1%8 THE NATURE, CAUSES, AISD MEANS truth and veracity of God. For the things contained ' these threatnings are his, who hath right to give them, in thescripture are not proposed unto us merely as true, but as divine truths, as immediate revelations from God, which requires not only a rational, bat.a - sacred reli- gious respect unto them. They are things that the mouth of the Lord bath spoken. (2.) There is a proposal unto the wills and affections of men in the things so assented unto, on the one hand as -good, amiable, and excellent, wherein the chiefest good,. happiness, and utmost end of our natures are comprised, to be pursued and attained; and on the other of things evil and terrible, the utmost evil that our nature is obnoxious unto, to be avoided. For this is urged on them, that to comply with the will of God in the proposals of the gospel, to conform thereunto, to do what he requires, to turn from sin unto him, is good unto men, best for them, assuredly attended with pre- sent satisfaction and future glory. And therein is also proposed the most noble object for our affections, even God himself as a friend, as reconciled unto us in Christ, and that in a way suited unto his holiness, righteous- ness, wisdom, and goodness, which we have nothing to oppose unto, nor to lay in the balance against. The way also of the reconciliation of sinners unto God by Jesus Christ is set out, as that which bath such an im- press of divine wisdom and goodness upon it, as that it can be refused by none, but out of a direct enmity a= gainst God himself. Unto the enforcing of these things on the minds of men, the scripture aboundswith rea- sons, motives, and arguments, the rendering whereof effectual, is the principal end of the ministry; On the other hand, it is declared and evidenced, that sin is the great debasement of our natures, the ruin of our souls, the only evil in the world, in its guilt and punishment; that a continuance in a state of it, with a rejectionof the invitation of the gospel unto conversion to God, is a thing foolish, unworthy of a rational creature, and that which will be everlastingly pernicious. Whereas therefore in the judgment of every rational creature, spiritual things are to be preferred before natural, eter- nal things before temporal, and that these things are thus disposed of in infinite goodness, love and wisdom, they must needs be apt to affect the wills, and take the affections of men: And herein the efficacy of the word on the minds and consciences of men is resolved into the authority of God. Theseprecepts; these promises, and power to execute them. And with his-authority, his glorious greatness, and his infinite power come un- der consideration. So also doth his goodness and love in an especial manner, with many other things, even all the known properties of his holy nature, all which concur in giving weight, power; and efficacy unto these motives and arguments. Sect. 1.4. (3.) Great power and efficacy is added hereunto from the management of these motives in the . preaching of the word. Herein bysome the rhetorical faculty of them by whom it is dispensed, is of great consideration. For hereby are they able to prevail very much on the minds of men. Being acquainted with the inclinations and dispositions of all sorts of per sons, the nature of their affections and prejudices, with the topics or kinds and heads of arguments meet to af- fect them and prevail with them; as also the ways of in- sinuating persuasive motives to their minds, they ex- press the whole in words elegant, proper, expressive, and suited to allure, draw, and engage them unto the ways and duties proposed unto them. * Herein do someplace the principal use and efficacy of the ministry in the dispensation of the word; with me it is of no consideration. Fpr our apostle rejects it utterly from any place in his ministry; I Cor. ii. 4. 66 My speech " and my preaching was not with enticing words of " man's wisdom, but in the demonstration of the Spirit " and of power." Some of late have put in faint and weak exceptions unto the latter clause, as though not an evidence of the powerful presence of the Spirit of' God in the dispensation of the gospel were intended therein, but the power of working miracles, contrary to the whole scope of the place, and consent of the best expositors. But that by the first clause, the persuasive net of human oratory, is excluded from use andefficacy in the preaching of the gospel, none as yet hath had the impudence to deny. But let this also be esteemed to be as useful and efficacious in this work,. as to the end of preaching in the conversionof the souls of men; * Ti Ta ó¢fTo;, Éas Évrun96soç fo6Y i Tayeç, saaaTUSs6roç i Tgoxos; íl fcf6 yagTUPIfY ólL074a6laY 97,7 És,aTryr(a ivyTmTilaç 9s É aa6go,. 'E,r6,an Óf Tgaaár zya, lÿ sagvro¢ogla ro 7<gasflfsos, sea 9.4ova $gavwa TO xgoróoaafafrar fe5 yToara ;61Ue9a, rcTA i Tgoaos.Athanas. de Semente. _.
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