THE PREAcher or Methode of preaching vvrytten in Latine by Nicholas Hemminge and translated into Englishe by I. H. Very necessary for al those that by the true preaching of the word of God labour to pull downe the Sinagoge of Sathan and buylde vp the Temple of GOD. 1. Corinth 1.18 The preaching of the Crosse is to theÌ„ that perishe foolishnesse but vnto vs vvhich are saued it is the povver of God. Seene and alowed according to the Queenes Maiesties Iniunction ¶ Imprinted at London by Thomas Marshe Anno. 1574. Cum Priuilegio To the right Honourable Dougles Lady Sheffeld late wyfe of Lord Iohn Sheffeld disceased Iohn Horsfall her most humble and faithfull seruaunt wisheth all health and godlines long to continue vvith increase of vertue and zeale in Religion â‚ AFter that I had by the good aduise and earnest persuation of certaine of my brethren Ministers of this citty of London traÌ„slate out of latine into our vulgar tongue â—â—â—s litle booke intituled The preacher or Methode of preaching c. necessary for all those that by the true sincere preaching of the worde labour to pull downe the sinagogue of Satan and to build vp the temple of God I thought it my bounden duty right Honourable and my singuler good Lady to dedicate the same vnto your honour and that for diuers and sondrye causes VVherof the first and chiefest is that zeale and godlines in the true religioÌ„ fayth of our sauiour Christ which I by experience haue noted and fouÌ„d to be such in you that you do not onely your selfe dailye serue God by prayer but do also straightly commaunde all your family and see them do the same Imitating herein the example of the faythfull father of all the Sonnes of God AbrahaÌ„ who did not onely himselfe but also appointed his whole family which was greate to serue God daily The second cause is the correctioÌ„ of sinne by displacinge and puttinge cleane out of your house al such which by their vngodlines might either briÌ„g vppon themselues the iuste plague of Almighty God or els be an euill exaÌ„ple vnto others to coÌ„mit the like The third is your honours gret meekenes patience and modestye towardes all meÌ„ and in all your affayres The last cause is for that it pleased your honour of your goodnes mere liberality to accepte and take me to be your household Chaplaine as it were a guide and helper of that godly zeale of calling vpon the name of God receiuing of his Sacraments These causes therefore diligentlye considered I thought it my duty to dedicate the first fruits of this my labour vnto your honour partly to declare vnto you mine obedient thanckfulnes of minde and partlye that both honourable and all others in this lande beholdinge your honours vertuous and Godlye lyfe might not onelye imitate and followe the same but also glorifie God the father of our Lord Iesus Christe To whom I commende your honour hartely beseechinge him to encrease in you daily more and more al maner of vertue and godlines to blesse and enriche you with all maner of prosperity and to graunt that for our good ensample and to the settinge forth of Gods honour and glorie you maye liue longe many quiet and happy yeares amongest vs and after this lyfe to liue with Christ for euer Amen To his brethren and fellowe Ministers of the Churche of Christe in EnglaÌ„d the interpretour wisheth peace true knowledge to the honour glory of God and to the edification of the sayde Churche by true vnderstanding and since preaching of the woorde of GOD. THis little booke intituled Ecclesiastes and first written in Latyne by Hemminge was thought meete and very profitable to be translated and turned into Englishe not onely by mee but also by the iudgement of diuers others of my brethren godly and zealous Ministers of this citi of London who coÌ„sidering the great profite that hereby might come firste vnto the Churche of Christe and nexte vnto them selues and to all their other brethren and fellowe Ministers throughout this little realme of Englande according to their calling whiche do or ought to thriste and hunger after the increase and aduauncement of Christe his kingdome to the ouerthrowe vtter distruction of blindnes error Popery superstition and of all the tyrannie of Anti-christe haue perswaded me to accomplyshe their great and earnest desire and to translate into our vulgare tongue this little and necessary treatise of Himmenge called Ecclesiastes wherein what paynes I haue taken I had rather a great deale the learned in reading should iudge then that I would speake any one worde of my selfe This only as I trust without offence of any I maye truely saye that it would haue bene a great deale easier for me to haue medled rather with some one whole and continuall commeÌ„tarie theÌ„ with this little treatise which in my iudgement may not vnfitly be termed Christiana Rhetorica that is to say an arte out of the whiche the true and faithfull Ministers of Christe may learne playnely and orderly to breake and distribute the worde of God vnto the people and flocke committed to their charge Nowe it is not vnknowen howe harde a thing it is to translate any arte written either in the Latyne or in the Greeke tongue especially into our Englyshe and vulgare tongue in the which we haue wordes neither sufficient nor yet apte enough to declare expresse the same that is to saye the termes and proper names of arte as Genus differentia species adiuncta exordium enarratio genus didascalicum paraeneticum c. not withstanding this great difficultie whiche might altogether seeme to haue bene sufficient to disswade hinder and discourage mee to haue taken this little harde and profitable woorke in hande yet the examples of other wyse learned men who before me haue brought into our tongue the artes of Grammer Logike Rhetoricke Arithmeticke Astronomie Geographie c. did not a little encourage and bolden mee hereunto so that I thought if other graue wyse and learned men before me both Romaynes Italians Germaines Frenchemen and EnglishmeÌ„ haue thought good for the aduauncement of Philosophie and humaine knowledge to bring into their mother tongue those and other like artes firste written in the Greeke tongue though they could not always finde out proper wordes euery one in their owne tongue to declare the proper termes of arte I with muche more bouldnes might take in hand to interprete this little arte of Christian Rhetoricke especially seing that the same doth so farre passe the arte of Rhetoricke as the holy worde of God doth exceede the knowledge of all manner of humaine philosophie For that arte doth teache thee cunningly to handle eloquently to speake of worldly thinges and of mens matters that either in prayse or disprayse either in defending and prouing or els in reprouing impugning discoÌ„mending and disalowing wherof we haue examples in Demosthenes and Cresiphon among the Greecians in M. T. Cicero
an hipocrite or otherwyse wycked so longe the curse of the Lawe and the wrath of God are to bee set before his eyes vntyll hee knowe the greuousnes of his synnes and confesse the same to hym selfe oute of the gryefe of hys mynde But if hee cannot bee broughte thereunto by the Lawe of God and threatenynges a precious stone is not to bee caste before Swyne On the contrary parte If the guyltie persone shall bee broughte to the knoweledge of hym selfe and bee touched with the true feeling of griefe for his sinne committed then at length the arte of Phisicke is to be applyed and these three in order are to be expounded First his fall next the punishment and lastly the ende of both The fall is to be taughte first to proceede of this in that he did caste from him the feare of the Lorde and that may be confirmed fitlye and plentifully out of the first Chapter of S. Paule to the Romaynes Secondlye that nowe the deceites of the deuill the filthines of the fleshe and the wantonnes of the worlde mighte more easelye preuaile against him being as it were vnarmed The fall beinge declared and confirmed wyth these causes In the seconde place wee must declare that the punishment is in no wise equal with the offence committed but is a testimonye of two most contrarye thinges that is to saye of the wrathe of GOD and also of his fatherlye good will and clemencye of the wrathe of God if the guiltye person will not repence and not suffer himselfe to be corrected with the scourge of God Of his fatherlye good will and clemencye if hee being corrected be made better by the punishmente and will flye to the hauen of repentaunce After this in the thirde place the ende both of the fall and also of the punishment is to be declared Of the fall to thend afterward he may be more circumspecte and warier Of the punishmente in that by the singuler councell and purpose of God when in the meane tyme hee spareth manye wicked and mischeuous men hee is chastened not to the ende hee should perishe but that he may haue a ready testimonye of his fatherly good will towardes him But because this will verye hardly perswade him that laboureth vnder the Crosse witnesses and examples are to be broughte forth oute of Gods worde such testimonies verelie as these are Paule the 1. Epistle to the Corinthiās the 11. Chapter saith that we are chastened with aduersity of the Lord least we should be damned with the world See the end of the Crosse is least we should be damned if to witte being admonished by the Crosse we repent againe My sonne sayth Salomon do not refuse the correction of the Lord neither be thou weary whē thou art reproued of him for whom God loueth hee chasteneth yet embraceth him as the father doth his sonne The aucthour of the Epistle to the Hebrues the 12. Chapter sayth that we are bastards and not sonnes if wee be without discipline and correction suche like places are moste fitte wherewith the minde of the guiltye person now beinge penitent maye be lifted vp that nowe he woulde suffer any kinde of punishmente as one readye to obeye Gode let the examples be Manasses Dauid the sister of Moses Kinge Vsias the people ledde into Captiuitye and manye others whiche were punished for certaine sinnes and after throughe repentaunce haue retourned home againe The example of the theefe in comparison of others is famous who hath set foorth a notable example of patience and fayth Hee did not therfore compte himselfe an abiecte because hee suffered soe shamefull a death for his wickednesse but pacientlye sustayned the deserued punishmente by Faythe reposed in CHRISTE After suche like testimonies examples wherwith the iudgemēts of God are to be made knowne in cōparing the manners of men in oure age with the maners of the people in the olde time For God is alwayes like to himselfe whether thou hast respect to punishment or mercy the common places before mencioned maye be added But if that which greeueth him doe come through an others mans faulte that order in applyinge of comforte is to be folowed which in a common comfort I am aboute to declare whereto we must speake at this time That common comfort therefore maye be rightlye framed three thinges are to be obserued First from whence cōmon calamitie procedeth Secondly which be causes thereof Thirdly the applyinge of the Comforte according to the difference of the calamity and of the causes The calamity is eyther sent frō God or els brought in by the ennemyes of our Common weale If the calamitye be of God as the plague wante of foode and vittaile droughte and tempestes the causes are not to be soughte for without vs but in our owne houses and within our selues for the sinnes of perticuler men are the causes of common calamities and oftentimes for one mans fault the whole common wealth is plagued whereof Acham Dauid Oedipus and manye others are witnesses who by their owne wickednes haue brought in a common calamitye Here it is no harde matter to applye a comfort if wee will followe the examples of the holy Prophetes for the examples of them do teache vs what is to be done for they are wont openly to rebuke wickednes and that after three sortes or kindes of wickednes to witte The forsaking of God hypocrisye iniurye done to the neighboure and such like as most chiefelye seeme to abounde amonge the people Examples are extant heare and there in the wrytinges of the Prophetes Againe they are wonte to call publickly together al the congregation to repentaunce fastinge and prayer Certaine notable examples of these two thinges are of late yeares set forthe at the commaundement of our most noble King by the mynisters of oure Churches not withoute greate profite and mittigation of deserued punishmentes Last of al the Prophetes were wont to admonishe them whō they perceyued to bee defiled with wickednes more then others leauing an example to oure mynisters of the worde that they should admonishe rebuke and correct them priuatelye whom they perceiue by theyr idolatry vsurie adulterye tirannye deceites couetousnes c. to bring in a plague to the whole cōmon wealth Tyresias although he were an Ethenicke priest did call Oedipus the tyraunte for whose mischeuous deede the Theban cōmon wealth was punished with the pestilence to painefull penaunce And after this maner Esaye and Ieremye haue corrected and reprehended the kinges of their time and haue ascribed common calamities vnto theym And the ministers of the word ought to knowe that this is not the least part of their function duty which if they neglect eyther for feare or sluggishnes they shall suffer greeuous punishments of God as in the threatnings of Ezechiell is declared and els where But if either priuate or publicke calamitye doe come from men it is either for Iustice or not If for Iustice wee muste then take the comforte from the common
to the deuine nature alone as thoughe the humanity were of no force at all to the benefite of saluation Stancharus on the contrary syde because the worde of promise is of the seede of a woman and Paule calleth Iesus Christe beinge man a mediatour wyth draweth the benefite of redemption from the deuinitie and doth attribute the same to the onelye humanitye Here if there had beene the feare of our Lord and true humilitie and if the desire of contention and pride had beene absente they might easly haue iudged of these misteries by conference of the Scriptures Let the first care be to referre euery interpretation to the proportion of fayth from the which if the interpretation doe disagree it shal be accompted false But contrarywise if it do agree with it althoughe sometimes it erreth from the marke and minde of the aucthore yet oughte ye to knowe that this is done without the dauÌ„ger of saluation But what is it to call an interpretation to the proportion of fayth it is so to ordaine it that it maye be corespondente to the first principles of fayth and that it maye seeme to be as it were builded vppon them For those thinges are sayde to be done accordinge to the proportion which are made by comparison to another thinge or els when other thinges are framed by the comparison of others Wherevppon when Paule doth commaunde that Prophecye that is to say the interpretation of the Scriptures ought to be proportionable to fayth hee wylleth that the interpretour shoulde haue respecte to the firste principles of Religion which are plaine and manifest as conserninge the lawe and the promises of the Gospell with the which euery interpretation oughte to agree Wherefore the Papistes in the exposition of this saying If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commaundementes Do departe from the proportion of fayth when they do conclude of this sayinge That men may obtaine saluation by their owne proper workes for this interpretation doth striue with cleare and manifest principles As are these The seede of the woman shall breake the Serpentes heade also The Lambe of God that taketh awaye the sinnes of the worlde and againe If righteousnes be of the law Christe dyed in vaine And alwayes after this maner the mind of the interpretour ought to be bent to the firste principles of our Religion from the which hee shall not suffer hymselfe to be drawne awaye by any Sophisticall reason For hee that countemneth this proportion of Fayth commended of S. Paule to the interpretour and els where doth seeke an interpretation contrary to the rule of faith let him be assured that hee shal be plagued of god For like as in tymes paste vnder the olde Testamente fyer oughte alwayes to be taken from the fier of the Aulter wherewith their Sacrifice shoulde be burned so euery interpretation of the Scriptures should depend vppon the euerlasting word of god And euen as Nadab and Abihu for putting straunge fier in theyr Censors which they were commaunded to doe were punished of the Lorde so heretickes bringing in the deuision of reason and the deceites of Philosophie in steede of true religion are to be iudged worthye of punishmente And thus muche concerninge the helpes of an interpretour nowe will I declare that which in the second place was propounded ¶ The causes of interpretation IN the preface of Philip Melancthons places foure causes of interpretatioÌ„s are rehearsed whereof this is the first that the kind of speache may be vnderstode for hearers or readers do not in euery place vnderstand the phrases of a straunge tongue yea sometimes men of singuler learning take greate paines in this thinge for oftentimes it happeneth that a sentence being expouÌ„ded wâ—â—â— the word of a straung tongue which thoâ—ghe they aunswering truly in significatâ—â—â— yet notwithstandinge they keepe not 〈◊〉 same sence in both tongues and th◠〈◊〉 the difference of the phrase or manner of speache Therefore leaste here vnwares wee may be deceyued oftentimes a learned interpretour is needeful The second cause is the iudgement of the order of thinges For he that perceyueth not the maner of the handling shal certainly very ofteÌ„ times be deceiued as they are which recyte out of Paule this saying against the Iustification of faith Not the hearers of the Law but the doers shal be iustifyed Here if they had considered the maner of the handling they might haue seene Paule in that place not to haue preached of the iustification of works that is to say the men shoulde be couÌ„ted iustifyed throughe woorkes before God when as Paule there laboureth to confute this opinion against the doctrine of fayth Therefore an interpretour is needeful which may shew cunninglye an order and the partes thereof the profite of which thing is greater then that it caÌ„ be declared in few wordes The third cause ought to be the witnes of a true interpretation for when the hearers perceiue the interpretations to be brought froÌ„ the word of God do see the agreement of the word of God and of the pure Church with the interpretation they loue the doctrine more earnestly and do learne it more greedely The fourth cause is the confutation of false opinioÌ„s least learners should be infected with the poysons of heretickes These causes are sufficiently greate enough for that which God wyll haue the mynisterye of his woorde both in scholes and in Churches to be preserued ¶ The kinds of interpretinge ALthough by those things which I haue sayd alreadye concerning the causes of interpretations the kindes of interpreting may after a sorte be vnderstode yet because it is needeful to haue them seperated I wil intreate of them as plainly as I can accordinge as before I haue promised wherefore I haue noted foure kindes of expounding holy thinges in reading the commentaryes of diuers aucthours ¶ The Grammarian his kind of interpreting SOme nothinge carefull of the Methode of a treatise do onely expounde the wordes and the phrases after a familiar plaine manner which kinde of interpretation because it consisteth of a certaine exposition of Grammer it shal be called Grammaticall This kinde did Athanasius Theophilacte Ambrose and many others followe trulye this is prayse worthie that suche excellente men which were able both aboundantly eloquently to make long disputations and orations of euery matter that notwithstaÌ„ding hath submitted themselues to the GraÌ„mariaÌ„s For they knew wel that froÌ„ thence a true sentence shoulde be taken Furthermore this kinde of an interpretour oughte to be instructed with liberall learning For first he ought to haue the knowledge of that tongue which the authore of the wryting vseth vnlesse he desire to see rather wyth other mens eyes theÌ„ with his owne Althoughe a perfect knowledge is not here requyred yet there ought to be so much skill that hee be able to coÌ„ferre together these thre toÌ„gues the Hebrewe Greeke and Latin. For a deuine interpretour hath neede of these three tongues the conference whereof he that
bee disallowed whiche doth appertayne to the nature of teachynge of thynges and doth shewe what order and waye is to be obserued in makyng of Sermones although sometymes those thynges whiche I haue named as accessaries and impertinent are applied by the figure of digression which thing who so euer doth not obserue can neyther make their owne sermons well neyther iudge of other mens nor yet beare them awaye in mynde Wherfore the kyndes of sermons must first be distinguished and then those thinges whiche are added maye verye well bee formed and framed ¶ The kynde of teaching THat part of sermon which appertaineth to teaching is that whose ende is to teache the ignoraunte hearers In this kynde of sermon the godly preacher shall imploye his whole strengthe first that he himselfe do perfectly vnderstande the thing that is to be taught Next that hee frame with him selfe a full and perfecte order of the same in wryting Thirdly that hee expounde the same in a plaine and common speache not hauing any respecte to his owne commendation for his eloquence but rather to aduaunce the glory of God and helpe the capacitie of the present hearers whiche if hee doe he may hope that the hearer shall not wauer in opinions any more but consent to the true and cleare doctrine And because there are two kyndes as before in diuision I haue declared that sermon which appertaineth vnto teaching to wytte Simple or of simple places and compounde or of compounde places The order of teaching requireth that in the first place wee speake of the simple manner of teaching but because in the simple kind of teaching sometimes the persons some times the thinges are intreated of it seemeth best first to speake of the treatise of persons ¶ Of the simple kinde of teaching which belongeth vnto persones THere are twoo kindes of the treatise of persones the one belōgeth to examples the other vnto demonstration For if anye deede of the persone is layde before vs it is an example but if the whole persone be discribed it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say demonstration of the persone Of that treatise of persons whiche belong to examples VVhen any persone therfore is set before vs out of the holy histories whose whole life is not described but some deede of the persone is brought forth that for the cause either of the doctrine or of the immitatiō or els of the admonition it shal be a treatise Paradigmatical that is to say belonging vnto exāples After this māner Paule doth set forth Abraham to the Romaines to the Galathians after this manner the epistle to the Hebrewes chap. xi reciteth a great scroule number of prophets of kings By Abrahā his deede the doctrine nature of faithe is taught the immitation cōmended that exercises of vocation the fruites and workes of true godlines are cōfirmed The repētaūce of Manasses doth teache vs that such as do fal are receiued againe therfore is profitably set before vs for immitatiōs sake it putteth vs in minde of the mercy of God which of his mere goodnes receiueth into fauour so cruell a persecutour of his churche so vile an Idolater But here we must speake against those men who oftentimes do abuse the exāples of sainctes For there ar some who had rather immitate the wicked deedes of saincts then their vertues do defend thē selues with the exāples of sainctes There are some also which out of the personal deedes of sainctes and extraordinary cōmaundements do il fauoredly frame a forme of an act do cōmēd the same as a generall lawe they are not worthy of any answer These ar to be called againe into the right way by an abmonitiō For it behoueth vs to kepe a difference betwene the cōmon personal cōmaundemēts or precepts of godlines which only do touch one people or one mā The Hebrewes were cōmaunded to robbe the Egiptiās Abrahā by Gods cōmaundement maketh him-selfe ready to slaye his sonne for a sacrifice in the moūte Moria These personal actes are not to be applied particularly but onely generally For out of both these exāples we must learne obedience vnto God in those thinges which he requireth of vs in his worde Also in this treatise of thexāples of persons it is manifest that the papistes especially the mōkes haue daūgerously erred who their sermōs haue laide before vs I know not what counterfait petie sainctes haue fained them to haue liued al their life long so blameles that they neuer offēded no not in the least thing Such a fained descriptiō of persōs maketh rather to disperatiō thē to the edifieng of the cōscience wrastling with the greatnes of sinne of the wrath of God. Therfore let vs take vnto vs true examples and let vs leaue fayned examples for the Poetes whiche are not to be handled of thē whiche are called by saint Paule the Stewardes of the misteries of god The sacred scripture and the true historie doth minister examples sufficiently as of Abraham Iob of Ioseph of Manasses of Mary Magdalene of the theefe which was cōuerted of such like for out of such as these ar we may not onely reache the hearers true godlines but also the forme of liuing according to their kynde of calling Therfore the godly preacher must remember to shewe forthe examples profitable vnto godlines and not those whiche seeme to cause disperation Nowe it is time that we declare those thinges wherof wee haue spoken with a playne example And because none can be more famouse thē the example of Abraham I wil lay that before you to be examined Paule sayth Abraham beleued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnes In this place Paule bringeth forth the example of Abraham especially for doctrines sake and from thēce draweth foorth not only the firme and sure doctrine of righteousnes but also the nature of saith and frō thence doth shewe of what holines of life the beleuing man oughte to be After this manner let vs learne by the immitatiō of Paule to obserue two thinges in examples to witte the facte in it selfe and then the circumstances of the persone and of the facte The facte in it selfe doth teache that true righteousnes doth consist of faith in the promises of god The circumstances of the persone and of the facte doe put vs in minde of many thinges First that Circumcision of necessitie is not required to iustification For Abraham was iustified before Circumcision but afterwards circumcision was added as a seale of righteousnes whiche is of faith Secondly the profession of Abraham his life before iustificatiō witnesseth that he was receiued of God not for his owne proper merites or workes going before but by the onely goodnes of God. Thirdly in this example of Abraham is declared that iustification of faith pertaineth equally to all For Abraham was iustified before men were discerned by any outward workes Out of this circumstance the Prophets without doubt haue
of necessitye is ioyned with the former the comprobation for wee see both the Scriptures and the examples do ioyne these three together Dauid being fallen was sorye that he had sinned he fled by fayth to mercy and the rest of his life withall the endeuour hee might he kept innocente These members of partition if they be ioyned wyth definitions deuisions and their reasons a greate profitable and plentiful Oration wil ensue and arise thereof ¶ Of causes NOw we must ad the causes of a thing altogether after a naturall order must seclude or set a part those thīgs which seme to be the causes of a thinge and yet are not To euerye kinde of cause their reasons are to be added out of the word of the Lorde Compounded causes do runne together in their actions and doe stande with mutuall helpes and euerye one hath a certaine proprietye in actions Wherefore the orders of causes are diligentlye to bee considered least there shoulde be a confusion of causes from whence afterwardes great darcknes might aryse Furthermore this is also to be obserued when any thing is commaunded or forbidden al coordinate causes are commaunded and forbidden As whē the sanctification of the name of God is commaunded which cannot be withoute Fayth neyther without the knowledge of God which knowledge of God cannot be withoute the preachinge of the worde of god Therefore when wee are commaunded to praye for the sanctification of the name of God wee aske and praye for these thinges in order for the preaching of the word for the knowledge of God for Fayth and for the sanctification it selfe of the name of god Nowe I will brieflye shew an example hereof The causes of repentaunce are not the free will of man this is the seperation but firste the worde of God next the holy Ghost who inwardlye reproueth sinne stirreth vp a hatred of sinne in the harte of man and last of all a will not resistinge the deuine motion and the worde The endes are the glorye of God and the saluation of the penitente personne These are compounde causes and doe stande wyth mutuall helpes in theyr actions and it easelye appeareth that euerye of them hath a certaine propriety in theyr order to the effect Moreouer how these are to be declared by definitions and confirmed by testimonies maye by the former preceptes be vnderstanded ¶ Of the effect THe effects are to be expounded proued confirmed and gathered to gether and they which are attributed to a thing falsly are to be ouerthrowne by the Methode of confutation As if a man shoulde affirme the contrition deserueth remission of sinnes he is to be confuted after the same manner as before I haue declared ¶ Of the vse and abuse IF the thing haue bene abused first the abuse muste be confuted by the Methode of confutation Secondlye the true and righte vse muste be expounded proued and confirmed ¶ Of contarries COntraryes haue no certaine place neither in this Methode nor in others but are to be dispersed heare and there for illustration and amplifications sake For Rhetoritians do thincke that nothing maketh a thing so plaine and easye as the conferring of thinges which are contrary ¶ Of the simple kinde of teaching called Sintheticall THe Sintheticall exposition is when we begin with those thinges that go before the matter and by little and little by certaine steppes and degrees do put them together and lay them on a heape vntil al those thinges do seeme to be gathered which are sufficient to discusse the nature of the thing As if we should intreat of that peace which we haue in God by fayth these things may be expoūded by the figure called Synthesis that is to say composition First we must declare what the offence is Secondlye the partes of the offence Thirdly the mediatour Fourthlye the recompence and satisfaction of the iniurye and hurt Fiftly the reconsiliation Sixtlye the couenaunt of reconciliation Seuenthly the declaration or publishing of peace Eightly the fruites of peace If these were proued one after another cōfirmed and examplifyed by testimonyes and examples there would spring and arise a large and plentifull Oration On this wise Synthesis doth followe the order of nature and findeth out expoundeth proueth and confirmeth all those questions that naturally go before and doth by cōtraries examples similitudes and dissimilitudes examplifye them Furthermore this also is to be obserued that large and plentifull definitions by this Methode are made and framed as before ye may see in the definition of the Gospell ¶ Of the simple kinde of teaching called Analyticall THe Analyticall exposition is when wee begin from the whole or from the ende and afterwards finde out the partes those thinges which are required to the ende by an order cleane contrary to the former as if we shoulde intreate of prayer in this Methode wee must expounde what inuocation is for a definition contayneth the reason of the whole and what is the ende thereof After that we must number and coūt those thinges which appertaine to prayer as though they were necessary members therof as are the affections of the minde the causes wherefore wee praye who is to be prayed vnto by whom and what wee must praye for Which for memoryes sake I am wont to comprehende in this litle Verse Affectus causae quis per quem quidque petendum That is to saye In prayer these thinges are chiefely to be obserued Affections causes who by whom and what is to be asked Last of al indifferent circumstances may be added as the indifferent circumstaunces of prayer are place time and gesture If these trulye were proued and made manifeste by the Scriptures and by examples a greate and profitable copie of Oratiō would grow thereof Moreouer what so euer wee haue hyther to spoken of the simple treatise of thinges or places ought so to be vnderstāded that they ought al to be done according to the artificial maner of diuers Methodes of simple questions But because varietye delighteth them that are exercised some times learned Preachers do not follow the lawes of this Methode exactlye but do call the hearers as it were to counsell and to chuse those thinges of greate pleney which they thinke most profitable for to be known of the presente hearers And this reason of intreating of thinges some do call the Methode of Prudence which considereth the weight of thinges and the cyrcumstaunces of the present hearers As if a man woulde intreate of the Lawe of god Heare first he should behould the hearers and then consider the waighte of the thinges and then he should more easely reduce the treatise vnto a fewe Chapters easye to be vnderstoode borne awaye And firste perchaunce hee should expound what the Law is Secondlye whether any man may fulfil the Law of God Thirdly what is the vse thereof whē no man fulfilleth it Fourthly what maner of abrogation of the Lawe is to be vnderstanded The like maye bee done in other simple questions
worshipping of god Behold how many generall sentences this first and childishe rule doth minister vnto vs whereof the laste is most common and may be spread into many particuler arguments of the certainty wherof we must iudge oute of the rule followinge The example being confirmed in the subiect the thing is confirmed in the kinde Therefore when this facte is approued in Dauid the thing in the kinde ought not to be disalowed And on the contrarye syde the example in the subiect being reproued in matter is reproued in the kinde As for example Ozias the king of Iuda taking an other mās office vpon him displeased god Therfore kinges yea all men which meddle with other mens matters do displease God for it was the office of the priestes not of kinges to offer the insence of a sweete perfewme ¶ The second Rule IF in steede of the predicate superiours bee by degree and in order substituted as the next formes afterwards other other kindes a plētiful inuentiō or finding out of places will ensue thereof This rule certeinly most oftē is to be folowed in other thinges but alwayes in the Historyes of Christe As for example Christe healeth the Samaritan Leper calling vpon him Because this Samaritane is an Ethnicke and a man afflicted Gather thou from hence the Christe will helpe the afflicted Ethnickes and all men which cal vppon him And because out of the particuler actes of Christ his office generally is gathered it is lawful to frame a place after this maner That it is the office of Christ or of Messias to helpe the miserable and afflicted callinge vppon him ¶ The thirde Rule IF in steede of the subiecte and predicate thou substitute by order formes kinds plenty of common propositions will growe therof As for example Dauid committing adulterie was banished ought of his kingdome Therefore kinges greeuouslye offending and generally all men which liue wickedlye shall some times or other suffer due punishmente The filthines of wicked men was drowned in an vniuersall floud Therfore wicked men at one time or other shal be punished ¶ The fourth rule to make abstractes SOmetimes it is profitable oute of the cōcretes as the beleeuing woman of a Cananite Mat. 15. in her necessitye came to Christe called vppon him woulde suffer no repulse but was more earnest euen as also the ruler of the Synagoge who beleeuing did also conuert his whole family vnto the lord From hence gather thou the proprieties of Fayth that is to saye that fayth inforceth a mā in necessity to come to Christ to call vppon him for succour and maketh him earnest to th ende he maye obtaine it then he proueth the encrease and receyueth it and at length bringeth forth most acceptable fruictes vnto god This rule hath his force oute of that place which is called Comugata that is to say things ioyned together But because those things which I haue rehearsed concerninge Fayth are the principall partes of fayth I haue encluded them in two Verses after this maner Vera fides Christū petit rogat instat ab ipso Impetrat crescit fractificatque simul In Englishe thus True fayth doth seeke for Christ doth aske and maketh earnest sute Obtaynes of him and doth encrease and also bringes forth fruite An other example this is The man is blessed that feareth the Lorde The common place is True felicity cōsisteth in the feare of the Lord the vse of this rule is greate not onely in inuenting of places but also in defining of Concretes For as Aristotle Rodulphe do teache oute of the discription of Concretes the definitions of Abstracts are gathered As for example if thou wouldest define what godlines is take first the Concrete in a notable example As godly Abraham did feare the Lord and did worshippe him in true fayth and obedience Therefore godlines is the feare of the Lord fayth and obedience towardes him By this waye Aristotle founde out the differences of many vertues which they that are studeous in diuinitye shal easely perceyue not to be vnprofitable for them ¶ The fift Rule THose thinges are dilligently to be considered which goe before the matter propounded which are ioyned also with the same and which of necessitye do followe the same and are to be included into common places As Psal 2. Blessed are al they that put their trust in him First here it followeth oute of the antecedents that without Christ none are blessed For if they be then blessed whē they put theyr trust in Christ without this confidence al men are miserable This place also by a contrary sence is cōcluded after this maner all that put their confidence in Christ are blessed Therefore all that put not their confidēce in him are not blessed If they are not blessed certainly they are myserable Heare thou seest how this place doth mynister occasiō to reason of the wretchednes of mankind The second place is of things adioyning which is framed according to the .4 rule to wit the true felicity blessednes consisteth in the cōfidēce which we haue in Christ The third place that the benefite is vniuersal For a general proposition is not restrained to any nation or man but the benefit is offered vnto al which refuse not to put their trust in him The fourth place that fayth in Christ is a meane whereby men are made the partakers of the benefites of Christe The fift place of the diuinity of Christ doth follow out of this place For if fayth is only to be reposed in God bee is pronounced blessed that putteth his cōfidence in Christ it followeth of necessitye that Christe is true God. ¶ The sixt Rule THe necessary consequence of causes and of effectes is not to be neglected For if the cause be set downe the effecte is supposed to be concluded as in our Creede whē we acknowledge God to be omnipotent Faith from thence draweth forth a double effecte the one is that God doth bestowe his benefits vppon whom he wil the other that hee hath power to defend them whom he hath taken into his custodye But let vs adde a more famous exāple In the Lords Supper as oute of a consequence of causes effects particuler sentences are to be gathered oute of a true meditation of the Sacrament Therfore seing that the Lords Supper is a Sacramente of our redemption by the death of Christ First the celebration of the Supper both by little and little put into oure mindes the thoughte of sinne For the Lorde died for sinne Secondlye it admonished vs of the sacrifice accomplyshed for the redemption of mankynde from the lawe of sinne Thirdly the dignitie and excellencie of this sacrifice doth minister vnto godly myndes the thought not onely of the greatnes of the wrath of God in striking his sonne for our sinnes and of the vnspeakeable mercie of God receyuinge vs vnto his grace for the sacrifice of his sonne but also of the loue of his sonne making his
intercession for vs and takyng or deryuing his fathers wrath and displeasure vppon hymselfe Fourthly contrition springeth out of the thought of synne and of the wrathe of god Faythe verely is styrred vp by the vnspeakeable mercie of God and the loue of his sonne payinge the pryce of redemption for vs Fiftlye this fayth is confirmed and encreased by the vse of the Sacramente so great a thing Sixtly faith being confirmed and augmented doth shewe it selfe acceptable to God and doth beginne a godlye honest and iust lyfe and loueth his neighbour with whome hee hath the price of redemption common Beholde what doctrine and lessons what plentie howe godly a meditation of the holy supper the consequence of causes and effectes doth minister vnto vs an other example Christe remitteth sinnes of his owne authoritie Here the effecte doth declare the diuinitie of Christe The theefe rebuketh his fellowe who was a blasphemer and calleth vpon Christe out of which effectes the contrition the faith the newe life of the thefe is to be gathered ¶ The seuenth Rule LEt the repugnauncie of a sayinge or worde and the repugnancie of a consequent bee sought out from whence twoo kyndes of places doe arise Let the saying be he that doth teache any other Gospell is accursed The repugnancie of this saying is this hee that teacheth the same Gospell is not accursed the consequence of the saying is that the Pope is accursed because he teacheth an other Gospell The repugnancie of this saying is ouerthrowen As the Pope is not the head of the churche and we must not obey the Pope ¶ The eight Rule IT is good sometimes by the contrary sense to frame a place when the termes or boundes be equall as for example The iust man liueth by fayth ergo hee that is not iuste liueth not by faythe Whereof it followeth that neither righteousnes nor life is of woorkes For so Paule dothe gather it Gal. 3. That no man is iustified by the lawe in the sight of God it is euidēt because it is written the iust man liueth by faith In like manner a forme by conterpositiō doth some times minister places as euery one that is of God doth heare Gods worde Here the place by conterposition doth gather that he whiche heareth not Gods woorde is not of god These be the principal rules of inuention of places whose fountaines are places of Logike rules of consequences there may be more added to them but I thinke that these are sufficient to newe beginning preachers which if they wil vouchsafe to folow they may both haue a ready way to seke out these cōmon places also they may iudge well of those places which are obserued by others Furthermore hereby they may also iudge what is the cause why diuers autors do not alwayes shew forth that selfe same places The reason of the difference is as well the diuersitie of inuention as also that other places do more contente or please our aucthours After that the godly preacher hath founde out places he must enter into a multitude or swarme of places To this he shall applie a threefolde instrument For first hee shall diligently consider whether the place founde out may expressely worde for word be seene in anye place of the Scripture Secondarely the place must bee examined by demonstration to an impossible thing if it be not expressed in the woorde of God. Thirdly the place must be concluded with some sillogisme and by a sillogisticall conuersion it must bee tried as it were with a touchestone Let this be an example of a demonstration to an impossible thing The place to be proued is that Christians may possesse that whiche is their owne take the opposite of this place No Christians may possesse that whiche is their owne Nowe seke out the proposition whiche is manifestly true whiche with the opposite sayinge may be one of the premisses in the sillogisme as for example all that doe geue Almes ought to possesse their owne of which twoo premisses a moste false conclusion doth follow to witte that no Christian man shall giue almes By the manifest falsenes of this the other of the premisses is to be ouerthrowne wherfore since the Maior is manifestly true it followeth that the Minor is false front hence nowe is inferred the truthe of the place propounded by the lawe of contraditions Nowe let vs gather together that whiche we haue sayde All that should geue almes ought to possesse their owne No Christians may possesse their owne Ergo no Christian shall geue almes But the cōclusion is false ergo one of the premisses not the Maior ergo the Minor which saith that No Christians maye possesse their owne Let this be the example of a sillogisticall conuersion The place some hearing Gods worde are not godly The sillogisme None that walke after the fleshe are godly some hearing Gods worde walke after the fleshe Ergo some hearing Gods worde are not godly conuerte it after this manner If none that walke after the fleshe are godly and some that here the worde walke after the fleshe ergo some that heare the worde are not godly For al they that heare the worde are not godly For all they that heare the worde are godly or els none that walke after the fleshe are godly None that heare the worde shall walke after the flesh or els some men that heare the woorde walke after the fleshe certaynely some that walke after the fleshe shal be godlye but none that do walke after the fleshe are godlye and some whiche heare the woorde walke after the fleshe The conclusion therefore remayneth firme and sure that some whiche heare the woorde are not godlie ¶ Of the manner of handling of places inuented both plentifully and profitably TO the plentifull and profitable handling of places foure thynges are chiefly requyred whereof the firste is the diductions of questions that is to saye of the places inuented The seconde a plentiful confirmation The thirde the digression to an other matter The laste is the artificiall conclusion I wyll intreate of these foure after that order as they are set downe before your eyes declaryng euerye one of them playnelye with preceptes and examples ¶ Of the diduction of questions HEre wee must speake not of the inuentions of Common places whereof now we haue intreated but of the diduction of cōmon places inuented that is to say of multiplying them into manye questions or places Therefore the place inuented is diducted either into simple places or into compounde places as for example If the fifte commaundement were sayde before vs to be expounded First here thou shalt seeke the common place according to the precept of the firste rule after this manner Fathers are to be honoured parentes are superiours ergo superiours are to be honoured This common place in the handling of the fifth cōmaundement is the principall chiefly to be touched But yet that it may plentifully be intreated of it shal be expedient to diduct or reduce
onelye serue the affections but also yf I may so tearme yt maketh the oration more sharpe and wyttye to the ende it may altogether pearce into the myndes of the hearers and so possesse the whole harte it selfe Hereunto interrogation subiection exclamation admiration dubitation hypotyposis dialogisme Aâ—topoâ—a and others of the like sorte whiche are named and expounded of Rhethoricians ought to be referred The conclusion which I haue made the fourth part of the treatise hath no neede of newe preceptes but is to be confirmed by the same meanes whiche is aboue declared notwithstanding to the ende that the vse of the preceptes may be seene I wil set down one example onely The example of the persuasible sermon THe occasion because I see many slacke slowe to heare the worde of God proposition I haue determined brieflye to stirre you vp to the loue of the heauenlye woorde whereby ye are compelled to the more dilligent hearinge and kepinge of the doctrine brought vnto vs from heauen the passion of the mynde although it is to be lamented that mortall men be so vnmindefull of their saluation that they haue nede of prickes to the ende they may make spede thether whether they ought to be caried with al violeÌ„ce The necessitie of the cause for therfore such a slothfull heauines is rooted in our mindes because we do not consider as wee ought to do what is the necessitie of the heauenlye worde can any man vnderstande the will of God without his worde verely if the wisdoÌ„ of the worlde as Paule truely affirmeth is but foolishnes before God it can not come to passe that wee should knowe the wylll of God vntil we haue vnderstoode the foolishnes of the fleashe The necessitie of the commaundement truely the commaundement of God the father doth seme to slippe out of our myndes whose wordes do sounde from heauen This is my welbeloued sonne heare him The sonne him selfe doth desire that his woorde may be heard of them that are his My sheepe here my voyce whereof it followeth that those whiche do contempne the voyce of Christe whiche he soundeth by his ministers are not his sheape The holy ghoste by the voyce of the Prophetes and of the Apostles dothe inuite and call vs to the lawe and the testimonie Therfore who arte thou whiche despisest the commaundement of the eternall father Who art thou that despisest the sonne whiche suffered for thee calling thee to the hearing of his word Who art thou that refusest the dominion rule of the holy ghost the necessitie of the vocation we are so forgetfull from whence and wherto we are called are we not by the worde brought out of the darkenes of Sathan into the marueylous light of God This worde hath called vs this worde hath made vs Christians but wee in the meane season being vnmindefull of so glorious a name haue contemned the misterie of saluation the profit but and if this royall and noble vocation moueth vs not truely the reason of our proper coÌ„moditie ought to moue vs where withall we perceiue that euen the very brute beastes are touched But who is able by any reason of man or of Aungels to recite at the least but certen porcions of this coÌ„moditie specially when Paule after Esaye sayth the eye of man hath not seene neither the eare hath hearde neyther hath it ascended into the harte of man what thynges God hath prepared for them whiche loue hym Neyther yet is there any cause why anye man shoulde dreame that hee loueth God whiche doth not heare his woorde nor meditate it neither compareth it together that the misserie which lieth hidde therein may by little and little be of him the better vnderstanded for Christe the euerlastinge worde of God sayth He that loueth me wil kepe my sayinges and my father will loue him To this loue of the father of the sonne there are annexed greater good thinges then whiche by mans capacitie maye bee perceiued Although Paule hath comprehended the summe of them in these wordes The Gospell is the power of God vnto saluation to all beleuers O foolishe man O stony harte that despyleth reiecteth and treadeth vnderfoote so great a saluation offered That wee may prouide for the belly What do we not do we not learne artes do wee not sayle vpon the Seas wee flye no froste wee refuse no heate we slomber at no tyme to the ende wee maye prouide for our miserable bellye When these thynges are readye to peryshe wee are moued and in the meane season wee leaue our saluation So great is our madnes so greate is our peruersnes wickednes we poore miserable wretches are so muche infected with the poyson of sathan that we would with more willing mindes dye in our wickednes then take holde of the stretched out arme of God and so to be saued But when wee haue nothing els to do then wee heare the worde of the Lorde and that with lesse reuerence truly theÌ„ those three halfpeny seruauÌ„tes which in times past did heare Esope reciting of his fables Would to God this our negligence were not an euident signe of the punishmeÌ„t of our ingratitude The dignitie of the persone of the thing who would haue thought at any time that men are so obliuious that they should be vnmindefull of their promise made in baptisme for there they are consecrated to the bodie of Christe and are made his members that they may be fellowe coÌ„paignions with him of heauenlye thinges neither can we by any other meanes abyde in the body of Christe then by faythe which commeth by hearing here not without a good cause a maÌ„ may doubte whether this may be ascribed to our madnes or dulnes that wee oftentymes moste vngratefullye do reiecte so greate a dignitie whiche wee haue in the body of Christe and so greate a treasure of heauenly goodes which we possesse by Christ examples It is maruell that we are not made more wary by other mennes harmes It is a wonderfull thinge that it sinketh not into our myndes howe all the worlde perished in the floode for the contempte of Godswoorde Wee are not moued by the examples of the holye patriarches Abell Seth Enoch Noe Abraham and of a greate sorte who nowe enioye the moste ioyfull presence of God in heauen I reioyce saythe Dauid when it is sayde to mee let vs goe into the house of the Lorde But we on the contrarie side reioyce wheÌ„ the worlde dothe inuite vs to pleasures wherewith not withstandyng wee are bayted tyll at the lengthe we hange snared and taken vppon the hooke Blessed is hee sayth the same Dauid whiche dothe meditate in the Lawe of God daye and nyghte But wee O griefe to tell do not otherwyse flye from the meditation of the heauenly worde then if all these thinges which are set before vs in the worde were but fearfull thynges to feare chyldren withall The Tomuri priestes of Dodonae neuer departed out of the temple whiche notwithstanding did embrace deuelishe