Seventhly, They love to drink in pure Crystal, soft and gentle Streams. Sheep do not love to drink of muddy, rough and raging Rivers: No more do Christ's Sheep; He makes me to lie down in green Pastures; he leadeth me beside the still Waters. They will not ⟨p. 120⟩1forsake the Waters of Shiloah that run softly, and drink of the proud, swelling, and troublesome Rivers of Babylon, Tigris, and Euphrates. They like the Teachings of God's Spirit in the meanest Instrument, tho such who are despised and contemned of Men, better than the highest Elegance, and loftiest Rhetoric of all the Cicero's and Plato's of the World. What are the artificial Flourishes of Demosthenes, or exact Method of Aristotle and Galen, or all humane Curiosities or itch of Words, to the Teachings of the Holy Ghost? Paul spoke not in the Wisdom of this World, or with the enticing Words of Man's Wisdom, but in the Demonstration of the Spirit, and with Power. These Waters Believers choose and love to drink of. 2I am afraid some Men are more nice in studying Words than Matter, to affect the Ear rather than to work upon the Heart of their Hearers. Though Humane Learning is not to be despised, yet no doubt Dr. Carlton was in the right, "That a Lay-man that has the Spirit of God, is better able to judg of spiritual Things, than a Man in Ecclesiastical Function, destitute of the Spirit of God." Infelix est sapientia extra Verbum Dei sapere, saith Justin Martyr.
Seventhly, They love to drink in pure Christal, soft and gentle Streams. Sheep do not love to drink of muddy, rough and raging Rivers: No more do Christ's Sheep; He makes me to lie down in green Pastures; he leadeth me beside the still Waters. They will not ⟨p. 120⟩1forsake the Waters of Shiloah that run softly, and drink of the proud, swelling, and troublesome Rivers of Babylon, Tygris, and Euphrates. They like the Teachings of God's Spirit in the meanest Instrument, tho such who are despised and contemned of Men, better than the highest Elegance, and lostiest Rhetorick of all the Cicero's and Plato's of the World. What are the artificial Flourishes of Demosthenes, or exact Method of Aristotle and Galen, or all humane Curiosities or itch of Words, to the Teachings of the Holy Ghost? Paul spoke not in the Wisdom of this World, or with the inticing Words of Man's Wisdom, but in the Demonstration of the Spirit, and with Power. These Waters Believers chuse and love to drink of. 2I am afraid some Men are more nice in studying Words than Matter, to affect the Ear rather than to work upon the Heart of their Hearers. Though Humane Learning is not to be despised, yet no doubt Dr. Carlton was in the right, "That a Lay-man that has the Spirit of God, is better able to judg of spiritual Things, than a Man in Ecclesiastical Function, destitute of the Spirit of God." Infelix est sapientia extra Verbum Dei sapere, saith Justin Martyr.
- 1Psal. 23. 2, 3.
- 21 Cor. 2. 4.
