with all boldnes In the 6. cap. is commended Steuen ful of saith strength or rather power for the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is there read and that none coulde resist the wisdom and spyrite which spake in hym Of lyke sorte and effect is it that the Lord sayeth vnto Ieremie Beholde I haue giuen saieth he my wordes into thy mouth beholde I haue appointed thee this daye ouer nations and ouer Kingdomes that thou maiest pluck vp and roote oute subuert and destroye build and plant Many moe places there be whiche do not obscurely make mention of this facultie and power in speaking But it appeareth that the apostle ioyned these thrée thinges together I meane Doctrine Puritie of lyfe and Facultie or Power in teaching in that place where he sayeth vnto Timothy Take a paterne of the wholesome wordes which thou haste harde of mee with faith and loue which is in Christe Iesu The notable thinge giuen thee in charge keepe thorowe the holy ghost which dwelleth in vs. By holsome wordes is playnely and sufficientlye ynough distincted and meante Doctrine by faythe and loue Puritie of lyfe by the excellente thinge giuen in charge and the holy ghost Facultie or the gifte of teachinge And certes so farre foorth is this power and vertue in teachingâ— which me haue touched in the thirdâ— and lâ—ste place requisite in all those that wyl teach the people that albeit they be endued with learning and also with integritie of mâ—ner yet tsâ—e thâ—â— be destitute of thâ—â— one let them neuer lâ—â—â—e to accomplishe any thinge worthy of prase or commendation Wherefore so muche the more muste all meâ—â—e labour the matter that prepare themselues to the function of 〈◊〉 or that haue 〈…〉 vnto that 〈◊〉 lyke as they are furnished with 〈◊〉 and good manners so also adorned with a spyrite and power in teaching they may come forth into the publyke Theatre of the Church Moreouer the spirit or power in teachinge to thintent we may ad this also is geuen freely of God in the first calling but the increasemeÌ„t thereof is obtained of hint thorow often prayer Fynally it is nourished and preserued with a feruent studye of procuringe the health and saluation of the hearers Whereof the fyrste verylye is manyfest For whomsoeuer GOD voucheth safe to choose and selecte to the excellent excellent office of teachinge the people in the Church the same also immediatelye he fréely garnisheth with hys spyrite and giftes necessarye to so weighty a charge A plentifull wytnesse of hymselfe is Ieremye Cap. 1. who when he had sayde that he coulde not speake as one that was a childe heareth the Lorde sayinge vnto hym Thou shalt goe vnto all that I wyll sende thee vnto and all thinges that I wyll giue thee in charge shalte thou speake I haue giuen my wordes into thy mouth c. Christ lykewise is a witnesse of the same matter promysyng to sende and geue to hys Apostles and Disciples the holy ghost that shoulde teach them in all trueth whiche shoulde strengthen and furnishe theyr myndes and in theyr extreame perilâ— euen with Kinges and Princes also minister vnto them in due time what thinges they shoulde speake To bée shorte the Apostle Paule affirmeth that it is GOD that maketh the ministers of the news Testamente méete both to thinck and to speake The seconde pointe béecommeth playne and perspycious by this that Thapostles in the Actes Cap. 4 doe make their petitions vnto GOD that hée woulde graunt vnto his seruaunts That they might speake the woorde with all confidence and lybertye And Paule not onely hymselfe for the same cause sueth vnto GOD with continuall prayers but also requesteth and beséecheth others to doe the same Praye sayeth hee for mee that the woorde may bee giuen vnto mee in the openinge of my mouth with lybertie to the ende I may make manifest the mistery of the Gospel for the which I supply an ambassade in chaines that I may speake therein freely as I ought to speak Agayne in the 2. Thessa. 3. Pray for vs brethren that the worde of the Lorde may haue free passage and be gloryfied For whiche cause also there is a custome receiued in all Churches that all Diuine Sermons shall begin with publick inuocation In whiche inuocation it behooueth all men with their whole hartes to pray first that the Teachers may sincerelye and with boldnesse open and explane the woorde of God then that GOD woulde vouchsaue to illustrate the hartes of the hearers to th ende they may rightly vnderstande the doctrine proposed and duly vse and practise the same As touchinge the thirde it is certayne that where the office enioyned of GOD is with zelous and feruent affection executed it cannot bée but that hée of his bountiful goodnes wyll brynge to passe that happye and prosperous successe shall follow and ensue For GOD wyll not suffer the great labours and industry of good men seriouslye séeking hys glorye to become frustrate and voyde of fruite For this cause the doctrine of the word of GOD is not in one place alone resembled vnto séede that bringeth forth much fruite The Apostle also exhorteth Timothy not to neglect the gift giuen vnto hym but to exercise himselfe dylygently to thintent his profiting might be apparaunt in all thinges For if he gaue attendaunce to him selfe and to learning and continued therein it woulde come to passe that hee shoulde both saue himselfe and his hearers And certenly he that doubteth not of his callinge hee that is assured of the verytie of the doctrine which he professeth he that cannot be reprooued of any manifest crime hée that is pryuye in his conscience of hys owne fidelytie and dylligence hee that accounteth nothinge of more weight and imporfauÌ„ce then to sanctifie the name of God on earth and to gayne as many vnto Christ as is possible Vndoutedly hee speaketh boldly and vnbashfully that which God coÌ„maundeth The sharpe and vehement Oration of this man striketh and perceth the hartes of the hearers pea hée doth not onely pricke men forwarde to the amendement of lyfe but playnely forceth and compelleth them Wherefore there is no man but that may perceyue him to bée decked and adorned with a singuler spirite powre in teachinge euen of GOD himselfe But such a study and such godly affections the Apostle very artificially describeth 1. Thess 2. his wordes no doubte are worthy of vs to be remembred and such as all Preachers ought contiunally to haue in a table before their eyes Yee your selues knowe bretheren sayth hee our entrauÌ„ce in vnto you howe that it was not in vayne but after that wee had fuffered before and were shamfully entreated at Philippos as yee well knowe wee behaued our selues boldely in our God to speake vnto you the Gospell of god with much striuing For our exhortacion was not to bring you to errour nor yet to vncleanes neither was it with guile but as we were
Lorde sayde vnto my Lorde sitte on my right hande If Dauid calleth him Lorde howe is he then his sonne 3 Of the significatioÌ„ of the wordes to the sentence or meaninge of the speaker It behoueth this most chiefely to be obserued in figuratiue spéeches albeit euen where no figures bée at all yet some obscuritie may séeme to lurke Nowe this must bée remoued by searchinge the authors mynde out of the circumstaunces or out of the thinges either antecedent or consequent 4 Of wordes goinge afore and comminge after This also is a helpe in no wyse to be neglected For where it séemeth good out of some place of Scripture to confirme a doctrin or sentence it is requisite forthwith to marke as well the wordes antecedent as consequent and out of them to declare the sentence to bée true which wée proponed 5 Of a generall sentence in Diuinitie Such a one is this Deut. 10. God is no respecter of persons Therfore Peter Act. 10 gathereth herevppon that the Gentiles also in cace they feare God and giue themselues vnto rightuousnesse may bée accepted with God. 6 Of the thinges atributed to god God is true therfore will he performe his promyses proue vs to be liers God is rightuous wherefore of him shall the worlde be iudged 7 Of the signe to the thinge signified We are baptised therefore are we clensed from our sinnes by the bloode of Christ 8 Of one tyme to an other or of the tyme of the lawe to the tyme of the Gospell Rom. â—â— it is shewed how at all tymes some are elected by the grace of God to saluation and therefore that we ought not to cast away all hope touching certayne of the Iewes to be saued and that by this argument out of the â— Reg. 19. Knowe yee not sayth he what the Scripture sayth of Elias Howe he crieth vnto God agaynst Israell sayinge Lorde they haue killed thy prophetes and broken downe thyne altars and I was lefte alone and they lye in awayte for my lyfe But what aunswere maketh God vnto him I haue reserued vnto my selfe seauen thowsande men that haue not bowed their knees to Baall Euen so in this tyme also haue some remayned according to the election of grace 9 Of one tyme to all tymes I will haue compassion on whom I haue compassion and I will haue mercy vpon whome I haue mercy It is knowen that these wordes were thus spoken of God when he threatened destructioÌ„ to the Israelites by reason of their vprore in the absence of Moyses their worshippinge of the golden calfe But the Apostle doubteth not to vsurpe those wordes which God then pronounced in his anger for the cause about-sayde to proue that God at all tymes choseth some and of his mercy when it pleaseth him willingely saueth them 10 Of the head to the members Christ the sonne of God hath receyued an heauenly inheritaunce the same therefore shall those also receyue that beléeue which truly by adoption are the sonnes of God. 11 Of the members to the head Some thinges that bée attributed in the body of the Church to the members are not vnaptely transferred also to Christ the heade of the Church Heb. 4. and 5. The highe Priestes that be chosen of men forsomuch as they are compassed aboute with infirmitie are moued also with the feelinge of other mens infirmities The man Christ therefore beinge made an highe Prieste and tempted in all thinges is moued with the feelinge of our infirmities But in no wyse may humayne matters bee applyed vnto Christe in which is to bee séene the corruption of sinne 12 Of a thinge corporall to a thinge spirituall The promyses made of GOD to our fathers touching temporall benefites caused them to laye holde vppon spirituall and euerlasting benefites Inasmuch as these carnal things are after a sort shadows tiâ—es of things spiritual eternal By faith AbrahaÌ„ departed into the lande of promise as into a strange couÌ„try whan as he dwelled in tabernacles with Isaac and Iacob coheires of the same promise For he loked for a citie hauinge a sure foundation the buylder and founder whereof is God. Of which place this is the summe By fayth Abraham wente out of his owne Couutrey and came to the lande of promise therefore by fayth likewyse must we come to heauen or to the heauenly Citie 13 Of a thinge spirituall to a thinge corporall Esaye Cap. 59. the Lorde sayth My house shal be called the house of prayer amongest all people That mention is there made of the spirituall house of God that is to say of the Church or congregation of the faythfull whom it behoueth continually to worship God a right and truly to call vpon the name of the Lorde it is manifest by other things which in that place doe both goe before and also followe after And certes Christ whilest he throweth the byers and sellers out of the materiall Temple of Hierusalem applieth the same wordes to his purpose and argueth in this sorte In the Church or spirituall house of God it is meete that inuocation of the Lordes name be exercised without ceassinge Ergo therefore in the materiall Temple also it behoueth prayers continually to be made Séest thou not therefore howe that is deduced to a thinge corporall which before was simply spoken of a thinge spirituall 14 Of a thinge earthly to a thinge heauenly The author of the Apocalypes Cap. 7. transferreth the words which Esay the Prophete had vsurped Cap. 49. touchinge the felicitie to followe when the Gospell shoulde bée divulged into all the prouinces of the worlde to celebrate the reste and glory which the Sainctes that dye for the confession of the truth doe obteyne in the lyfe to come in heauen The wordes are these They shall not honger nor thirste any more neither shall the Sunne rise or fall vppon them nor any heate For the Lambe which is in the myddes of the throne as one that pitietâ—e them shall leade them forth to the comfortable springs of water The wordes therefore spoken of these thinges that ought to be done in earth are translated to those that come to pas in heauen This forme of reasoninge doth not much differ from that which a little before we intituled of a thinge corporall to a spirituall 15 Of the threatning of God to the effect thereof Thapostle affirmeth the time to be at hande wherein the Iewes ought to be reiected and excluded from the church of God and the Gentiles to be called and to succéede the Iewes addinge to a grieuous communication published of God in time past touchinge that matter I will prouoke you to enuy by a people which is no people by foolishe nation will I stirre you vnto wrath That which God hath once determined coÌ„cerning the punishment of wicked men muste of necessitie be accomplished except peraduenture some condition be either openly or pryuily adioyned to the threatning 16 Of the promise of God to the effect
necessitie be drawen and made apte of God to euery kinde of callinge Let vs take in hande an other example not historycall out of the epistle to the Romains the sixte Chapter As many of vs as are baptized into Iesus Christe are baptized into his death Wee are buryed then with him by baptisme into his death that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the father euen so wee also should walke in newnes of lyfe For if wee be grafte together in him by the likenes of his death wee shall in like maner be partakers of the resurrection Knowinge this that our olde man is crucifyed with him also that the bodye of sinne might vtterly bee destroyed that henceforth we should not serue sin For he that is deade is iustified from sinne And if we bee deade with Christ wee beleeue that wee shall also liue with him knowinge that Christ beynge raysed from the deade dyeth no more death hath no more power ouer him For as touchinge that he died he died concerninge sin once And as touching that hee liueth hee liueth vnto god Likewise reken your selues to be deade to sinne but aliue vnto God thorough Iesus Christ our Lorde The state is That those which are once iustifyed thorough faith and baptized into Christ ought alwayes after to liue godly and Christianly Which thinge the apostle also els where very often and with pithy reasons auoucheth This readinge therefore is ascribed to the kinde didascalick I. Here before all things is commended vnto vs baptisme as beinge instituted of Christ our Lord takinge effectes of his most pretious bloude and death and as that which is necessary to all beleuers forasmuch as by it they are engraffed into the Churche of God and by reason of it are named Christians II. The effectes of baptisme ough◠exactely to be obserued especially that by baptisme we are made pertakers of the death of Christ and of all the benefites deriued therefrom to the beléeuers of which sorte are remission of sinnes passed lyfe euerlasting saluation c. Moreouer that it behoueth all those that are baptized to dye vnto sinne and liue only vnto rightuousnes For thus the Apostle reasoneth All we which are baptized are made pertakers of the death of Christ But Christ dying dyed vnto sinne Therefore are we also by baptisme deade vnto sinne And if we be deads vnto sin it were very conuenient for vs to couet to liue againe therevnto And certes it is true that we in baptisme do dye vnto sinne and sinne dyeth vnto vs forasmuche as in baptisme all our sinnes are washed awaye and the holy Ghost is giuen vnto vs by whom bothe the force of sinne and concupiscence is restrained and repressed and we not onely are induced to well dooing but also are vehemently holpen forward For this cause also all afore they be baptized doe openly before the church of God forsake the world and the diuel that brought sinne into the worlde to the intent they might therby declare that they will hereafter haue no maner of thinge to doe with them but will institute a newe and holy kinde of life III. they that are once babtized into Christ ought highly to estéeme all thinges that are put forth as touchinge Christ forasmuch as Christ is giuen vnto vs not onely to paye the price of our redemption out of the power of the diuell and also to be an example and whom wée should with al our endeuoure imitate and folowe in those thinges specially which may be conuenient for vs. Hitherto perteyne the two reasons whereby the Apostle plainly proueth that we for that we are baptized ought to be dead vnto sinne The one is taken of the effect and finall cause of the death of Christ You knowe saith he that this is the proper effect and ende of Christes death that sinne is abolished that to thintent we should not serue it any more But this effect of Christes death he séemeth to despise whosoeuer after remission of sinnes once receiued wyll returne againe vnto sinne Wherefore it is necessary◠that we remayne styll dead vnto sinne The other reason is deriued of a similitude as touchinge ciuill seruitude which by the comminge of death taketh an ende As he that ciuilly is a bondeman so soone as he dyeth is deliuered from his power to whome hée was bounde Euen so we which were the bondeslaues of sinne séeinge in baptisme we dye once with Christ ought by no meanes to serue sinne any more Here therefore is set forth vnto vs the example of Christ himselfe whom both in dyinge once vnto sinne and liuinge againe vnto roghtuousenes we ought to imitate and folowe By this dilygent imitation we shall both be called and be in very deade perfect Christians These examples thus to haue propounded be it sufficient Further amongest the auncient writers of homilies very many thinges the same also right learned may of euery man be noted Chrisostom deuided his homily 60. vppon Mathewe entreating vppon those wordes of the. 18. chapter woe be vnto the worlde bycause of offences it must needes be that offences come c. Into two partes whereof in the former he argueth very grauely certes and yet popularly and with great cunning as touchinge the cause of sinne in the later by reason of those wordes Take heede that ye despise not one of these litell ones he entreateth of the not contemning of our bretheren whence at the length he slippeth to a place as concerninge the care that parentes oughte to haue least their children be idely and filthily brought vp The same in his homilie 62. declaring out of the sayd Chapter of Mathewe the parable of the man that was a kinge which would take accountes of his seruauntes chooseth these pomtes most chiefely to discusse at large first that sinnes are not alike Seconde where as wée which offende against God deseruinge most excellently well at our handes and against men do couet notwithstanding to haue all our offences forgiuen vs that it is very good reason why we should in like maner forbeare others that haue by any meanes hurt or endammaged vs Third that it is better to suffer wrong whereby an other mollesteth thée then to offer or inferre iniury to an other But in these dayes specially thou shalt sé all the most notable preachers for the most part to deuide their Sermons which they haue vnto the people into thrée or fower chapters partes or common places I suppose therfore that those whom we haue taken in hand to instruct can not iustly complaine that they want any excelent authors whose counsayles and steppes they may followe But to procéede the partes after they be in this sorte once noted and disposed they are accustomed ofte times to explane more at large namely by inferringe as well proofes and sentences as also apte historyes out of the store house of the holy Scriptures Moreouer by applying similitudes comparisons and whatsoeuer els is of
alwaies an entier booke not alwaies a parte of a booke is offered to be declared but ofte times it behoueth the Sermon to bée framed to the people of one onely sentence or of one place of Scripture and the same also not very largely stretchinge But that the same order of gatheringe diuers common places shoulde héere bée vsurped which we haue shewed to be profitable in the premisses it can by no meanes bée What then will some man saye remaineth to bée done In what maner and method shal one place or one certain sentence bée fruitfully declared Wée so far forth as we maye will set forth a most syt and absolute forme which excepte any shall deuise a better it shall bée expedient for him to folowe and as well for breuities sake as also that it may become the more clere and euident we will comprehende the same in certaine obseruations I. Before all thinges it is conuenient very carefully to consider and to declare vnto the people vppon what occasion or to what ende the author of the sacred booke out of which the place or sentence is taken spake and pronounced those wordes And that for this cause that whilest wée declare of what matter wée will speake and what our purpose is we may credibly auouche that we will in no wise abuse an other mans sayinge neither transfer it vnto other purposes theÌ„ is méete but vsurpe it altogeher in the same or at leaste in the like cause for which the author himselfe did so speak After this maner we may sée Peter Act. 2. intendinge to interprete certayne wordes taken out of the Psalme 16. as touchinge Christe risynge againe from death prudently to add some thinges of Dauid and of his meaninge and iudgemente in those wordes And truely it standeth vs very much vppon to deale faithfully and vprightly in this behalfe For it is a greuous offence yea and the holy Ghost is moued with vnspeakeable reproch in cace a man doth force or wreste any sentence out of the scriptures to any other ende or purpose then becommeth him He that shall be founde to haue done this but once doth quickly loose all his authoritie with the hearers and afterwarde yea euen then when he alledgeth the Scriptures aright he shall hardely bee credited To apply aptely and properly the Scriptures to present busines and affaires is the principall vertue that belongeth to a preacher II. Where it is nowe discouered of what matter wée minde to entreate and declared that the sentence taken out of the holy scripture accordeth to our purpose the next poynt is that we diligently consider whether that very sentence as it standeth in the sacred writer doth minister any proofes at all of causes circumstaunces signes or discriptions agréeable to the busines of which entreaty is made As many as are founde to be such shall worthily before any other be brought forth and as those that be of greate weight and importaunce forasmuch as they answer to the minde and method of the author from whiche it is not lawfull vnaduisedly to depart and doe in all pointes agrée with our matters shall studiously be digested adorned and inculked Neither is it a hard matter to drawe forth such kinde of proofes or argumentes partly out of the thinges that lye hid and are included in the sentence it selfe and partely out of those things that either goe before or folowe after the same Of this kinde I would affyrme it to be tht Peter Act. 2. in that Sermon whereof mention is made before to the intent he might shew the he rightely vsurpeth the sayinge of Dauid reduceth into memory howe Dauid in that he was a prophet knewe before hand that Christe after the flesh should take his beginning out of his posteritye and therfore also by the inspiration of the holy Ghost prophesied before of Christes rising againe And whosoeuer is but meanely exercised in the holy scriptures may easely perceyue that in the same Psalme as of the death and great deiection of Christ so also certaine thinges are ioyntly spoken of his resurrection It is not much vnlyke that the Apostle Galat. 3. speakinge of the Gentiles that should be blessed in the séede of Abraham affirmeth those that are of faith to be the sonnes of Abraham and howe it was longe before tould vnto Abraham that it would please God to iustifie the Gentiles by fayth againe where he addeth that the inheritaunce was giuen vnto Abraham by promise III. Moreouer it is very profitable to make as it were a certaine resolution of the whole sacred sentence and to examine in a iust balaunce euery words therein and diligently to ensearche the significatioÌ„ force and vse of them And that to thintâ—nt out of euery of them may be gathered certaine argumentes or proofes agreable to the state of th appointed Sermon and may afterward be oportunely applied to teache and instruct the hearers Of which craft and diligence I meane in drawing foorth of proofes out of euery worde well nighe of any one sentence we haue the holye Scripture it selfe as a moste expert maistres and most faithfull teacher Which thing we will straight wayes make playne and euident III. After the wordes wisely weighed and considered it is requisite that we procéede with like industrye to a more exacte contemplation of the matters themselues or affayres which in euery sentence are signified For it is not very lykely that there shoulde any where happen thinges of them selues so barren that a man may not out of theÌ„ if at least he be not altogither endued with a blount and blockishe witte deuise and excogitate some profes profitable to teach He that hath once throughlye sifted and examined the thinges whereof he entreath may easely finde the meanes to make his oration become both frutefull plentious and delectable We see in this behalfe the Apostle Paule after arguments draweÌ„ out of euery worde of one peculiar sentence to heape vp still a plentifull matter of other proofes and the same flowing out of the nature of the thinges themselues The examples which we will a litell after touche shall plainely testifie this thinge to he true V. Last of all to him that feareth and suspecteth that he shall want sufficient matter of speaking we giue this aduice namely that he put before his eyes the places of inuencion which he knoweth to be attributed vnto that kinde of Sermons to which the sentence of the sacred author appertayneth For euery kinde of sermon as is afore sayde hath certayne proper and peculiar places of inuention the order whereof beinge attentiuely considered we are eftsones admonished of many thinges which maye aptely be spoken of eche kinde of busines taken in hande Therefore him that shall speake of a sentence or state of the kinde didascalick we remitte to the places of inuentioÌ„ as well diuine as other not diuine that he may so longe exercyse himselfe in them as that he maye procure for his true méete and sufficient furniture therby Of which
the Corinthes and homilie 5. vppon the first to the Thessalonians Now let vs distinguish and sorte out the kindes of men to the intent it maye appere and become euident vppon whom chiefely the dartes and dint of rebukes ought of right most frequently to be throwne XVI As it is apparaunt that there is no state or degrée of men voide of lustes or frée from sinne so the Preacher shall in no wise let to blame and accuse the enormities of all men without exception To which effecte it perteineth that the apostle writinge as well vnto Timothy as to Titus so prouidently teacheath them how and after what sort they should behaue themselues in oxhorting reproouing of al sortes of men And againe the same hath generally coÌ„maunded that those which offend should openly be reprooued to the terrour also of others That in like maner is vniuersally to be taken which long before to the prophet Ezechiell cap. 3. god him selfe said If thou shalt not warne the vngodly nor speake vnto him to disswade him from his wicked way that he might liue I will require his bloude at thy hande But if thou doest admonishe him theÌ„ hast thou delyuered thine owne soule Wherefore to come to that which I was about to say the Teacher of the people shall iudge all his hearers indifferently in this behalfe to be accompted in the selfe same order and that ther is none amonge them all whiche ought not to be subiecte to Ecclestasticall discipline XVII But in the meane time there appéereth to bée some difference made of holy Teachers in reproouinge comptrollinge of persons The prophetes doe in their wordes both more often and also more bitingely stinge the Iewes vnto whom had shined plentifully the knowledge of gods will then the Gentiles drowned in the diepe gulfe of ignoraunce Againe the apostle Paule more seuerely chideth the Galathians then he doth the Corinthians or any other beside The same admonisheth Titus that he shoule sharpely reproue the Cretensians And this he doth truely not as though they should thincke it méete to haue regarde onely of the crimes themselues but also of their qualities and kindes Moreouer wee sée the Prophetes Apostles and CHRIST chiefe Capteyn of the preaching schole to be accustomed as most coÌ„monly so also most grieuously to assault the vngodly priestes Doctors Scribes Pharyseis the authors of false opinions and that for this cause inespecially in that settinge out their externall and counterfet rightuousnesse they sought meanes to haue the internall and true rightuousnes in déede to be vtterly buryed vnder foote and agayne for the they preferred mens traditioÌ„s before the law of god With lyke lyberty of speach doe the prophets oft times shake vp the corrupt Iudges terming them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and oppressors of the poore againste all righte and equitie And peraduenture for this cause doe they assayle both the sortes that is to saye one while the priestes an other while the Iudges for the of these two kindes of men depeÌ„d the safety of the whole citie séeinge that from them sins and vices are soone deriued into all the people and againe these being brought into order it is an easy matter to reduce all the rest of their subiectes to the obedience of lawes What néede many wordes we may gather out of these things that how much the more fowlely any are fallen or be of more obstinate dispositions or hurt more through their offences then others so much the more studiously and seuerely are they to be corrected xviii But in noting and reproouinge the vices of maiestrates there is néede of singular iudgement For some potentates there be which wyll suffer themselues to be rebuked of some men but not of euery man some againe will admit no teacher or instructer at all Sainct Ambrose as it is recorded in the Tripartite history lib. 9. cap 30 trusting to the goodnes of his cause which he had in hand vnbashfully reprooued the Emperour Theodosius and he so worthy a prince tooke wel at worth the reprehension of so worthy a doctor although it were bytter publique For vnto Ambrose was known right wel the notable towardnes of the Emperour and the feruâ—t zeale of his minde enclyned to equitie againe Theodosius had perfect trial experience of the wisdom integrytie of Ambrose And certes where the preacher himselfe leadeth a pure and vnspotted lyfe the maiestrate for his part vnfeignedly imbraceth iustice there doe the holsome endeuours of the minister of the Gospell aspire to most happy successe Iohn Baptist doubted not openly to repâ—oue the wicked kinge Herod he againe as the Euangelist witnesseth feared and reuerenced Iohn Christ Luk. 12 ouerthwartly pinched Herode calling him fox Nathan séemed to vse as it were a certaine stratageme or fine poleey when intending to reprooue kinge Dauide he sodeinly deuised a parable of two men the one riche the other poore Neither is it a straunge thing to obserue other parables also put foorth of the prophets in hard and difficult matters as Esay 5. Iere. 24 c. To be short it is plaine and euident that maiestrates are to be reprooued in time and place as ofte as they depart from the path of rightuousnesse but with what foresight and prouision that is expedient to be done no man canne certeinly demonstrate by rules but it is necessarye that euery man according to his owne discretion doe partely out of the sermons of the prophets and of Christ partely out of the kinde causes circumstaunces of matters incident gather and deuise with him selfe Neither truely doe I knowe very well how it commeth to passe that in the Sermons of the Apostles wee finde not any thing ouer hardly spokeÌ„ against any maiestrates but rather there occurre many thinges whereby subiects are admonished to obey them yea though they be euyll and wicked But I suppose two causes may be rendred of that matter One for the al gouerners of coÌ„mon weales at the time were euery where ethnicks vnbeléeuers and therfore not as yet receiued into the societie of the church whervnto the Apostles knew right wel that their authorytie only stretched For those that were without they left vnto GOD alone to be iudged The other that forasmuch as the doctrine of the gospell was euery where euill spoken off of a great nuÌ„ber also flaundered as seditious and tending to the decay of common weales the Apostles iudged it very vntimely to exasperate them with the ouer sharp controlment of their priuate vices whoÌ„ being stirred vnto wrath they knewe would forthwith séeke by all meanes possible to hinder and stop the course of the gospell Where I might adde that the apostles peraduenture enstructed by the holy ghost saw before that in reproouing the princes of that age whoÌ„ God as yet vouched not safe to call they shoulde loose all their labour and trauaile But the processe of our talke groweth further then wee think for XIX Certes that we
to whether kind of interpretation ech sentence treatise of diuine matters ought to be referred Howbeit since we haue already spokeÌ„ of Scolastical interpretatioÌ„ of the scriptures wheÌ„ as we intreted of the order of diuine study so much as the matter theÌ„ séemed to suffer require now it semeth good to put forth som things more large forsomuch as we haue diuers suÌ„dry times 〈◊〉 earnestly moued by a number of men therevnto concerning Popular interpretation or that is all one of framing of diuine sermons to the people Which if they shall séeme scarce absolute in learning as truely I must néedes confesse them to be Yet haue we bestowed some trauayle and paynes at the least that they shoulde be apte and correspodent to the time preseÌ„t to the capacities of yong beginners such as be vnskilful whoÌ„ we haue takeÌ„ in hand to instruct which also our hope is we shal by some meanes obteyne Nowe my purpose is to deuyde thys worke into two bookes Whereof in the former I entend to declare and touch all those thinges that are common in generall to all Sermons In the later such things as be peculiar seuerally to euery kind of sermon and ought exactly to be noted and obserued in the same But in very good season euen in the firste entry as ye woulde say of this booke shall we call to memory how excellent their function is that declare vnto the people the diuine oracles The prophet Malachy Cap. 2. termeth him the teacheth in the Church the angell of the Lorde of hostes Which woorde sithe it properly signifieth the office of hym that bringeth the commaundementes of God vnto men each mannes mynde hearing the same maye forthwith of necessitie conceyue some thinge then man more high and excelent and approchinge more néere to the heauenly nature Moreouer the prechers are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of god himselfe as though God vouched safe to admytte them as hys fellowes and companions in the worke of buyldinge and establishing his church For by like reason in a maner the apostle Paule termeth his frnd Epaphroditus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say fellow labourer or as other lyste to turne it companyon and fellowe Souldiour No lesse notable is it that the same Apostle affyrmeth the faithful teachers to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is gouernours and stuardes of the housholde and secret affayres of god 〈◊〉 as it woulde be to recken vp the residewe of the titles 〈…〉 â—â—llations of lyke and greater dignitie as also the wise and sage sayings examples types and other ornamentes wherewith the Preachers of the Gospell aboue all that can be sayde are adorned and set forth Yea and amonge all ecclesiasticall functions I suppose there is no man that either can or wyll denye this one to excell farre away ther rest For it is euident that in it is placed the most excellent office of the whole ministery of the Gospel For why Christ departing from the earth gaue in charge to his disciples that before all thinges they shoulde stoutely applyâ— the office of teaching Goe sayeth he into the whole worlde and preache the Gospell to euery creature In whiche place the charge of teaching is preferred before Baptisme or administration of the Sacraments Like as also the hearing of the worde ought of necessitie to goe before the confession of faith Wherevppon it commeth to passe also that the Apostle chalengeth to hymselfe by his owne right the faculty of teachinge as the peculyer office of Thappâ—stolike order leauing to ' other all other kinde of actions Christe sent not mée sayeth hée to Baptise but that I shoulde preache the Gospell Neither is there any other more certayne and sure marke whereby the true Church may be discerned from the false then by sounde doctrine Sith euen heritickes also haue the Sacramentes in their méetinges and conuenticles but as for sounde doctrine they can in no wise boast or brag of Fynally if the seruice wherewith God is most chiefly delighted be sought for euen this vndoubtedly consisteth also in the publyke denunciation of the Gospell Whervpon the Apostle Paule agayne to the Romaines 1. doubted not to make his vaunt that he worshipped God in spyrit and trueth by preachinge the Gospell of Iesus Christe And in the 15. Chapter hée professeth that grace was for this cause giuen hym of God that hee shoulde be a minister of Christ Iesu to the Gentiles administringe the Gospell of God to thintent the oblation of the Gentiles might become acceptable sanctifyed by the holy Ghost For these consyderations the same Apostle both wisely and grauelye pronounced that all those that are desyrous to aspyre to this kynde of lyfe doe couet an honest callynge and agayne that all suche as are duly occupyed therein ought of al men to be loued and had in hygh estimation Hee that coueteth the office of a Bysshoppe sayeth hée desyreth an honeste woorke And The Elders that gouerne well are worthy of double honour those inespecyally that labour in the woorde and in teachynge For the Scripture sayeth Thou shalt not mosell the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the Corne. And the woorkman is worthy of his hyre Last of all what inestimable glorye remayneth also after this lyfe for the faithfull teachers the noble Prophet Daniel hath left in writinge They that teache others sayeth hée shall shyne as the brightnesse of the Firmament and those that turne many vnto righteousnesse shall be as the Starres for euer and euer Whiche wordes lyke as they may be an occasion to moue them to dilygence in their office so agayne doe they minister vnto them incomperable solace in theyr labours and trauailes And séeynge the Prophet entreteth there most chiefely of those things that shall come to passe about the ende of the worlde those vndoubtedly whosoeuer they be that in these dayes and in this declyning age of the worlde doe with all dylygence and fydelytie sustayne the troubles of teachinge in the Churche may worthylye interprete the same propheticall Oracle to appertayne vnto themselues ¶ With what thinges it behoueth hym to bee furnished that taketh vpon hym the office of teachinge in the Churche Cap. II. MOreouer whosoeuer taketh vpon hym the excellent office of teachinge the people in the church ought to be furnished inespecially with thrée thinges Learninge Puritie of maners and with a Spirite or power in teaching For wittily is it sayde of Gregory Nazianzene in hys Apology dâ— Fuga That it is the point of notorious mad meÌ„ to take vpon them to teache others before they themselues be sufficiently taught For that were according to the prouerbe Vltra crepidare and to meddle with diuine matters to the perill of the soule Those therefore that endeuour themselues to teache the people in sacred assemblies haue néede of a double doctrine and vnderstandinge The one of thinges diuine which they properlye
call diuinitie comprised in the holy writings of the Prophets Apostles The other of thinges humaine in which we doe not only account the artes called Liberal and the parts of Philosophy commonlye handled in the Scholes and likewise the tongues but also ciuill discripline and iudgement of polytyke and â—econonicall affaires And that verely is necessary to the Preacher to thinâ—ent he may sincerely inculke and repeate the principles of Christian religion confyrme the good in their godly opinions confute the euill and these that be of a sinister iudgement And this to th ende he may with the greater grace and dexterytie order al things but chiefely discouer and condemne all kinde of vices whiche raigne in diuers and sundrye sortes of men For how shall hee prudentlye frame his Sermon agaynst Usurye and manye vniuste bargaynes and contractes eyther els agaynste leude and cancred Customes commonlye receiued that haue not some kinde of knowledge of ciuill affayres Esay cap. 22. reprouinge the vaine counsels of the people touching the munition of the Citie wherein the vngodly in the time of warre dyd put more affiaunce then in God hymselfe and in many other places besides wherein he rebuketh diuers sinnes and enormities dothe sufficiently declare that he was not ignoraunt of ciuill matters How many thinges moreouer mayest thou sée in Ieremy Ezechiell Daniell and other of the Prophetes which do not obscurely argue that they were right diligent markers and wise estéemers of a number of thinges perteyninge to the state ciuill The same thinge dothe Christe testifye of hymselfe in many parables of whiche sorte is that of the vniust Stuarde Luke 16 of the Talentes Math. 25. and many of hys whole Sermons béesides Also out of the Sacred Chronicle of the Actes of Thapostles and out of the Epistles may easely be gathered that the Apostle Paule was reasonablye well séene both in the lawes of the Romaines and also in rourtlike and forensicall actions It is requisite therfore by al meanes that ecclesiasticall teachers be not onely some denie skilful in dyuine but also in humayne matters and specially in polytike and a conomicall affayres and so far forth skilful to as may be necessarye to the furtheraunce of their flocke committed vnto them and the impeachment of all kinde of wickednesse and impyetie But no smal number of thinges appertinent to this kinde as well by the familyar acquaintaunce with men of meane wisdome so they be séene in vse and experyence as also by the dylygent annotation of such affayres as daylye come to passe and the inuestigation of the causes and circumstaunces in the same euery good and wel disposed man may easely gather and conceiue Now that sanctimony of lyfe ought to be required in a Preacher of the Gospell euery man may iudge séeinge it profiteth nothing at all to edifye the Churche of GOD in worde if that whiche is already builded vp bee subuerted agayne with euill conditions A good life is as it were a scale whereby sounde doctrine is confirmed in the hearers A thing most vnséemely it is in â—ace hée that professeth to be a Phisition and wyll take vpon him to heale others of their infirmities bée hymselfe all scabbye and full of byles Phisition wyil they all saye heale thy selfe Therefore ought all men to set Christe béefore them as theyr Scholemaster whom we may heare preache not onely in worde but also effectually in déede For whiche cause the Apostle most dilygentlye prescribed what manner of men Bysshoppes or Elders lykewyse Decons with their whole families ought to bée with what vertues hee woulde haue them chiefelye garnished and from what vices hée woulde wyshe them to bée frée Albeit this is also to be added that where wee may not haue altogether so perfect and absolute Preachers in euery respect as we couet and desyre yet ought wee to suffer and imbrace those whose doctrine is sounde and with no sâ—ot of heresye or noysome opinions infected For whither any thorow enuy or thorow contention or thorow occasion doe teache so they preach Christ all is well and God is to be thanked No man is borne without his fault great alwayes is the fragilytie of mankinde and on euerye side euermore are we misers enuironed about with certaine domestical furies as yee would say continually enticing vs to sinne In lyke maner there is no man that can eschewe the bytyng teeth of detraction And in no place mayst thou not in these dayes specially beholde the malignaunt multytude what saye I multitude yea euen those also that take vpon them far beyonde the common sort whettinge their tusshes to slaunder and backbit the ministers of the Churche euen there also where they haue no iuste cause or occasion so to doe A number of Sicophants there be of the sect and faction to that wicked Doeg in whom Ambrose expoundinge the sixt of Luke saieth appeared a type of Iudas the traitor that haue the cast to construe and interprete actions of themselues voyde of all blame as huge crimes and enormities and in their accusations to make more then mountaines of miles or oliphants of flies Whosoeuer therfore is wise wil not rashly giue héede vnto those that commonlye and willingly speake euill of Ecclesiasticall teachers Whether may be referred that which the same apostle no lesse grauely prescribeth touchinge the life and conuersation of Elders then carefully and wiselye admonisheth that an accusation against a priest or elder is in no wise to be admitted without two or thrée witnesses In the thyrde place wee sayde that to a Preacher is néedefull and requisite a spyrite and power in teachinge I vnderstande by the name of Spirite and power a certayne peculyar facultie of proposynge sounde doctrine and also of moouing and drawing of mindes â—â— thintent that as many as is possible may reape most ample fruiteâ— and as few as may be presume to disalowe any thinge as vaine vnfruitfull Which facultie in one place is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power in an other place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 boldnesse of speache somtime 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might now and than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spirit erewhile agayne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the demonstration of the spirit and power For so doe the Euangelistes testifie of Christ He taught as one hauing power All men were astonied at his doctrine bycause his woord was ioyned with power And the Apostle Paule 1. Corinth 2. My woordes and my preaching were not in flattringe phrases of mans wisedom but in the demonstration of the spirit and of power that your faith might not bee in the wisdome of men but in the power of GOD. Whiche forme of speakinge hee vseth also in the fourthe Chapter of the same Epistle Agayne in the fourth of the Actes Peter filled with the holy ghost is had in admiration for his libertie in speaking And in the same chapter the Apostles pray vnto God that he would giue his seruants grace to speake the word
allowed of god that the gospel should bee committed vnto vs euen so wee speake not as though wee entended to please men but God which trieth our hartes Neyther was our conuersacion at any time with flattringe wordes as ye well know neither in cloked couetousnes God is recorde neither sought wee praise of men neither of you nor yet of any other when we might haue bene in authoritie as the Apostle of Christ but we were tender amonge you euen as a Nurse cherisheth hir children so our affection beeinge toward you our good will was to haue delte to you not onely the gospel of God but euen our owne soules also because yee were deere vnto vs Yee remember bretheren our labour and trauaill for wee labored day and night bicause were would not be burâ—henous to any of you and preached vnto you the gospell of god Ye are witnesses and so is god how holily iustly and vnblameably wee behaued our selues amonge you that beleue as ye know how that we exhorted and comforted and besought euery of you as a father his children that ye would walke worthy of God which hath called you to his kingdome and glory Which wordes if they were so exactley weighed considered as méete it were they should do euidentlye declare the the apostle taught in spirite power albeit those yet that immedialy folow touchinge the notable effecte of his Sermons doe more perfectly proue and illustrate the same Wherefore saith he we thancke God without ceasinge bicause that when yee receiued of vs the word whereby ye learned god ye receiued it not as the worde of man but euen as it was in deed the worde of God which worketh in you that beleue The like will the like study and the like feruency we may perceiue in that oratiÌ„o which the apostle had to that Elders of the church at Ephesus a little before hée trauayled to Ierusalem But we may not coueniently least we should be ouer tedious repeate the same at this prelente Therefore we saide not without cause that the spirite power in teaching is both nourished and conserued with an ardent study of procuring the health saluacion of the hearers But as touching al these points I meane lerning innocency of life spirit or power in teaching the reader may obserue muche more matter in the epistles to Timothy Titus which verili forsomuch as they séeme altogether prepared to expres the whole office of a precher whosoeuer taketh vpon him the charge of teching the people may worthily read yea often read them agayn Thus much we thought good to premise to thinteÌ„t we might make it plaine apparant that the office of teching the people in the church is of far more difficulty weight then a number suppose it to be and that it ought not rashly vnaduisedly to be takeÌ„ in hand of euery one much lesse greedily to be inuaded No smal nuÌ„ber there be the atteine to the gouernment of churches yea that I may vse the words of Iere. make hast to run before they be sent yet are touched in the meane time with very litle or no care at al of obteining of god his spirit power in teaching Bishoppes therefore aboue all men ought to be circumspect in this behalfe that they commit not rashely this reuerende function to euery one that will sue for the same especially to younge men whoÌ„ neither knowledge of the holy Scriptures nor the vse and experience of thinges or any earnest study and zeale of religion doe commende and set forth Neyther was it without good cause spoken of the Apostle that wyse workeman in the church of God where he sayeth Lay no handes hastely vppon any man neyther be partaker of other means sinnes ¶ The ende of a Preacher what it is Cap. III. BVt what the ende of a Preacher is may partely be perceyued by those thinges that we haue next before touched His worke and labour chiefely consisteth in this that with all study and inforcement he aduaunce and set forth those thinges that conduce to the saluation and reconciliation of man vnto god Whervnto it perteyneth that the Gospell is called the worde of health and by which men obteyne remission of sinnes And wysely sayeth the Apostle It seemed good vnto God by the folishnesse of preachinge to saue them that beleue In the same Epistle also Cap. 9. I became all thinges to all men that I might saue at the leaste some God gaue vnto vs the ministery of reconciliation and put in vs the worde of atonement In effecte syth the office of a Preacher is by the ayde of the holy Scriptures to accomplyshe all thinges we doubt not to affyrme that to be the ende appoynted to a Preacher which the holy ghost by the mouth of the Apostle hath prescribed in the sacred Scriptures The holy Scripture sayth he is able to make thee wyse to saluation Then therefore doth the Preacher giue apparaunt significatioÌ„ that he with his whole hart and power is bent to promot aduaunce the spirituall profit and vtilitie of men When as he handleth and confirmeth true and holsome opinions reproueth and grauely confuteth thinges erronious and hurtfull when he dilygently inculketh and inferreth those thinges that are requisite to the godly and due information of lyfe agayne seuerely controlleth those that offende labouryng to bryng them into the right way Lastly when he exhorteth beséecheth blameth the sluggishe and dull and comforteth the afflicted fynally pretermitteth no iote of those thinges whereby hée trusteth the mindes of hys audytors maye bee trayned and drawne vnto Christe our Sauiour ¶ That many thinges are common to the Preacher with the Orator and of the office of the Preacher cap. IIII. THat many thinges are common to to the Preacher with the Orator Sainct Augustine in his fourth Booke of Christian doctrine doth copiously declare Therfore the partes of an Orator whiche are accounted of some to be Inuention Disposition Elocution Memory and Pronounciation may rightlye be called also the partes of a Preacher Yea and these thrée to Teache to Delight to Turne Likewise againe the thrée kyndes of speakying Loftye Base Meane Moreouer the whole craft of varienge the Oration by Schemes and Tropes pertaineth indifferently to the Preacher and Orator as Sainct Augustine in the same booke doth wittily confesse and learnedly proue To be short whatsoeuer is necessarie to the Preacher in disposition Elocution and Memorye the Rhetoritians haue exactlye taught all that in their woorkhouses wherfore in my opinion the Preachers may most conuenientlye learne those partes out of them Certainly he that hath béene somdeale exercised in the Scholes of the Rhetoritians before he be receiued into the order of Preachers shall come much more apte and better furnished then many other and may be bolde to hope that he shall accomplish somwhat in the Church worthy of prayse and commendation Whiche thinge
homiles Long it were to reken vp what places of the scripture the same author hath in like maner explaned Which thinge may by very good right also be sayde of August Of Basill are set forth two homilies the one vppon the beginning of the prouerbes of Salomon the other vpon th'intry of S. Iohns gospell Among the homilies of Gregorye NaziaÌ„zene there is one extant wherin is expressed the euangelical history touching the Pharisies that tempted Christ with a question propounded Whether it were lawfull for a man to put away his wyfe for euery cause Moreouer in many places the custom is to haue vpon the Sundaies certen fragments as wel out of the history of the Gospel as also out of the epistles of thapostles and words of the prophets repeated in sacred assemblies and faithfully expounded to the hearers Last of al diuers sundry orations may be séeâ—e of euery thing offered by occasion in diuers sundry writers For in the workes of Chrisostom in his fifte Tome we read sermoÌ„s touchiÌ„g the calamity of the citie of Antioche thorow sedition rebellion there raised touching the wrath of the Emperour agaynste the Antiochians and that the feare of Princes is profitable to the maiestrates sent from the Emperour Theodosius for enquiry after the subuerters of the regall images of the atonemente and reconsilyation of the Emperour with the Citie the occasion of all which homilies thou shalte learne out of Theodoretus Lib. 5. Cap. 19. and 20. And out of Tripart historia lib. 9. Cap. 32 of women that decked themselues with golde and garlands and folowed diuinations and inchantmentes of those that receiue vnworthily the diuine and holy misteries of them that beléeue not the paynes of hel fyre of almes of concorde that moderate temptations are profitable also after his returne from his former exile c. Nazianzenus in lyke maner hath put forthe the Sermons as that wherein he excuseth himselfe that hee had absteined a certaine time from his ecclesiasticall function a consolation touching the calamitie of the hayle Item to the subiects stricken with feare and the Emperour moued with yre also touching regarde and prouision to be had for the poore c. There is extant a Sermon of Cyprian of lyke effect made when the pestilence waxed hote Hytherto may the Sermons be asscribed also vttered in the prayse of certain vertues or in dispraise of certayn vices of which sorte Basill hath ministred some vnto the Church Chrisostme very many Agayne the funerall orations likewise of Nazianzen and Ambrose But in all Sermons vppon what occasion soeuer they be framed and made this Cantion is in any wise to bée marked and taken héede off namelye that nothinge bee brought in or aleadged but that whiche is certaine substanciall founde taken out of the holy Scriptures oute of interpretors worthy credite or out of the chiefe moste allowable Historyographers and by all meanes agréeinge with the doctrine expresly contayned in the volume of the Sacred Bible For those men that propouned sectes or opinions grounded vpon no good foundation and those that delight to tell fabulous tales and hystoryes as a number of craftye and subtill felowes haue deuised and imagined for their owne lucres sake of Sainctes eyther of them indifferently doe incurre reprehension The one sorte are euill spoken of as vnskilfull and mutable and the other bee reprooued of leuitie and auarice Wee haue spoken of the ende and matter of Sermons it is méete that wee adde some thinges also concerning their forme ¶ Some thinges touchinge the formes of sacred Sermons Cap. VI. EVery Sermon ought to be briefe then to consist of playn and perspicious speach thirdlye to haue partes rightly ordayned The first is necessary to thintent the people may cheerefully and without yrcksomnesse come together to sacred assemblies and the more easely commende vnto their memorye the thinges that are heard For it is by no meanes requisite that ecclesiasticall sermons should excéede in prolixitie Orations sometimes accustomed to be made of Orators in their consistory Therfore duly to them both as wel Preachers as Orators were giuen certayne dyals for to measure the howers withall And many thinges may in few wordes be declared The seconde is required as well for the vnlearned whereof there is a great number in the multitude as also for the avdyding of all suspition of sinister and fraudulent dealyng For in déede an oration ouer cunninglye made and after a sorte inuolued induceth the hearers to thinke and surmise that some thinge els is sought for rather then theyr profite Wherefore albeit a man be thorowlye furnished with all kinde of preparation and furniture of speaking yet shal hée so aduisedly behaue hymselfe to the people as though hee folowed by no meanes the traces of arte beyng mindfull of that saying that it is a notable poynt of cunnynge to dissemble Arte. Now hée shall obteine the facultie of speakynge playnely in the Pulpet that vnderstaÌ„deth well the mother tongue that hath vsed some space the companye of those that sounde it purelie that hath accustomed to heare the Sermons of fine teachers in the same tongue that hath dylygentlye reade ouer theyr Bookes that are iudged to haue excelled therein but yet hee shall passe all the resydewe that is endued with a certayne prerogatiue of nature and hath a facultie and modesty in speakynge as ye woulde say ingenerate It is no lesse vertue to speake apertly simply and popularly then learnedly sharply and grauelye Which vertue very excellent and rare all men must of necessitie graunt beyond the residewe alonely to Chrysostome amonge the Geeke writers whom trulye I woulde wishe vncessauntlye that all Iunior Preachers should reade both day and night yea and if it were possible transiate hym with lyke happinesse and fertilitie into the vulgar tongue Neither ought euen those that are learned in déede to be ashamed to borrowe and mutuate diuers places of christian doctrine yea that in a maner verbatim out of Chrysostom who not without good cause hath obtained this notable name or other if peraduenture there may any be founde lyke vnto hym Now for the thirde poynte namely that a Sermon shoulde consist of his lawfull partes who knoweth not that it is required as the principall matter in euerye oration for not so muche as an epistle written priuately to one of familyar affaires ran be destitute of the aâ—t order disposition of hir parts how much more then ought the parts of a sermon which is made of most graue weighty matters to the whole multitude to be placed in order Not onely the learners but also the teachers themselues haue néede of iuste disposition of partes these verely least in the discourse of their Sermon they shoulde bee compelled to stound and by silence to doubt of what poynt it were best for them to speake and those to thintent they maye the more easily perceiue each thing by hearyng and when they are
that the whole Sermon beâ— applyed to the reprouinge of a false opinion or to the correction and abolishinge of superstitions or of some euill inueterate custome then doubtelesse it is both seemely also very requisite that all thinges bée dissolued in order that are produced of obstinat men for the defence of their errors For great labor and dilligence is néedefull to the extirpinge and rooting out of peruerse opinions wherwith the myndes of men haue any longe tyme bene infected séeinge they alwayes subtilly and craftely goe about to imagine and contriue a number of thinges to establish and confirme their noysom opinions withall For after this sorte wee may sée confuted in the booke of Salomon which is entituled Ecclesiastes the false and erroneous opinions of many touchinge the soueraigne felicitie And the Apostle Paule in his Epistle to the Romaynes Cap. 5.6 and 7. wysely infringeth and dissolueeth no fewe thinges which the aduersaries obiected against the doctrine of iustificatioÌ„ by faith without workes Moreouer the Preacher shall vse all the order and conâ—ing in confutation which wée sée to be prescribed to the Orators and he shall franckely vse negation eleuation translation excusation digression regestion inuersion distinction absolution conquestion inuestigation of the matter and forme of argumentes after the maner of Logicke and whatsoeuer else is of this kynde For of all these thinges examples may be shewed in the Sermons of Christ the Prophetes and Apostles Notwithstandinge he must take dilligent héede of this that his Confutation bée vtterly voyde of all subtill sophistry that it bee without ostentation of the deceytfull drinkes of Logicke and lawelyke craftinesse to be short that it bee without any desyre of cauillinge And that verily for this cause least any man shoulds suspect hym either to trifle or else to bee desirous to circumuent and begyle his auditors Whereof the one is the poynt of shamefull vanitie and the other of malitious subteltie Full well goeth the ecclesiasticall discourse forward that is séene to bee decked and adorned with veritie and simplicitie Some there bee that in confutinge now and then become so hote and vehement that as men enraged wyth ire they brast forth into contumelious reproches yea and somtimes into Thiestes execratioÌ„s which whilest they doo they excéede all measure and mediocritie These men wee wishe to be admonished that they woulde endeuour themselues to restrayne with the bridell of charitie the excursion of their vehement and hasty Oration For it lesse offendeth albeit it bee a sharpe reprehension if it may bee vnderstood to procéede of charitie These thinges touchinge the maner of Confutinge applied to the Popular vnderstanding and congruent to euery kinde of Sermons whither it be a whole booke or a parte of the booke or some certaine place that is expounded or whither we entreat of affayres offred by occasion of tyme may suffise For the thinges that ought besides to be accommodate as proper to the kinde râ—dargutiue or correctiue those things we will with more dilligence declare when we shall seuerally entreat of the same kindes ¶ Of Conclusion Cap. XIII IN euery sacred Sermon eche parte or common place doth craue a briefe conclusion but besides that a certaine apte and conuenient peroration must be added to the whole oration Now it this if many notable places out of a whole booke or a part of a booke haue ben examined a short repetitioÌ„ is rightely made of some principal points Chapters therof If two or thrée places haue bene expouÌ„ded then of euery one in order may be called into memory some certayne proufes such as séeme to be most emineÌ„t probable nowe and then the Preacher strayeth onely in those thinges that pertayne to the last place the doctrine and vtilitie whereof he alonely studiously commendeth But in cace some one certaine place of Scripture or a Theame simple or compound shall thorow out the whole Sermon be declared at large or that the Sermon be taken in hande touchinge businesse which the state of the Church requireth to be handeled then for the most parte a peroration is accustomably bestowed in mouing of affectioÌ„s to the inteÌ„t meÌ„ may be stirred to desire or eschew to alow or dissalowe that whereof entreaty hath bene made Somtyme to Sermons of euery kinde are annexed exhortation or obiurgations vtterly deuided from those places that are before expounded Which then truely rightely commeth to passe when certayne affayres doe happen whereof it behoueth the people to bee admonished So Chrisostom in a place in the ende of his Sermon rebuketh those that neglectinge diuine Sermons vsed to gadd to the Theatre to beholde there the games on horsebacke called Ludi equestres The same in his Hoâ—â—lie 19. vppon Genesis after the Scriptures declared wyth a briefe conclusion hee passeth to an exhortation wherein he detesteth couetousnesse and requireth all men that they woulde endeuoure themselues to helpe the poore and to giue almose vnto them In his Homilie 15. after hee had besought his hearers that they would commende vnto their memory the thinges that had bene spoken touchinge the incomnparable mercy of GOD he admonisheth them that they woulds laboure to passe the residewe of the Lente fruitefully and studye not onely to absteyne from meates but also much more from sinne and wycked attemptes But most commonly he concludeth simply in prayinge and beseacute echinge his audientes that they woulde haue dilligent consideration of the holsome doctrine propounded vnto them that they woulde repeate it after they were returned home somtymes also declare it vnto others which we may sée him to haue done Homilie 2.14 and 20. vppon Genesis and else where and finally conuert it wholely to the amendement of their lyues Moreouer nowe and then the Preachers doe admonish in the conclusion of what matter they are determined to entreate in their Sermon followinge Out of Chrysostom Homilie 4. vppon Genesis also 4. vppon the first Epistle to the Corinth Item his 5. Tome Homilie 28. agaynst Swearinge some gather that the custome was in the church in tymes past that the people after the ende of the Sermon shoulde clappe their handes and make acclamations but so asmuch as this custome séemeth to haue folowed from the Theatre or market place it is worthely obsolete and growen out of vre Much better it is verely to ende all sacred Sermons with prayer or that wee certaynely knowe to bee done in some place wyth the confession of fayth that is to saye with the repetition of the Symboll Apostolyke or Nicaene ¶ Of Amplification Cap. XV. WHatsoeuer thinge is profitable either to teache perspicuousely or also to moue perswade withall all that shall the Preacher purchase to himselfe as most requisite and necessary furniture Therefore let him knowe that argumentations tripartite quinquepartite Enthymemata also Schemes and Tropes further the crafte of amplifying and mouing of affections and finally whatsoeuer else of this order is
taught of the Rhetoritians masters of well speakinge doe appertayne and belonge vnto him Howbeit our purpose is not to speake any thinge at all touchinge the formes of argumentes of Schemes or Tropes forasmuch as we doe gather these thinges onely for their sakes vnto whoÌ„ we supppose all those thinges to bee already verye well knowen But neuerthelesse we will note somwhat touchinge amplification for that we perceyue many of the holy Fathers to haue bene studiously occupied in handelinge of the same Yea and somwhat otherwyse to vsurpe amplifications and to alledge also other maner of arguments theÌ„ the Orators are accustomed For the Preacher doth not vse amplification to the intent to bring to passe that the matter might appere either greater or lesser then it is of it selfe or as it is fayed that of a flye might bee made an Elephante or agayne of an Elephante a flye in which point the Rhetoritians doe most chiefely laboure couetinge withall to corrupte the iudgement of the hearers and to withdrawe them from the right scope but to the ende it may bee acknowledged of all men to bee suche and so greate as is meete and requisite that it shoulde bee in deede which verily is no other thing theÌ„ to reclayme men erring from the truth to a prudent and sincere iudgement And herevppon we maye also gather when and at what time the practise of amplification ought most conueniently to be vsed For if at any time thou happenest vppon those places of which it is likely that the bearers cannot iudge sufficiently aright then by adding to amplifications we must labor to bringe them to this point that they may be able to conceaue both what and howe great euery thinge is And oft times it commeth to passe that certaine sinnes for asmuch as they are commnoly and euery where without controlmente committed be by the iudgement of the common people supposed not to be so haynous as they are in déede of whiche sorte are concupiscence hatred of our neighbour reuilements periurie brawlings dronkennes offences giuen c. Of these therfore when the Preacher shall fortune to entreat he shall not without good cause by vsinge of amplyfications goe about to declare the greatnesse of the same In respect wherof Esay Cap. 1. doth very artificially amplyfye certaine sinnes of the Iewes by comparisons and suche lyke places Christ in like maner Math. 5 amplifieth diuers and sondry offences as namely reproche of our neighbour concupiscence periury and proueth them to be much more grieuous then a great number did suppose Agayne some there be that estéeme certayne thinges more highly then they ought to be estéemed as for example we may sée some men to attribute so much vnto ceremonies rights mens traditions c. that they are not affrayd to prefer them before the very commaundements of god Therfore when it shall be for the behoofe of the hearers to entreat of these thinges the Preacher shall prudently extenuate al obseruations or traditions yea and with necessary and probable argumeÌ„ts so much as lieth in him conclude that they are by no meanes to be compared with the preceptes of Gods law Christe Mathew 15. and Mark. 7. doth grieuously reproue the preposterous iudgementes of men in this behalfe And Paule in his epistle to the Colossians dothe with wonderfull dexteritye shake vp and bringe into conteÌ„pt the vphoulders and maynteyners of traditions Sometimes it so falleth out that certaine notable vertues are neglected or be not estéemed as they are worthy wherefore throughe amplifications they shall bee aduaunced to the dignitye whiche of right they ought to haue In respecte whereof the Apostle to the Rom. 4. doth amplyfye the faithe of Adraham by the causes and circumstaunces thereof to the intent that all men might perceiue that the faith wherby Abraham so greatly pleased god was accepted of him and wherby also men ought to be iustified was not colde and light but vehement notable and very wonderfull Who contrary to hope sayeth hée beleeued in hope that hee should be the father of many nations accordyng to that whiche was spoken So shall thy seede bee And hee faynted not in the fayth nor consydered hys owne bodye now dead whon hee was almost an hundred yeares olde neither yet the barennesse of Saraes wombe Hee staggard not at the promise of God through vnbeleefe but was stronge in fayth giuinge glorye to GOD and beinge full certifyed that what he had promised he was able also to performe And therefore was it reckoned vnto hym for rightuousnesse There is extant also a graue amplyfycation of the same Apostle touchynge the wrath of God to be feared of all those that wyll not acknowledge Christ to be the true Messias Take heede my brethrne sayeth he least at any tyme there bee in you an euill harte of vnbeleefe to departe from the lyuing God but exhort yee one an other daylye while it is called to day least any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne For wee are made pertakers of Christe if wee keepe sure vnto the ende the beginninge of the substaune and so foorth as it is in the texte For the place is longe Moreouer the Preacher may vse all the furniture of amplyfyinge that the Schole of Orators ministreth vnto hym Wherefore as touchinge that whiche pertayneth vnto woordes hee may mingle together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expolition definition description distribution heapinge vppe of matter encreaâ—ement As touchinge the things themselues he may transferre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to saye passe from a question definite to a question infinite or common place hee may examine so farre foorth as the nature of the argument wyll suffer the causes to witte the matter forme effecte ende Moreouer the circumstaunces as the personne time place maner instrument occasion and so foorth Then thinges happening or signes whereof some be antesedeÌ„ts some subsequentes other some annixed to the busines it selfe also comparisons similitudes contentions contraries and whatsoeruer thinges els are in this kynde set forth of the Rhetoritians Againe further the Preacher may borrowe many poyntes of amplifying out of Theologye it selfe whiche hath no small number of peculyar places apt and correspondent to euery kynde of argumente as well as any other discipline beside lyke as we shall a little after declare Therefore hee that teacheth the people doeth ofte times frame his amplyfication Ab attributis Dei that is of the properties of God as that God searcheth the harte that hee can not bee deceyued Of the Commaundement of God Of the Promises set foorth Of the Threatninge of punishmentes Of the Callynge of Manne to the knowledge of the trueth Of Electinge into the Churche of God Of Spirituall giftes receyued Of a Generall sentence in Diuinitie Of the Predictions of the Prophetes Of that that they bee thinges spyrytuall Of the tyme of the Lawe Of the Tyme of the Gospell Of the Signe
to forsweare themselues But I cease to make any further annotations vppon that place furnyshed with all kynde of conninge and conueigâ—aunce By these thinges it may sufficientlye bee perceyued that amplyfications are ofte times gathered out of those places whiche Diuinitye challengeth as proper to it selfe The same Chrysostom in his homilie 46. vpon Genesis with wonderfull prudence and dexteritye amplyfieth like as did Origen also before him the fayth of Abraham and his obedience deriued of faith being readye to offer vp his onely sonne Isaac the discourse wherof whosoeuer will attentiuely reade he shall hardly I am sure refrayne hym selfe from teares Agayne in his homilie 14. touching the temerarious othe of Saule wherein he swore that who so euer dyd taste any bread before the euening should dye the death it is an easy matter to obserue many mo amplifications deriued out of diuers and sondry places of Diuinitie I cannot choose but that I must néedes adde this also by the way and as ye would say minding of some other matter Some there be that propounde vnto the youth in Scholes arguments in which thei may exercise their stile and make a tryall of the towardnes of their wit but those for the most parte are taken out of fables or certes things vayne and friuolous that I say not somtimes filthy or otherwise huâ—â—fillâ— But how muche better should the Scolemasters doe if they woulde oftentymes prescribe vnto their Scollers committed to their charge to those inespecially that are enformed to the study of diuine letters argumentes taken out of the holy Scriptures and woulde commande them to explicate and in explicating to adorne the same one while by amplifications an other while by other formes of exercises accordinge to the imitation of Chrysostom or some other excellent diuines Of mouinge of affections Cap. XVI THe Preacher shall not employe his least care in mouinge of affections forsomuch as all the learned sorte doe confesse that he staÌ„deth of no one thing more in néede then he doth of this one onely faculty They that teache no otherwyse in the temple then professors are accustomed in the Scoles it cannot be that they shoulde be the authors of any greate spirituall fruites and very fewe or none are séene to bee induced with such Sermons to repentaunce and amendement of lyfe Wherefore whosoeuer he be that hath once taken vppon him the office of teaching in the church must with great industry apply himself vnto this that he may at the lengthe féele himselfe able to performe somewhat worthy of commendation in this behalfe Wée in the meane tyme will add to some thinges that serue vnto this ende and firste verily wee will declare when and what tyme it is conuenient to moue affections then next where or in what parte of the Sermon lastly in what places or with what practise it may be done It is well knowen out of the bookes of the Rhetoritians that the common affections are accounted to be fower Gladnesse Hope Feare Griefe And vnder gladnesse are ordinarily placed deletation vaunting or bosting vnder hope desire indigeÌ„ce or néede Vnder feare slouthfulnesse shamfastnes terrour timorousnes trembling preturbatioÌ„ Vnder griefe are enuy ire euill will hatred emulatioÌ„ pitie sorrowe lamentation carefulnesse paynefulnesse desperation c. Now the Preachers doe not accustomably vse to excite the myndes of their hearers to euery of the kyndes of affections nowe reherced but vnto those moste chiefely which euery man at the first sight may knowe distinctly to be most conuenient and as it were destinate to diuine affayres that is to say to thinges perteyninge to the eternall saluation of mankinde They induce therfore their hearers most specially to the care of obteyning saluation to sorrowe or indignation for offences committed to the lothsomnesse and hatred of sinnes to the loue of vertue to the feare of gods iudgement and of punishment to the hope of mercy to be obteyned with God to compassion and loue towardes our neighbour and vnto those affections besides that are vnto these moste semblable but scarcely to any other Wherefore the mener of mouinge of affections assigned vnto Preachers in the Church is not altogither lyke vnto that that the Orators vse in their Forum or Consistory To the intent therefore thou mayest knowe when and at what tyme it is méete and conuenient that affections be moued of the Preacher before all thinges the partes of the whole Sermon and the principall places which are specially to be touched therein ought effectually to be comprised in the mynde and reduced to a perfect order For the tractation of what place soeuer thou shalt iudge to be most profitable and necessary either to the state of the Church or to the tyme and causes incident in the illustration thereof chiefely beyonde the rest thou shalt employ thy dilligent labour and also endeuour thy selfe to moue the affections of the hearers The effecte of our meaninge is this Thou expoundest some entier booke of Scripture or some parte of a booke in the wordes that come nexte to hande are founde peraduenture touched diuers and sondry profitable places wherof some doe conteyne manifold doctrine othersome redargutions other institucions other corrections or consolations And in these one there is most apte to styrre vpp the myndes of menne vnto vertue verye requisite in the lyfe of man and chiefely in respecte of present considerations therefore thou shalte vnderstande that this same place is in suche sorte to bée declared of thée that thou mayste endeuoure thy selfe to moue the affections either more vehement or moderate according as thou shalte sée it expedient At what tyme therefore thou shalte perceyue men to be giuen to drounkennesse and excesse if there happen any wher in the Sermon a place of sobrietie and temperance or agaynst superfluitie in this verily thou shalte longest tary and through exhortation or reprehension so styrre vp the affections of the hearers that they may both couet sobrietie and abandon excesse Moreouer wher many of the common sort are oppressed with pouerty and that there is euery where greate scarcitie of vittayle and yet in the meane tyme charitie very colde and vnneath any where to bée founde if then a conuenient place offer it selfe touchinge liberalitie thou shalte wyth all thy power goe aboute to explayne it at large and wyth as greate industry as thou canst induce the myndes of the hearers to bountifulnesse and compassion towardes the poore Furthermore there happeneth peraduenture a place wherby it is signified that God woulde haue littell children to come vnto him Héere very fitly shall bee entreated of the loue of parentes towardes their childrne yea and with some vehemence also and prouocation of myndes shall the parentes bee vrged to sende their childrne to Scole in tyme conuenient and prouide that they maye rightely bee enstructed in the principles of godlynesse To be short if at any tyme an history or precepte or sentence be purposed
therof Abraham staggered not at the promise of God through incredulitie but being made strong by faith gaue the glory to God conceiuing a certaine perswasion that he which had promised was able also to performe So is it read Rom. 4. we may therfore argue in this sorte God hath promised ergo hee will vndoubtedly performe Héere also must héede be taken whether any maner of condition be annexed to the promise 17 Of a prophesy or propheticall prediction The Euangelistes doe very frequently commend vnto vs this place of inuention so oft namely as they shew this or that thing to be therfore accomplished in or by Christ forsomuch as it was necessary those thinges shoulde be fulfilled which were spoken before of the Prophets touchynge the same 18 Of the truth of a diuine or propheticall determination The thinges that are once pronounced and decreed of God or of some notable Prophet by Gods commaundement those thinges must of necessitie be accounted certain and sure He that vnderstandeth how to argue conueniently of a generall sentence shall also well perceiue the vse of this place 19 Of the person of one good man to the person of all the godly So gathereth the Apostle Rom. 4 Abraham was iustified by faith therefore shall all that beléeue lykewise be iustifyed by faith It is not written saith he for his cause onely that it was imputed vnto him but also for our sakes to whom it shall be imputed if we beleeue c. 20 Of the person of one vngodly man to all The hardeninge of Pharao came of God therefore commeth the hardenyng of all other wicked persons of GOD likewise 21 Of a type or figure to the truethment thereby The bones of the lambe that was eaten at Easter might not be diminished ergo neither ought the legges of Christe hanging on the Crosse to be broken And the tipes of the prophet Ionas and of the brason serpent erected in the wildernesse Christ interpreteth of hymselfe So then we may elegantly gather they that behelde the serpent in the desart were healed ergo those also that beléeue and hope in CHRISTE shall obtayne saluation 22 Of an allegory to the thing signifyed The prophet Esay Cap. 54. by an allegorye and in many wordes teacheth how wonderfully the Churche encreaseth Reioyce thou baren saith he that bearest no Children breake foorth and cry thou that trauailest not for shee that is desolat hath many mo children then she which hath an husband And the Apostle intending to demonstrat that albeit the Iewes raged neuer so much yet it would come to passe that the churche collected of the Gentiles should be increased and amplyfyed yea euen then when by reason of troubles and contentioÌ„s if should be supposed to be vtterly destroyed applyeth the same allegâ—ry very fifly and saith If she that was baren despised as Sara doth yet bring forth children and hir posteritie encreaseth beyonde all mens expectation why shoulde we not beleeue that the Church though small and abiecte receiueth dayly encreasement also These places therefore if not alwaies all yet at the least a greate sorte of them and one while these an other while those doe they rightly vse that haue to speake in sacred assemblies And then verily do they vse them when as they shall entreate either of a certaine place or sentence of holy Scripture or of busines offred by occasion of time or else of a theame simple or compounde like as afterward we will once againe admonishe when wée shall come to the addinge to of some peculiar examples They haue néede vndoubtedly of a right iudgement and of some wisdome and experience in this behalfe gotten by the continuall readinge and â—earinge partly of the Scriptures partly of some faithfull and probable interpreters He truely shall beste prouide for himselfe and may at the length be able to performe some thinge worthy of prayse and commendation who so will dilligently obserue the profes and reasons extant in the didascalick Sermons of the prophetes Christ and Apostles and will enserch the places out of which they are taken and deduced and fynally beinge night and daye studious of imitation will endeuour after hys power and abilytie to practise the same Now vnto this kinde forsomuch as it is weighty and diffyculte and no small wisdome is required therein wée will worthely adioyne like as wée vndertooke to doe certayne Cantions whereby euery man may bée premonisshed to vse dilligent héede and circumspection in his procedings Which wée haue in lyke maner determined to doe in the other kindes followinge I In doctrines or princyples of relygion to bée taught before the people it is very requisite to be considered what maner of persons the hearers are how far forth traded in the knowledge of diuine matters For it is necessary that all the order of teaching so oft I saye as it is thought good to examine any sentence be tempered accordinge to their capacitie Christ himselfe that we should be circumspectâ— in this behalfe hath admonished vs when as he said to his Apostles I haue many thinges to saye vnto you but ye can not beare them away now And the apostle I could not speak vnto you brethren as vnto spirituall but as vnto carnal as vnto babes in Christ I haue nourished you with milke and not with meate For ye could not as yet away with it neither can yee as yet It is certayne therfore that the thinges whiche are true vndoubted and taken out of the worde of God are to be taught and set forth vnto all men And albeit a man taketh in hand one and the selfe same doctrine to handle and entreate off yet truly ought he to attempt all thinges far otherwise among the hearers and Citizens of an ample citie hauing now of long time ben accustomed to hare men excellinge in learninge and eloquence then in an obscure place where men of rude wits and maners can neuer attayne to any thing but that which shall very grosly be inculked and beaten into their heades To whiche effecte well nere S. August hath somewhat in his treatise 98. vpon the gospell of Iohn II What hearers soeuer shall betide let the tractation of those poyntes be eschewed and pretermitted whiche doe smally conduce vnto godlynesse and the inquifition and knowledge whereof doe make the hearers rather curious then godly disposed Whervnto pertayneth that whiche Thapostle writinge in diuers places vnto Timothye and Titus forbiddeth any place to be giuen in the church to doctrine which is not after godlynesse to foolishe and fantasticall questions to contencions and striuings about the law which are vnprofitable and superfluous and which do rather procure deuision then edifiyng III After thou hast chosen out suche a sentence or assertion as is holsomelye to bee handled and entreated off it is requisyte that thou dilligently enserche and perpende the doctrine contayned in the bookes of the prophetes and Apostles touching the same whiche onely is
earth Wherevpon the wise men are of some celebrated as the first original confessiōs of christ III. Doctrine God or Christ without hauinge any respecte or choyse of persons calleth all men vnto him indifferently and voucheth safe to illustrate their hartes with his holy spirite Frste are called the Iewes then the Gentiles afterwarde poore simple Shepheards then againe learned experte or wise men So far forth in Christ there is neither Iewe nor Gentile circumcision or vncircumcision Barbarian Scythian bonde or frée IIII. Institution It is our parte and duetie in what place soeuer wée be with all our endeuoure to séeke after Christe Those men came from the furthest parte of all Persia with great costes charges with great paine trauile and in so long and tedious a iorney also with incredible perill of their liues What behoueth vs therfore to doe who wheresoeuer our minde is endued and garnisshed with faith may there be sure to finde Christe Christ is at home at our houses and obteineth the middell place wheresoeuer two or thrée be gathered together in his name Where is he that is borne Kinge of Iewes V. Doctrine Christ is a true kinge albeit his kingdom be not of this worlde temporall or such a one as is gotten and confyrmed by force of armes and strength of men but heauenly spiritual eternal and establyshed all onely by the power of God. VI. Institution It is worthy of great admiration that a fewe straungers in an vnknowen Countrey in the chiefe and principall citye of all Iurye where the kinges Courte with his warlicke garrison was residente durst make so notable a confession of Christ being as yet base and obscure of whom no ayde or succoure semed to bee loked for by reason whereof greate stirres ensued the kinge and all Hierusalem beinge vehemently troubled But that came to passe vndoubtedly forasmuche as they were enflamed with an inuinsible faith towardes God and the holy Ghoste moued and droue forward their mindes Let vs therefore learne in like maner being instructed with a sounde and stéedfast Faith vnbashfullye and couragiously contemning all daungers whatsoeuer which séeme to bée set before vs or also daily to be renewed of Sathan and the worlde to confesse Iesus Christ to bée our kinge and Sauiour yea and by all possible meanes to publishe and declare his name Let the tyrauntes lyke vnto Herode storme and stampe let the hypocrites forge their wiles and snares let the Scribes and Pharises take their crafty counsayles togither yet will not wée ceasse with all our harte and mynde to séeke and with all boldenesse to confesse Christ to bée our kinge and Sauiour VII Correction Where are nowe those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those dastardes which euen when all things are safe sounde doe yéelde no confession at all of Christ or of faith in Christ Let them bée ashamed of their ingratitude towardes God. For we haue seene his Starre in the Easte VIII Doctrine God reuealeth his will vnto men diuers wayes First truely internally to witt by the secrete inspiration of his spirite wherwith hée eftsoones moueth the hartes of all men which is so far forth necessary euery where that without it no knowledge is supsed to bée certayne and sure And ofte tymes verily God certifieth by this meanes as wel the regenerate as not regenerate of most graue and weighty matters Secondely externally and that eyther by his angels appearinge some tyme in visible forme Or by men such as were the Patriarkes Prophetes Apostles and the electe of all ages which moue and perswade other to the fayth and the holy actions of loue Or by other creatures voyd of reason amongest which may bée numbred as well all this wholle frame of the worlde distincted and adorned with hir partes as also the fyre in the bushe the cloude in lykenesse of a piller and the starre whereof we nowe speake c. By these and such lyke meanes God whensoeuer it pleaseth him declareth vnto mankinde his goodnesse iustice and power IX Institution We are admonished by the example of she wise men that we should not be idle gasers and beholders of such tokens if at any time they appeare For God by his prouidence ordayneth all these thinges and vndoubtedlye to our instruction though not alwayes knowen vnto vs. X Redargution They erre and are deceiued not onelye in the stars but also al the heauen ouer as they say whiche by reason the wise men were taught by the guidinge of a starre that Christ the sauiour of mankinde was borne goe about to commend Astrology which they cal iudiciall and coniecturall as an art certayne and infallible For that starre was not of the number eyther of fixed or erraticall but verily a newe starre which god woulde haus for a time to bée séene and agayne to banishe out of sight Yea rather truely it was no starre at all if wée will credite Chrysostom but onely the likenes of a starre In like maner the wise men gathered not by that starre any thinge touchinge the maner of Christes lyfe or of those things which it behoued afterwarde to chaunce vnto him as neither they obserued after the order of the Mathematickes the disposition and aspect of other Planetes accordinge to their regions or houses but they were taught that Christ is the kinge and sauiour as well of the Iewes as also of the Gentiles Moreouer that his kingedome is spirituall and heauenly not carnall and earthly Wherevpon it necessarily followeth that whatsoeuer they obtayned they receiued it by the reuelation of the holy ghoste not by the canons of Astrologie againe that by the same spirite and star which was with them in stéede of the external word and euen of a preacher hymselfe they were brought to the faith and the confession of faith and that nothinge euer came into their mindes as touching Astrological coniecture XI and XII Doctrine and Institution Séeinge further that God vouchsafeth to teache the wise men in this sorte by a Starre and not by angels or men we shall héere worthely note the wonderfull counsel and purpose of God whereby so oft as he determineth to perswade any vnto hym he applieth himselfe such is his wisdome and goodnesse to their capacities to the intent veryly they may profytte and goe forewarde through those thinges wherewith they are moste chiefely acquainted Wherefore it pleased God to call vnto hym the wise men of the Gentiles being dilligent enserchers of naturall causes by a signe appéering in heauen For the Starre was as fytte an instrument for that purpose among those Persians as the preaching of the worde is knowen to be a most apt and ordinary instrument amongst other nations But a while after when the wise men had stepped vp to somewhat an higher degrée in the schoole of Christian doctrine hee instructed them with the wordes of the Prophet which they heard at Hierusalem Laste of all as being further profited he taught them also by his angels in a
the deuises of mannes wisdome But assone as they perceiue themselues to be conuinced as well by the Scripture as by naturall reason they knowe not in the worlde which way to turne them Wherefore they conuert themselues to deceites and wiles and when they are fully bent in their mindes vppon mischiefe and in the meane time stand in doubte of all thinges they séeme as though they were moued with some fauour and zeale of the truth but in very déed they imagine nothinge els then howe to deface and oppresse it But at the length their malyce one way or other brusteth forth in such wise that the godly may both eschew them and auoide their snares pryuily prepared xxxi Institution All the godly therefore are admonished to béeware and circumspecte and to obserue diligently so far forth as may be the tokens whereby they may finde out the fraude and impietie of those men with whom they haue to doe Those that goe about to oppresse the truthe some are tirauntes some hipocrites of either of them we may beholde the image and paterne in Herode alone and goe no further Both of them at the first coulloure their deuises yea and fame themselue to séeke with the godly to promote the sincere worshipping of God as Herode saith here that hee will worshippe Christ But surely those affections of the mindâ— shime not forth neither doth that spirite appeare to bee in them which otherwise is to bee founde in the godly sort but rather alwayes there are noted in them either some wordes or déedes out of which it is no harde matter to gather their contempte and hatred of pure religion Such a one is this where Herode héere not without disdayne calleth Christ a childe sayinge Serch diligently for the younge childe Neither truely can the wicked any otherwise doe then extinuate the dignitie of Christ the worde of God the Church the ministery of the gospell and one while openly an other while ouerthwartly giue some signifycation of their malignante minde especially when they feare either that it will come to passe that their enormites shal bée disclosed and reproued or els their credite and commoditie any thinge empayred There is no doubt but that the Iewes perceiued some such signes in them which after they were brought out of Babilon into Iury would haue ioyned themselues as inhabitauntes vnto the Iewes returned out of captiuitie in buildinge of the Temple Howbeit Zorobabell would not admit them and that for good cause For albeit they auouched themselues to worshippe together with them one and the same GOD yet notwithstaÌ„ding sone after they declared many wayâ—s how cruel vnmercyful enemies they were of pure sincere religioÌ„ And loâ— the Starre which they had seene in the Easte went before them tyll it came and stoode ouer the place where the childe was XXXII and XXXIII Doctrine and Institution The iudgement of the Scriptures is heard the common incklinge engrauen in the mindes of all men likewise naturall causes are considered and that to the intente all those thinges so farre forth as may bée beinge compared amonge themselues bothe our Faith might be confirmed and also the knowledge of spirituall thinges chiefely of the rightuousnesse goodnesse mercy and power of God myght growe and encrease in vs. To which ende and purpose God himselfe oft times is accoustomed els where to adioyne eftesones vnto his worde and doctrine notable workes and effectes Let vs not contemne therefore the reasons and naturall causes which doe illustrate and set forth vnto vs the knowledge conteyned in the woorde of God and wonderfully helpe forwarde our weake vnderstandinge XXXIIII Doctrine There was néede of a Starre which shoulde shewe not onely the Citye but also the house yea and the childe himselfe It is very lykely that all thinge there were so vile and abiecte that no man woulde haue thought Christ the king to bée there Albeit the Scripture be a faithfull wytnes testifyer of the truth yet is it néedefull for vs to learne many thinges of men of causes naturall of signes and other of the same kinde which are ordynary and allowed of God and so be made certaine of many particular thinges necessary to be knowne And when they sawe the starre they reioyced exceedingly with greate ioye XXXV Institution The doctrine touchinge spiritual matters by which we are directed vnto Christ doo profite in Christ we ought to imbrace with gladd ioyfull minde and also to giue thanckes vnto God for the same Which thinge truely they gladly wil doe that haue any vnderstandinge at all what great vâ—iliâ—ie and profyte commeth of sounde doctrine And entring into the house they founde the young childe with Mary his Mother and fell downe and worshipped him and openinge their treasures they presented vnto him giftes Gode and Frankensence and Myrhe XXXXVI and XXXVII Doctrine and Institution Faith fyxed on the promises of God is not dcceiued but like as god that promiseth is true so the faith also of the belieuer fyndeth at the length the trueth by experience and perceyueth in déede the large fruites of fayth By fayth the wise men were drawen out of farre Countries into Bethlem for howe shoulde they haue taken vppon them so longe difficulte and daungerous a iorney the way being altogether vnknowne vnto them except they had bene incensed with a wonderfull Fayth there then they founde in very déede that which afore they beléeued Therefore let vs also lokinge vppon the promises of god touchinge the benefytes as well of the life present as to come neuer caste away our faith but by the example of the faithfull Abraham beyond hope beléeue vnder hope nothinge doubtinge but that God will performe his promises if not for our cause which verely are vnworthy of his benefytes yet for his owne sake xxxviii Doctrine The wise men whilest they honour Christ with that honour which is due to God alone doe confesse Christ not onely to be man but also true and perfecte God. Which thing they fyrst learned in Persia by reuelation from heauen afterwarde in Iury by the oracles of the Prophetes XXXIX and XL. Redargucion and Doctrine Here are conuinced all heretikes as the Ebionites Cerinthians and such like which contended that Christ is onely pure man and not god But much more grieuously are confuted the Iewes which when they had heard partly of the wise men partly out of the Scripture many and most certaine testimonies touchinge Christ yet would they not adioyne them selues to the wise men to the intent to worshippe him as neyther they will be perswaded to this daye to worshippe and ackonwledge Christ to be true god Howe much better had it bene neuer to haue had any knowledge of Christ at all for vndoubtedly looke how much more manifestly Christ is declared vnto them so much more grieuously shall they be punished whiche refuse to beléeue in him beinge knowne But in déed those thinges ought to be fulfilled which God longe before by his Prophetes
the presence of Christ which he had pronounced before of Christ being absente Nothinge is to be altred or transposed in the substance of doctrine or foundation of faith The doctrine that hath once bene sounde and true must of necessitie alwayes be true like as God himeselfe also of whom all sounde doctrine doth procéede is altogether immutable XII Doctrine Here is a notable confession of the two natures in Christ when as Christ is described by the one to haue bene before Iohn and by the other to haue come after Iohn Therfore Iohn sheweth Christ openly and commendeth him takinge awaye the sinnes of the worlde as he is one person in which two natures are ioyned together For truely it behoueth vs that wee vnderstande Christe to haue accomplisshed accordinge to eyther nature the thinges that pertayne to our saluation For in cace Christ ought to haue executed the busines of our saluation onely after his diuine nature then it had in no wise bene néedefull for him to haue put on humaine flesh XIII Redargution By what meanes shall they defende their cause which affirme That the Worde or Sonne beinge the seconde person in the diuine essence did then first take his beginning when hée tooke vppon him mannes fleshe Iohn very wisely confesseth that he was before him God vndoubtedly begotten of God before all worldes in which respect Christ also himselfe said that he was before Abraham was borne XIIII Institution Of some peraduenture might be suspected so diligent and ofte repeted a coÌ„mendatian of Christ by Iohn as though thorough a certaine humaine affectioÌ„ perhaps for kinredes sake Inasmuch as Elyzabeth Luc. 1. is accounted to be Maries cousin the one fawned vppon the other Iohn aunswereth How should I either by reason of flattery or any other sinister affection commend Christ when as I neuer before this time had any kinde of acquayntaunce with him neyther dyd I euer sée him till nowe I saith he knewe him not And it is very likely that Christ was vnknowe to Iohn not only bycause Iohn kept in the Countreye and in the defart far off and Christ lyued alwayes in townes néere to Hierusalem but also for that Christ vntill that present time wherein he was baptised had as yet gotten himselfe no name and renowne by reason of any myraâ—les But then did Iohn beginne to know Christ when he came to be baptised of him at what time Iohn was taught by diuine reuelation that Christe was present whiche had bene promised a redeemer to the fathers and of whom he longe before had begonne to preach Wherefore here are all men admonished and especially those that teach in the Church or that are occupied by any meanes about th affayres of religion that they both speake warely and deale wisely and put forth nothinge after the corrupte affection of minde Where if they smell any offendicles to be imminente then that they prudently turne them awaye with some Preoccupation or preuention by premonishinge all their hearers in time and finally that they labour by all meanes possible to bring to passe that all men may vnderstande that they sincerely and vprightely doe accomplyshe their dutie And let them in the meane season goe forwarde stoutly to execute the office ioyned them of GOD as Iohn also saith when he was commaunded to baptise he was then likewise coÌ„maunded to celebrate and preche Christ to the intent he might become knowen vnto all Israell For so was Iohn appointed by the prouidence of God that he shoulde informe the mindes of all men to the doctrine of Christ and also to the sacrament by Christ after to be instituted XV. Correction Woe therfore vnto them that bothe speake and doe all thinges after their owne fantasye and affection to the greate offence of all good men that I say nothing of the huge losse and detriment of Churches and of the corruption of pure religion that doth follow therevppon Those that can not saye of them whom they commende I knewe them not do not well prouide doubtlesse for the behouse of the Church For I speake chiefely of them that are placed in the ecclesiasticall function albeit euen in the ciuile state also we maye perceye ouer many things to be determined and done after the corrupte affections of men which no doubt deserue sharply to be reproued XVI Doctrine Vocation to a certaine office is the gift of god Neither is any man apte to teach the Gospel or to accomplishe any thing as it ought to be excepte God himselfe will first call him For he assone as he calleth ministreth gifts also by which a man becommeth méete for his callinge And here vpon truely it commeth to passe that those men that thrust in themselues before they be called doe hardely proue euer fytte for the turne or at leaste doe féele by experience no happy successe to follow of theyr doinges XVII Institution They therefore that perceyue themselues to be called of God and especially to the function of preachinge the gospell let them take dilligente héede that they omitte not to doe those thinges that are beseminge for them In all their sermons and actions let them declare themselues to be desirous of nothinge more then that Christ may bee manyfested to Israell that is to say to the Church of God. Neither let them suffer themselues either by threateninges or flatteries of any men to be letted and sequestred from their godly purpose XVIII Correction They incurre reprehension that either doe not their office committed vnto them at all or els doe it neglygently neyther preache Christ but themselues and doe séeke more carefullye after the thinges that are their owne then after the thinges that are Iesus Christes Against which hipocrites the Apostle oftetimes very sharpely as they are worthy inueigheth XIX Doctrine These offyces are ioyned together to manifest Christ to Israell and to baptise with water that is to say to preach the worde and administer the sacramentes For doctrine and the sacramentes rightly ministred are two markes declaringe the true Church and of necessitie where Christ beareth rule there either office is dilligently exercysed with out intermissyon as Iohn also confesseth both of them to be committed vnto him of God. But there is moreouer in the words water a certaine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worthy to be obserued For Iohn signifieth that he is not the author of any new doctrine or baptisme but onely the minister of eyther of them and that the inwarde workinge therof is to bee loked for of an other more worthy namely of Christ himselfe true and very God which alone as it is saide a litle after baptiseth with the holy Ghost and ought alone to bee acknowledged the authoure as well of the Euangelycall Doctrine as also of the Sacramente of Baptisme â–ª Therefore by thys meanes Iohn maketh it knowen that he doth all thinges not after his owne arbitremente but by the commaundement of God himselfe Which thinge let al men worthily endeuoure to followe that
where it is described what maner of person the sayde Anna was how godly and vnblameably she lyued very oportunely next after those wordes briefelye declared shall be added that wheresoeuer the confession of faith taketh place ther ought also manifest fruits of faith and manifold exercises of pietie to be seene Finally that confession is known to be perfect which on the one syde is accompanied with the perils of temptations perfecution and on the other side with the notable fruites of faith With suche a confession God is delighted the rest of the godly are strengthened the enemies are directed and discouraged the Diuell hymselfe is discomfited and subdude Fourthly Anna is reported to haue confessed lyke wise and agreeing in al poynts with SimeoÌ„ to haue spoken 〈◊〉 so of Christ to al the looked for redemption Not without cause therfore shall be declared in the last place how it behoueth the a confession in al the partes members therof be agreeable with the worde of god further the it remayne apparaunt franck firme and constant euen to the ende of lyfe And thus the whole sermon very neere shall be spent about one common plate touching the making of a confession of faith But I feare least ther be some that wil cry out and accuse me to be ouer tedious wherfore I forbeare to adde any more examples Further there is no cause why any man shoulde suppose the héere are digested allegorical interpretations For the state is alwaies drawen forth out of certaine words apparauntly placed in the narration Neither is digressioÌ„ made in the explication of the parts from the natiue sygnifycation of the words which in euery allegory is accustomed to be done Besydes there is no other thing sought for héere then that the interpretation of the parts may both be directed to one fountaine or common place also conuerted to the coÌ„mon instruction of life in rightuousnes For if somtimes out of doctrines yet for the most parte we sée al this order of interpreting to be gathered out of institutions which otherwise according to that forme that I haue exhibited in the thirde chapter may be excerpted out of the same meÌ„bers And now theÌ„ there happeÌ„ such narratioÌ„s as séeme to minister very little matter to teache wherefore it is no lesse requisite then profytable that the partes thereof be expounded after this sort as touching some certaine common and large stretching place Thefore truely a man may more rightly terme all this kind of â—narration instructiue or morall then allegorycall And to be true that we saye we will shewe it by an example taken out of Christom For he in his homilie 67. vpon Mathew séeking occasion to prouoke his hearers to deserue well of the poore selecteth two partes out of the text of the euangelical histore which he interpreteth of one the same coÌ„mon place procéeding in the like order that wee haue done and so longe taryeth he in them as he iudgeth to be most fyt conuenient The one part is of Christ the king méeke poore whiche was contented to be caried vpon a she Asse wherin Chrisostom teacheth that those things are only of vs to be sought for which the necessary vse of lyfe doth require and that pouerty is to be taken in good part of al men The other wherein it is sayd that some layde their garments vpon the Asse some spread them in the way this Chrisostom explaneth as touching helping and clothinge of the poore Therefore to the commending and setting forth of the poore tendeth the explications of the cause of the two partes and standinge somwhat long vpon either of them with great sharpenes of speache setting abroche all the engings of arguments he exhorteth vrgeth soliciteth impelleth all men to indeuour to be benefyciall to the poore Nowe that héere are to be séene allegorycall interpretations no man being in his right minde will affirme but all men may easely perceiue them to bee playne instructions Howbeit in the same sermon Crisostom there rather vseth an allegory where he auoucheth that by the Asse is sygnifyed the Iewish people accustomed to beare the burthen of the lawe and by the Colte the Gentiles which liued alwayes without the law without burthen without the discipline of Gods commaundements That the Asse like wise and hir Colts were brought of the disciples forasmuch as the Apostles by the preaching of the word ought to conduct both the peoples vnto Christ That Christ moreouer rode vppon either beast as theyr Lord for that he gathered to himselfe of either people an obedient Church and that the Gospell is paciently heard of their both That no man forbad the beasts to be brought vnto christ bicause it lyeth not in the power of any man to stop the course of the Gospel In the Colt so sodenly admitting one to take his 〈◊〉 without kicking to be shewed the prompt ready minde of the Gentiles in receiuing of the Gospell Agayne whilest the Asse commeth after the Colte to be signifyed that after Christ hath drawen vnto hym all the Gentiles the Iewes also will one day with greate zeale follow after By the disciples putting their clothes vpon the beasts that Christ might the more conueniently syt to he mente the teachers of the Gospell which ought not vnwillingly to bestow all that euer they haue yea euen their bodye and soule so that their hearers may be furthered and the glory of Christ more and more set forth And thus muche welnigh hath Chrisostom in that place But yet there is no man that séth not the interpretations to be very discrepant where one sayeth that forasmuche as Christe was contented to be caryed on an Asse and hir Colte we are taught that wee ought to liue contented with a fewe thinges and pacientlye to beare our necessetie and agayne for that Christe was caried vppon an Asse and hir Colte to bee signified twoe peoples to wit the Iewes and Gentiles that shoulde acknowledge Christ to be their Lord and receyue his gospell Agayne there is founde no smal difference in case where the disciples are reported to haue layed their garmentes vpon the beastes whereon Christ ought to sitte it be one while added that all men are there admonished willingly to giue clothes and other necessarys to the poore an other while it be sayde to signifye howe it behoueth the Preachers of the Gospell to bestowe all that they haue yea euen their body and soule for their flock Certes those former interpretations are excerpted out of the natiue sense of the words standing in the text and be perspicuously referred to the institution of lyfe whiche thing is the cause why Chrisostom discusseth them with a more plentifull discourse but in the later interpretacions digression is made from the proper signifycation of the wordes wherefore that they are allegorycall and for that cause the lesse profitable to the information of lyfe and mouing of affections there is no man that canne well dissemble
as it is required of vs that we should expound a parte of an holy boke or also some certaine place taken out of the holy Scripture it is by all meanes very requisite that we expresse the state or summe of those thinges whereof wée will entreate in one theame compounde And that the like thinge happeneth somtimes when entreatie is made of an entier booke of Scripture wée haue already by examples brought as touchinge Ecclesiastes Cantica Salomonis and the Gospell after Iohn aboue declared Besides when any thinge falleth out by occasion to be talked off in the pulpit it is necessary that the same be propounded in a theame compounde Of this sorte it is if I say Honger or drouth is paciently and quietly of vs to be endured God by his iust iudgement sent the calamitie that fell through haile Of the one Theame Basilius Magnus most grauely entreateth of the other Gregorius Nazianzenus Now hereby it maye plainely appeare that the vse of those thinges which are to bée touched in this Chapter is of very great importance in the Church of god In the meane time it shall be lawfull briefely to absolue these thinges forasmuch as very many pointes doe accorde herevnto which are sufficiently at large discussed in the former Chapters I. Where if so bée therefore thou be determined to handle a theame compounde when a whole booke is taken in hande to be declared or a part out of any booke of scripture is proposed to the multitude there is no man that seeth not the very text of the diuine wordes which are recited in the sacred assembly to minister and suggest by it selfe many and diuers things which may both godly and relygiousely be vttered and through euery part thereof be aptly dilated and amplified It shall then therefore be best to imitate followe some one of those orders of expoūding which we haue comprised in the 3.4.5.6 chapters of this present boke II. But where as no reading or lecture of holy Scripture ouer longe shall goe before but onely either a briefe sentence or a place out of some sacred booke shall be taken in hande or els no wordes at all be premised out of the scriptures thē truely it shall be expedient thoroughly and exactly to consider all those thinges in order which we haue in certaine obseruations comprehended noted in the seauenth Chapter as touchinge the maner of handelinge one place or sentence of scripture For it is conuenient that the same consideration be had as well of a sentence as of a theame compounde A proufe hereof is this that oftentimes those that are purposed to declare a theame compound doe gladly borrowe some sentence out of the scriptures which may be agreable to their purpose doe prefixe it before their Sermon or in any wise insert it The Apostle to the Romaynes 4. intendinge to proue that man is iustified by faith taketh that sentence out of Gene. 15. Abrahā beleeued god it was imputed vnto him for rightuousnes In the Epistle to the Galathians handeling the same matter he produceth out of Geneses 22 the promise of god made vnto Abraham In thee or in thy seede shal al the nations of the earth be blessed Moreouer in the two sayd Epistles in that to the Hebrues is prefixed a theame compounde or briefe sentence out of the prophet Abacuc 2. The iust man shall liue by fayth That the same craft or cunning therfore is aptly to be applied to the tractatiō of a theame cōpound which a litell before we shewed to be requisit to the discussing of a sētence or place of holy scripture ther is no cause why any man should doubte III. And forasmuch as wée then also admonished that it is somtime very necessary in case a resolution of a sentence or place taken out of the Scriptures be had and all the partes therof examined a parte it shall be profitable also to vse the like experience in the tractation of a theame compounde When this thinge is to be done it shall be conuenient not onely to goe that waye to worke which we haue shewed to bee open vnto vs in the holy Scriptures and that truely very excellent but also wée shall gette furniture of teachinge both substanciall and plentious out of those thinges whiche in the former Chapter bée of vs declared as touchinge the explanation of simple theames For certes the places which deuided into two formes or orders we shewd to be attributed to the kinde didascalicke doe giue occasion of deuising and finding out great and weightie thinges of euery theame that is offered Wherfore wee shall not without cause require ayde and succoure of them As touching all which thinges here to repeate againe with many wordes that which hath bene already sayd would bée very superfluous IIII. And surely séeinge the multitude and varyetie of thinges is infinite that are treated off in the Church so ofte as the vse and order of time doe require there can no better counsaile or aduice be giuen then that euery man haue a speciall regarde vnto their Sermons which haue most aptely and holily handeled theames compound and that he endeuour so far forth as lieth in him to render and expresse in his sermons that which he perceyueth to haue most force and grace in them Such Sermons are with great care and exacte iudgement to be pervsed to the intente thou maist examaine euery thinge occurrent in them and that which is best to bee liked choycely digest and put in order as things to be adioyned to thy household stuffe to be vsurped as thine owne when time and occasion shall serue To make any futher declaration it is not necessary But examples wherein theames compounde of the kinde didascalick are most learnedly explaned these inespecially be commended in the sacred Scriptures In the Epistle to the Romaynes the Apostle declareth at large that men are iustified by faith without the workes of the lawe Againe cap. 9.10.11 That the Iewes are reiected of god and the Gentiles called to be the people or Church of god In the first Epistle to the Corinthes cap. 15. it is proued by stronge argumentes that the deade doe all rise or reuiue againe In the Epistle to the Galathyans it is againe confirmed that men are iustified by fayth without the workes of the lawe in the last part of the second Chapter and also in the 3.4 and some parte of the 5. Chapters In the Epistle to the Ephesians Thapostle teacheth in thrée Chapters that men by the onely grace of God in Christ are elected called iustified and glorified The author of the Epistle to the Hebrues in two Chapters declareth with wonderfull perspicuitye that Christ is true God and true man. In the same Epistle cap. 7.8.9.10 out of one sentence of scripture are drawen fower distinct theames compounde and euery one of thē is with certaine and assured reasons established and explaned whereof the first is that Christ is a preist after the order of Melchisedec
well the wordes as matters be agréeable and correspondent to our purpose â–ª For thou séeste how the prophisies and promises of the prophetes are of Christ Peter expounded of those things that then came to passe in Iudea thou séest Rom. 4. a very shorte sentence touchinge the maner whereby Abraham was iustified to be applied to the interprised disputation thou séest Rom. 10.1 Corinth 10. Gal. 4. historicall examples to be added to And in the place where the apostle 1. Corinth 9. goeth about to proue that to the ministers of the Gospell all thinges necessary for this lyfe are duly to be ministred of the hearers he taketh out of Duet 25. a certaine precept and showeth it to agrée very well with the cause that he hath in hande Speake I these thinges after the maner of men Saith not the lawe the same also For it is writen in the lawe of Moses Thou shalt not mosell the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the Corne. Doth god care for oxen Sayth he not this altogether for our sakes Yea for our sake is this writen that he which eareth might eare in hope and he which soweh in hope might be partaker of his hope It is no harde case to note in readinge many moe examples in which diuers things that are spoken off may aptlye be ioyned together and may aunswere accordingly to the purposed matter For like as the Prophets doe take and apply those their sayinges out of the law Christ and the Apostles both out of the lawe and the Prophets So haue we frée lyberty to borrow all maner of sentences whatsoeuer out of the law prophets and apostles And not onely olde and auncient matters out of the holy Scriptures but also late and new not much past our memory or the memory of our fathers yea and such daily as styll come to passe adde also thinges taken out of other writers as Poets Historiographers and such like may somtimes fittely and opportunly be adioyned to the confirmation of any thing belonging to the present state of thinges For Christ when he laboured to moue all men alyke to repentaunce to the entent they might so with feare and trembling looke for the comming of the Lorde and some were then present that shewed hym of the Galilaeans whose bloud Pilate had mingeled with their sacrifices he aunswering them that told him such newes sayth Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners aboue all other Galilaeans bicause they suffered such thinges I say vnto you no for except yee repent yee shall all likewise perish Either els suppose ye that those eighteene persons vpon whom the towre in Siloe fell and slew them were detters more then al the inhabitaunts of HierusaleÌ„ I say vnto you no but except ye repent ye shal al likewise perish And Mat. 11. Luk. 7. Christ speaking of the stiffenecked Iewes which would neither admit his preaching nor the preaching of Iohn Baptist To whom shal I resemble saith he the men of this generation whoÌ„ are they like They are like vnto childreÌ„ sitting in the market place crying one to an other saying we haue piped vnto you ye haue not dauÌ„ced we haue song vnto you a mournful song and ye haue not wept For Iohn Baptist came neihter eating bread nor drincking wine and ye saye he hath the diuell The sonne of man came eating and drincking and ye say Behold a great eater and drincker of wine a friend of Publicans and sinners And wisedome is iustified of all hir children Likewise the interpretations of the parables as they are of Christ hymselfe made and put forth be replenished with this kinde of craft and workmanship of applyinge And how the Apostle in his most graue Sermons and Epistles hath vsed the testimonies or sayinges of the Poets to witte of Aratus Act. 17. of Menander 1. Cor. 7.15 of Epimenides Titus 1. it is better knowne then that it shall be needefull to reherce the places themselues But out of this admonition touching the heaping together of proofes or argumentes to be skilfully and conueniently applyed to the businesse of which intreaty is made or to the present state of the Church floweth an other exhortation as holesome and necessary as any other That is that all men would wisely weigh and consider with themselues how farre forth it shall be expedient to vse the holy sermons whiche other haue made and setle forth The causes of this exhortation when thou shalt heare whosoeuer thou art I knowe thou wilt pronounce theÌ„ to bée iust and lawfull Wée se which is greatly to bée marueled at the minysters of Churches euery where to be so tied and fastened wholly to the bookes that conteyne the diuine sermons coÌ„piled with no litle study by others that by reason therof they neglecte to reade the sacred Byble there wanted litle but I had sayd plainely contemne it But it can not be dissembled that the authors of those sermons doe ofte times adnixe long and tedious digressions also interlace without order reasons and argumeÌ„tes somwhat discrepant from the scriptures openly recited namely forasmuch as they iudged them in especially to be méete and conuenient for the place and time Now it can not be that those selfe same thinges shoulde be apt and correspondent to the present state of the church wherein thou supplyest the office of teaching Howbeit let vs admit that there be no digressions at all and that the holy scriptures are simply and sincerely expounded in them but what maketh that to thy purpose I praye thée if the whole explanation as it lyeth be directed most chifely to those poyntes of Christian doctrine whiche in those places and times were in déede very aptely and with great grace handeled of the Preachers and fauourablye receiued of the hearers where as nowe in these dayes and with thy audienâ—es they will all bee out of season To what ende serueth the explication of that portion of Scripture wherein are confuted the mayntayners and defenders of two contray beginninges the Manichees or other hereticks whose assertions haue now no where any place What shall it profyt to inueigh against those that gad to the Lystes or Theater to beholde playes and games before that people whiche is vtterly ignoraunt what those termes meane Moreouer it is no poynt of wisdome nor conuenient to vtter straight wayes euery thinge openlye especially in diuine matters that is gathered together by the labour and iudgement of other men For they doe alledge in déede out of the Scriptures sentences examples proofes and probations of all sorts but forasmuch as some of them doe note the same very briefly and onely as ye would saye by poyntes or titles some also doe scrape them together at all aduentures out of others whiche haue lykewise lately published and put forth Sermons it is very requisite except thou wilt cast as well thy selfe as thy hearers into open daunger that thou shouldest diligently examine euery thing takynge a narrow new of the
contriued and couched togyther but other places much more holesome and fitte for the enformation of the hearers such as are these of preparation vnto death that death is the penaltye of sinne of the miseries of mannes lyfe of the delyueraunce from them by death of the contempt of the world and all earthely things of desiring the felicitie of the lyfe to come of the immortalytye and eternall blessednes of sowles of the resurrection of bodyes of the last iudgement how an accompt is to be made therin of all the life past of Gods mercy open to all sinners if they repent but euen at the last gaspe againe that the deade are not immoderately to be bewayled or lamented but that GOD rather is to be thanked which hath deliuered them out of the most filthy prison of theyr body that the death of the sayntes is pretious in the lordes sight that they are all happye and blessed to whom it is giuen to sléepe in the LORDE that is to saye in the confession of a true fayth and who is able to recken vppe the residewe II. Where if so be it be thought good after these places declared that somewhat be sayde of the brother which is brought to buriall then add they briefely and as ye woulde say shamefastely some thinge touchinge the kinde of life that he imbraced and shewe how deuoutly he serued God therin by diligent performinge of those thinges that were his dutye to doe Wherby the hearers also are giuē to vnderstand what great industry it behoueth them to employe to the intent euery of them in their callinge and kinde of life may become acceptable to God. III. Peraduenture also they commende and set before them the be aliue to be followed one or other vertue wherin the brother deceassed excelled or some notable acte done by him for the behoofe of the Church for the common wealth for redressinge the calamities of the poore or his confession of Faith made in the very conflicte of death Further as touchinge the Doxologiae whereof wee made mention before they are not now in vse They were bestowed altogether in aduauncinge and cōmendinge of gods goodnes towarde mankinde and in times past were premised in the sacred assemblye to the intent the people might with more willinge mindes and with greater deuotion sing holy himnes vnto God giue thankes to him for his most ample benefites poured vppon them as well spirituall as corporall But now commonly for the most part in some partes of the Sermon is commended and set foorth after the same rate the goodnes and clemency of God his iustice seueritie wrath power prouidence and other poyntes to him attributed and that verily to the ende men might be moued and induced to thankes giuinge to eschewe vice to repentaunce to amendement of life to put their trust and confidence in God. But how these partes ought to be absolued and accomplished it may be knowne out of those thinges that bée already saide Bée it therefore sufficient to haue in this wyse giuen enstruction touchinge all these thinges now will wé add certayne Cantions and then afterwarde examples I. The first Cantion The Preacher must not endeuour himselfe to perswade any thinge to the multitude but that which is necessary and showeth foorth presente profite and vtilitie II. In perswasions or exhortations there must appers in the speaker a francknes or libertie ioyned with a certaine fauourable simplicitie For the one addeth weight or importaūce and vehemently moueth the other putteth away al suspicion that the preacher be not thought either craftily to handle his cause or otherwise to séeke his owne priuate commoditie Some there be that endeuour to set foorth certaine things and doe cunningly pretend a certaine veyle of religion but by litell litell they bewraye themselues to tender more their owns gaine and lucre then the furtheraunce of true religion Of which sorte of craftesmen our age alas the while hath brought foorth to to many whom the successe hath openly proued to be such as haue sought meanes to pamper their gréedy paunch and to gaine not soules to Christ but money to the vnsaciable God their helly III. By like reason he must take héed that in any wise he be not perceyued to submit and abase himselfe in perswading more then is méete for that truely is the point not of teachers with grauitye but of flatterers with great leauitye He that teacheth the multitude ought not to be carelesse in defending of his owne authoritye IIII. Further as our exhortations ought to be-voyde of all rude inciulitye so againe must we prouide that we séeme not ouer nice secure colde or timerous V. Neither certes shall a man thincke that he doeth as much as he néedeth to doe when he once or twise putteth his hearers in minde of any thing or exhorteth them to doe this or that but he must often times and with great feruentnes repeate the selfe same cause and that so longe till he shall perceyue owe fruites to followe Chrisostome that it ought so to be declareth in many wordes in his sixt homilie vppon the first Epistle to Timothye And we may sée in the Sermons of the sayd father diuers and sondry admonitions sometimes also very longe and applied to the mouing of affections as touching the selfe same matters This likewise must not be forgotten Where there be many ministers in one Churche to sustayne the laboures of teaching there they shall viligently common and entreate amonge themselues of those affayres which they shall iudge to be profitable and necessarye for the behouse of the Church that with like study and agréement they may handle the same before the people VI. Again he that purposeth the time so requiring to publishe and set forth the prayses of some holy men shall doe it very sparingly yea and shall purposely auoide fond and fabulous histories and the vaine rablement of miracles There be some stories of Saintes carried about which are altogither vnsauory and vntrue some also openly reiected as it may appere Distinctione XV. C. Sancta Romana Paule the Apostle to the Romaines 15. reporteth that he by the power of Christ had done many signes and wonders and yet Luke in the Actes toucheth very fewe Let vs therfore likewise followe here in the wysdome of Luke II. In the prayse and commendation of déedes and of thinges nothinge must in any wise be spoken for fauour or flattery But as in other thinges so also in prayses ought a meane and measure to be prefixed VIII Besides in all prayse he must be sure to obsteine from such comparisons as may engender enuy grudge For comparisons are wont for the most part to procure hatred and offence euen in prophane matters Wherefore ther is no cause why thou shouldest hope that they will bée well thought off and allowed in diuine matters IX And with the same modesty prudence it behoneth him to procéed in funerall Sermons in which some thing is inserted to
ought more modestlye to deale sometimes with those that supply any publicke charge and are placed in the degrée of worshippe or dignitie the apostle séemeth to insinuate where vnto Timothy he saieth Rebuke not an Elder but exhort him as a Father And we may doubtles prosecute the cause of religion and of the Church with great feruentnes and may also vrge the seuerity of ecclesiastical discipline but yet this whole busines requireth a certaine moderation and discretion Wherefore of some is improoued the sharpnes of Chrisostom in his correctory Homilie entituled against Eutropius of which sée the Tripartite histo lib. 10. cap. 4. The like iudgment haue a number giuen of the homily wherin the same Chrisostom by reason of Eudocia the Empresse whom he knew to be grieuously displeased and to practise wiles against him displaied and layed open the vngraciousnes of women Like wise of an other against the saide Eudocia the beginning where of is Herodias once againe waxeth mad and is troubled shee longeth once againe to gette Iohns head in a dish XX But howsoeuer we prepare a Sermon to reproue our fuperiours we must take diligent héede leaste wee vnaduisedly powre foorth any thing wherby the vngodly may snatch occasion either to vtter or attempt any thing seditiously So to secke to take away offences that greater offences grow thereby séemeth to be the part of an vnaduised or rather of a mad man And vndoubtedly euery Ecclesiastical reprehension ought to tende to amendement not vnto tumult to edification not to destruction XXI And albeit so oft as any degrées of men are touched by way of rebuke it be expedient to refrayne from their names yet when entreaty is made of such persons as procure destruction to the whole multitude of whiche sort inespecially are the authors of sects and open rebels then is it lawful to vtter their names or to paint foorth their persons in their coolours For so doth Paule the Apostle 1. Timothy 1.2 Timoth. 2. call Himenaeus Alexander and Philetus hetitickes by name and willeth them to be auoyded Againe in the same Epistle cap. 4. he toucheth Alexander the copper Smith But least any man shoulde alledge and saye that this is done in an epistle writen priuately to one looke Esay cap. 22. openly preaching against Sobna the scribe xxii Thou must not think much to reproue the selfe same crimes often times and in diuers sermons and truly so long till thou shalt perceiue some amendement to follow Touching this thing Chrisostō admonisheth in a certaine homily entituled of Dauid and Saule and of tolleration or sufferaunce The same also hath left vnto vs notable examples especially where hee inueigheth against swearing wrath c. xxiii Now and then also he that hath the ouersight of the Church doth wisely threaten those that declare by euydent proofe that they wyll by no meanes forsake theyr vycious lyuinge howe hee wyll exclude them according to Christes institution from the holy table of the Lord that is as they vse to speake excommunicate them especially where the crimes be such that they minister reproche to the Church onely where they are committed and be supposed to require such a remedye or medicine Which thing we may sée Chrisostom to doe with a stout and valiaunt courage in his tome v. homilie 26. 28. where he entreateth against those that vsed vnaduisedly to sweare XXIIII Neither is this ynough The Preacher shal admonish also and exhort the christian maiestrate to put to his helpinge hande to the suppressinge of sinne and vice Which thing truely he may easely bring to passe in case he will but inioyne a certaine ciuyll penaltye to those that dispise or deride the worde of GOD and the censures of the Church For what shall the Preacher of the Gospell preuaile with brutish and degenerate people though he stoutly set forth things profitable comptrole the contrary if so be the maiestrate doth not acknowledge it also to bee a parcell of his charge to aide and assist him Truely there shall neuer be any common weale established worthy the name of christian where it commeth to passe that how much the teachers of the Churche doe build vp through their trauaile in declayming continualy against vices so much againe the ciuil maiestrates doe pluck downe through their negligence in neuer séeinge execusion done vpon those that be offenders XXV But in all the order of reprouinge of sinnes it is very necessary that the minister of the worde doe studiously teach by what meanes sinnes and the custome of sinning may best be auoyded of euery man. Chrisostom in his tome v. homily 5. doth skilfully show a way how the wicked custome of swearinge might be eschewed Ezechiel whilest cap. 34. hee reprooueth euill pastors by the same diligence declareth what the office of a good sheapheard is xxvi I had almost forgotten this Vnto euery bitter and vehement rebuke shall be adioyned some temperature of comfort and that chiefely by propoundinge vnto them that repent certayne and assured hope of mercy which god accustometh bountifully to exhibit to all those that vnfeignedly craue it at his handes The maner is among the Phisitions of bodies to put to their simple purging medicines when by their sharpenosse they molest the stomack or other parts of the bodye certaine thinges to allay their strength yea and with all bitter medicines least the mouth should be brought out of fast to intermedle swéet thinges We sée therfore that this deuise hath lyked also the prophets the Phisitions of soules whose perpetuall fashion in a maner is vnto rebukes to ioyne consolations and vnto threatnings to add promises And why it ought so to be this is the reason The preacher must with all diligence bende him selfe to this that he bring sinners not onely to sorrow of minde or contrition as they call it but also vnto faith for in these two partes that is to say contrition or mortification faith is repentaunce accomplished and that for this cause least such as finde themselues gilty of euerlasting dampnation being cast downe by the seuerytie of Gods iudgement should be driuen headlong into desperation xxvii At length when the preacher féeleth and perceyueth that by his fidelity and diligence by his timely and vntimely entreatings pursuinges cryings twitchinges instigations some are brought to amendement of lyfe he shall at some conuenient time prayse them and comfort them either publikely all in generall or some also priuately as much as lieth in him shall be the author vnto them of perseueringe in their good and godly purpose Which thing also we may perceiue the prophets to haue done oft times whilst they commende and set foorth the felicitie of them that reuoltinge from the tents of vngodlynesse do repayre to the Ensignes of fayth and repentaunce And it commeth to passe truely by this meanes that they doe not lightly returne againe to the filth of their former life neither can iustly be touched with these prouerbes The dog
wherevpon also it pleased Chrysostom to touch them only in few words and as it were beside the purpose These thinges therfore being duly considered it wyll be very easy to giue a right iudgement as touchinge the interpretations which wee haue vsed in this present Chapter First is briefely playnly expounded in passing through all the partes whatsoeuer belongeth to the sacred narration Then to euery parte is ioyned an interpretation in which appéereth nothing hard wrested or farre fet but out of the aduised consideration of the words and senteÌ„ces are those thinges deduced which ingender holesome institutions or instructions of lyfe And to make the matter more cléere and lightsom euery thing is in such sort disposed that all thinges are directed to the nature and true vse of one common place In which respect no doubt the hearers capacitie is better prouided for then if many thinges and the same diuers and not euident should be obtruded Who therefore will deny this maner of interpretinge with great fruit to be exercised and to be both godly and profytably produced to the people in the Church And as I admonished in the beginninge to those that in the partes of the historycall narration can not by obseruing a certayne course and order of causes effectes contingents and suche lyke places it is no harde matter to make and adorne these kindes of interpretations But from allegories such inespecially as very necessitie it selfe doth not extort in those places of Scripture which of themselues sygnifye otherwise some inconuenience euery man shall by mine aduice so far forth as may be absteine We sée in so great a worke of the propheticall and apostolycall bookes how fewe are vsed It is playne that they are more apt to delight with then to teach and that none but very slender proofes are deriued out of them therfore that place is to be giuen vnto them onelye after other arguments whiche haue in them more pithe and strength They haue very litle or no graâ—e at all if they be diffused through all the partes of an oration yea the sacred SermoÌ„ which is on euery side powdred with allegories is iudged verye slender and barren And in a matter little fruitfull to tâ—uet to séeme witty and to spend much time no man will iudge it to be the part of a wise man and of one that séeketh the profyt of his hearers Wherefore I purpose not to adioyne vnto this our work any Chapter at al touching allegorycall sermons These thinges that we should in this maner somwhat more proâ—ixly theÌ„ we thought for prosecute and discourse we were by the temeritie that we speake nothing more bitterly of some mens iudgement vehemently compelled That somtime the whole reading of the sacred Scripture is briefely runne ouer to the intente some one common place may afterwarde more at large be declared Cap. VI. WE finde commonly in the sacred Sarmons of the holy fathers had vnto the people the whole reading of scripture euen so muche as had bene recited to be discoursed with a compendious paraphrase or some other lyke apte forme of enarration and that parte which remaineth whole and principal to be consumed in the explication of one common place And that commeth to passe not onely when an historycall narration but also when a tretise of doctrine taken out of the holy scriptures is in hand Examples almost infinit are extant in Iohn Chrisostom especially in his expositions vppon the sacred bookes as Genesis the Gospel of Mathew Iohn and the epistles of S. Paule For in his homilie 3. vpon Genesis whilest his intent is briefly to reproue y Gentiles which supposed that al things created were gouerned by chaunce fortune he handeleth a common place at large as touching the reducinge of those that erre into the right way whence lastlye he falleth to the commendation of almes Againe in his homiles 7. 8. he entreateth of reclayminge the Gentiles from their error albeit in the later some thinges are added as concerning fasting In his 4. homilie after the partes of scripture before read declared he toucheth the right vse maner of fastinge and the restraynt of wicked lusts A good part of his 26. homilie is spent in stirring vp the hearers to render thanks vnto God for hys benefits receyued Homilie 27. hee reasoneth al large touching the remitting of wrongs and that not coueting of reuâ—gment In the greater part of his homilie 30. he intreateth of fasting and praier Vpon the Gospell of Math. homilie 4. ChrisostoÌ„ declareth in many words what maner of people that people of god is that should be deliuered from their sins 〈◊〉 Christ withal admonisheth euery man to study â—o shew hiÌ„selfe faithfull to be one of the nuÌ„ber of Gods people We might out of the gospel of Math. which conceiueth hystorycall narrations out of Paules epistles in which is plainly exhibited the handling of manifold doctrine produce and bring forth no few example 〈◊〉 séeing euery man sufficiently perceiueth vnto what ende our discourse tendeth no man will think it needful Onely therfore héere we wil admonishe how it commeth to passe two maner of waies that a commoÌ„ place after the scriptures expounded may be declared at large I Somtime occasion is taken of those things that in the in self text of the scriptures read are spoken or touched In the homilie vpon Gene. 26. to speak of thanks to be giuen vnto God after his benefyts receiued he is moued by the example of the gratitude which he saw in Noe. Homilie 4. vpon Mathew is in good time prosecuted the long discourse touching the people of God forasmuche as the angell had sayd that Christ should saue his people from theyr sinnes Homilie 67. vppon Mathewe it is reported in the texte that the disciples put their clothes vpon the beast whereon their Lorde shoulde be caried Herevppon therefore taketh Chrisostome occasyon to speake at large of clothing and reléeuing euery way the poore II Again somtimes a common place is handeled in the seconde parte of the Sermon not for that in the Scripture read beefore there happeneth any mencion thereof but bycause the order of time and the state of the Churche doe greatly require it Wherfore when Chrisostome in the time of a publyke fast tooke in hande the interpretation of the booke of Genesis hee diuers times with verye good cause breaketh forth into a common place of fasting So in an other place also in the chiefe and greatest part of his Oration he reproueth certayne vices or doth some other thinge not vnlyke But howsoeuer it shall séeme good to deale it behoueth wise deliberation to be had at all times as touchinge the choice of the places that are in this sorte to be handeled For other thinges serue for other times places persons which also is a thing commonlye knowen Howe and after what sorte one place of Scripture or some certaine sentence ought conueniently to be handeled Cap. VII NOt