which thou hearest or readest giue thy selfe to vnderstand them and certifie thy selfe of all doubts Twelfthly vse all diligence to commend to the Treasure-house of thy minde as much as possibly thou canst euen as one that is desirous to fill a vessell Thirteenthly seeke not after things beyond and aboue thy reach And following these steps thou shalt carry and bring forth on thy shoulders as long as thou liuest both boughes and fruites most profitable into the Vine-yard of the Lord of Sabaoths these things if thou dost follow thou shalt attaine to the thing thou affectest Now hauing laid these short grounds of procuring the vertues tending to sanctification and holy perfection as an entrance to the sequent Treatise you may remember that in the front of this last part hauing said that the ignorance of a certaine methode and Art whereby to direct vs to the attaining of Christian perfection and the knowledge of a right seruing of God was the onely cause why so many Christians came so farre short of their duty drift heerein as that scarce one was to bee found who had made any competent passage into the habite of any one vertue I must now as my first ground of this Discourse according to my promise set forth this methode and Art of seruing God aright to euery mans view Wherein for our better proceeding I will first giue some more generall instructions to direct vs in all our actions secondly some more particular for the repayring of that slaughter which sins haue made in mans soule thirdly I will speake of the loue of God and of the things which a man ought to loue in which loue consists the fulfilling of the Law and of all our good works 1 If it be true which S. Ambrose writeth that the ignorance of order and manner whereby things are to be done doth much trouble and deface the quality of ones desert and worke and that hee is not to bee thought to haue the full knowledge of any thing who knoweth what is to bee done but yet knoweth not the order whereby hee is to proceed therein Then it is manifest that it profites very little that a man do know all that is written concerning the seruice of God if withall hee bee ignorant how and by what meanes the same is to bee put in practise And albeit all Arts and knowledge of good things doe slow from the supreme Artificer God and many are enlighted with his goodnesse and preuented with the blessings of sweetnesse yet are wee not for that cause to omit our duty nor is the obligation of doing what is in our power dissolued in searching into his Precepts and Will and such things as are necessary for vs to the end that we may doe what is pleasant in his sight to which purpose this present methode is necessary wherby wee may know and bee able to put in practise all those excellent things which the holy Scripture teacheth vs. Nor let any man thinke it superfluous that wee shall haue instructions giuen vs helping to the seruice of God seeing the whole Scripture witnesseth it and the Apostle expressely that wee are Gods fellow-Labourers 1. Cor. 3. But wee cannot say that he doth truely or sufficiently helpe that doth not helpe so much as hee can and ought to helpe Nor is it any thing else for vs to bee helpers vnto God then to moue the soule in all our workes as much as wee can to repaire the grieuous losses which sinne hath brought into the soule and purely to loue God aboue all Besides there is no cause why any should excuse themselues in that the annointing of the Holy Ghost doth teach all things and so there should bee no vse nor need of any Art or methode whereby to learne the seruing of God For that is true but yet so as that wee bee not wanting vnto the Spirit and to our selues in searching and labouring by all holy meanes to come to that knowledge For the holy Ghost teacheth not those that are altogether vn-willing much lesse such as reluct and striue against it Nor let any thinke this sweete yoke of the Lord to bee heauy in spending so much time to attaine so high and heauenly wisedome whereby to vse this methode of seruing God aright For if vsually men spend three foure or more yeares in Grammer Logicke and other inferiour Arts nay sometimes all their liues if they study to bee perfect in it how much better shall hee bestow his whole life to learne perfectly this most heauenly Art to teach vs which our most deere and heauenly Maister Iesus Christ came downe from heauen vnto vs and with so much labour and paine performed it therefore let not any bee discouraged in following this course if hee finde in himselfe many disabilities for herein it chanceth to him as to an infant for hee hauing a soule hath not yet the vse of reason and hauing a body feete and legges yet cannot goe but when hee beginnes to grow and to moue the members of the body hee can goe yet for all that with much difficulty and often falling vntill increasing in yeares and by continuall exercise hee goes so freely that whē he listeth he can runne The same thing falleth out in holy exercises whilst one beginnes purely to serue God for albeit the soule bee found yet it is so bound and burdened so without power wherby to moue it selfe in this iourney to God as the whole Scripture declareth that we cannot walke at all and if wee bee moued something towards it yet it is with such difficulty faintnesse and fallings as that our walke is but a very standing still if not rather a very going backewards but when we shall haue practised this methode and meanes of seruing God for some short time wee shall grow to such strength therein that wee shall doe things which before wee durst not hope for and shall so runne through these high and heauenly iournies as that our motions may rather bee called the motions of Angels flying then of men walking on the earth And it is much to bee forewarned that no man make any pretext or excuse of seruing God in this ensuing manner as contenting himselfe with the ordinary manner of seruing God to bee sufficient to bring him to saluation for it is the will of God euen our sanctification 1. Thess 4. and not our sanctification for some short time or in some one part of body or soule but during the whole life and throughout the whole Spirit soule and body Seeing then that the louers of the world are neuer satisfyed with riches honours and pleasures but still wish and seeke for more yea God commanding the contrary neither let vs bee content with present graces and vertues but labour for an increase of all graces and of that Crowne of glory which wee daily expect seeing God so earnestly desires that wee should obtaine it and if so bee our mindes and appetites bee not therefore set
impossible that euer any doctrine with his vse should bee applyed without the speciall directing hand of God Now God doth apply the doctrine with the vse at two seasons First from euerlasting for all things were present vnto him from euerlasting Secondly in time for nothing was done by him in time that was not concluded before all time euen from the beginning of the world and from euerlasting decerning and decreeing with himselfe concerning the doctrines and vses of doctrines to be applyed or not applyed to certaine men in time by the holy Spirit through the Preachers and their Hearers whom as ministring causes hee vseth as seemeth best to his heauenly Wisedome and good Pleasure 2. in time the holy Spirit of God hath applyed doth apply and vnto the end of the world will apply freely the doctrines with their vses that is to whom when and in what measure it thinketh fit and that by the meanes heereafter following And these things which I haue spoken of the application which is made by God are fitly remembred in the first place first because neither is the Preachers applicatiō or Hearers of any moment without it secondly because so wee meete with a two-fold errour first the opinion of opus operatum that is that it sufficeth to go to Sermons and heare them and that for the workes sake God will respect vs secondly the most dangerous opinion and perswasion of some hearers who thinke it in their power to apprehend wholesome doctrine and to bring forth fruits worthy thereof 2 The Preacher as the Ambassadour Seruant and chiefe Instrument of the great God doth not onely bring that spirituall medicine namely the heauenly doctrine in the name of God bearing witnesse of the singular power and profite thereof but also doth apply the same to his hearers and that at two seuerall times first in and at the Sermon whilst after the doctrine is handled and the vse shewed hee admonisheth the Hearer that it is not sufficient that he know the doctrine and profite thereof except hee apply them both also vnto himselfe For not the hearers but the doers of the Law shall bee iustified And also whilst hee declares to the hearer all those things in which true application consists of which wee shall presently speake Secondly after Sermon the Preacher applies the doctrine with the vse and that 1. Publiquely 2. Priuately First Publiquely not onely exhorting to thankes-giuing for the great benefite of the will of God manifested in his Word vnto vs and touching the doctrines which are to his glory and many waies to our owne comfort and benefite and to the destruction of the Kingdome of Satan and to serious inuocation that God would bee pleased more and more to write and imprint the doctrines with their vses in their hearts but also by giuing of thankes and calling vpon God for a blessing to giue a holy example of them both to the hearers And secondly more priuately after the Sermon the Minister applies the doctrine with the vses if by priuate prayers hee intercede with God not onely for himselfe and his family but also pray vnto God for his hearers that his labours may not bee in vaine if by application of the doctrines and vses hee by his owne example go before them and become the type of his Flocke if hee diligently obserue euery an and person vnder his charge and by others do enquire of them how they carry themselues in the application and practise of the doctrines and vses that if they do well hee may stirre them vp by commending their godly care to go forwards cheerefully if they doe euill hee may admonish blame correct with-draw them and not desist heerein till he perceiue the fruite of application in them And in this holy worke the assistance of euery Magistrate is required that hee haue a speciall care that those things which by the benefite of the Ministery God hath reuealed in his Word may flourish in the faith and life of their people that they may bee put in execution and so applied that they may bring forth fruite 3 From this duty of application the hearer can by no meanes be excluded For hee is by the working of the Holy Ghost according to the good pleasure of God to apply vnto himselfe the doctrines and vses deliuered by the Preacher Seeing the Holy Ghost vseth the hearer as his instrument to beginne and perfect his owne worke in him which holy duety the hearer is to performe to himselfe both at the Sermon and also after Sermon At the Sermon whilst the hearer by the benefite and motion of the holy Spirit applyeth especially to himselfe all those things which in generall were deliuered by the Preacher to the whole Assembly And after Sermon hee is also to make the like application both publiquely and priuately Publiquely whilst with a ioyfull thankes-giuing together with the Preacher and the Assembly hee prayseth the name of God for his singular and in estimable fauour of the reuelation of his sauing truth vnto him and by serious and ardent supplication intreate of God that by the working of his holy Spirit hee would bee pleased to bring to passe that the doctrines and vses hee hath heard may take deepe roote in his heart and may in his whole life aboundantly bring forth fruit acceptable to God And these two things let him priuately continue and often repeat But besides the hearer must priuately apply vnto himselfe the doctrines with the vse in euery condition of life as well in aduerse as prosperous times and that both before amongst and after all his actions But chiefly when any perplexed cases or intricate questions are obiected vnto vs either by others or by our owne flesh But chiefly when Satan sollicities vs by his Stratagemes sleights and grieuous temptations to errours in the saith or life that is to heresies and sins whilst he endeuours to bring to passe that either wee doe not at all regard the good of vertue or else performe it not lawfully or at the least not with a right end and so endeuours to bring vpon both body and soule not onely temporary but eternall dangers 2 Hauing shewed that God the Preacher and also the Hearer himselfe must all concurre in applying the doctrines and vses we must now see how and by what meanes this application is to bee made In the meanes and manner of application which must bee made of the hearer two things are chiefly to be obserued First what things are to bee eschewed as enemies to this application Secondly what things are to bee embraced as helpes vnto it In which two points are those other two parts formerly observed in handling this matter of application contained which I called the impediments and the aduancements of application and follow to bee spoken of in the third and fourth places 3 The impediments of application which are to bee abandoned being such as hinder the successe of Preaching and cause both doctrines and vses to bee
cast many calumnies vpon it and condemned it Thirdly that the authority of mā is of no force in the sight of God Fourthly that by sordide and wicked examples of others they cannot purge themselues Fiftly that we must rightly and carefully obserue that of our Sauiour Whosoeuer will be my Disciple must deny himselfe take vp the Crosse and follow mee And that of the Apostle Whosoeuer will liue godly in IESVS CHRIST must suffer persecution Sixthly that an ancient errour was euer an errour albeit it haue for many yeares continued Seuenthly that we must hope well of our elders namely that by the fire of the Crosse and in the agony of death the stubble and clay which was built vpon the firme foundation Christ Iesus was consumed and vanished away the foundation still remaining the same But aboue all that of Christ is to bee obserued If any come vnto me and hate not father and mother Luk. 14.26 wife and children brethren and sisters if they draw him from the truth of Christ yea euen his owne soule hee cannot bee my Disciple Eighthly that hee ascribe not so much to himselfe and others seeing they are neither Prophets nor Apostles but men who both may deceiue and be deceiued Ninthly concerning zeale they must know first that true zeale is one thing and the opinion of zeale another secondly that zeale is in many without knowledge thirdly that therefore such zeale is peruerse Tenthly they must take heed that the boasting of the simplicity of their faith bee not a couering to their grosse and affectionate ignorance That which Christ spake is heere fitly to bee obserued Bee yee innocent as Doues but wise as Serpents 2 These impediments being remoued which hinder the hearing of the Word as also in priuate conferences They are to be inuited and drawne on first with our workes that wherein soeuer wee can wee helpe them in good will counsell and other assistance Secondly in words admonishing them of the end for which God gaue them eares and of naturall equity which perswades vs to heare both parties of brotherly loue which requires of vs that euery one labour to promote the saluation of another of the commandement of God that wee should try all things and hold that which is good of the promise of Christ Where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the midst of them and of most weighty discommodities both externall internall and eternall which remaines for them that haue no regard of the foresaid things 3 If by the fore-mentioned remouing of impediments nor yet by the friendly inuitation of the Preacher many wayes vsed nothing bee effected then the matter it selfe requires that the Ciuill or Ecclesiasticall Magistrate do his duty not onely inuiting the subiects by publicke confession by his owne example and such as belong vnto him by good friends by a serious care of Ecclesiasticall and Scholasticall courses and also by commandements and Lawes by admonitions and exhortations stirring them vp to their duty but if yet neither by this course of inuitation and excitation any thing bee effected by the godly Christian Magistrate then at length they must discend vnto this meanes that the Subiects bee compelled to the hearing of Sermous not that hee may iustly affect any Lordship ouer their consciences but first that the Ecclesiasticall and Politicall Discipline may bee safe and sound secondly least scandall and offence be giuen to others thirdly that the subiects may bee iudged concerning the doctrine fourthly that if God bee so pleased they may bee brought into the way of truth and saluation The second thing to bee obserued in fruitfull hearing of the Word Preached is the sound knowledge of the things which are heard For it is not enough to the glory of God and saluation of men that they bee present at Sermons hearing them but besides it is required that they doe soundly perceiue and vnderstand the things heard And heere as in the former duty I must first declare the nature of it secondly remoue the impediments thirdly shew the aduancements and helpes of it 1 This sound knowledge and vnderstanding of the things heard being the second duty of hearing is that whereby the Spirit of God doth plant the things heard in the braine of the hearer and so informes his vnderstanding and this hath his beginning from hearing and is the foundation of the other two duties ensuing namely of the right affection of the heart towards the things heard and of a serious purpose of practising the things vnderstood and affected whence it is euident that this duty hath respect chiefly to things themselues and doctrines taught albeit the notes of things the vse and application are not excluded from this duty But I do for this cause call this duety a sound knowledge and vnderstanding of the things heard because there is another knowledge very superficiall and imperfect which deceiues many men For you shall finde many hearers who do heare and apprehend certaine phrases or speeches in the Sermon and sometimes not with a minde to learne but rather to cauill but in the meane time are not attentiue to the whole Sermon and therefore become very iniurious Iudges and censurers of the Sermon for seeing at one breath all cannot bee deliuered no man can rightly iudge of Sermons that heares not the whole nor doth foundly obserue and confer together euery member of the Sermon antecedent and consequent Besides some Hearers there are that vnderstand the principall heads of the Sermons and their members and parts but regard not their foundations and causes and such doe not soundly perceiue the things heard For it sufficeth not to vnderstand the things heard superficially and sleightly but it is required that soundly and fundamentally it bee vnderstood together with the causes vpon which it depends vnto which euen the knowledge of circumstances doth appertaine 2 The impediments and hindrances must bee remoued which lie in the way of soundly vnderstanding of Sermons and they are twenty 1. The neglect of prayers and inward groanings of the Spirit 2. If the Minister doe not his duety in teaching perspicuously and plainely as also iudiciously and soundly it is a great impediment For how shall the hearer heare well and learne aright if hee bee not taught aright Surely the blinde leade blind 3. If the Preacher doe his duety yet if the hearer fayle in his v.g. if a holy preparation to the hearing of Sermons haue not gone before nor an attentiue hearing then a sound knowledge and vnderstanding cannot bee at all for the preceding duties are the foundations of them that follow 4. But chiefly it hinders the fruite of hearing much if the hearer do nor vnderstand the methode and order of hearing Sermous which is the same with that of making Sermons and is no more but this to lay vp in memory the parts of the diuision the doctrines of euery part with their Confirmation Vses and Applications 5. If he come with