Preston - Houston-Packer Collection BX5133.P74 S2 1637

4 New Creature, what. the Word, give glory to Chrift, and fay he hach done ir, let him have the praife of r, love him fo much the . more, for of all graces, nothing is like that to worke grace in your hearts. Againe, if you will fay, what ufe is there of itti That it is not the Minifter but God that doth ir. Then doe not exped from us, that we fhould come nth excellency of wifdome,or of words,that we thould come with wit, and eloquence, and learning. Will this make a New Creature a No, it will not doe it ;for it is God,that makes men New Creatures,and if it be fo,he will do it by his owne Inftruments, that is,by his owne Word : Thus Paul reafons, i Cor. 2. We preach the Go- fpell, not with excellency of words, for then the death of chrilt would be of tío area ; that is, no man will be a New Creature, and Chrift would dye in vaine: there- fore we preach the Gofpell in the evidence of the Spirit and power,thefe go together;evidence of fpirit & pow- er. What then is this preaching in evidence of the Spi- rit ? Certainly,it is never evident that the Spirit fpeaks, but when you know the Word fpeake: therefore,when any man knbwes, that it is the Word we preach, there is an evidence, it is a fpeech ofthe Spirit, and when the Spirit fpeakes to the heart, there is power, and that was thereafon that Chrift did fo much good.He taught with authority, and not as the Scribes. What is that to come with authority r As when a Conftable comes in the name of the King,he f iewes hisevidence,he bath that which makes evident to him, with whom he bath to deale,that he comes from the King:We preach with authority, then only when we (peak from God to the confciences of men; this confifleth not in excellency of 419 SE R.VI. 3. Expe& not that the Miai- fter should come with excellency of wit:. dome, o r of words;

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=