men from sinne and to procure their pardon and consequently to make them blessed For blessed is he saith David whose transgression is forgiven and whose sinne is covered Psal 32.1 And thus much for Testimonies II. Secondly the same truth is proved by the constant practice and custome of Gods Church who from time to time have still caused the Scriptures to be read to the people according as was prescribed by Moses in the Law So for example Moses who wrote that Law for others did observe it himselfe He tooke the booke of the covenant and read in the audience of the people as himselfe saith Exod. 24.7 Ioshua did the like He read all the words of the Law the blessings and the cursings according to all that is written in the booke of the Law There was not a word of all that Moses commanded which Ioshua read not before all the Congregation of Israel with the women the little ones and the strangers that were conversant among them Iosh 8.34 35. And in the new Testament it is further said that Moses was read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day Act. 15.21 and chap. 13.27 the like is said of the Prophets that they were read every Sabbath day and v. 15. there is mention made of reading both of them together After the reading of the Law and the Prophets the Rulers of the Synagogue sent unto them to wit to Paul and his fellows being now present at their service in the Synagogue as it is vers 14. and invited them to use some exhortation unto the people By which passage it appeareth to have been the usuall custome of that Church that both that Law of Moses and the writings of the Prophets were read to the people for their instruction Which custome the a Buxtorf de Abbrev. Hebr. tit de Paraschis pag. 249. Jo. Gerhard Epist dedic praefixaÌ„ homiliis dominical Seraâ— in Maccab. pag. 613 614. Lorâ—n in Deuter. 31.10 11 12 13. learned tell us was observed in this maner The Law that is the five books of Moses they divided into 53. Sections and every week they read one of them for the first lesson that so once a yeare they might reade it all over And out of the Prophets they gathered as many Sections which were of like argument to those of the Law and those they read as second lessons answerable in matter to the former These Sections and lessons both in the Law and the Prophets are distinguished and noted out in the Hebrew Bible by which every one may see what portions of the Bible were read every Sabbath to the people The like custome hath beene observed in the Christian Churches also b Cassian Institut li. 2. c. 6. Gaz. ibid. Cassian telleth us that in those ancient times the Religious Fathers after the reading of the Psalmes did add geminas Lectiones unam veteris aliam novi Testamenti 2. Lessons one out of the old an other out of the new Testament By which words wee may learne that the custome now used in our Churâ—hes was begun in the time of the primitive Church onely with this difference that whereas we now a daies do constantly reade our lessons one out of the olde and an other out of the new they on the Saterdaies and Sundaies for in those olde times they kept both of them as holy dayes appointed and read both the lessons out of the new Testament By all which it appeareth that the Church of God in all ages have still beene accustomed to reade the Text of the Scriptures to the people the reason cannot bee imagined to be any other then this that the people by hearing the Scriptures read might learne to serve God aright and by his service might obtaine eternall life And this proveth that in all ages the hearing of the Scriptures read hath been esteemed as an ordinary way to blessednes immortal life III. Thirdly this point may further bee proved and made more cleare by considering the benefits and helps that a good Christian may reape by hearing the word read And they bee these and such like 1. It serveth to acquaint the people of God with the history of the Chuch and Gods dealing with it For example they may heare in the olde Testament how God created the world punished Adam and Eve for their disobedience drowned the whole world for their overflowing sins excepting Noah and his househould whom he had found upright in that wicked generation how hee destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah with fire and brimstone from heaven delivered the people of Israel out of the hand of the Egyptians led them through a vaste wildernes into a fruitfull land dryed up the river Jordan and the red Sea to make a passage for his chosen ones with many mo such occurrences which ech one may learne by the hearing of the Text read and by them may understand the goodnesse of God the ingratitude of most men and the dutie of all with many others points of instructions conducing towards a blessed life Againe in the new Testament if men heare the first chapters of S. Matthew read they will learne that CHRIST our LORD was borne of a Virgin persecuted by Herod honored by the wise men and miraculously preserved against those that sought his life If they proceede further to the following chapters there they will heare what miracles our Lord wrought what doctrines of religion he taught what tentations he endured and how hee lived from the Cradle to the Crosse And if they continue their hearing till the end of the Gospell bee finished they may acquaint themselves with the maner of his Passion and his Buriall and his Resurrection and his Ascension into heaven all maine points of the Christian Faith and such as every one ought to beleeve for the saving of his soule And yet further by hearing the history of the Acts and the Epistles of the Apostles they may see how the Apostles preached to the Gentiles planted the Churches healed the sick converted the Nations and suffered great wrongs for their masters sake The knowledge of all which will both guide us in the way to heaven and spurre us forward to go on towards eternall life For as David after hee had rehearsed Gods dealings with the ancient Fathers concludeth in the end of all Whoso is wise and will observe these things they shall understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord. Ps 107.43 So may I say of these and the like passages in Gods word that whoso is wise and when hee hath heard them will consider them they shall understand the wisedome and power and goodnesse and providence of God in the ordering of his Church together with his justice severitie against all them that would not be reclaimed and amended and hereby receive instruction for their owne soules 2. Secondly the hearing of the Scriptures read may serve to teach us many necessary duties of piety and an holy life Every one of us may learne
somewhat hereby that may direct us how to serve God how to honor our Superiours how to governe our inferiours and how to behave our selves towards all men For though the full distinct unfolding of these points bee left to the learned preacher who is therefore brought up in Scholasticall studies that he may be able to instruct the people in the sense of Scriptures and in the duties of their calling more perfectly then they could possibly learne by their owne industrie Yet even of them selves by hearing the word read with attention they may understand a good part of their dutie both towards GOD and men For who is there even among the meanest Christians but if he heare the 20. chapter of Exodus read will presently resolve with himselfe that hee is bound to reverence his parents not to kill or strike his neighbour not to wrong him in his wife in his goods or in his good name Or who that shall heare the 13. chapter to the Romans read but will presently conceive that it is his duty to obey the Magistrate Or if he heare the 5. and 6. chapters to the Ephesians but will know by the very words that he is bound to do faithfull service to his master if he bee a servant to be kinde to his wife if he bee a maried man and dutiful to his parents if he be a childe that is under government and carefull for the education of his children if he bee a father of sonnes or daughters And the like may be said of other the like cases All which shew that the hearing of Scriptures read may availe a man much to the leading of an holy life The further illustration whereof may be had out of some few examples First then Athanasius an ancient Doctor of the Church Athanas in vita S. Antonii pag. 445. telleth of S. Antonie that having first revolved in his minde how the Apostles forsooke all and followed CHRIST he came into the Church and in the Gospell which was then read he heard the saying of our Saviour to the yong rich man If thou wilt be perfect sell all that thou hast and give to the poore and come and follow me and thou shalt have treasure in heaven Matt. 1921. And as soone as hee had heard that sentence hee went home and sould his possessions and gave them to the poore and leaving all further care of the world he betooke himselfe wholly to a devout life Secondly August Confess lib. 8 cap. 12. pag. 37. S. Augustin telleth of himselfe that having heard of this storie of saint Antonie how he by hearing the Gospell read was converted to God hee in imitation of this holy man tooke up the booke that lay by to reade for hearing of Gods word read and reading of it do not much differ in this respect and opening the booke at all adventure he read what first came to hand and that was the saying of the Apostle Let us walke honestly as in the day not in rioting and drunkennes not in chambering and wantonnesse not in strife and envying c. Rom. 13.13 Part of which words did so strike his heart that he presently forsook his loose life and betooke himselfe to Gods service Thirdly the booke of God it selfe telleth us that Iosias having heard the words of the Law read which threatened judgment against such sinnes as were then too common among them He humbled himselfe rent his clothes and wept before the Lord and caused the booke to be read in the audience of the people and both hee and they moved by the hearing of the booke read made a covenant with the Lord for conversion and amendment of life as is recorded in the 2. booke of Kings in the end of the 22. and in the beginning of the 23. chapter By these examples wee learne that if men come to the hearing of the word read with honest teacheable hearts as these good men d d they may heare that by the sole reading of the text by which they may be brought to repentance for their sins and a carefull and devout service of the Lord their God as these holy men were before them 3. Thirdly the hearing of the word read if it bee heard with attention and reverence as it alwaies should will prepare and fitt peoples mindes for a profitable hearing of Sermons For when the Preacher in handling any point shall alledge the Text he that hath beene an attentive hearer of the word read and hath imprinted the sayings of Scripture in his minde will remember and acknowledge the words as they are cited explained and hereby hee will gaine these helps towards a godly life 1. Hee will learne the sense and meaning of hard places if any be expounded unfolded by the Preacher which himselfe understood not before 2. he will be able as his minde goeth along with the preachers words in part to judge of the truth soundnesse of his allegations and afterward more fully and exactly to examine the things that were spoken as the Bereans examined S. Pauls doctrine whether those things were so as hee had said And lastly he will be enabled to remember every thing that is said the better a good part of the Sermon being setled in his memory by his former reading and the rest having neare coherence with it and dependance on it And he that is furnished with these abilities will easily profit by all that the preacher teacheth But contrariewise he that heareth Texts alledged in a Sermon which he had never heard of before can neither judge of the sense that is put upon them nor understand the sequels that are deduced from them nor remember to any purpose what hath beene alledged out of them I conclude then that he who will profit by the word preached must not neglect to heare the word read that hee may imprint the sentences of the Scripture in his minde 4. Fourthly by hearing the word read though sometimes we understand not the meaning yet we may at least fasten the words in our memories if we carie away but the words and phrases onely we may thereby bee occasioned to ask direction from others who understād them better The Eunuch when he read the Prophecie of Isai understood it not but was hereby moved to enquire of the meaning of the Text. I pray thee saith he of whom speaketh the Prophet this of himselfe or of some other man Act. 8.34 And upon this occasion Philip explained him the text preached unto him the Gospell of Christ and converted him unto the faith brought him by baptisme into the bosome of the Church And so it will bee with us If when we heare the Text read wee meete with some thing which we understand not yet even that if we do but cary away the words onely will lie by us till we meete with some more skilful then our selves and of whom we may ask as the Eunuch did of Philip I pray you Sir
of whom is this spoken or whereof is it meant or how is it to be accorded with this or that Text which seem to say the contrary And by this practice if we use it accordingly we shall every day gaine somewhat for our furtherance in grace Wee shall either increase our knowledge or amend our lifes or prevent some objections or one thing or other wee shall gaine by it that may do us good towards salvation Vse 1. This first of all confuteth the practice of the Roman Church who when they reade the Scriptures do it in such a sort as frustrateth the end that God aimed at in the reading of them and depriveth the people of that profit which they should reape by their hearing For they reade it in unknowen tongue and a language not understood by the hearers is not for edification Gen. 11.7 8. no not of Babel it selfe For I pray how can it possibly be that men should learn by that writing whose words they understand not when Moses commanded the Priests to reade the Law to the people Deut. 31.9 c. as in the place of Deuter. before mentioned he did suppose he had spoken in this manner unto them which is the resultance of the Romish practice and doctrine Yee shall reade all this Law in a strange language in Latin or Arabick or some such other tongue unknowen to the Jews that they may heare it and by it learne to feare God and keepe his commandements how ridiculous and foolish would the speech have been Surely S. Paul did think that if an unbeleever should come into a Christian Church and heare the Doctors speaking in a tongue unknowen to the people hee would think them no better then madd men 1 Cor. 14.23 Nor would any of us think him to be well in his witts that should reade unto a plaine Englishman a Latin Greek or Hebrew book and in a serious sort bid him to hearken and attend what that booke did speake for his instruction and comfort Yea and they of the Church of Rome themselves when they reade to the people such things as they care for and would have men to know and observe then they speake to them in their mother tongue Their Festivall and their Legend they have beene accustomed to reade in the Church in the knowen language of our countrey Yea and at this time though they administer the Sacrament of Baptisme in the Latin tongue as all their other Service is yet when they give order to bring back the Chrisome to the Church and to keepe the child from bodily harm they breake off their sacred language and speake to the people in their own mother tongue Godfathers and Godmothers of this childe * Manna Sacerd. de Baptis pag. 38. say they wee charge you that ye charge the father and mother to keepe it from fire and water and other perills to the age of seven yeares c. and that the mother bring againe the Chrisome at her purification Now I would gladly heare from any learned Papist why Latin should not as well teach them to bring againe the Chrisome as it can teach them to serve God in the duties of pietie or to help their neighbours by the duties of mutuall love and charitie Or if they think it behoovefull for the people to have these rules of theirs propounded to them in the English and knowen tongue why they should not think it better and more availeable for them to deliver the rules of Gods word unto them in the like intelligible sort then in a foreine language Surely if a peevish humour to maintaine all abuses of their Church were layed aside the point would neede no long disputing Vse 2. This also confuteth the follie of Separatists and phantastick zelots among us who vilifie and contemne the reading of Scriptures in the Church and by consequence the hearing of them read The Admonit in B. White-gifts booke pag. 579. Autors of the Admonition to the Parliament who were the fathers of our English Schismatiks say of reading of the Scriptures Reading is not feeding of Gods flock but it is as evill as playing upon a stage and worse too Foule mouths was the act of Moses no better then playing upon a stage when he read all the words of the Law to the people Exod. 24.7 and was Joshua as bad as a stage-player when he did the like Iosh 8.34 And was Baruch as bad or worse then a stage-player when hee read the words of Ieremie out of a written roll by Gods owne appointment Ier. 36.2 3. c. Nay but such was the spirit of these vipers that they had rather crosse Gods knowen ordinance then not oppose the orders of the Church in whose womb they were bred And of some such like temper are some others of later times c M. Jo. Downe in a Treatise of the Efficacie of Reading A learned Preacher in a booke now lately published telleth of some in the West country where himselfe dwelt that their maner was neglecting the publik service and reading to send their servants or children to know when the Preacher was ready to go into the pulpit For till then they list not to come And so saith hee according to the French jest they turne all Gods worship into a meere preachment And some have I knowen who following a preacher of their owne to a strange place have staied without the walls of the Church till the Sermon did begin And would God none of our better minded people were tainted with a tang of this leaven But when there are some and they not a few who never appeare in the Church save when the Bell giveth warning to a Sermon would not a man think that they nothing esteeme either the Liturgie of our Church or the hearing of Gods word read in the publik assemblie I say no more of such but only pray God to give them a better minde And for the rest who have learned better I beseech them by the mercies of God that they will not countenance these fantastik mens errour by their negligent needlesse absence from the Church when on holy daies and weeke daies the Scriptures are read to the people and the prayers and praises of the Church are with joint consent presented unto God And so I leave to refute them and come in the next place to exhort our selves And the summe of my Exhortation is that Vse 3. Seeing the hearing of Gods word read is so usefull to a godly and an happy life therefore as wee love our soules we would not neglect the opportunitie of such a blessing when it is offered It was Gods commandement to his people that at such times as men came together in greatest multitudes then all of them should be called to the hearing of his word read And the learned say that when the time of reading was come a Trumpet was sounded through the City that all might have warning and might bee present to heare
overreach or defraud his brother in any matter because the LORD is the avenger of all such 1 Thes 4.6 they if guilty should say I am the man and mine is that judgement And if He preach against drunkennesse and good fellowship and tell of that threatening of the Prophet Wo to them that rise up early in the morning that they may follow strong drink that cōtinue untill night till the wine enflame thē Isa 5.11 they should say each man for himselfe I am the man I have made the fault and I deserve that wo. And so should wee do in all other the like cases still help the Preacher by bringing that home to our selves which hee setteth before all his Hearers that they may pick out that which they have need of Thus I have gone through the rules every wise man may make use of them as occasion serveth and either adde more of his own unto them or place others that are better in their roome God grant us of his grace that wee may conscionably use all such helps as he doth prescribe us for our spiritual good that by them his grace accompanying them we may in the end attaine to his glory Amen CAP. XIV Duties to bee performed after our hearing Cap. 14 HAving hitherto spoken of the two first sorts of duties I come now to the third namely duties required after our hearing is ended And for this purpose I have not many rules to insist upon this one shall suffice Hee that will profit by a Sermon shall do well after the Sermon is ended to call to mind what he hath heard then to consider of things more distinctly and with more leasure For in the time of our hearing because our mindes must go along with the Preachers tongue wee want time to pause and consider and weigh what wee heare the most that we can do is but to think and consider which of the things delivered may bee fit for our use The hammering and the fitting of them is left for afterward when we may have more time to sift and examine them more exactly This course wise men use to observe in other the like cases When they read things in haste they folde down a leaf or make a mark in the margin of the book that they may read the place over againe at more leisure when the time occasion serveth they consider of those remarkable passages And so after we have heard the word preached or read and have marked out for our selves those which seemed the most usefull sayings it will bee profitable to take a time to think on them againe in our privat houses This the Learned think was resembled by that of Moses his Law where those beasts are onely allowed for cleane beasts which did chew the cudd Levit. 11.3 So (a) Auditor verbi fimilis esse debet animalibus quae ob hoc quia rumināt munda esse dicuntur Prosper senten ex August nu 193. Prosper The Hearer of GODS word ought to be like to those beasts which because they chew the cudd are therefore said to bee cleane And like unto such beasts good Hearers are in two things 1. Because (b) Quū audit fit similis edenti quum verò audita in memoriam revocat fit similis ruminanti Prosp ibid. and In ipsa ruminatione in qua significat Deus munda animalia hoc voluit insinuare quia omnis homo qui audit sic debet in cor mittere ut nō piger sit ea cogitare ut quando audit similis sit manducanti quum autem audita in memoriam revocat cogitatione dulcissimâ recolit fiat similis ruminanti Ruffin in Psal 45. in fine pag. 107. Vide Chrys hom 21. ad populum Antioch in principio pag. 263. as those beasts while they eate do let downe into the maw the meat half chewed and after they have done eating do draw it up againe into the mouth and grinde and chew it better so men must first heare and afterward recall and consider what they have heard the first whereof is like the first eating of the meat and the later is like the chewing of the cudd Secondly good Hearers are like such beasts because as the beasts which ruminate or chew the cudd are reckoned for cleane beasts so GOD doth approve and allow those men which first heare and then ruminate and consider what they have heard This practice is further proved to be good 1. from grounds of Scripture and 2. from the benefit which we may reap by it I. From grounds of Scripture For in them we finde that after S. Paul had given instructions to Timothy concerning his duty he addeth for conclusion Meditate on these things 1. Tim. 4.15 Consider what I say and the Lord give thee understanding in all things 2. Tim 2.7 And so David often professeth of himselfe that his practice was to meditate on Gods word Psalm 119.15 23 48 78 148 and setteth it down as a note of a blessed man that hee doth meditate in the Law of the Lord. In like sort it is said of the blessed Virgin that shee kept all the things that were spoken to her by the Shepherds and pondered them in her heart Luk. 2.19 and ver 51. after our Saviours disputing with the Doctors and his answer concerning the doing of his Fathers businesse it is said that she kept all these sayings in her heart Meaning that shee noted and marked them when they were spoken and afterward laid all together considered the purpose of God in them for mans salvation By all this wee see that holy men of God have not contented themselves with bare hearing reading of Gods word but have meditated and considered of it afterward with more leisure Now of all the times that may be imployed about this service none is more fit then within a little while after our hearing And this time is therefore most usefull partly because the memory is then most fresh and best able to give an account of what hath beene heard and partly because present meditation and consideration will both confirme the memory and prepare the heart for performance in the time to come II. There is much benefit to bee reaped by this practice For 1. It will better our knowledge and make us to understand things more fully and perfectly For in hearing many things escape us through haste which afterward may bee observed and understood in our second and more serious thoughts For example in our hearing while we mind the particulars in severall the dependance and connexion of the parts do many times overslip us which upon a second review especially time of consideration being allowed thereto we may easily discerne and thereby understand the whole discourse more distinctly and fully 2. In the Sermon or in the Chapter read there may happen some hard words and dark sentences and deepe reasons which on the sudden wee cannot but with a little labour and meditation we may
Gospel they might be convinced of positive infidelity They add that also Ioh. 3.19 This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darknesse rather then light Men therefore are justly damned for rejecting the light of the Gospell Heb. 2.3 How shall wee escape if we neglect so great salvation for neglecting salvation offered in the Gospell as they comment upon the words wee become guilty of just punishment Therefore salvation is offered in the Gospell These with some more bee the proofes brought by these learned men And they plainely prove that God doth accompanie the preaching of his word with the assistance and grace of his Spirit that men who heare the word if themselves bee not in fault do receive from God both to beleeve and obey it Now lay these things together first that the word of God doth teach the right way to blessednes then that it useth powerfull perswasions to incite us on in this way and lastly that it bringeth with it that grace of God which may carie us along to our journeys end and then the conclusion will easily result from them that therefore Gods word hath much vertue in it and that which is sufficient to make us eternally happy Vse 1. This condemneth them of follie who leave Gods word and seeke other directions to eternall life Such were the Jews of old and such have beene some ignorant papists in our time What our vulgar papists are used to say for proofe of the true religion they that have lived among them do sufficiently know and what the Jews said in former times Ieremie hath told us at large chap. 44. And whoso shall attentively consider his words will easily see how like our papists are to those Jews The words of the Prophet are Then all the men which knew that their wives had burnt incense unto other Gods and all the women that stood by answered Ieremiah saying As for the word which thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord we will not hearken unto thee But we will certainly doe whatsoeever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth to burn incense to the Queene of heaven and to poure out drink-offerings unto her as we have done we our fathers our Kings our Princes in the cities of Iudah and in the streets of Ierusalem for then had we plentie of victualls and were well and saw no evill But since wee left off to burne incense to the Queene of heaven and to poure out drink-offerings unto her wee have wanted all things have beene consumed by the sword and by the famine Ier. 44.15 c. In this passage of the Prophet there are 2. things set downe the resolution of this people and their reason for it Their resolution was that they would not hearken to the word which the Prophet had spoken in the name of the Lord but they would doe what they did doe that is they would burne incense to the Queene of heaven c. And the like is the resolution of some seely people Say what you will or what you can out of Scriptures they care not for it but they will doe what they are woont to doe that is they will pray in a tongue whereof they understand never a word they will worship Saints and Images though they know not why and they will rest their faith on the Popes dictats though they can say nothing why he may not misleade them But this they doe and this they will do This is their resolution Secondly we may consider their reason why they were so wilfull and that is two-fold 1. because they and their fathers had beene accustomed to doe so heretofore As wee have done wee and our fathers c. and so our poore ignorant people This is the religion wherein I was borne and bred and therein will I dye Thus my father and grandfather beleeved before I was born and I will folow them who have gone before mee The second reason why they would continue in their resolution is because when they lived in that faith they had plentie of victuals and store of all things but after they left their sacrificing to Idols they had scarsitie and miserie and want Then say they we had plentie of victuals c. And so are our seelie ones wont to dispute Oh say they when the old religion was on foote then we had so many eggs for a peny and so much provision at a small price and poore men were able to live by their labours but since Calvin and Luther began to reforme we have scarsitie and dearth and it is a hard world to live in Thus our people are wont to reason for their old superstitions and errours and they speak so right in the very phrase and words of the idolatrous Jews that I might have thought they had borowed their discourse out of Ieremy but that I know it is not their custome to reade so much in the Bible that they leave to these new men accounting it as the booke of Heretikes and Novelists A Ladies Psalter liketh them better for a prayer booke then Davids Psalmes and a festivall or Legend they esteeme a better booke for instruction then the writings of the Prophets and Apostles But now if Gods word do teach the right way to heaven I pray you in what way are they who leave Gods word to bee guided by such fansies and fables Let Ieremie be the judge Then Ieremie said to the men and to the women who had given him this answere The incense which yee burnt in the cities of Iudah and in the streets of Ierusalem ye and your fathers did not the Lord remember them and came it not into his minde so that the Lord could no longer beare because of the evil of your doings and because of the abominations which ye have committed Therefore is your land a desolation and an astonishment and a curse without an inhabitant as at this day Because ye have burnt incense and because ye have sinned c. Therefore this evill is happened unto you Ier. 44.20 c. In which answere we may consider and it is worth the noting that their burning of incense to the Queene of heaven and their pouring out of drink-offerings unto her which they thought was the true worship and said it was the onely cause of their plentie of victuals and of all good things was in very deede an abomination to God which hee could no longer beare and the true cause of the desolation curse that was come upon them And so when our ignorant people say that the reformed religion is the cause of scarsity and want that while they worshipped their images and Saints there was plentie and store wee may answere them according to the tenor of the Prophets words Nay rather your superstitions in burning incense to the Queene of heaven as they did and your wilfulnesse in refusing the truth when it is brought unto you as they also did these
made in a publik place For then the Publican whose prayer was well accepted with God would not in so publik a place as the Temple in Jerusalem have made so pivat a prayer as this God be mercifull unto me a sinner Nor did they then beleeve that there was any superstition in observing the Canonicall houres of the Church for then Peter and Iohn would not have chosen the ninth houre which was one of the Churches houres in those dayes for their time of resorting to the Temple Those that are wise sober minded will consider these things and will not doubt but that praying and hearing and every exercise of devotion will the sooner receive a blessing if it bee performed in the place of Gods presence CAP. VII Hearing of Gods word preached is a meanes of blessednesse Cap. 7 HItherto I have spoken of hearing the word read it followeth now to speake of hearing the word preached and to shew how that also may conduce to blessednes or an happy life For clearing of which point three things are to be declared 1. what we are to understand by this word preaching 2. how it may be proved by Scriptures that the hearing of the word preached is availeable to a blessed life And thirdly what speciall helps towards happinesse we may reape by hearing the word preached over and beside the profite that we have by hearing it read I. Quest What we meane by Preaching For answere hereto these short notes may suffice 1. Note The word preach in English as also the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereto it answereth is sometimes taken in a common and generall acception for any kinde of publishing or proclaiming by what meanes soever it be done Thus in the 12. of S. Luke our Lord disswading men from hypocrisie and double dealing useth this reason vers 3. because how cunningly and secretly soever men carie their contrivances for the present yet there will a time come when all their jugling and double dealing shall be disclosed and layed open in the cleare Sun The words of the Text in the originall are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Geneva Translators turne it thus in English That which yee have spoken in the eare in secret places shall be preached on the houses Our late authorized Translation hath it thus That which ye have spoken in the eare in closets shall bee proclaimed on the house tops Nor are either of these translations any whit amisse or any thing different in the substance Only that which saith shall be preached on the houses cometh nearer to the word and the other which saith shall be proclaimed doth more plainely expresse the meaning and both layed together do teach us thus much that to Preach sometimes is nothing else but to proclaime or publish a thing that all may heare and take notice of it And in this sense reading of the Scriptures whereof I spoke before may be called preaching without any incongruity or error Yea and so it is called Act. 15.21 Moses saith the Text hath in every citie them that preach him being read in their Synagogues every Sabbath day Note here 1. what is said to be done and that is Moses is preached in every citie 2. how this is said to bee done that is by reading of his Law Moses hath them that preach him being read or seeing he is read in their Synagogues Thus it appeareth that preaching is sometime used in such a generall signification as that reading may be called preaching But this is not that preaching which I meane in this place When I say that hearing of the word preached is a meanes of blessednesse I understand the word in a more strict or restrained sense as preaching is distinguished from reading and as we commonly use the word in our ordinarie speech and that is when Gods Minister doth by an audible voice teach the doctrine of salvation in such maner as himselfe hath contrived and ordered it for the instruction of the people 2. Note This kinde of preaching in the stricter and more proper sense is of two sorts For sometimes men preach being directed by inspiration or immediat revelation from God Thus Moses and the Prophets did preach in the old Testamēt and Christ and his Apostles in the New Saint Peter saith of the Prophets that they spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 And our Saviour saith of his disciples It is not ye that speake but the spirit of your father which speaketh in you Matt. 10.20 Sometimes againe men preach Gods word as they are enabled by the rules of art and their owne industrie and studie Thus the Priests and Levits did preach when after the reading of the book of the Law they gave the sense and caused the people to understand the reading Nehem. 8.8 And thus the Scribes and Pharises did preach when sitting in Moses his chaire they taught men to keepe and observe the things written in the Law Matt. 23.2 3. And this is the preaching which the Doctors and Pastors of the Church after the Apostles times have used and which Gods Ministers do use at this day Of both these kindes of preaching my note is to be understood that the hearing of Gods word preached whether it bee performed by divine inspiration or by humane studie is still a meanes to make men happy that make the right use of it 3. Note These kindes of preaching whether by inspiration or studie may be performed two wayes For sometimes the preacher taketh a Text of Scripture for the ground of his Sermon He explaineth the words and out of them draweth instructions and then applieth all to the use of his hearers This course our Saviour tooke Luk. 4. Luk. 4.16 17 18 19 20 21. He came to Nazareth where he had beene brought up and as his custome was he went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up for to reade And there was delivered unto him the booke of the Prophet Esaias when he had opened the booke he found the place where it was written The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath annointed mee to preach the Gospell to the poore hee hath sent me to heale the broken-hearted to preach deliverance to the captives and recovering of sight to the blinde to set at libertie them that are bruised to preach the acceptable yeare of the Lord c. In which passage wee may observe two things 1. that our Lord chose a Text of Scripture to discourse upon When hee had opened the booke he found the place where it was written The spirit c. Isai 61.1 2. that hee unfolded and applied this Text to the present occasion This day saith hee is this Scripture fulfilled in your eares meaning that which the Prophet had foretold in those words was now fulfilled in himselfe who preached unto them as was prophecied of him aforetime In the like maner Philip also preached Act. 8.32 c. The Eunuch had read
good deedes that hee hath done either for Gods house or for Gods people or for Gods glory Herein he hath cōfort Matt. 6.20 Luk. 14.14 that he hath laied up treasure in heaven which he shall finde with God at the last day and shall be abundantly recompensed at the Resurrection of the Just Againe hereby good men may be encouraged to well-doing because they know that their labour will not bee in vaine in the Lord. This use the Apostle made of this point He that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting And then he addeth Let us not be weary in well-doing for in due season wee shall reape if wee faint not Gal 6.8 9. He meaneth that as he that soweth much shall reape the more so hee that giveth plentifully for Gods sake for it is of liberality that hee speaketh in that place shall be plentifully rewarded at Gods hands Where further because doing of good is compared to sowing of seede and we by the example of the husbandman are stirred up to sow our seede without being weary of our labour we have hence occasion given us of two good meditations fit for this purpose 1. Med. The first is that no man thinketh his seede lost though it rot for a time in the earth because hee knoweth that at the harvest it will bring forth 20 or 30 or it may bee 40 for one And so if we give to good uses if wee relieve the oppressed abound in works of devotion though we do not presently see any profit by them yet none of them is lost when the harvest is come the cropp will make a recompense for all and we shall receive our seede with advantage 2. Med. Among men they are counted rich men that have good store of ground for their tillage every man is glad if he can purchase land where hee may sow in the spring and then reape the cropp at the harvest And so every one among us that desireth to be rich towards God should bee glad when hee hath ground to sow his seede of righteousnesse in that his cropp may be the greater at the harvest For example if we see a poore servant of CHRIST in want and distresse there is a piece of ground to sow our seedes of charity in If we relieve him wee shall enrich our selves by it And if we see a poore man oppressed by a potent neighbour here is ground to sow our seede of justice in If we can and do help him to his right wee shall gaine helpe at Gods hands an hundred fold more And if wee meete with a man that is sad and perplexed in minde here is ground to sow our seede of compassion and comfort in And if wee help to support and strengthen him in his grief God will comfort our soules against all perplexities and feare The summe is a man cannot bee a loser by doing of good deedes no more then the husbandman is a loser by sowing of his seede I pray as our Church doth Stirre up O Lord the wills of thy faithfull people that they plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works may of thee bee plenteously rewarded through JESUS CHRIST our LORD CAP. IX Hearing and Doing compared together and how and with what difference they concurre as jont helpers of our salvation Cap. 9 HItherto I have spoken of the two duties of Hearing and Doing of Gods word severally and apart now it will helpe us not a little both for understanding the right use of these duties and for attaining to blessednesse by them if for conclusion of all we compare them together consider how in what maner they concurre to the procuring of our happinesse To which purpose that I may speake the more plainely and distinctly I will set downe that which I have to say in three severall conclusions And they be these I. Concl. Hearing of Gods word whether read or preached is so farre forth onely usefull for a Christians blessednesse as it directeth and furthereth him to the keeping of Gods word and the doing of his will contained in it For proofe hereof there be these arguments or reasons 1. Arg. Hearing of Gods word is therefore availeable to blessednesse because by it we learne the way to happinesse and are by it perswaded to walk and go on in that way This to be the use of Gods word heard and read I have proved already and other use then this the Scripture reveileth none nor can any man with reason imagin any other I now add hereto as an Assumption to that proposition But the way to blessednesse is by the obedience of Gods Law and the keeping of his word This is proved by those Scriptures which call Gods commandements his waies by which he leadeth men to heaven and happinesse and our keeping or observing of those commandements a walking in that way In this kinde David describing the happy estate of a righteous man saith Blessed are they that keep his testimonies they also do no iniquity but walke in his wayes Ps 119.2 3. But Solomon more directly to this purpose Hee is in the way of life that keepeth instruction Pro. 10.17 Where 1. when he saith Hee that keepeth instruction he meaneth such a one as submitteth himselfe to be guided by Gods word and doth that which God teacheth him therein And 2. when he saith of such a man that he is in the way of life he meaneth he is going on in the right way to eternall life and happinesse And to like purpose David prayeth Teach mee the way of thy statutes and I shall keepe it unto the end Ps 119.33 and so he promiseth I will run the way of thy cōmandements when thou shalt enlarge my heart v. 32. In all which and many other sayings to like purpose wee have two things worth our observation 1. that the keeping of Gods word is a walking in Gods way and 2. that this way of God in which we are to walk is also the way of life and happinesse And from hence the collection is cleare If hearing do therefore profit us to eternall life because by it wee learne the right way that leadeth thereunto and this way bee nothing else but the keeping of Gods word then hearing is only so farre availeable to blessednesse as it furthereth us to a godly life 2. Arg. In Scriptures Hearing of Gods word is commēded unto us as the means that bringeth us to obedience and the doing of Gods word is set out as the end for which Hearing is intended This to go no further is sufficiently proved out of one booke of the Law Deuteron I meane in which the pen-man of the word doth most clearly and punctually describe the use of Gods Law In that booke chap. 4. ver 1. thus Moses speaketh to the people Hearken O Israel unto the statuts and judgements which I teach you for to do them and ver
graces in which the maine duties of christianity do consist And he that is thus disposed before he cometh to heare is in a faire way to understand the Scriptures when they bee alledged and to conceive the Preachers meaning when hee explaineth and applieth them to his conscience And hence it is that (a) Inst lib. 5. cap. 33. pag. 134. Cassian a learned judicious Writer doth say of Theodorus a Religious man of that time and one that was expert in the Scriptures that the thing which made him so skilfull in Gods book was Non tam studium lectionis vel literatura mundi quà m sola puritas cordis not so much his reading of learned books or his human learning as his purity sincerity of heart alone And this man saith the same (b) Ibid. cap 34. pag. 135. Autor when men admired his clear understanding of Scriptures and desired of him the meaning of certaine places answered them that he who would come to the true understanding of Scriptures must not bestow his paines in reading of Commentaries but rather bend his minde to cleare his soule from fleshly desires Quibus expulsis confestim cordis oculi sublato velamine passionum sacramenta Scripturarum velut naturaliter incipient contemplari For these vitious lusts being expulsed driven out the eie of the soule after this vaile of passions is removed from before it doth begin as it were by its owne disposition and temper to understand the mysteries of the Scriptures (c) Siquidem nobis nō ut essent incognita vel obscura sancti Spiritûs gratiâ promulgata sunt sed nostro vitio velamine peccatorū cordis oculos obnubēte red dūtur obscura quibus rursum naturali redditis sanitati ipsa Scripturarum sanctarū lectio ad contemplationē verae scentiae abundè etiam sola sufficiat Cassian ibid. For as hee addeth the holy Ghost did not so pen and divulge the Scriptures that they might bee unknowen and dark but they become hard and obscure through our owne default who with a vaile of sins do cover the eies of our mindes like the vaile that laie on the heart of the Jews while they read the books of Moses 2 Cor. 3.14 15. II. This puritie of soule disburdened of her sinfull lusts disposeth a man to the obedience of Gods word and maketh him ready and prepared to observe and do what is therein prescribed Now these works of obedience they bee the very fruits harvest cropp for reaping whereof the seed of Gods word is sowen For the end of our preaching and reading is that men may heare and the end of their hearing is that they may learne and know Gods will and the end of their learning knowledge is that they may do Gods will and keep his commandements This gradation of causes is clearly expressed by Moses Deut. 31.11 12. And it is intimated by our Saviour also in the Gospell when he saith This peoples heart is waxed grosse and their eares are dul of hearing their eies they have closed lest at any time they should see with their eies heare with their eares understand with their heart and should bee converted and I should heale them Matt. 13.15 By these speeches it appeareth that Doing is the end of Hearing Now that which in our hearing doth fit us for this end is if wee purge our soules aforehand of all sinfull lusts and yeeld up our selves to be moulded by the word For they that be in love with any lust are loth to heare and more loth to do that which God commandeth to the contrary Herod because hee was in love with his fleshly lusts would not hearken to Iohn Baptist when hee tould him of his incest Mark 6. the Pharises because they were in love with their money derided our Saviour Luk. 16.13 14. when he preached against covetousnesse And Ahab 1 King 22. because hee was resolved to go up to Ramoth Gilead to battell put Micaiah in prison for advising him to the contrary And so it is still He that is resolved to live in oppression will not care for the Preachers words when he telleth him of S. Pauls threatening Let no man go beyond or defraud his brother in any matter because that the LORD is an avenger of all such 1 Thess 4.6 And he that is resolved to go on in his uncleane lusts will not care when hee is tould of that sentence Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge Heb. 13.4 And he that is given to his bellie cheare will sleight that caveat of our Saviour Take heed lest your hearts bee overcome with surfetting drunkennesse c. Luk. 21.34 And generally whosoever is led with any lust untill he be content to part with that lust will never bee willing to yeeld obedience to that Scripture which forbiddeth it Yea and they who are zelously affected to religion and performe holy duties with some care yet if they have but any one unmortified passion behinde that lust will make them to withdraw the shoulder when they should yeeld obedience to the word A plaine proof hereof may bee seene in the rich young man mentioned Mar. 10.17 c. For hee came to CHRIST with great zele and was resolved to do any thing that hee might be saved Good Master saith hee what good thing shall I do c But when our LORD bade him Go sell all that thou hast c and thou shalt have treasure in heaven the Text saith he was sad at that saying and went away grieved The meaning is that though he were a forward young man and purposed to do any thing that CHRIST would appoint him for gaining of eternall life yet because hee was in love with his wealth he thought this to bee too hard a condition to be accepted of And so it is and will bee with all other men if they be in love with any one sinne that will not suffer them to submit to that word of God which forbiddeth it But contrariwise he that hath emptied his soule of every knowen sin is ready for every commandement will submit to whatsoever God shall enjoyne him For having purged out every lust he hath nothing left behind that may oppose GODS word when it commandeth him his duty Such a man if God should command him to sacrifice his life for religion as he commanded Abraham to sacrifice his son he would say with S. Paul My life is not deare unto mee so I may finish my course with joy Act. 20.24 And if God should require restitution of ill gotten goods hee would say with Zaccheus If I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation or any other unjust dealing I will restore him fourefold Luk. 19.8 And if GOD should require him to mortifie himself by hard and austere chastisements hee would say with S. Paul I will keep under my body and bring it in subjection 1 Cor. 9.27 And so in all other the most troublesome
care to expell For every such lust is a superfluitie of naughtinesse which hindreth our growing by the word For example if there bee a lust of adultery and uncleannesse that is a superfluity of naughtinesse purge out this or else it will hinder your growth in grace And if there be a lust of pride and vaineglory that is a superfluity which must bee purged out or else the word will not enter in And so I may say of covetousnesse and of malice and of revenge and of every evill lust they be superfluities of naughtinesse and if they be suffered to harbour in the soule they will shut the doore against all good instructions Vse 3. There is hence encouragement and comfort for all true hearted Christians because having purged out their lusts and resolving to do what God shall command they are rightly qualified for hearing of Gods word If any thing be necessary to be knowen which is too hard for their understanding Gods promise is that he will reveile it unto them and leade them in the right way Our Saviour hath said If any man will do Gods will hee shall know of the doctrine whether it bee of God or no. Ioh. 7.17 Where 1. when he saith If any man will do Gods will he meaneth if hee be resolved to performe whatsoever God shall cōmand him And 2. when hee saith of such a man that he shall know of the doctrine whether it bee of God he meaneth he shall bee guided to know and understand the maine points of faith even so much as may serve to save his soule For first the eie of his soule is cleare from mists and foggs of passion by reason whereof hee will discerne those truths which are proportionable to his understanding And secondly if any thing be too high for his apprehension God will reveile that unto him by one meanes or other rather then so faithfull a servant of his should erre from the right way that leadeth to eternall life And consequently he that doth settle his heart in a sincere purpose to do what God shall enjoyne him in his word may bee confident in this hope that he shall not erre with danger to his soule A great comfort this may bee to a true Christian in these wrangling times and dayes of contention wherein variety of questions doth much distract the minds of many men My conclusion is this when we go to heare Gods word preached or take a Bible into our hands to reade let us abandon every knowen sinne and resolve to serve God in every knowen duty and then our comfort is we shall know the truth and the truth shall make us free CAP. XIII Duties to be performed in the time of our hearing Cap. 13 HItherto of preparative duties which go before our hearing now wee are to consider of duties required in the time of hearing And they as I conceive of them at this time are three 1. Attention to the things which are spoken 2. Reverence to the person that speaketh and 3. wisdome in fitting all to our owne use I. The first is Attention And that as * Nigron de exhor domest cap. 5. nu 15. p. 89. one defineth it not unfitly is seria diligens animi applicatio ad ea quae dicuntur a serious applying of the minde to the things that are said or it is when we bend the mind and understanding to observe and mark that which is spoken Concerning this dutie there are two things to bee declared 1. What use and necessitie there is of it in our hearing and 2. what meanes wee may use for attaining to it I. What use there is of it And the answere is the uses of it are three especially 1. Attention is that which doth enlive our hearing and maketh it effectuall and profitable For if we heare and attend not we do not learn by the instructions that should teach us we are not moved by the exhortations that should perswade us to well-doing nor are we feared by the threatnings that should deterre us from sin In summe whatsoever is said to do us good is as water spilt upon the ground that cannot be taken up for any use But Attention in hearing is like the plough that goeth before the Sower For as the plough openeth the ground that the seed may enter in and take root under the furrows so attention setteth open the heart that it may receive the word in when it is spoken by the Preacher And therefore when the Scriptures do describe diligent zelous Hearers they set them out by their attentivenes to the word spoken Thus it is said of the people in Nehe. time that the eares of all the people were attentive unto the booke of the Law when it was read unto them Nehem. 8.3 And so of the people in our Saviours time it is said that they were very attentive to heare him or as the other Translation hath it they hanged upon him when they heard him Luk. 19.48 The meaning is Mark 6. their mindes did hang upon his lips to suck-in his doctrine as the childe hangeth upon the dugs that hee may suck in his mothers milk Whence wee are further advertised that as children who follow the dug do thrive and grow by the milk so the hearer that is attētive to the word doth grow and thrive by it But without attention as our prayers are a lip-labour which God respecteth not and for which he reproveth the Jews This people draweth neere unto mee with their mouth and honoreth mee with their lips but their hearts are farre from me Matt. 15.8 so without attention our hearing is an ear-labour of which God may say by the same reason This people draw neere unto mee with their eares but their heart is farre from mee Attention then is therefore necessary because it maketh our hearing profitable availeable 2. Attention to GODS word maketh God willing and ready to instruct us and lead us by his grace For as we use to say of wise men that they strike while the yron is hot because then it will yeeld to the hammer and may easily be facioned as the workman will so God dealeth with his people when they are ready rightly disposed for his blessings then hee useth to bestow them Open thy mouth wide said God and I will fill it Psal 81.10 So if men open their hearts bee ready to receive then God openeth his hand and powreth in his blessings But if men shut their mouths when they should receive God will shut his hand when hee should give And there is great reason for it For a wise householder because he will not have his wine spilt therefore will not powre it upon the vessel when the mouth is stopped And so our wise God be-because hee would not have his graces lost will not bestow them when men are not fit to receive them This point is clearly manifested in the example of Samuel When God called Samuel Samuel once and again
word of God 1. Thessal 2.13 Here are two things considerable 1. Who it was that spake and delivered this word and that was Paul a man like unto themselves and 2. Whose word they esteemed it to be not Pauls nor any other mans but Gods alone And there was great reason for it For if the King should send an Officer with commission to proclaime his will to his people no man would say that this message were the will or word of the Officer who proclaimed it but the will of the King who commanded it And so these Thessalonians did rightly esteeme the word preached as Gods word from whom it was sent and not as Pauls word by whom it was delivered And they are commended for so doing as having rightly distinguished betweene God and his Minister so it will bee our praise if when wee heare Gods word delivered by a mortall man yet wee esteeme it as the word of the immortall and ever blessed God A good rule then it is that wee esteeme the word spoken by the Minister as the word sent from the Lord Almighty These rules if they bee duly observed will further us diverse waies to the right hearing of Gods word with profit 1. They will work in us attentivenesse to mark all that is spoken For even among men if the Speaker be had in honour his words will be received with heedfulnesse and attention It is said of Simon Magus that all the people gave heed to him from the least to the greatest saying This man is the great power of God and to him they had regard because that of long time hee had bewitched them with sorceries Act. 8.10 Consider here 1. how this people were affected to Simon Magus They gave heed unto him and regarded him 2. why they thus observed and respected him and that was because hee had bewitched them to beleeve that he was the great power of God or one whom God had endued with great abilities from heaven The like hereto we may find in our owne experience For if we think highly of any mans vertues and esteeme his words to have weight and worth in them we heare them with attention embrace them as Oracles of great worth And so in this case it is nothing but disesteeme of God and his word that maketh men to neglect the word when it is preached in their hearing And therefore as Rabsakeh said Heare yee the words of the great King the King of Assyria Isa 36.13 meaning that because hee was a great King therefore they should give good audience to his word so if wee consider that it is the great King even the King of heaven that speaketh unto us it will command our attention and make us heare with heed and observation Let this then bee taken for a first benefit that a due esteeme of God and his word will cause attention in our hearing 2. A due esteeme of God and his word will make us willing to heare our faults reprooved with submission and patience Old Eli is an example hereof For when Samuel told him of his sinne in cockering of his sonnes and of the judgement of God threatned against him for the same he answered It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good 1. Sam 3.18 Wee may here observe 1. Eli his willing submission to the reprehension of Samuel Let him do what seemeth him good and 2. the reason that made him so tractable and obedient and that was because it was the Lord who had sent that message And so if when wee come to heare a Sermon we consider that it is God who speaketh unto us by the mouth of a man this will cause us with patience to heare our sinnes reprooved and our selves censured for them 3. The same consideration will make us to yeeld a ready obedience to the word and to suffer our selves to be moulded and framed by it when it prescribeth us a duty to bee done This is so reasonable that Balaam against his owne minde acknowledged it to bee right Must I not take heed saith he to speake that which the Lord hath put into my mouth Num. 23.12 And so if we consider that it is God who speaketh it will cause us to think our selves bound to do what hee saith For no Christian is so shamelesse that will say that hee will not do what God doth command And therefore wee may observe that when men are resolved not to obey they will rather denie that it is Gods word that is brought unto them then that it is their duty to obey his word So the Jewes did when Ieremy at their request had enquired of God for them and told them in Gods Name that they should abide in their owne Land and not go into Egypt they being resolved that it was more expedient for them to go then to stay told Ieremy to his face Thou speakest falsly the Lord our God hath not sent thee to say Go not into Egypt to sojourne there Ier. 43.2 And so among us no man that professeth to serve the true GOD will plainely denie submission to his word The summe of all is that if we bring with us a due respect to God and his word it will make us attentive when wee heare and patient when we are reproved and obedient when we are commanded that which is our duty to do II. The next thing in which we are to shew reverence in the time of hearing is a dutifull behaviour in the outward man For even among men if boies plaie the boies among their fellows that is if they bee waggish and bolde and presumptuous before their equals no man will greatly regard it But if they should do so before their Masters face it were irreverence and rudenesse not to bee borne with And we our selves in our owne houses where we are among our equals and friends may use that libertie both of speech and behaviour which would savour of contempt and disrespect if it were used in the presence of a Noble man or of a Counsellor or of a Prince And so when we come into GODS presence more sobernesse and more modest and awfull behaviour will be required of us then is necessary when we are at home or abroad among our neighbours And therefore when wee come to heare God speaking unto us wee must have a care that wee do not by our gesture bewray an undutifull respect to God or his ordinances For better observing of which duty I shall point at some such rules as I find to have beene either required or observed amongst Gods people that out of them every man may select such directions as may bee usefull and expedient for himselfe I. First then I finde in Gods book that when God appeared to Moses being now to reveile his Law unto him he first of all commanded him Draw not nigh hither put off thy shooes from off thy feet for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground Exod. 3.5 And so the Angell that
experienced in things of this kinde hath long since observed that among Orators and they were of like condition in the Common-wealth among them that Preachers are now in the Church among us the unlearned were many times best esteemed and he spendeth a whole (a) Lib. 2. cap. 12. pag. 108. Chapter in discovering and setting downe the reasons of this erroneous opinion in the vulgar S. Hierome also hath observed the like of Preachers in the Church (b) Verba volvere celeritate dicendi apud imperitum vulgus admirationem sui facere in doctorum hominum est Attrita froÌ„s interpretatur saepe quod nescâ—t quum aliis persuaserit sibi quo que usurpat scientiam c. Nâ—hil tam facile quam vilem plebeculam indoctam Concionem linguae volubilitate descipere quae quic quid non intelligit plus miratur Hieron Epist 2. ad Nepotian pag. 16. Vide etiam Jul. Nigronum in Regulam 2. commun num 67. c. pag. 175. It is the fashion of unlearned men saith hee by volubilitie of tongue and celeritie in speaking to raise an admiration of themselves amongst the rude multitude A bolde face will oftentimes teach that which himselfe doth not know and when he hath perswaded others hee usurpeth to himselfe the praise of learning Nor saith hee is there any thing more easie then to deceive the baser sort and unlearned multitude with volubility of tongue They when they understand not any point do so much the more admire it Nor is it any marvell if the rude multitude do mistake in judging of a Preacher they do so in matters that are more plain and more neare to their capacitie and apprehension Wee see it every day that an horne-pipe or a morrice dance and such countrey musick doth please the common sort more then any exact and artificial musick can do that those strokes tunes make them to leap frisk which would make a sober and skilfull man to laugh and deride them And so in this case If a Preacher be furious in his action and fluent in his words and vehement in exclamations and do mouthe it out with a throng of words which are as unable to beget notions of true religion as they are contrary to all rules of art and right reason yet the multitude do greedily embrace this musick dance after this pipe By all this I meane not to disable the gifts of any nor to censure their forme of teaching that may do good to Gods people Onely I advise every wise Christian not to esteem of a Sermon by the delight that himselfe or others of the vulgar sort do take in the utterance of it And I desire that insteed thereof they will rather consider what increase of godlinesse they have gained by it or wherein they have been profited either for understanding of the Scriptures and for conceving of some point of religion or for amending of their sinful life If they give an account of such spirituall profit to their soules I hinder not but with great reason they may esteem such a forme of teaching But if they can give no account of their profiting in godlinesse I can give no approbation of their vaine censures 2. Rule The second rule which wisedome requireth to be observed in the time of our hearing is that wee select and single out such instructions as do more especially concerne our owne practice and take more speciall notice of them then of others that coÌ„cern us not so nearly For the mind of man is of a finite nature cannot observe all things with like exactnesse and attention and our memories are feeble and fraile and cannot treasure up every thing that is spoken And therefore whatsoever ability and strength of minde and memory we have wee should husband them in the best manner and for our best advantage And so wee shall do if passing by things that bee impertinent and sliding through points of lesser moment wee fasten our minds upon such lessons and observations as do more nearely concerne our selves In the use of this rule the Prophet hath gone before us and shewed us the way Hee being to instruct the Priests in things of their duty beginneth with this Preface And now O yee priests this commandement is for you Mal. 2.1 And so if the Preacher tell Householders of their dutie to their sonnes and servants he that is a master of a family presently should say with himselfe This commandement is for mee And if the Preacher speake of the duty of servants to their masters hee that is a servant should say This commandement is for me And if hee insist on the duties of maried Couples the husband should say This commandement is for me and the wife should say That commandement is for me And if hee preach of true dealing in bargaining and contracts the merchant and the shop-keeper and the Artificer and the Customer and every man almost may say That commandement is for mee and to me it belongeth And in a word every one that heareth any rule that concerneth himselfe should make application of it to himselfe that that which is his for the duty may be his for the practice also Thus wee see all sorts of men that have care of their owne state do use to do in things of this life without any teaching If they heare of any medicine that is proper for an infirmity of their owne that they mark and either imprint it in their memories or write it up in a book of remembrance for their after-use when in the mean while they passe over many other better rules in their kinde onely because they are not so proper for their case and condition And againe if a man reade the book of Statutes and finde a Law which concerneth his owne Lands or his owne dealings he will either fold downe a leafe or mark the place in the margin or transcribe the words in a note-book that it may be in readinesse when the time serveth And so if in our hearing of the word either preached or read we meet with any lesson or rule of life that concerneth our selves in speciall we should consider wherein and how it may stead us and this consideration will bee as a mark set upon it to keep it in remembrance For if we should forget the rule it selfe yet the very application of it to our selves will put us in minde of it But as for other things which are not usefull and proper for us wee may passe them over with lesse care and attention For example if we heare some instruction which wee had learned as fully before wee may let that passe as having no need of it And if we heare somewhat not usefull for sanctification and a godly life wee may let that go as not worth the noting when better things are in place And if we heare good instructions that are usefull for others but concerne not our selves wee may dismisse them also as not
saying of Isai cap. 53. v. 7. He was led as a Sheepe to the slaughter and like a Lambe dumb before his shearer so opened hee not his mouth c. Act. 8.32 but when Philip came and expounded the Text and preached unto him JESUS out of that Text then he understood the words and beleeved in CHRIST to salvation And so among us there is no ordinary Christian but may stick at the meaning of som Scriptures which if a learned preacher have them in handling hee may see unfolded and explained 2. By hearing the word preached a man may learne how this or that Scripture doth prove and confirme a point of divinity or doth confute a contrary errour or doth commend unto us some profitable dutie belonging to our calling which a common Christian of and by himself would not have marked and observed For example the Sadduces and common people of that time did not see nor could not conceive how the Resurrection of the dead might be proved out of that saying of Moses Exod. 3.6 I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob But our Saviour sheweth it by a plaine reason that that Scripture proveth the truth of that point because that God is not the God of the dead but of the living Whence it foloweth that because God saith that he is the God of Abraham and Isaac and Iacob therefore Abraham Isaac Iacob are living still and consequently their soules were not perished or vanished into nothing as the Sadduces fondly imagined and therefore said that there was no Resurrection Againe the people did not know that that place of David Thou shalt not leave my soule in hell nor suffer thine holy one to see corruption Psal 16.10 did include any proofe of Christs Resurrection from the dead But S. Paul sheweth and that from the Text it selfe that this saying must needes bee meant of Christ who upon the third day after his death rose againe from the dead without any tincture of corruption because of David that Text could not bee meant who had beene a long time dead and now was consumed into ashes but never rose againe from the place of corruption as Act. 13.36 Act. 2.29 And so in like sort there are many passages of holy writ which yeeld plaine proofe for confirming of some truth or for confuting of some error or for instructing us in some duty which an unlearned man among us cannot understand by himselfe but may learne it from a skilfull preacher 3. By hearing the word preached we may learn how to applie the sayings of Scripture to our owne use more then by hearing it read we could ever be able to do of our selves For Scriptures teach us generall duties and give us generall rules without declaring how they agree to each age or place or person For that were an infinit labour and not to be performed at once Now these rules and these sayings the unlearned do not know how to apply so well as the preacher can teach and instruct them Nor will the learned bee ready to make application to themselves till some monitor remember them of their dutie An example hereof wee have in our blessed Saviour who having read that place of the Prophet The Spirit of the Lord is upon me c. Is 61.1 presently applieth it in such a manner as the hearers would never have thought of This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your eares Luk. 4.21 An other example to the same purpose we have in S. Paul who having alledged that saying of the Prophet I have heard thee in an acceptable time c he presently teacheth the Corinthians which before they knew not how to apply it to the present time and occasion Behold now saith hee is that accepted time now is the day of salvation 2 Cor. 6.2 To these we may add the example of David He no doubt had oftentimes read of the judgment of God against adultery and murder nor could he be ignorant how necessary repentance was for preventing of that judgment but hee neglected to apply these rules to himselfe to whom they properly belonged till Nathan came to him and applied them to his conscience and tould him in plaine words Thou art the man 2. Sam. 12.7 By all this wee may see that there is great benefit in hearing the word preached besides that which may bee gotten by the word read And hereof there is plaine reason also 1. Because the preacher is supposed to bee bred and brought up in learning and thereby hath gained skill to understand those things which belong to his profession For even in ordinary trades he that hath been an Apprentice for seven years may bee supposed to have gained skill both to manage his trade and to traine up others in the knowledge of the same art which they will not be able to doe who were never bred up in that profession And so it is in this case If a man have spent sundrie years perhaps twise seven or upward in the study of Divinity as many of our preachers have in all probability and likelihood that man will be able to understand teach points much better then men whose breeding hath beene in an other kinde But if any shall stepp into the Pulpit before he have passed through the Schooles and take upon him to teach Divinity before hee ever learned it I speake not of such a one nor do I think him fitt to teach men the mysteries of Religion Such a man may perhaps please the rude multitude who esteeme more of a glibb tongue then a solid braine are swayed more with sound of words then with weight of reasons but will never either satisfie the judgment of the learned or direct any mans conscience in the wayes of salvation Understand mee then to speake of such a one as hath beene bred in the study of good arts and is as the Apostle calleth him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apt to teach and then yee will confesse it to bee true that such a preacher will bee able to teach his hearers the meaning of Gods word better then they of themselves could learne and understand it 2. Because the preacher besides his former studies doth or should bestow his time on the weeke dayes to provide for his labours on the Lords day or other festivals Other men spend the weeke on their worldly businesse the merchant on his traffick the husbandman on his tillage the handicrafts man on his workmanship the Lawyer on his Clients the Physician on his patients and reserve only the Lords day for learning of Religion But the imployment of the preacher even on the week day is to turne his bookes examine his Text and studie for matter of instruction that may do his people good that when the Lords day is come he may speake pertinently to the purpose and profitably for the furthering of his peoples soules And such a man will bee more able to expound Scriptures to
state a controversie and to give rules of a godly life then any other can do who hath not studied the points aforehand and turned over his bookes for his better information But if there bee any of us preachers who studie the world on the week daies and then preach on Gods day what commeth next to our lips I speake not of such nor dare I commend them for men that may direct Gods people in the way of godlinesse no nor them neither who value their labours by the number of Sermons which they preach rather then by the solid notes of instruction which they do deliver Such men may please idle professors who make their religion an eare-labour as Papists make their prayers a lip-labour But understand me of such preachers as besides their former studies do bestow the weeke dayes for provision on the Lords day and no man will denie but such are more able to teach godlinesse then they who have spent all the week on profane or worldly occasions There is great reason then to thinke that the learned preacher may teach us more of Gods truth then possibly we could learne by our selves And out of all this wee may observe the great mercy of God towards us and his great love to our soules who hath provided such varietie of meanes to bring us to happinesse and eternall glory First he hath given us opportunitie of reading his word at home in a knowen tongue and then hee hath provided us meanes that wee may heare it read in the publik congregation and lastly that both the publik and privat reading may bee made more profitable and usefull hee sendeth his preachers to guide us in the right understanding and applying of his word as he sent Philip to the Eunuch to instruct him in the faith And if after all this wee neglect so great salvation offered unto us how shall we escape the just judgment of God who commanded the unprofitable servant to bee cast into outer darknesse where is weeping and gnashing of teeth Surely for such a neglect God complaineth of the Jews as of men that had despised both his mercies and their owne comforts I saith he have written unto them the great things of my Law but they were counted as a strange thing Hos 8.12 Where 1. when he saith I have written the great things of my Law he putteth them in minde that his word is not a thing of small value or not worth the reckoning and esteeme But as Moses said of his Law It is no vaine thing for you because it is your life Deuter. 32.47 So our God telleth his people that his word was no vaine or idle thing but the things therein contained were great things matters of life and eternall happinesse 2. When hee saith I have written unto them these great things he implieth that these weightie things are hard at hand lying by them in store that they may take up the Bible and read and learne those rules and directions that may carie them into heaven 3. When he addeth But they these great things of my Law were counted as a strange thing he upbraideth the people with their great negligence or contempt rather that having such a faire opportunity they despised so great salvation as if it were a matter that concerned them not And so it will bee with us Christians if we neglect either to read Gods word by our selves in privat or to heare it read in publik now that we have it so fairely and legibly written for our uses God may chide us for our contempt of his mercies that upon better grounds and with more reason then hee did chide the Jews For 1. he wrote indeede great things for them but they are farre greater things that he hath written for us They had the books of the old Testamēt wherein CHRIST and salvation were scantly and obscurely taught but we besides those books have the writings of the Evangelists Apostles wherein CHRIST JESUS is crucified before our eyes wee are brought into the Sanctum Sanctorum the Holy of Holies that wee may see God as it were with open face In respect of which cleare light it is that Kings and Prophets have desired to see those things which wee see and have not seene them Nay the very Angels in heaven did desire to looke into those things 1. Pet. 1.12 which are made knowen by the preaching of the Gospell Besides these greater things of the Gospell are conveyed to us in a more easie and lesse costly way then to our fathers of olde They had Gods word penned by the hand of a Scrivener which required much paines in the writer and great cost in the Buyer and some skill in the reader of it But since God hath sent printing into the world we may purchase the whole Bible at a lesse price then our fathers could have obtained S. Matthews Gospell alone and every boy girle may reade with readinesse and speede that which the learned might stumble or stopp at The summe is God offereth us a greater treasure at an easier rate and if now wee despise or set light by such a mercie God may complaine of us with more reason then hee did of the Jews I have written to them the great things of my Law but they are counted with them as a strange thing Againe God upbraideth the Jews for an other contempt of the like mercie The Lord saith Jeremie sent unto you his servants the Prophets rising earely and sending them but ye have not hearkened nor inclined your eare to heare Ier. 25.4 Hee meaneth that besides the Law written hee sent the Prophets to preach and explaine and applie that Law unto them but they contemned all as things of no value And is it not so with us too God hath sent preachers in abundance and what use wee have made of their labours let him judge that knoweth what our dealings be I onely will say how shall wee escape Gods anger if we neglect so great salvation It importeth us then to make use of these mercies which being used aright may help to make us blessed and being neglected may breede no small danger For our better direction wherein besides what hath beene said already wee may take these further observations or rules If God give us the opportunitie of these helps together as to most of us he hath we must not separate in our practice those things which God hath joyned together in his precept It is our dutie to reade the Scriptures at home and it is no lesse our duty to heare them read in the Church and a duty also it is to heare the word preached All of them have their use all of them are commended to us in the Scriptures all of them are availeable for salvation and consequently all of them are to be made use of by us in the fitt season If any man shall sett Gods ordinances together by the eares and is either so addicted to privat reading