can be,to this we muffcome at lath, thatthemain worke(ordinarily)ei- therbyPreachingtiswrought ,ornotatall. What an abfurdthing wereit to acknowledge Preaching to beGods ordinance, andyet to deny it to be fins. plynecefl'ary to faluation; and to mince it oncewith ([know not what)fake tearmes, that it is goodifit may behad , andprofitable for thofewho haue no otherhelpes, and the like? Why? What make weofGodsordinances ? doe weaccount them only matters of convenience , and not ofneceflity? For my part Iknow no more Scripture for Faithwithout preaching, then forfaluation withoutFaith; t am farethat the fameSpirfrofGod,whichhath faid. Beleexe; that thouwill1hefaxed,hathalfofaid, Heare thatthenotaiefibelow. Youwould all cryout vpoa me(andyou well might) ifI Ihould fay, a man may be fatted without praying , and yet men are readyto account it halfe an herefie, to a. vouch that aman cannot bee fatted without preaching : yet Saint'PAW linker thefe together uponone wring, Salwatien,Praying, Beleewing, Hearing,Freaching, ,Romao. t;, Sending +. Men cannot be faced without prayingto him that can Cane : They %M cannot pray to him, without beleeuingon him ; they cannotbeleeue on him withoutPreaching : they cannot preach withoutSending : and whom didGod ruer fend, who wasnotable to diside the word for the peoples edifying ? EMac.le.t. The T(iiagt which God bath ieynedtogether , let not mawfeperatek : Weewill grant
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