thereof that would be further instructed heerein V. A minister must bee furnished with books as good Furnished with good bookes Of humanitie helps to further his studie and these of all sorts First for humanitie of the seuerall Arts of Ethickes Politickes Oeconomicks natural Philosophie such as haue written of Trees Herbes Beasts of Husbandrie Geographie Histories of Iewish customes of their Waights and Measures and what other matter the learned haue written of for the Scriptures especially Next these bookes of Diuinitie and other necessarie Of diuinitie with such as are immediate intended helpes therein First the Bible the booke of God in English Latin Greeke and The Bible Hebrue our best English translation Tremelius Septuagints translation Montanus interlineall or Vatablus Beza his Testament Secondly Dictionaries besides the Latin Dictionaries and Greeke common for all sorts the Hebrue Pagninus and Auenarius Thirdly Concordances Latin Greeke and Concordance and the singular vse therof to finde proofes for a Doctrine to enlarge the vse of the same by reasons and examples and to handle a common place Hebrue of which there is singular vse a Concordance helpes memorie much to finde out any place of Scripture also in comparing Scriptures to finde places the same with the text repeated or like places in words that affoord helpe to prooue doctrines by seeking the principall word in the doctrine which it will helpe also to enlarge by considering the seuerall places which speake of the same matter or haue the same words out of which may be obserued differences causes effects exhortations promises threats yea and examples also to handle therby a Common place As for example If a man would speake of Feare let him finde Feare in the Concordance and there he shall see some place wil tell him what feare is as Prouer. 1. 7. some the kinds of God of man true and false feare what to feare and what not as Matth. 10. Exhortations to true feare Deuter. 4. how to attaine it Prouerb 2. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Deuter. 17. 19. signes of feare Psal 119. verse 14. The benefits reaped thereby Psalm 25. 34. And diuers other things at large will bee offered to thy consideration to follow any point of Diuinitie thereout if once you had gotten an vse heerein the benefit of this is more then heere I can conueniently expresse Surely he that vnderstands his text well and knowes how to draw a doctrine needs no printed or written Sermons to helpe for to inlarge it the right knowledge how to vse a Concordance is euerie way a sufficient helpe for proofes reasons and illustrations of the same It may seeme and will prooue irkesome to him that at the first makes triall thereof but time and experience will make it easie and pleasant IV Analyticall expositions for the diuiding of bookes Analyticall exposition benefit therof and chapters and vnfolding of the Scriptures as Pflacherius hath done on the Historie of the Bible Piscator on the new Testament and some of all such bookes helpe to shew you the coherence the antecedents and the consequents the scope of the Author the whole method arguments for confirmation or confutation of the proposition handled It were verie good for a yoong beginner to read euerie day one chapter or two with some learned mans resolution of the same hee shall profit much thereby in knowledge of the Scriptures V. Of Annotations as Bezaes of Phrases Westhemerus Annotations and Illyricus in his Clauis Scripturae hath gathered many of diuers acceptations of words as also Marlorats Enchiridion The commoditie of Marlorats Enchiridion sets downe which booke is of verie good vse to shew how many waies many words are taken to helpe to finde out like places to compare with the text and to handle a Common place the benefit of these books and such of the like kinde is to further vse in the interpretation of any obscure portion of Scripture Reconciliation of places VI. Of reconciling places seeming to differ and to be one against an other as Christopher Obenhimius and Andreas Catcehismes Althamerus or any other if any haue more or done better of this matter VII A Catechisme conteining the doctrine of the Church and principles of Religion Caluins Institutions and Vrsinus Catechisme both which studied throughly will sufficiently informe a mans iudgment in the chiefe points of Religion which a Diuine must bee well practised in for the trial of his doctrine and other mens iudgements by the Analogie of faith as before declared It is good for a beginner to haue without booke the definitions and distributions of the principall heads of Theologie as Polanus Partitions setteth downe that so hee may readily know to what Common-place bookes and speciall traclates being particular common places of seuerall things at large head to refer his doctrines or other mens propositions to examine and iudge rightly of them VIII Common-place bookes Musculus Peter Martyr Zegedinus tables which booke is a sum of most principall learned mens labours before his time At the first a Diuine is to exercise himselfe in handling making Common places for so doing he shal furnish himselfe with much matter and learne to discourse follow and stand vpon a point in a Sermon Vnder Common places I conteine particular Tractats of seuerall things being some large Commentaries and what vse to make of them Common place of some speciall point of God of Christ his incarnation passion resurrection c. and of any other thing distinctly let downe IX Commentaries of Orthodoxwriters all which will helpe thee in vnderstanding the text they will more confirme thy iudgement seeing others to agree in that which thou hast conceiued thy selfe they by occasion of words may put into thy minde what of thy selfe thou canst not dreame of nor they themselues intended by these thou maiest as it were talke with and aske the iudgement of the Ecclesiasticall histories and Epistles of the ancient Fathers greatest Diuines in the world of any Scripture they write of they yet liuing and speaking to vs by their labours as Caluin Peter Martyr Musculus and others X. Ecclesiasticall Historiographers Eusebius tripartite Historie Ruffinus Socrates Theodoretus Sozomenus Euagrius Nicephorus Iosephus Philo Zonarus to which adde the Epistles of Ierome and other Fathers and of late writers These historicall books are of this vse for the knowledge of the Churches estate to reforme maners and to abolish superstitions XI The Acts and Canons of ancient Councels the Acts and Canons of Councells Centuries Functius Sleidans Commentaries and the book of Martyrs to see the iudgement of Churches in matters of Religion the condemning of heresies and maintenance of the truth Heereunto adde the Harmony of confessions of late reformed Churches XII Controuersies whereinto we may safely proceed Controuersies and when to studie them and whos 's in the first place being well grounded by these things aforesaid Heerein it is good
fine pronouncing to delight the eare more for a plaudite than to conuince conscience or to remooue impietie they glaunce at sin somtimes but faire and farre off for feare of hitting They are much in controuersies by which they least displease men of ill conuersation who willingly heare any thing but of their sinnes and reformation of life these bee the Preachers full of discretion but of little Religion and lesse true and heartie desire to bring men to saluation Heere then we see that a Preacher must haue knowledge What is requisite for a Minister to fit his text for the auditorie of his auditory to fit his Text vnto them considering where they bee and what maner of persons priuate or publike Ecclesiasticall or of the body politike superstitious or religious of holy conuersation or prophane peaceable or persecutors zealous or luke-warme constant or back-sliders of sound iudgement or erring from the trueth ignorantly or of obstinacie c. The Place must be also considered of a citie or town popular or of lesse resort Also if the meeting be not ordinary note the occasion the end and time whether in mirth or in sorrow to reioice or lament in time of prosperitie or aduersitie and thereafter to frame his speech And therefore it s also requisite that hee bee a man experienced in the Word and one that hath in reading Scriptures gathered together varietie of portions of Scripture for variety of matter and haue them readie noted in some little paper booke and at times studied vpon to be more readie to speake of them as occasion shall require If a man would How to speake aptly euer speake not vnaptly at any time in any place to all sorts vnknowen he must take generall Scriptures which may rightly concerne all and cannot be amisse spoken to any as these Eccles 12. 13. 14. Iam. 1. 27. 2. Cor. 1. 5. 10. Iude vers 14. Ioh. 3. 16. or 36. Act. 18. 26. and such like CHAP. VI. Of the Analysis and resolution of the text THe text read the Teacher is to resolue his Scripture to What to be obserued in the Analysis late it open to the hearers as First the Author of the words Secondly the occasion thereof Thirdly if a particular portion of Scripture or some Chapter or verse of a Chapter then obserue the coherence with that which goes before or followes after Fourthly the scope or principall intendement of the holy Ghost in that place of which scope ariseth the principall proposition called of Rhetoricians the State of Lawyers the Issue This chieflie is to be laboured in and is to be found out by obseruing these circumstances Quis quid vbi quibus auxilijs cur quo modo quando How to finde out the scope of a place and to resolue the same Scripture that is the Person the Thing it selfe the Time Place the Meanes the maner of Doing and the End By the Person Time and Place may be found the occasion by the Thing the matter handled by the Meanes the arguments by the maner the method how the arguments are laide downe which method is often crypticke and not naturall by the End the scope and so the principall proposition which may be brought to one of these three kinds Demonstratiue Deliberatiue or Iudiciall It is a hard thing to finde the state of a whole booke and Of diuiding a text and the benefit therof to reduce it into one sentence or proposition for that it is mixt of diuers kindes but it is more easie in the parts of a booke and in a particular portion of Scripture Fiftly after the scope be found out the text is to bee diuided into his seueral parts by this we limit our selues within bounds to keepe our selues from ranging the hearer will better follow the matter and conceiue the meaning in the discourse It helpeth memorie to carrie away that which is heard Where order wants without diuision there must needs be a disordered rouing running in and out here now in the beginning by and by there in the ending a confusion there is a mixture of things to be seuered a separation of things to be conioined the discourse is loose tedious and vncertaine wandring without staie or limitation Of the Diuision of bookes or Chapters my purpose is not to speake for that helpes enow are to be had for the same and so common in all mens labors and Commentaries that it is a labour needlesse to giue any precepts heerein I therefore heere intend to speake of particular Scriptures How to diuide particular verses one or two verses for a text and of the diuision interpretation and gathering doctrines thereout onely Some verses conteine euident doctrines or propositions as Prouer. 29. 18 Ioh. 3. 36. where note the qualitie thereof Generall or Speciall Affirmatiue or Negatiue Necessary or Cōtingent the parts the Antecedent Consequent where such euident propositiōs be not there first look out atotum What first to consider and know to diuide a verse what in generall to name it as a narration a doctrine teaching somewhat exhortation dehortation a commandement a promise threat rebuke petition wish vowe curse profession declaration a salutation a counsell comfort prediction praise thankesgiuing dispraise admonition question answer mocke or taunt definition description accusation prohibition detestation denial or affirmation so forth Then gather the parts by circumstances euen as the words lie in order if it may be for the better helpe of the meanersort To find what to call it which terme or name cōteineth the scope of the words it may be found out from other Scriptures as Mat. 28. 19. is called a commandement by S. Paul Act. 10. 42. so Genes 17. 4. which S. Paul cals a Promise Rom. 4. 20. Psal 32. 1. interpreted by S. Paul Rom. 4. 6. Againe we may know how to call it by the sense of the place albeit wee finde it not interpreted elswhere and by other meanes as by the Verbe as Matth. 9. 30. its a charge giuen Rom. 12. 1. an exhortation Luk. 14. 29. 30. a mocking By this see the vse of Grammar necessary to a Diuine Rom. 9. 14. detestation noted by absit which Verbe shewes the Apostles detestation of that blasphemie by Nounes Dan. 4. 24. it is a Counsell by Aduerbes Psal 119. 5. a wish by Coniunctions etsi quamuis and the like are symbola occupationis nisi is often not a obiectionis and sed solutionis as 2. Cor. 1. 24. by Interiections as Psal 120. 5. a complaint In one verse there may be two or three generals as Genes 32. 30. the first part a narration the latter a gratulation whereupon in such cases according as the text will affoord must bee first made a generall diuision into diuers totums and euery of them after into their branches by circumstances as for example Ezech. 18. 30. These words are the Prophet Ezechiels whom the Lord 1. Author raised vp as to comfort the
memorie is the maintainer of knowledge so is method the preseruer Of writing Sermons the profit and antiquity therof See Hipperius in his first booke of framing Sermons cap. 6. of memorie Thirdly write what thou wouldest speake writing confirmes meditation shewes the minde to the senses and keepes things once thought of it makes thoughts set downe better to be iudged either by a mans selfe or by an other to whom it may be imparted for their approbation or correction Difficile est saith one simul cogitare qualiter cogites iudicare ex nuda mentis cogitatione It fixeth more firmely what is thought vpon brings to a stile and kinde of speaking it preserues a mans labours thereby afterwards to iudge how he profits to pleasure himselfe by perusing againe former meditations more easilie found in writing than called to minde or any other by his labour if it be held woorth looking on It declareth his industry and paines to speake profitablie with vnderstanding of that he deliuereth In writing a man loseth no thoughts so as at one time it s not requisite so exactly to remember what he hath inuented whilest his minde musing vpon farther matter as hee must doe in meditating without setting it downe Lastly in studie whilest one is intent vpon a matter often occasion is giuen of further matter which ariseth from reading or meditation which if it bee not noted downe will in following the point in hand soone slippe out of minde and hardly to be recalled except memorie bee verie good Therefore it is good to write and in writing to haue a voide or emptie paper by to set downe foorth with what comes to minde which will after fitly serue in the right place wee see writing to be exceeding profitable euerie way for our selues and others and nothing should let from this Sed est magni laboris quem desides nos plerunque fugimus Fourthly vse meditation seriously vpon Attent and serious meditation and what therein to be obserned Maner that which thou doest purpose to speak after it be penned Beware heerein of a wauering minde and by-thoughts begin not immediately vpon wearinesse and serious studie before without some relaxation betweene not sudden from one thing to another nor vpon vehement passions as of anger sorrow feare ioy and so forth Take also time for it Nam sicut concoctioni corporali spacium damus quietem ita meditations mentis quae mentalis quaedam concoctio est quâm animae nutrimentum cedat materia How much is sufficient to be allotted to meditation is to be iudged from euerie mans industrie and abilitie in quicknesse of conceit and firmenesse of memorie to retaine which is more or lesse in euerie one His meditation and paines must be so as that hee may preach so often as is conuenient for the people The time when it is not good after meat the vnderstanding Time then is dulled and as memorie is lesse able to beare away and minde to conceiue so its hurtfull for the bodie serious meditation much hindring natures worke in concoction Secondly it is best ouer night immediatelie before sleepe and foorthwith awaking earely in the morning aurora Musis amica It may be lying sitting standing or walking as a man perceiueth what is best for himselfe and is most vsed vnto but in walking beware of oft turning which is hurtfull to the braine For the place let it be solitary lest with noise to the eares Place variene of obiect to the eies the mind be distracted neither let it be too darke nor yet too light a meane is best in all Some in meditating doe vse to speake and gesture but this is a forewearing of the spirits and too Histrionian like In thy meditation two things are to be thought vpon Matter First the matter to be handled Secondly the order how to proceed according to this former method set downe doctrines with proofe vse with reasons application with preuention of obiections and finally the conclusion For words neuer be tied vnto them Puerili nimium est Discommodious to be tied to words verbulum non audere proferrae quod non ad notatur chartis scriptas conciones verbatim ediscere multa habent incommoda It hindreth deuotion restraineth libertie of speech it requireth much labour and thereby makes the Ministerie irkesome to such neither can such speake so often as is requisite and as iust occasion requireth It possesseth a man with feare which confounds memorie it curbes the good motions of the spirit and preuents a man of the benefit of such things as in speaking might offer themselues to his vnderstanding Vpon present occasion such an one can neither speake more nor otherwise than hee hath committed to memorie before a verie great hurt to a mans Ministerie and hinderance to the course thereof in pronuntiation also action and affection If a man feare to want words let him be well prouided for matter and words non inuita sequentur as one well saith Fiftly and lastly if all these meanes be not sufficient to helpe thy memorie that so thou maiest deliuer thy minde both for matter and maner as thou wouldest and as thou hast set it downe without faile adde this helpe withall note the chiefe heads of thy speech briefly in a little peece of paper No disgrace to note the chiefe heads of the Sermon in a little paper to helpe memorie a word or two for euery seuerall thing quae breuis delineatio erit memoriae presens subsidium si in libro repositam fixam eam ad manum inter concionandum in pulpito habeas If any should thinke this a disgrace it is not vnknowne how both in the Vniuersity other places many very learned and woorthy Diuines vse this helpe either taking vp little paper books bound like Testaments or the Bible with a paper fastned in it and these no whit at all lesse esteemed Eras li. 2 de ratione Concionandi pag. 117. speaks of this matter and saith tutum est capita sermonis in Charta notata habere ad manum quod in Psalmos aliquot fecisse videtur Augustinus hanc scio saith he an in omnes quanquam vir memoria ad prodignum vsque foelici So as we see it is ancient no disgrace at all It was a common thing in Gregories time out of writings to speake to the people as Hiperius hath noted out of one of his Homilies vpon Marke 16. It s better by this meanes to helpe defect of memorie to vtter all thy labour and with incouragement without feare to speake to vrge a matter affectionately and to prosecute things fullie as it pleaseth thee knowing at hand present helpe to keepe thee in minde with a little glance of the eie where thou art to bring thee fitly to that which doth follow al which benefit thou hast heereby Then knowing thy memory to be weake it is presumption to attempt to speake without this helpe
of the things distinctly by them I haue made seuerall Chapters yet the Preacher which will follow Artis est 〈◊〉 re artem this course may in speaking knit them altogither in a continued speech after the maner of an oration keeping the method to himselfe passing from the doctrine to the proofe from the proofe to the vse from the vse to the reasons thereof from thence to the application and to preuention of obiections and finally so conclude euerie doctrine and one finished passe by transitions vttered sometimes in one tearme sometimes in an other to a new doctrine in like maner and so in all to the end of the Sermon the finall conclusion of all Touching the finall conclusion of the Sermon it must How long time conuenient ordinarâ—ly for a Sermon bee made within the compasse of the houre or immediately after except vpon extraordinarie occasion Neither is this to binde Gods spirit to an houre but to follow the order of the Church and thereupon the expectation of the hearers and their infirmitie which who so regardeth not knoweth not well how to keepe measure in speaking neither hath discretion to see what is conuenient Manie The discommoditie of passing ouer commonly the a pointed time for want of obseruing time and commonly going beyond the customarie space allotted thereunto doe make their labour to their daily hearers tedious themselues to be condemned of pride louing to heare themselues talke or of folsie without wit to keepe a meane or to know that as much may be vttered in an houre as can be of any almost rightlie vnderstood and well caried away Heereof riseth the occasion often of the contempt of some such mens endeuour this scandall also as if the publicke assembly is made Auditorium non Oratorium that such preachers are not painfull to compact things substantially together but talke at randome quicquid in buccam venerit proferre In the Conclusion must be First a short repetition onely What must be done in the conclusion of the principall doctrines and vses of the whole Sermon especially if the Preacher be a stranger and doth but make one Sermon els in ordinarie exercises continued the repetition may be deferred vnto the beginning of the next Preaching and verie fitly to be as well a renuing of the old as teaching of new II. A pithie forcible and louing exhortation to mooue affection and to quicken the hearers to vnderstand to hold In conclusion to be most patheticall the trueth taught to detest the errours conuinced to loue the vertues and imitate the examples and to flie the vice it selfe and persons committing the euil spoken against Comforting and encouraging such as need picking out some one speciall doctrine vse scarsely mentioned before and thought most chiefly now to bee vrged vpon them from amongst all that which hath beene spoken and reserued to this conclusion that it may be more fresh in memorie than the rest And this enforce and exhort vnto liuely and to make it more effectuall stand no longer vpon it end of a sudden leauing them mooued and stirred vp in affection to long after more for as one saith Omnia tunc bona sunt quando clausula est bona Ex per orationem noscitur concionater Lastly thus all finished end with thanksgiuing and praier Knit vp all with praier againe and thanksgiuing also for a blessing vpon that which hath beene spoken mentioning the especials therein At que sic vt a praecatione exor dium sumpsit concio sacra ita in eandem pie desinet iuxta dulcissimum dictum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Praier ended after the Psalme bee sung put vpon the people the Lords blessing and end with Num. 6. 24. or this Praier of the Apostle Hebr. 13. 20. 21. or 1. Thessal 5. 23. 24. or els 2. Corint 13. 13. And thus much for these things concerning the seuerall The fruitfulnesse of this kinde of teaching parts of a Sermon and of the things required of a Minister particularly and of them distinctly which if wee haue and can thus vse we shall proceed religiously handle matters methodically teach soundly confirme beleeuers resolue them that doubt conuince gain-saiers reprooue the wicked comfort the afflicted preuent cauils and euery waie become profitable to Gods glorie the hearers edification and our owne comfort in this great and miraculous worke in conuerting soules CHAP. XIII Of such things as are required of a Minister to performe the whole worke HItherto hath beene deliuered what is required and to What things generally necessarie to a preacher be done in seuerall parts Now followes to shew what is necessary for a Preacher to haue in all and euery part requisite for the well performance of the whole I. Is a quicke apprehension either in premeditation A quicke apprehension or els in publicke deliuerie thereby to take what the spirit of God presently doth offer to our minds The holy Ghost forsakes not his owne worke neither saileth to assist a painfull Minister but euen in his preparation is with him and helps by affoording much in the verie speaking not before thought of A man not slauishly bound to words brings not all things with him into the Pulpit that there is deliuered The spirit in Praier helps Rom. 8. so doth he in preaching if there be a ready conceit to take it Heereto must be added inuention to finde out vnderstanding to know the thing what it is iudgement to dispose of it to bring euery thing into his proper place and prudence to discerne rightly to make application according to conuenient circumstances and occasions II. A good memorie firme and stable to retaine at least A good memorie things newly thought vpon which is a present memorie without this it is impossible to become plentifull in matter or in exhortation vehement for in the one a brickle memorie will omit much and in the other a Minister will soone forget himselfe where he was and what about A perfect memorie needeth no precept happie is he that hath it it is the store-house to vnderstanding and treasure of eloquence if wit want not nor the toong bee tied by helpe of a good memory a man with ease may speake as How to helpe the weakenesse of the memory much as he pleaseth and as he is disposed also A weake memorie needeth helpe and thus it may bee strengthened First vnderstand well the thing to be deliuered for as S. Hierome saith quae firmiter concepimus benè loquimur siquidem talia in ammae quasi substantiam concoquendo sunt conuersa Things of thine owne deuising are best for memorie and more easie to be borne away that which is from other more hardly and scarcely not at all without the right vnderstanding of the matter without which a man repeats but words as a Parat Secondly dispose into order and method what thou art to deliuer an vnorderly heaping vp of things together confounds memorie As