The Gospel preached is, in the flourishing estate of Christs Church, that ordinary means to beget faith: but in the ruinous estate of the same, when as by apostasy, the foundations thereof are shaken, and the clear light of the word is darkened, then this word read or repeated, yea the very sound thereof being but once heard, is by the assistance of Gods spirit, extraordinarily effectual, to them whom God will have called out of that great darkness into his exceeding light. Rom. 10.14. How shall they call on him, in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him, of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? Act. 11.19. And they which were scattered abroad, because of the affliction that arose about Steven, walked throughout till they came to Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antiochia, preaching the word to no man, but to the Jews only. 30. Now some of them were men of Cyprus, and of Cyrene, which when th•y were come into Antiochia, spake unto the ⟨p. 104⟩Grecians, and preached the Lord Jesus. 21. And the hand of the Lord was with them, so that a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord. Joh. 4. 28. The woman then left her water pot, and went her way into the city, and said to the men, 29. Come, and see a man which hath told me all things that ever I did: Is not he the Christ? then they went out of the city, and came unto him. 39. Now many of the Samaritans believed in him, for the saying of the woman which testified, He hath told me all things that ever I did. 41. And many moe believed, because of his own word. 42. And they said unto the woman, Now we believe not because of thy saying: for we have heard him our selves, and know that this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the world. Rom. 10.18. I demand, have they not heard? no doubt their sound went out through all the earth, and their words into the ends of the world. Thus we may see, how many of our forefathers, & ancestors in the midst of popery obtained eternal life. Revel. 12. 17. The dragon was wroth with the woman, and went and made war with the remnant of her seed, which kept the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Rom. 11.4. What saith the divine Oracles? I have reserved to me seven thousand men, which never bowed knee to Baal.
The Gospell preached is, in the flourishing estate of Christs Church, that ordinarie meanes to beget faith: but in the ruinous estate of the same, when as by apostasie, the foundations thereof are shaken, and the cleere light of the word is darkened, then this word read or repeated, yea the very sound thereof beeing but once heard, is by the assistance of Gods spirit, extraordinarily effectuall, to them whome God will haue called out of that great darkenesse into his exceeding light. Rom. 10.14. How shall they call on him, in whome they haue not beleeued? and how shall they beleeue in him, of whome they haue not heard? And howe shall they heare without a preacher? Act. 11.19. And they which were scattered abroad, because of the affliction that arose about Steuen, walked throughout till they came to Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antiochia, preaching the worde to no man, but to the Iewes onely. 30. Nowe some of them were men of Cyprus, and of Cyrene, which when th•y were come into Antiochia, spake vnto the ⟨p. 104⟩Grecians, and preached the Lord Iesus. 21. And the hand of the Lord was with them, so that a great number beleeued, and turned vnto the Lord. Ioh. 4. 28. The woman then left her water pot, and went her way into the city, and said to the men, 29. Come, and see a man which hath told me all things that euer I did: Is not he the Christ? then they went out of the citty, and came vnto him. 39. Now many of the Samaritans beleeued in him, for the saying of the woman which testified, He hath tolde me all things that euer I did. 41. And many moe beleeued, because of his own word. 42. And they said vnto the woman, Nowe we beleeue not because of thy saying: for we haue heard him our selues, and knowe that this is indeede the Christ the Sauiour of the world. Rom. 10.18. I demaunde, haue they not heard? no doubt their sounde went out through all the earth, and their wordes into the endes of the world. Thus we may see, how many of our forefathers, & ancestors in the midst of popery obtained eternall life. Reuel. 12. 17. The dragon was wroth with the woman, and went and made warre with the remnant of her seede, which kept the commandements of God, and haue the testimonie of Iesus Christ. Rom. 11.4. What saith the diuine Oracles? I haue reserued to me seuen thousand men, which neuer bowed knee to Baal.
