A80611:413
Christ the fountain of lifeChrist the fountaine of life
Christ the fountain of life: or, Sundry choice sermons on part of the fifth chapter of the first Epistle of St. John. Preached by that learned judicious divine, and faithful minister of Jesus Christ, Mr. John Cotton B.D. now preacher at Boston in New-England. Published according to Order.Christ the fountaine of life: or, Sundry choyce sermons on part of the fift chapter of the first Epistle of St. John. Preached by that learned judicious divine, and faithfull minister of Jesus Christ, Mr. John Cotton B.D. now preacher at Boston in New-England. Published according to Order.
London: printed by Robert Ibbitson, 1651
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Quest. But is it not said, Act. 15.21. Moses of old time hath in every City them that preach him, being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day; and is not then the reading of him preaching?
Answ. It implies, that when he is read, he is preached; for every Sabbath day when they read the Law, they gave the sense and meaning of it; that shows what diligence the Priests did use, when they did read they gave the sense, and wisely applied it to the edification of the people; and not that reading was all the preaching they had, or that this was any preaching, that they only read the Word of God; for if they had but Moses read, and not preached, they were then without the Law, and without God in the world. And you know what God himself threatens, Amos, 8.11, 12, 13. That he would send a famine of hearing the Word, never was there a famine of reading the Word, since there was any face of a Church at all; but a famine of hearing the Word of the Lord, that men should go far from sea to sea, and from place to place to hear it, but should not hear it: And by that means, the young men, and the fair virgins should perish for thirst, and none to satisfy them with the Word; and those who were able to stir, would go far and near to hear the ⟨p. 186⟩Word, and yet should not find it, and so shall perish for want of that knowledge of it, which doth accompany salvation; so then, marvel not that the Holy Ghost saith these things, I write unto you that believe; to Believers only was this written.1 Wonder not then if so little good be done among the Papists, or in any other Churches where there is only bare reading; make account of it, as the Lord saith, My people are then destroyed for want of knowledge. Was there ever any soul so desperately ignorant think you, as to take the place of a Minister, and not have skill to read, no, but these had no knowledge to teach the people the meaning of the Law of God, whose lips should preserve knowledge, and at whose mouth the people should seek the Law,