The Soul's Preparation for Christ

Answ. To this I answer again, then our Saviour Jesus Christ wanted matter, he presseth their faults to the Scribes and Pharisees seven times together, nay, in the sixth of John he presseth on truth nine times, his aim and end was, namely, that he was the bread of life; he followeth it and settleth it on them. Now in these mens judgements, Christ wanted matter, he had not wherewith to spend the time, & therefore he spake to the hearts of men, and came home to their Consciences: but to say the truth, the ground of their cavils that are cast against this kind of preaching is, because this troubles the hearts of those to whom we speak, & brings vexation to the souls. Do we want matter for our preaching? no, but this I say, it is an easy matter for any man to observe truths out of a text, & to lay forth a point; this is an easy thing for any one that hath a judgement enlightened in the Scripture, but for a minister of God in the work of examination to drive the soul of a carnal man to a stand, that he cannot escape; to make him go away and hang the wings, in so much that the soul shall be humbled, or else go away and snarl at the truth, ⟨p. 76⟩and reproof delivered. Or for a man to uphold a soul in the time of trouble, to comfort it, and take away all doubts, I say this is the hardest matter for a minister to accomplish under the Sun, in the work of the ministry, I speak for these two passages, that all the world may know what belongs to the work of the ministry; and also that all the world may know if men take any distaste at this kind of preaching, we care not, it is our duty.

Answ. To this I answer againe, then our Saviour Iesus Christ wanted matter, he presseth their faults to the Scribes and Pharises seven times together, nay, in the sixt of Iohn he presseth on truth nine times, his aime and end was, namely, that he was the bread of life; he followeth it and setleth it on them. Now in these mens judgements, Christ wanted matter, he had not wherewith to spend the time, & therfore he spake to the hearts of men, and came home to their Consciences: but to say the truth, the ground of their cavills that are cast against this kinde of preaching is, because this troubles the hearts of those to whom we speake, & brings vexation to the soules. Do we want matter for our preaching? no, but this I say, it is an easie matter for any man to observe truths out of a text, & to lay forth a point; this is an easie thing for any one that hath a judgement inlightned in the Scripture, but for a minister of God in the worke of examination to drive the soule of a carnall man to a stand, that he cannot escape; to make him goe away and hang the wings, in so much that the soule shall be humbled, or else goe away and snarle at the truth,