The difficulty of and the encouragements to a reformation a sermon preached before the…

3. Encouraging learning, and the knowledge of the tongues; for howsoever translations may be good, yet in regard of the emphasis of the Original, we may say as the Queen of Sheba to Solomon, that which she heard was nothing to the glory she saw. Then came in error and superstition, when it was Heresy, or at least suspicion of it, to understand Greek and Hebrew. A Divine ought to be that which was said of Nazianzene, [Greek or Hebrew], an Ocean of Divinity.

3. Incouraging learning, and the knowledge of the tongues; for howsover translations may be good, yet in regard of the emphasis of the Originall, we may say as the Queen of Sheba to Solomon, that which shee heard was nothing to the glory she saw. Then came in errour and superstition, when it was Heresie, or at least suspicion of it, to understand Greek and Hebrew. A Divine ought to bee that which was said of Nazianzene, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, an Ocean of Divinity.

We come now to the Testimony it self, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, &c. which doth contain the effect of Johns Ministry, as also the duty of his hearers, who were fallen into a corrupt time, when the Philistines had filled up all the Wells the Pharisees & Scribes had corrupted the Word of God by false interpretations: The word [Greek or Hebrew], he will prepare, and [Greek or Hebrew], prepare ye, are taken from the custom of great Ones, who use to have way made for them; or as others, when great Commanders were to lead an Army, they sent some before, who were called [Greek or Hebrew], that did complanate and make level the way; and the Hebrew Word is emphatical, ¹which signifieth such a removal of all offensive things, that the ⟨p. 19⟩face may no longer behold them: and thence we observe that,

Wee come now to the Testimony it selfe, Prepare yee the way of the Lord, &c. which doth containe the effect of Iohns Ministery, as also the duty of his hearers, who were fallen into a corrupt time, when the Philistims had filled up all the Wels the Pharisees & Scribes had corrupted the Word of God by false interpretations: The word , he wil prepare, and , prepare yee, are taken from the custome of great Ones, who use to have way made for them; or as others, when great Commanders were to lead an Army, they sent some before, who were called , that did complanate and make levell the way; and the Hebrew Word is emphaticall,