1Now I turn to you, my brethren or people and hearers: who (as I have said) raise up lets and hindrances to too many against your selves, though ye had none offered you by your Ministers. Whose case (for the greatest part) I pity and bewail, that you are so far from knowing and duly considering ⟨p. 33⟩§Athis great mercy of God towards you, in sending his preachers among you, that very few of many, see the end of their ministry; and therefore receive them not as from God, as the instruments by whom ye may believe, and be reformed, and consequently look and wait for the accomplishment of your happiness, after the have first tasted how good the Lord is to them by their preaching unto you. Know ye therefore,2 that God hath appointed them as messengers of your reconciliation with him, who were far sequestered from him before, and estranged: and whereas he might have taught you by other means, and led you thorough this long and wearisome wilderness by other guides, he hath seen this the fittest way to do it, by men his ministers, seeing ye §Bshould never have been able to hear the Lord himself, if he should have spoken to you, no more then the people of Israel were,3 when they cried out at the hearing of his voice, and said, Lord speak thou no more to us, but let Moses speak to us, and we will hear him in all that thou shalt say to us by him. Hear them therefore, who are able to deliver the Lords message unto you; whose preaching is life or death to you: and if ye despise them in that their message, ye shall do all one, as if ye despised the Lord himself that sent them. Hear them (I say) in the Lords steed, in all that they shall say to you from him. Learn by their ministry to see your selves to be the sons and daughters of God almighty, who, before the ministry of the word work upon you mightily, are his enemies, §Cyour hearts being set on evil works, and under his wrath justly. Suffer your selves to be lanced, purged, wounded, seeing ye cannot otherwise be healed. Receive the wholesome word of exhortation, and be content to put your neck in his yoke, and willingly submit your selves to his word, that so ye may glorify God for his love towards you, in and by their labour and travail among you, that ye may thereby gain more, then if you had all abundance and your hearts desire.
1Now I turne to you, my brethren or people and hearers: who (as I haue said) raise vp lets and hindrances to too many against your selues, though ye had none offered you by your Ministers. Whose case (for the greatest part) I pitie and bewaile, that you are so farre from knowing and duly considering ⟨p. 33⟩§Athis great mercie of God towards you, in sending his preachers among you, that very few of many, see the end of their ministerie; and therefore receiue them not as from God, as the instruments by whom ye may beleeue, and be reformed, and consequently look and waite for the accomplishment of your happines, after ye haue first tasted how good the Lord is to them by their preaching vnto you. Know ye therefore,2 that God hath appointed them as messengers of your reconciliation with him, who were farre sequestred from him before, and estranged: and wheras he might haue taught you by other meanes, and led you thorough this long and wearisome wildernes by other guides, he hath seene this the fittest way to doe it, by men his ministers, seeing yee §Bshould neuer haue been able to heare the Lord himselfe, if hee should haue spoken to you, no more then the people of Israel were,3 when they cried out at the hearing of his voyce, and said, Lord speake thou no more to vs, but let Moses speake to vs, and we will heare him in all that thou shalt say to vs by him. Heare them therefore, who are able to deliuer the Lords message vnto you; whose preaching is life or death to you: and if ye despise them in that their message, ye shall doe all one, as if ye despised the Lord himselfe that sent them. Heare them (I say) in the Lords steed, in all that they shall say to you from him. Learne by their ministerie to see your selues to be the sonnes and daughters of God almightie, who, before the ministerie of the word worke vpon you mightily, are his enemies, §Cyour hearts being set on euill workes, and vnder his wrath iustly. Suffer your selues to bee launced, purged, wounded, seeing ye cannot otherwise be healed. Receiue the holesome word of exhortation, and be content to put your neck in his yoke, and willingly submit your selues to his word, that so ye may glorifie God for his loue towards you, in and by their labour and trauaile among you, that ye may thereby gaine more, then if you had al abundance and your hearts desire.
- 1An exhortation to the people to embrace the Ministry.An exhortation to the people to embrace the Ministerie.
- 2The first reason.
- 3Exod. 20.19.
