To which purpose he being dead, yet speaketh, his lantern being broken his light yet shineth, and though his vine be cut ⟨image 3⟩down, yet his wine yet smelleth as the wine of Lebanon I cannot deny, but having some monuments of his learned and painful […], along time lying by me, I have sometimes lighted my candle at his torch, stored my self of his treasure, refreshed my soul with his sweet wine, rejoiced to hear his dead letter speak, in the power of his own spirit, & voice unto me But after long waiting, if by any other means, rather then mine own, they might be published for a more common good, and finding by diligent inquiry no hope, no help tending he evnto: I could no longer offer such hard measure to such, as hunger and thirst after good things, as to eat my morsels alone but to bring forth my provision, of another mans cost indeed, yet not without some labour an• ca•e of mine own, to prepare the table, & s• things in some order before them. Hereunto I was the ra•her induced, and drawn by his own both opinion and practise, and that concerning one of these sermons upon this Prophet Obadiah, holding it a withholding of goods from the owner thereof, if, having any thing ⟨image 4⟩of special use, we keep it back from them that need it, such Needers being indeed, and in his account the true owners of it. When the 4 lepers had found in the camp of the Aramites, meat and drink to refresh them, gold & silver to enrich them, and raiment to cloth them, they took what sufficed for present necessity, and hid the rest as provision against further extremity: yet remembering at length other mens penury in their plenty, & other mens necessities in their superfluities, we do not well, say they, this day is a day of good tidings, & we hold our peace, if we tarry till day light some mischief will come upon us, now therefore come let us go and tell the kings household, so reckoning that Needers were owners of that which themselves did possess. Me thought when I considered this story, it was marvellous pregnant for my purpose. I have been refreshed, & well satisfied my self with these Lectures, as with spiritual provision & repast, and a long time I have hid them and kept them from public view.
To which purpose hee being dead, yet speaketh, his lanterne being brokē his light yet shineth, and though his vine be cut ⟨image 3⟩downe, yet his wine yet smelleth as the wine of Lebanon I cannot deny, but hauing some mo numents of his learned and painef•ll 〈…〉, along time lying by me, I haue sometimes lighted my candle at his torch, stored my selfe of his treasure, refreshed my soule with his sweet wine, rcioiced to heare his dead lett•r speake, in the power of his owne spirit, & voice vnto me But after long waiting, if by any other means, rather then mine own, they might be published for a more common good, and finding by diligent inquirie no hope, no helpe tēding he evnto: I could no longer offer such hard measure to such, as hunger and thirst after good things, as to eat my morsels alone but to bring forth my provision, of another mans cost indeed, yet not without some labour an• ca•e of mine owne, to prepare the table, & s• things in some order before thē. Herevnto I was the ra•her induced, and drawne by his owne both opinion and practise, and that concerning one of these sermons vpon this Pro•het Obadaiah, holding it a withholding of goods from the owner thereof, if, hauing any thing ⟨image 4⟩of speciall vse, we keepe it backe frō them that need it, such Needers being indeed, and in his accompt the true owners of it. When the 4 leapers had found in the campe of the Aramites, meate and drinke to refresh them, gold & silver to enrich them, and rayment to cloth them, they tooke what sufficed for present necessity, and hid the rest as provision against further extremity: yet remembring at length other mens penu•y in their plentie, & other mens necessities in their superfluities, we doe not wel, say they, this day is a day of good tydings, & wee hold our peace, if we tarry till day light some mischiefe will come vpon vs, now therefore come let vs goe and tell the kings houshold, so reckoning that Needers were owners of that which thēselues did possesse. Me thought when I considered this story, it was marvai•ous pregnant for my purpose. I haue beene refreshed, & well satisfied my selfe with these Lectures, as with spirituall provision & repast, and a long time I haue hid them and kept thē from publike view.
