Vindiciæ legis

5. To what purpose are exhortations and admonitions? Though ¹the other answers might serve for this, yet something may be specially answered here, which is, that though God work all our good in us, and for us, yet it is not upon us as stocks or stones; but he dealeth suitably to our natures, with arguments and reasons: And if you say, To what purpose? Is it any more then if the Sun should shine, or a candle be held out to a blind man? Yes, because these exhortations and the word of God read or preached, are that instrument, by which God will work these things. Therefore you are not to look upon preaching, as a mere exhortation, but as a sanctified medium or instrument, by which God worketh that he exhorteth unto. Sometimes indeed we read, that God hath sent his Prophets to exhort those, whom yet he knew would not hearken: Thus he sent Moses to bid Pharaoh let the people of Israel go, and thus the Prophets did preach, when they could not believe, because of the deafness and blindness upon them. But unto the godly these are operative means, and practical, even as when God said, Let there be light, and there was light; or, when Christ said, Lazarus, come forth of the grave. And this by the way should keep you from despising the most plain ministry or preaching that is; for, a Sermon doth not work upon your hearts, as it is thus elegant, thus admirable, but as it is an instrument of God, appointed to such an end: Even as Austin said, The conduits of water, though one might be in the shape of an Angel, another of a beast, yet the water doth refresh as it is water, not as it comes from such a conduit; or the seed that is thrown into the ground fructifieth, even that which comes from a plain hand, as well as that which may have golden rings or jewels upon it: not but that the Minister is to improve his gifts, Qui dedit Petrum piscatorem, dedit Cyprianum rhetorem, but only to show whence the power of God is. Bonorum ingoniorum insignis est indoles, in verbis verum amare, non verba. Quid obest clavis lignea, quando nihil aliud quaerimus, nisi patere clausum?

5. To what purpose are exhortations and admonitions? Though ¹the other answers might serve for this, yet something may be specially answered here, which is, that though God work all our good in us, and for us, yet it is not upon us as stockes or stones; but he dealeth sutably to our natures, with arguments and reasons: And if you say, To what purpose? Is it any more then if the Sun should shine, or a candle be held out to a blind man? Yes, because these exhortations and the word of God read or preached, are that instrument, by which God will work these things. Therefore you are not to look upon preaching, as a meere exhortation, but as a sanctified medium or instrument, by which God worketh that he exhorteth unto. Sometimes indeed we reade, that God hath sent his Prophets to exhort those, whom yet he knew would not hearken: Thus he sent Moses to bid Pharaoh let the people of Israel go, and thus the Prophets did preach, when they could not beleeve, because of the deafnesse and blindnesse upon them. But unto the godly these are operative meanes, and practicall, even as when God said, Let there be light, and there was light; or, when Christ said, Lazarus, come forth of the grave. And this by the way should keep you from despising the most plaine ministery or preaching that is; for, a Sermon doth not work upon your hearts, as it is thus elegant, thus admirable, but as it is an instrument of God, appointed to such an end: Even as Austin said, The conduits of water, though one might be in the shape of an Angell, another of a beast, yet the water doth refresh as it is water, not as it comes from such a conduit; or the seed that is throwne into the ground fructifieth, even that which comes from a plaine hand, as well as that which may have golden rings or jewels upon it: not but that the Minister is to improve his gifts, Qui dedit Petrum piscatorem, dedit Cyprianum rhetorem, but only to shew whence the power of God is. Bonorum ingoniorum insignis est indoles, in verbis verum amare, non verba. Quid obest clavis lignea, quando nihil aliud quaerimus, nisi patere clausum?