called in the Old and New Testament having in the Old a double difference of the first or second Canon or bookes Canonicall and Apocryphall received also as were the rest from the Iewes to whom were committed the Oracles of God Rom. 3.2 Rom. 2.5 And therefore the Christian Church durst not reject them though because they received them not alike from all they had them not in the like reverence These bookes though distinguished from the other and valued under them yet were farre preferred before all Ecclesiasticall writings whether of particular men or Churches they were read in the Church next the Scriptures for manners and instructions in lesser points the other being received onely for the undoubted Canon and rule of faith So you see the first degree wherby we come nearest to heare and wherein we are safest in hearing is in Hearing God Himselfe The second degree 2 Degree whereby we come neare to heare though not so neare as before nor so sure as the other is the hearing the Word of GOD applyed either by generall or particular Churches in their 1 Catechismes their 2 Councels 3 Confessions their 4 Ritualls their 5 Homilies which next the Word of GOD are most worthily preferred before all other private works or Preachings being the workes of 1 many and those most learned and holy men 2 discussed with the clearest judgement 3 penned with the maturest study 4 delivered in the shortest manner 5 applyed in the most familiar phrase 6 ordered with the plainest method 7 shewing the most needfull points Lastly 8 comprehending most fully the summe substance and body of Christian Religion This degree though not so neare as the former yet by these eight steps if not many more it comes nearer up to heare then the latter Which is 3 Degree The third kinde of hearing the Word of GOD from particular and private men in their Sermons or Homilies which being the workes of one man alone are therefore most subject to errour large discourses and therefore more apt to be mistaken more hardly understood ofttimes not so applyed to the meanest capacities many times conversant as the Text leadeth us about unnecessary truths and high disputes confused and intricate in their order manner and method partaking of many imperfections weaknesses and ignorances in respect of those many wants even in the best of any of us all For we are though sent from God but men subject to infirmities failing I say many times for want of study want of time want of bookes want of meanes want of learning want of judgement c. and these and many more even in the best of ours Not to speake of the greater part of Sermons for the most part the worse in all perchance not penned at all delivered with little or no studie oft-times with little judgement by men of small knowledge learning or reading without any scanning discussing or clearing following their owne private fancies rather then the Word of GOD in the received Tenets of the Christian Church Not to speake of those Sermons of turbulent factious and seditious men worthy of no name memory or mention but the mention of Pilate who as hee out of a desire of pleasing others or profiting themselves by gaine lucre or vaine glory dare doe that which I dare not speake of nay which I tremble to thinke of opposing God and His Church Christ and His Spouse rending tearing and dividing CHRISTS seamelesse Coate nay dismembring and renting His most glorious body So you see that Sermons are the least and last degree of hearing whereby we least come neare to heare in which greatest danger of hearing And surely give me leave to tell you where Sermons and private expositions have prevailed and the Word of God it selfe either neglected or despised or any way thrust out in publique there follies have beene multiplied fooles have abounded not knowing that they doe evill This experience shewes us and because my Text is Historicall I will briefly shew you in the Iewish Easterne Westerne and Muscovy Churches 1 In the Iewish the Iewes neglecting the more publike authority of the Word of God and leaning to the doctrines of men in their traditions they fell at last to build the Law of Moses upon their Talmud Misnah with their Gemarahs by doing evill they became fooles that knew not that they did evill their Religion now being nought else but a masse of fooles and a packe of extreame follies 2 In the Church of Greece one siding with Cephas another with Apollos even in those earely dayes men getting them an heape of Teachers having itching eares hating sound Doctrine and multiplying foolish errours Sermons were restrained to some few to Bishops onely in their severall Diocesses or some from them and now as it seemeth they little venter beyond their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3 In the Church of Rome the Scriptures once read constantly as with us through the whole yeare whereas being after hid in an unknowne tongue and Legends obtruded for them their Sermons began to bee frought with follies the Truth of GOD began manifestly to bee corrupted 4 Lastly the Church of Mosco and Russia neglecting the truth of God's Word and giving eare promiscuslouy to private interpretations and Sermons of men unlearned in the Scriptures and GODS Divine truth were at last faine to have private Sermons and Preaching as wee properly call it supprest and publique penned Homelies read in their places I cannot stand now with any more reasons which I might produce to shew you that howsoever these other bee excellent degrees of hearing yet in them there must bee caution as before for entring Take heede to thy foote So now for hearing Take heede how you heare whom you heare and what you heare As for the Word of GOD it is the touchstone the rule it selfe that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sincere milke that sure word of prophecy 1 Pet. 2.2 2 Pet. 1.19 whereunto yee doe well that yee take heede as to a light that shineth in a darke place Our Sermons howsoever in respect of this light are but as candles to the Sunne This is the way whereby we may and do God be praised come nearest to heare Certainly howsoever we doe as I hope we all do reade the Scriptures at home yet the Word of God as it hath most right to the House of God so then most of all hath it God's blessing when in God's House it is delivered by God's Minister in the person and presence of God Where two or three are met together in my name much more if in His owne house Matth. 18.20 to His owne Word there am I in the midst of them Thus you see how wee must come neare to heare But we must not only heare It is at this day the Proposition III folly of the Iewes that they thinke they may turne their Temples into Schooles but they may not change their Schooles into Temples And is not the same folly found
beseech you all wishing my voice might reach as farre as the fault extends to every person and place that you and they would all receive the second Word 2 Of Exhortation and Admonition that as we hold the Spirits unity so we would even in this also provide for the Churches peace that we would all as one herein follow our blessed Saviours command his Spirits direction his Churches practice in all ages That as we are his peoples mouth to him we would not be too precipitate in our selves too unadvised in respect of the people whose mouthes and hearts that all may be but one mouth and heart must necessarily in GOD'S publike service accompany and go along with ours that howsoever we do when we speake to the people yet when to God we speak that Our words be few Let not our mouth be rash or our heart hasty to utter any thing before Him that may make our Sacrifice to be the Offering of Fooles Nay rather let us be more ready to heare that is to obey GOD and his Church seeing to obey is the fat of Sacrifice Yea 1 Sam. 15.21 much better than all Sacrifice Surely the Heathen man can tell us that this is that kept up their Sparta How much more this obedience to GOD his Son our Saviour his Word his Spirit his Catholike and universall Church In whose wall as in Noahs Arke you and we all are only safe 3 And truly that I may adde the third word of Gratulation we have ever great cause to confesse and acknowledge GOD's favour and mercy to us who are of this English Church and far more juster cause have we to praise Him not as the Heathen Man that we are Men only not Women Grecians not Barbarians Athenians not Baeotians for now Male and Female Gal. 3.28 Graecians and Barbarians are all one in CHRIST but that we are Men not Beasts Christians not Heathen English the best Reformed for pure Doctrine and perfect Discipline which GOD hath by a long and happily continued peace so mercifully approved so miraculously defended Truly the Iewes in their Beracoth recounting the blessings their Fathers received and themselves now want doe daily blesse and continually praise GOD for them How much more justly and truly should we do this daily and hourely We have received the substance whereof they the shewes the body CHRIST whereof they the shadowes the truth and performance whereof they but the promise thus indeed with us all Christians after CHRIST But of so many Christian Churches how many with Israel of old in Egyptian bondage under the Turke and other Easterne Princes How many scorcht or at least in danger of the fiery Furnace with the three Children How many in peace have not the cleare truth How many in full truth have not perfect peace having both how many have not that discipline and government that must under God preserve them Onely we I say enjoy all God grant we may take the course by seeking God truly to enjoy them still I say wee of this Nation do and have long enjoyed them all by Gods speciall mercy It being a special argument of Gods singular favour toward this Reformation received and established in this Church that God notwithstanding all our infinite sins beyond other Nations hath and is still pleased so long to vouchsafe us such Peace such Plenty such a flourishing State such inward Content such outward Prosperity so many and great Deliverances so strange and miraculous Preservations such happy Government under so many Pious and Religious Princes having added this also in this most happy Succession that with the ending of that former Kingly Race of ours neither our Peace nor His Truth did end but that another and nearer Kingdome is added to us to strengthen our Peace to encrease our Thankefulnesse to God our Obedience to Him and His Vice-gerent O let us not forfeit this Peace yea Gods blessed Truth by any unthankefulnesse Let us not as fools still strive with God His Christ His Spirit Let us ever obey God also in this Take His Counsell Be not rash with our mouth c. FINIS THE FOVRTH OF THE NECESSITY AND ORDER OF GOD'S Service by Prayer and the Words Ministration in reference chiefly to the CLERGIE Preached at the Trieniall Visitation of the R. Reverend Father in GOD William Lord Bishop of London holden at Dunmow in Essex Sept. 11. Anno Domini 1634. ACTS CHAP. 6. VER 4. But we will give our selves continually to Prayer and to the ministration of the Word IT was an ancient custome in the Churches Synodall assemblies that the Sacred Bible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Bookes of Holy Scripture Vide Christop Iustell IC in Prafat ad Codicem Canonū Eccles Cathol in initio the Rule of Christian Faith were openly layed on an higher deske the Ecclesiasticall bookes of the Councils the Rule of Discipline and Order on a lower by them To teach us doubtlesse that both these are a safety and defence the one to the other Neither Faiths Doctrine secure without the pale of Discipline nor Disciplines Order sound without the ground of Doctrine Both like those two Sisters in the Gospell Mary and Martha or these in the Text Prayer and the Word serving the LORD in the mutuall service of one another Behold what then was is now againe represented unto your Christian view even those two Bookes opened before your eys or one Canon in both those Bookes A Canon truly it is and that of the second Synod that ever was the first and only yet recorded also in the Booke of God a speciall part of His holy Word and therefore most truly Canonicall And which is yet worth our observing As it pleased GOD The first Synod that ever was Acts Chap. 1. in the 34. yeare of our Christian Aera and the next after our Blessed SAVIOUR'S Assention was called for the setling the number and Persons of the holy Apostles the Churches Founders and Governours So this second now in the same yeare held as Binnius and Baronius Vid. Binium Tom. 1. Concilio 4. fol. 1. C. Baronium ad An. 35. n. 1. c. account doth as we see by the same providence designe and set downe their Office and Duty and not theirs alone but the Duty of us all who succeede them So a Synod we have in the Text Verse 2. Then the Twelve called the multitude of the Disciples c. And a Synod also at this time for some like end And a yearely provision it was and it seemeth from the same ground that as That Acts 1. and This here in the same yeare so also in after ages a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Con. Nicen. 1. Can. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concil Chalced. Can. 19. Bis in anno juxta Patrum decreta aut si non saltem semel Concil Tolitan 4. cap. 3. circa Ann. Dom. 633. Turonens 2. c. 1. Anno Dom. 570. Vid. Apostolorum Canon 38. alias 36. twice
publique Service Did not Samuel's Mother aske a Sonne of GOD 1 Sam. 3.10 in the time of Divine and publique worship Yes surely And may not we doe the like No doubt we may Doubtlesse we must not otherwise Remember this is an entry to hearing Take heede to thy foot when thou goest into the House c. And remember this also Appropinqua ut audias Come neare that thou maiest heare And thus much of our due entring Now of the second duty our hearing That next after due entring wee must heare And after due entring Heare Hearing is the sence of discipline It is that which GOD first requireth of you It is the first in our Commission Goe teach all Nations For as he that is borne deafe and never heard is alwaies dumbe and will never speake So he that never heareth the Word of GOD can never invocate the Name of GOD. How shall they call on Him of whom they have not heard Rom. 10.13 Hence it was the custome alwaies in the Church that first they heard So was it in the Church of the Iewes Nehem. 9.3 Nehem. 9.3 They read the Law one fourth-part of the day and another fourth part they confessed and worshipped the Lord their God After their Prayers as Iosephus describeth it followed their Sacrifice This order being observed afterward in the Christian Church as it is most obscurely collected from the 1 Cor. 11. c. the whole Service was called by the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as also by the Latines Ordo And indeed as the Catechumeni amongst the Greekes and mother Church and Audientes amongst the Latines was the first step to Christianity or rather the preparation to it So likewise the Prayer of the Catechumeni Concil Laodicen Can. 19. or Hearers was the first Prayer of the three So that ancient Counsell of Laodicea reckons it So the Greeke Dionysius Saint Chrysostome Clemens and all the ancient record it and the same order the Church of England hath most justly followed that as in our Churches the Pulpits are placed below the Altar above or in the highest place so wee should first heare before we presume to offer Thus Levi. 2.13 Marke 9.49 amongst the Iewes every Sacrifice must bee seasoned with salt the Symboll of knowledge And GOD requires our heart the seat of knowledge Hos 6.6 I will have mercy and not sacrifice and the knowledge of God more then burnt offerings So true is that of Lactantius Lactantius lib. 1. cap. 1. Neque religio ulla sine sapientiâ suscipienda nec ulla sine Religione probanda sapientia Rom. 12.1 It is our reasonable service GOD calls for For as He hath given us reason so He would we should chiefly shew it in His Service For this cause the Aegyptians made them eyes and eares of gold and silver and hung them in their Temples intimating that they should first heare before they presumed to offer Hence also that Symboll of Pythagoras That wee must not speake of GOD sine lumine And indeed the calling upon GOD is called the seeking of God Esa 55.6 Matth. 7.7 The Woman in the Gospell before she sought first lighted her candle The like must wee doe we must light the candle here that must light us at the Altar we must first heare And as we must heare first So we must heare Proposition II that which is first in Gods House Gods Word Heare GOD's Word Psal 119.105 for that as the Psalmist tells us is that which is a light to our feete and a lanterne to our steps A light indeed not onely to shew us our way but also to guide us in our way The Church is Heaven upon Earth and the Scriptures the Old and New Testament are the lights in this Heaven Therefore amongst the Iewes in their Synagogues there was the reading of the Law and the Prophets Acts 13.15 Acts 15.21 and every Sabbath day Moses was read in all their Cities Semblably did the first Christians even in the Apostles times reading as we doe both the Old and New Testament To this the Apostle alludeth Colos 4.16 So more fully Ephes 5.19 Cal. 4.16 Ephes 5.19 Colos 3.18 But most plainely Colos 3.16 Let the Word of God dwell in you richly in all wisedome teaching and admonishing one another in Psalmes and Hymnes and Spirituall Songs singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye doe in word or deede do all in the name of the Lord Iesus giving thankes to GOD and the Father of Him Where the whole order of the Church Service being summarily comprised is in like sort observed by our holy Mother Hoc officium sicut quodlibet aliud praeter nocturnum Oratione cōcluditur Domine Deus Pater qui nos ad principium Dici c. Hug de S. Vict. De Eccles Offic. li. 2. c. 2. Vide Ejusdem c. 16. the Church of England Her prayer of the Catechumeni as Hugo de Sancto victore gives us cause to distinguish it ending at the first Collect is entirely the Word of God even many entire portions of Gods most holy Word 1 The Psalmes 2 First and Second Lessons 3 Evangelicall Anthems most fit to expresse our joy in CHRIST our praising God for the Word of God 4 Those short and pious Ejaculations all entirely the Word of God And as in the first So in her second Service where after the due entrance by a particular Confession of our sins in every Commandement the first thing we heare is the Word of God in two other Lessons Epistle and Gospell And as we call use and order them so were they used in all ages and Churches Plentifull testimonies may bee brought concerning this not onely out of the most ancient Councells and first Fathers but also out of those first Liturgies of Antioch Alexandria Hierusalem Constantinople As even at this day they are in the same order observed by the Graecians Indians Russians Abissines and Aethiopians not to speake of the Latine and Westerne Christians So you see we doe what we should do what hath alwaies beene done by all in all places at all times And in doing thus you see the Church of England is truely Catholique But are there no follies in hearing Yes surely else what need our blessed SAVIOUR say Take heede how ye heare Many follies there be in hearing and these two are the greatest 1. That men thinke all Religion consists in hearing only these do not offer The 2. That they thinke there is no hearing without a Sermon these forget this that they must come neare to heare And indeed as in comming there is foote after foote one step after another as degrees in comming So are there degrees in hearing whereby we come neare to heare The first and neerest degree in hearing Degrees in hearing 1 whereby we come close up to God is the hearing of the sacred Oracles of God God's originall very Word properly so