CHAP.r.ÿ. c i1Con t tentoieupon the Tutor for euery a.`,iion, but can of themfelues doe fomething , efpecially M fmallcr matters, andof lower conceit; but manyof vs cans goe no further then our Maters arcprefent with vs : we are not come fo farre as to take out a le(fon now& then by our felues;we cannot meditate, pray, conferre to the increafe ofour knowledge: and therefore we may con- clude againtl our felues, that we are but veCie dullards in this do6trine. And what is the reafon of all this, butthat as negligent learners, we for- get as fart as we learn: ? or as idle fchollers we idle out our time other- wife, and allot the lean time to this Rudy. Which requireth fomuch the more time, pairies,care, and dinigence,by how much thingsmore excel- lent be more difficult:befides that our helpes bynature are none at all to this,as to all other knowledge, and the benefit ofit farce excelleth all o- :.Pee.t.s. ther.Let vs therefore Rirre vp our felues,andbr Rirred vp,not to a (mat- tering in this knowledgeof God, but to abound in it, as Peter willeth vs. And teeing weare farce from our marke, let vs aime at more fruicfeelneffe in our age, and walke from Rrength to Rrength, from faith to faith, that ap.3,t8. fogrowmg vp. ingrace, and in the knowledgeofour Lord feftu Chr:J7, wemay in due feafonbe lifted vp vntoour glorie The men of Dos . 3. In that the ApoRle calleth that herewholfome doitirine,which. God to rpeak in the words before he called afaithfull word; and fitted fordoE rine: Note ;ngof the word,haueeuer that the menof God, when they fell into fpeacb of the word of God, fee rome make they fpake norilightly of it and away; but were hardly drawn. from it, ofexcellency vpon it, without leaning behind them forme notable elegy or other upon it :Rom, 1.16.the Gofpel,thepowerof liodto faluation: Ioh.6.68. Peter faith not, Matter, thouhaft the word ofGod; but,thou haft the wordsoferernail life: andwhat anumber ofglorious things are afcribed veto ir, fee Hebr.4., a a. might/ inoprration,fherpe,&c. Hence according to their feuerall oc cations are all thofe excellët epithits afcribed vnto it through the Scrip_ tures,fome of the penmélooking at the author,fome at the matter, fome to the qualities, forne to the effrls, andaccordingly Mud it with titles well befeeming it. Andgood reafon had they fo todoe : for, Reafons. a. They confidered that theword of God is the principal) part of t Gods name, which neuer could without great finalebe taken vp in vaine, but is tobe taken vp into thethought, much more into the lippes with = all reuerence and due regard. 2 They found the power of it fo forcible,, andcomfortable in themfelues, as that they could notchoofe but fpeake 3 of it as they felt within the abundance oftheir owne hearts. 3. They law the worke ofit foeffeéluall vponothers, and that to inch ends , as not all the perfe&lon offlea) andblood, nor the Rrength or wit ofmen, and angels could compaffe,as that they could not conceiue ofit without ad- ,ß, miration. 4, They law it was fuch aword, as was tomeete in the world with
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