Taylor - Houston-Packer Collection BS2755 .T394 1619

EpifleofS. PaooltoTitres. CHAP.I.5 ucd for the flret:gthning andproceeding ofit: of which the fetlingofthe 87 tnini(lery, and appointing Pallots otter people, is the principal!. Reaf, t . How nece(farie was it for the whole adminülration of God Rearons. among his people to haue a met place of abode, that they might aske counfell at his mouth?offer facrifices Ilaflicall, andEuchariflicall ?put vp their prayers voto him,and receiue from him infiruelion and fpeciall di rc&ion? and hence was it that theLord fometimes feticd himfelfe at Si- lob, and fometimes his dwellingwas in Sion: and no leffe, nay far more full comfort, may we recciuc in our affetnblies and Bethels, where the Lord as the funne,by hisMinifiers, as by fo many c!eare lights,noc only difpcllethdarkeneffe atad etrours in mind andmanners,but dirc&eth vs in all our waies we haue to walk ,-: anfwereth vs in all ourdoubts , in all our petitions,raifeth vs in our falls, firpporteth vs inour weakencs and prouoketh va to cheerefulneffe in ali the patties that are good in his fight. Our wcakencs is fuch that notwithflanding all the benefit of flan- 2 ding minifleries,we are euer recoyling and falling backeward more and more: our bodies are not more prone to pineaway for defe& of daily food, then our foules, if by the meanes of the heavenlyManna, theybe not daily repaired: noeie leech not theneed ofdaily dire6lions to guide vs CO doily duties; and thole which mull be often done, we muff often be put in mind of. 3. Experience fheweth, that in fuch places, where fuck minifleries be 3 not fetled,weneed not leek foradulterers, fwearers,drunkards,theeucs, and lyars, fuch foylcs are fruitful! ()flitch imps; that a man would thinke the old Sodomites were returned from hell:yea the malicious man fbek- eth nat to fowe theme too thinke, in fuch fields as good feede is call into continually. ,q.. The ordinance it femme fpeaketh for it owns neceffitie : beeing the 4 meanes wherby thofe, who by it are brought to the faith, arc allo prefer- ued in it; the inilke whereby babes begotten grow to (irong meate,aud are lead from:their infancie, to their full age in Chrifl. For we may not Eey.;.tt. alwaies be babes andweakling,, but there is a perfc&ion ofChriftianity which hereby wemtill be led vino, Heb.6.r. not that any perfeftion of knowledge or holineffe can beattained ofvs , as Anabaptitls foolifhly dreame;but partly itt refpc&òl that further degree which we ought e- tier to contendvnto, for in the fchoole of Chrifi we mat' waxe old dai- , ly learning, and the greatefl fchoiler !hall yet be farrc from perfection : and partly comparatively, men of grace and knowledge may be called perfect, and haueattained a further degree of perfeótron , then fuch as are rude and ignorant,fubie& tobe carriedabout with cuerywinde, end ( F4 are

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