had not bene chargeable with this sinne of contempt of me and of my doctrine But now haue they no cloke for their sin now they haue nothing to plead for excuse If this were duly thought vpon that the neglect of the word when the meanes of making the same familiar vnto them is become common among them did make them guilty of a greater sin before God men would then not dare like the deafe Adder to stop their cares and to suffer the holy doctrine of God to fal to the ground vnregarded Thus I hope I haue shewed the vnreasonablenesse of this first reason Nymph This that you haue spoken as it maketh me see plainly the idlenesse o◠this ignorant exception so it calleth to my remembrance a notable place of scripture which I once heard you alleage in one of your sermons to this or the like purpose it is a part of Paul his speech at Athens The time of this ignorance saith he God lightly passing ouer now he admonisheth al men euery where to repent It seemeth to me that this place may be applied fitly to this matter Epaph. It is well remembred for indeed that spéech fitteth well with this point Paul there disputing with the heathen that worshipped dumbe idols and thought the Godhead to be like gold or siluer or stone grauen by the art and inuention of man least they should obiect noueltie vnto him and should say as the Papists do at this day how was it possible that all the world should for so many yeares be deceiued he telleth them that it séemed good vnto God for causes best knowne vnto himselfe to permit the ignorance of so many thousands of yeares yet so as that time of blindnesse being now determined men should not pleade prescription reckoning more of an old error thē of newly reuealed truth but should open their eares and harts to this his generall summons to repentāce I thank you for minding me of this place it sheweth notably what a fond thing it is not to take notice of the truth reuealed but to preferre a long continued ignorance before it Haue you any more exceptions of this nature forged in the shop of ignorance like enough you haue for it is an old and a true saying that error is infinite though truth be but one If this that you haue named haue any moe fellowes bring them forth I doubt not but by the grace of Christ to discountenance them Nymph Yes sure when the multitude heare it taught that the preaching of the word is a thing of that nature and necessarie vse that without it men ordinarily can not be saued they crie out by and by And what is then become of our forefathers they had no preaching yet they were in their times good people honest and well esteemed in the places where they liued If we should then yeeld to this that this preaching is with so reuerent a regard to be depended vpon we must needs condemne our progenitors out of whose loyns we are come which to do were more then inhumanitie I can tell you sir this is an argument that hath a generall approbation and therefore I pray you looke well to it that you can answer it Epaph. Well as hard as it is yet it is not so intricate as was Sampsons riddle that in seuen dayes could not be interpreted for indeed it is of no value It is true we are both by nature and by religion to honor the memories of our auncestors and in all good things to be imitators of them but in maters of religion we are not to haue an eye to them or to their times but we must consider what it is which the Lord requireth at our hands Whether they were saued or no it is not for vs to enquire if the Lord haue dealt more mercifully with vs then he did with them we haue cause to magnifie his holy name to looke to our selues that we despise not the riches of his bountie and to leaue them to the Lord to whom they stand or fall It is a good saying of an auncient father to this purpose If my predecessors sayth he either by ignorance or by simplicitie haue not kept and holden that which our Lord hath taught them by his example and authority the mercy of our Lord might pardon them But as the good Doctor saith We cannot hope for the like hauing better meanes of instruction When the outward ordinary meanes failed Gods hand was not shortened but he was able euen in the middest of blindnesse to saue those which belonged to the election of grace As for vs it shall not be safe for vs to neglect this so great saluation or to receiue the grace of God in vaine foolishly aduenturing our selues vpon the vnknowne conditiō of our forefathers And this I hope may suffice to take away the edge of this fancie It is humanitie to thinke the best of our forefathers but it is diuinitie to looke carefully to our selues Nymp. I am glad you haue furnished me with so sufficient an answer to this exception which I haue bene often assaulted with and indeed because of the common instinct of nature it striketh the deeper impression and is the more hardly remoued But I thinke this that you haue said may preuaile there where obstinate wilfulnesse hath not gotten the mastery and therefore I will lay this vp as safely as euer Goliah his sword was layed vp that I may euer haue it in a readinesse for such a purpose But sir there are yet more obiections of the same stampe which I must entreate you also to cleare that so you may make me a perfect scholler in this point Epaph. Who would think it possible that men so dull and vncapable in matters which concerne their greatest good should be abounding with arguments wherewith to pleade euen against their owne soules But the diuell is a cunning instructor and laboreth to strengthen men in ignorance because it is the scepter of his kingdome as much as it is possible Let vs heare therefore what the ignorant with whom it hath bene your hap to conuerse haue yet further to alleage Nymphas They say that the most learned of you all who are called Preachers when you haue shewed the vttermost of your cunning can say no more then they know already namely that they must loue God aboue all and their neighbours as themselues and seeing they know this well enough already what needeth say they any more instruction Epaphras This is a conceipt scarce worthy the confuting yet lest my silence should breede an opinion in you that there is more in it then indeede there is do but consider of it by the like If a man speaking of husbandrie and hearing another to discourse of the great skill and long experience that is requisit to make a man a good husband should say by and by Tush what talke you so much of skil and knowledge herein Why It is nothing but this to plow
to our further comfort Nymp. Amen Well then because I do euē long to acquaint you with that which hath when I haue bene by my selfe much disquieted me you shall vnderstand that the occasion mouing me at this time to craue your aduice is this Since it pleased God to let the light of the glorious Gospel of his Sonne by preaching to shine in these parts more clearely then in former yeares it hath happened that I haue fallen into the companie sometime of common men sometime of men of better fashion which in the world we call wise men sometime also of men of learning and by profession Ministers some of whom to my griefe I haue heard speake very disgracefully some very scornefully all of them to the lessening of that reuerent estimation which we ought to haue of the preaching of the word and of the ordinary course thereof which is amongst vs. Epaph. It is not vnlike neither yet indeed is it to be maruelled at as though some strange thing were come vnto vs. The diuell knoweth by long experience that the preaching of the word is the ruine of his kingdom that therby he is made like lightning to fall downe from heauen And therefore it hath euer bene his practise at the very first entrance of sincere preaching to raise vp some men of corrupt minds to resist the truth and to stop the happie proceedings of the Gospell The first Preacher mentioned in the Scripture is Enoch the seuenth from Adam together with the relation of whose doctrine the text mentioneth also the cruell speakings and violent curses of wicked sinners against him The next after him was Noah which was a Preacher of righteousnesse and howsoeuer the storie mentioneth expresly no tumults raised vp against him yet it may easily be gathered in that he preaching so many yeares before the comming of the floud yet all that while we do not find any one to haue bene reclaimed but they all continued in their accustomed securitie and knew nothing till the floud came and tooke them all away Passe from him to Moses of whose resistance the storie relateth many particulars at his first vndertaking any authoritie among the people in séeking to end a strife betwixt them he was taken vp short with the common spéech VVho made thee a man of authoritie and a iudge ouer vs After when he was sent backe into Egypt to deliuer the people from the bondage of Pharaoh the story is a witnes how often and openly he was gainsaid sometimes by the people they murmuring at him sometimes by Iannes and Iambre two Egyptians somtimes by Korah and his complices so that though the Lord wrought mightily by Moses yet he had daily experience of the malice of the wicked against the truth Now for the times of the Prophets one Ieremie may be a sufficient witnesse he saith he heard the railing of many and the word of the Lord which he preached was a reproach vnto him and in derision daily If you examine the times after Christ at the first spreading of the Gospell this wil be more apparant Run through the book of the Acts the preaching of Peter and Iohn was entertained first with mocking afterwards more open violence was vsed the men in authoritie tooke it grieuously that they taught the people and by cōmon consent put them to silence Steuen was a man ful of faith and of the holy Ghost and they were not able to resist the wisedome and the spirit by which he spake yet certaine arose euen of the synagogue and moued the people against him Paul was mightily withstood sometimes by Elimas the sorcerer sometimes by the Iewes sometimes by Demetrius and those of that faction somtime by Phygellus and Hermogenes otherwhiles by Hymeneus and Philetus Thus we haue euen a cloud of witnesses to confirme this that it hath euer bin the diuels course by all meanes to withstand the preaching of the truth And therefore maruell not good neighbor at it when you see the like in these times these are Satans old pranks and he will thus bestirre himselfe to the end Nymp. Blessed be God you haue well satisfied me in this so that I now see that those which loue the truth haue cause to reioyce at it rather then to be dismayed when they shall see the outrage of the world and the fury of carnall men against the publishing of the Gospell Epaph. You are not deceiued for the diuel his strugling on this wise sheweth that there is a stronger then he come to bind him and to take his armor frō him And though the oppositions of men are at the first assault somthing troublesome yet we haue euer cause to reioyce when wee can say iustly After this maner did they to the Prophets Nymp. Yet sir by your leaue I cannot but maruell that seeing the preaching of the word is so excellent a thing as it is euē the power of God vnto saluation men should notwithstanding so eagerly resist it and shew themselues so great enemies vnto it Epaph. You wil cease to wonder when you shal truly vnderstand the causes mouing worldly and vnregenerate men to malice and maligne that which indeed as you say if the worth thereof were knowne they ought rather with al reuerence to embrace and if you thinke that it may be helpfull vnto you in that wherein you desire to be resolued I will open the same vnto you somthing more at large Nymp. You cannot content me better then if you shall vndertake to discourse therof for as I suppose when I haue once learned the true cause why preaching is so much misliked I shall the losse feare the pretenced reasons which I dayly heare to be alleaged against it Epaph. The true causes why the course of preaching when it is performed so as it ought is so much repined at are these three especially The first is this As men loue nothing more then their sinnes so they loath nothing more then the discouery thereof they can by no meanes endure to haue their secret coruptions ript vp it is a death vnto them to be thoroughly directly dealt withal Wicked Ahab hated the sincere Prophet of the Lord Michaiah because he neuer prophesied good vnto him but euill that is he neuer spared him but deliuered the truth of God vnto him plainly without flattery Now the preaching of the word it is as the prouerb is The finger in the bile it is euer rubbing vppon the gall and being light it maketh all things manifest and discloseth euery mans close and secret vngodlines In the dayes of blindnesse that is in times and places where there is not a setled course of preaching many a man seemeth to himselfe and to others also to be vnreproueable who when the light of the word by powerful application breaketh out is discouered both to others especially to his
may seeme which is in the world There is saith he a iust man that perisheth in his iustice and there is a wicked man that continueth long in his malice Now to represse the rash headinesse of mans disposition which is ready to censure Gods courses at pleasure the wise man addeth this Be not thou iust ouermuch that is Beware thou take not vpon thée vnder pretence of iustice to charge these courses of Gods prouidence with iniustice It was an error we know that Dauid by his owne confession had welneare fallen into And Ieremy the Prophet craued leaue of God that he might talke with him of his iudgement he could hardly at the first satisfie himselfe in it how God could be iust and yet suffer them to be in wealth that rebelliously transgresse This taxing of Gods procéedings in the gouerning of the world is I take it chiefly forbidden in this precept Be not iust ouermuch and this to my seeming is the meaning of that place howsoeuer it be taken as I know some otherwise interprete it yet I am sure it condemneth not that warie and zealous course in the practise of Religion which though the world is pleased to call ouerholinesse yet I am well aduised the scripture vrgeth bidding vs to walke circumspectly or exactly and by a rule and to abstaine from all appearance of euill Nymph The Lord in his mercie enable vs so to do for surely the wicked and vngodly as they are bold in euill so that the very triall of their countenance testifieth against them so also they do adde drunkennesse to thirst labouring to grow to a kind of perfection in vngodlinesse And therefore great shame shall it be for vs who professe to know God to waxe cold and faint hearted and timorous in the duties of pietie and not to striue rather to go from strength to strength and to increase in holines as fast as prophane godlesse men thriue in iniquitie I haue hitherto as farre as my experience in obseruing and my memorie in recounting hath enabled me propounded vnto you the seuerall obiections against preaching vrged ordinarily by three sorts of men the grossely ignorant the wretchedly prophane and the worldly wise and you haue I thanke you opened vnto me the blindnesse of the first the vilenesse of the second and the vanitie of the last The contentment that I haue receiued by your discourse hitherto maketh me to presume further vpon you and to request your patience in hearing and your skill in resoluing some exceptions made by a fourth sort of men last in order but not least in argument because they are by education learned and by profession some of them Ministers and Preachers and yet do not altogether fauour those courses of preaching which some do magnifie so exceedingly Epaph. Neighbor to say nothing of my dutie I am bound by my promise to endeuor to satisfie you and howsoeuer I am of Hieroms mind am vnwilling to oppose my self against any learned men of mine owne profession least I should séeme desirous of contention yet because the truth is to be preferred before all other respects and to giue titles is a thing so dangerous therefore I will forget all things which might hinder me in frée speaking that which in my conscience I am verily perswaded is the truth and wil set before me only the glory of God and the common good and benefite of his Church Nymph Being then assured of your readinesse I will tell you what I haue marked partly out of the speeches partly out of the sermons of some that are reputed learned men I am no scholler and therfore you must not expect any precise order at my hands yet to my seeming their exceptions are either against preaching it selfe or against the maner of it as by some it is performed Epaph. Your methode is good enough But do you know any professing the ministery which do vtterly mislike and disallow preaching Nymph I do not say so for they who are the most eager in this matter if you fall to reasoning with them cannot for shame but say that preaching is the most ordinary and vsuall meanes which God vseth to worke by in the hearts of the hearers and againe that preaching doeth profite more then reading And yet for al that in their ordinarie discourse they make knowne their opinion thus that the word of God is as effectuall when it is read as when it is preached and that reading is preaching Epaph. Certainly I cannot but maruell that men of learning and professed Diuines should vndertake the maintenance of such an opinion yea though it were but for their credits sake for put this case that in the vacancie of an Ecclesiasticall preferment there were ioynt suters for it a man of note quality that hath spent many yéeres in study and runne through the whole circle of sciences and is graced also with degrees of schooles the testimonie of his desert and another an ordinary fellow that hath had but reasonable breeding and no seasoning but in a countrey schoole and therefore is able to do little perhaps saue onely reade faire and go by his Rubricke thinke you that your Vniuersitie scholler would not think himself greatly wronged and grow into a maruellous discontentment if that other should be preferred before him yes doubtlesse he would renew that old complaint of Salomons and say Folly is set in great excellencie I haue seene seruants on horses and Princes walking as seruants on the grouÌ„d He would say it were enough for such a one as he if he were appointed to some lower office in the church where he might caâ—e a morsel of bread and that if he were so well prouided for as was Michah his Leuite with ten shekels of siluer by the yeare and a sute of apparell and his meate and drinke surely then he were as well preferred as he deserueth Like to these would be the priuy thoughts of a wel deseruing scholler being disappointed of his hoped preferment by so vnworthy a competitor And for mine owne part I thinke him to haue very iust cause so to complaine But yet this being held for a truth that reading is as effectuall as preaching and that an ordinary man may doe as much good saue as many soules draw as great a multitude to heauen with his distinct reading as the other with al his vniuersitie learning and long labored for Diuinitie surely then the scholler hath no reason to thinke him self wronged in missing his preferment for why should there be a disparitie in reward where there is no great precedeÌ„ce in respect of the possibilitie to do good in Gods Church So that I say me thinks if it were for no other cause yet men of learning and Preachers by profession should neuer go about to equal bare and naked reading vnto preaching Nymph This may perhappes be some reason in policie but I hope you haue some better proofe
THE PREACHERS PLEA OR A Treatise in forme of a plain Dialogue making known the worth and necessary vse of Preaching shewing also how a man may profit by it both for the informing of his iudgement and the reforming of his life By Samuel Hieron Minister of the Gospell at Modbury in the Countie of Deuon 1. Cor. 1.21 Seeing the world by wisedome knew not God in the wisedome of God it pleased God by the foolishnesse of Preaching to saue them that beleeue LONDON Printed for Simon Waterson 1604. To the honest and wel-disposed Reader IT is the vsual maner of the most which publish bookes to dedicate the same to some honorable personage or to some one of speciall place partly to shew thankefulnesse for some receiued fauors partly to procure credite and countenance to their writings that vnder so good protection they may the more boldly passe forth to the common view of all men If I now varie from this generall receiued course think not I pray thee good Reader that I do it in some humour as if I either affected singularitie or misliked the common custome but know for a truth that there are these two causes of my so doing The first is the obscuritie of mine owne condition who liuing here in a remote part haue wanted either wil or oportunitie or both to sâ—rowd my selfe vnder the patronage of some great person The second is the nature of this present Treatise for howsoeuer there be and that not farre froÌ„ the place of mine abode some of good qualitie vpon whose acceptance I thinke I might haue presumed yet considering that this which I haue framed is but a homely and course discourse meant onely for men of the plainest fashion I thought I should breake the rules of comelinesse and correspondence if I should aduance the inscription of my labour if I may dare so to call it to a person of higher degree then that meane and middle ranke to the vse whereof all that these following leaues containe was alone intended Therefore friendly Reader whosoeuer thou be if thou be a true Nathanael a man of an honest and good heart be thy outward condition as it may be though thou lye among the pots or art behind the ewes with young or howsoeuer else euen as it were bound in outward miserie and of base esteeme in the eyes of men yet thou art he whose patronage I affect and in the hope of whose good allowance I take comfort I know well that he which offereth any thing to the sight of the world must make readie his backe for the long furrowes of euerie byting ceÌ„surer It was truly said of him though but a heathen that amongst men nothing can scape without a nippe But what then If thy conscience shall giue this testimonie of mine endeuours that thy heart is comforted thereby in regard that thy iudgement is strengthened in so necessary a point then let the most professed and sharpe-toothed carper say what he please nay though as Iob speaketh he should write a booke against me yet I would take it vpon my shoulder and bind it as a crowne vnto me And as Dauid reckened not of Michols taunts in regard of the honour done vnto him by those religious maidens so will I also set at naught the malicious taxings of all gaine-sayers if I shall approue my selfe to thy conscience in the sight of God If thou now demaund of me what it is which I do here offer vnto thee know this briefly It is a Treatise tending to the discouerie of the worth and excellencie of the word preached teaching thee also which art a continuall hearer how thou maist by hearing edifie thy selfe in thy most holy faith as well by establishing thy heart in the soundnesse of truth that so thou maist not be caried about with diuers and strange doctrines as by framing thy selfe to obey from the hart vnto the forme of doctrine whereunto thou either art or shalt be deliuered This is the summe If thou demaund againe what hath moued me to attempt this I answer in as few words There are two questions common in the mouthes of many either ignorant or il-disposed persons by which the beautie of Preaching is and hath bene much defaced in the eyes of many not so well setled the one is What need all this preaching the other is Who knoweth whom to beleeue among these Preachers These two demaunds were first hatched in hell but since being cherished by Anabaptisticall and Popish spirits and by them buzzed into the heads of vnlearned vnstable and irreligious people they are brought vnto a diuellish perfection Somewhat I can say out of mine owne experience that through a conceit that these two questions as they are pressed by some â—ly workemen are vnanswerable our Ministery is drawne into contempt and the calling of a Preacher is deemed of al other professions the most superfluous and such as may wel be spared without any preiudice to the wel-being of Gods Church The giuing answer to these hellish interrogatories as it hath many times exercised me in the execution of my publike ministery so it hath at this time drawne me to the compiling of this present Treatise both that those of these parts who to my knowledge haue need and do desire it also may haue something by them whereupon aduisedly to deliberate for the setling of their iudgments and that others likewise elsewhere who it may be haue experience of the like Satanicall encounters may in stead of a better help enioy the benefite of this that I haue laboured in This is the maine occasion this is my chiefe intent in this Tractate wherin as I haue freely vttered that which I am perswaded is the truth so will I be ready also either to alter or better my iudgement if any man out of the word of God shall offer to instruct me hauing learned this lesson to teach what I know without grudging and to learne that wherein I am ignorant without blushing And though perhaps many know in this matter as much as I or any man can tell them yet I am sure many are ignorant and therefore I may well maintaine my course with that saying of Augustine It is better to giue him that hath then to turne him away which hath not It is meeter that they which know should be wearied with many repetitions then those which are vnskilful sent away empire for want of instruction As for writers in our times directly of this subiect I know none If there be none I wish there may be for as the saying is One man is no man and by the more this truth is auouched the better it is confirmed If there be that haue laboured in this very kind wherein I now do yet it can be no preiudice to my endeuour The auncient prouerb is that One bark cannot beare all passengers so neither can one author serue all
men Augustine held it profitable that of the same questions many bookes should be made by sundry men in a differing stile though not with a differing faith All stomackes we see are not alike One kind of dressing pleaseth one which hath no relish with another and yet the same meate ordered after some other fashion may fit his appetite also As there is a difference of stomacks so of humors and dispositions in men The same matter diuersly handled may find entertainement with diuers men which yet digested after one onely fashion would haue acceptance but with a few Touching the maner of writing I will promise thee nothing more then ordinary It is not for me either to praise or discommend mine owne workes the one were vanitie the other folly I submit all to thy iudgement Onely this I say somewhat to help my selfe Hierom saith there are two things requisite for diuinity-studies Silence and Leisure Of the lacke of both these I may well complaine Houshold affaires and the stirres occasioned by those businesses cannot but breed distraction and he which is exercised with the care of a congregation shall meet with very seldome intermission I intreat thee therefore when thou shalt find me to faile in any thing from which I account not my selfe priuiledged impute it to this forenamed want and hope thus of me that if I had had more freedome and more time all things should haue bene brought to better perfection I haue troden in an old beaten path both by old and new writers by Diuines and Heathen namely to frame my matter to the forme of a Dialogue a very good way in my seeming to help the vnderstanding of common men I confesse it to haue haue eased me much in writing I doubt not but it shall turne to thy benefite in reading also Well whatsoeuer it is good Reader thine it is and being thine I am cōmanded by him that may command vs al not to withhold it frō thee Receiue it therfore with the same hand with which it is deliuered to thee Vse it to thy comfort and whatsoeuer good thou receiuest by it let the glory be the Lords All that I desire of thee by way of recompence is that thou be a suter to God on my behalfe that with his preuenting and following mercy in all needful things which I know not he wold instruct me in all truth which I do know he would vphold me and in those things wherein as a man I haue failed he would reforme me And the same God sanctify vs both throughout that our whole spirit and soule and body may be kept blamelesse vnto the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ Farewell Modbury in Deuon 1. September 1604. Thine in the Lord Sam Hieron ⧠The Preachers Plea Or a Treatise in forme of a plaine Dialogue making knowne the worth and necessitie of that which we call Preaching shewing also how a man may profit by it both for the informing of his iudgement and the reforming of his life Epaphras a Minister Nymphas a priuat man Nymphas SIr vnlesse I do very much mistake I haue oftē heard you in your publike sermons vrge the sufficiency that ought to be in a Minister and especially for the clearing of doubts and cases of conscience among those of whō the holy Ghost hath made him an ouerseer Epaphras It is not vnlike that among other points deliuered in the ordinarie ministery you haue receiued this also for I am well aduised that of old it was the appointment of God that the Priests lips should preserue knowledge and men should seeke it at his mouth So that we all as many as tender the good of the Church of Christ haue cause to bewaile our countries estate in which are so many VVels without water as S. Peter termeth them and that not vnfitly for as a well placed by the way side in regard of the outward séeming thereof putteth the poore thirsty traueller in hope of some refreshing who repairing to it and finding nothing but emptinesse goeth on his way with the greater discouragement so these kind of men standing in the Church of God do by reason of their outward habite semblance of grauitie make the wearied distressed perplexed Christian conceiue that if he haue recourse to them he shall certainely be reléeued but yet when he maketh triall he findeth them to his greater griefe not vnlike to the images of the Heathen VVhich haue mouthes and speake not not hauing the tongue of the learned that they should know how to minister a word in time to him that is weary But tell me neighbor I pray you this being granted what you would inferre hereupon Nymphas Surely that which I would inferre hereupon is this that you being by your calling a Minister are therefore able and being also by the prouidence of God that Minister vpon whose labours I must especially depend are willing also to enter discourse with me and to affoord me your best helpe for my better vnderstanding in some points wherein I haue of late dayes bene very much perplexed Epaph. For mine abilitie in this behalf what it ought to be I know and what I wish I it to be I know also yet whatsoeuer it is I shall be most willing as my dutie is to spend my time to bestow my labour and to employ my best endeuors in so holy a businesse as is your building vp in knowledge and your furtherance in the wayes of godlinesse And I do heartily wish that both you and others of our neighbors would more often giue me the like occasion I should then the better know your doubts and so fit my selfe to speake in preaching to euery mans conscience and you also should by that means be resolued in many things which for lacke of conference must néeds breed scruple especially in those which haue not yet through long custome exercised wits to discerne both good and euill Nymp. I am not a litle glad to heare this from you for to tell you the truth plainely without flattery I haue heard some complaine of a certaine strangenesse in you and others of your coate which they say hath discouraged them from aduenturing to conferre with you Epaph. That may be but a pretence yet it will not altogether excuse either others or my selfe herein happily we be not so tender ouer the wants of our people as we ought to be Howsoeuer to preuent any such feare in you for this time I pray you be bold to speake your mind freely and you shall find me far from seeming weary of you or from giuing you any occasion to thinke that I am vnwilling to seeke to resolue you as I may in any thing that may trouble you And I pray God the God of all grace euen for Christs sake so to blesse this our conference by giuing to vs both a right iudgment in al things that it may be both to his glorie and
is of all other cities and incorporations the most glorious so it is the greatest priuiledge that any man can attaine to be of a stranger and a forreiner admitted to be a citizen and free denizen of that societie Thus at your request I haue giuen you a taste of the doctrine of Christian Libertie the obedient Christian is the true free-man euen the Lords free-man Nymph Doubtlesse this is a most excellent point and to the soule of a Christian exceeding comfortable how much therefore are we bound to giue thankes to our heauenly Father who hath deliuered vs from the power of darknesse and hath translated vs into the kingdom of his deare Sonne And I beseech God giue vs the grace that being thus made free from sinne we may become the seruants of righteousnesse that so hauing our fruite in holinesse the end may be euerlasting life But now if it please you I long to heare the third cause of the small regard of Preaching Epaph. The third cause of contemptuous resistance is the iudging of that which is taught by the outward semblance of the teacher as for example Some great man in the world that happily is a Magistrate or a man of note and special reckoning in the place where he liueth comming to the Church and hearing his sinne reproued and such and such duties perswaded straite he casteth his eye vpon the person of the speaker and him he seeth to be but some ordinary man one that if he should come in place where he is should be serued as the poore man in the torne coate of whom S. Iames speaketh that should bee bidden to stand there aloofe off or sit here at my footstoole eftsoone he beginneth to thinke with himselfe that it would be a shame for him to suffer the words of such a one so far below him in the world to cary so great authority with him as that he should by and by conforme himselfe to his perswasions Another perhaps that hath had some good education and thereby hath gotten some tast of learning or is otherwise by obseruation experience growne to be a man of some reach and capacitie he when he compareth himself with the teacher seemeth to sée as much if not more learning iudgement reading and vnderstanding in himselfe as in him and therfore he sayth with himself Why should I yeeld to his instruction why should his opinion sway so far with me as to draw me from mine owne courses why should not I be as wel able to iudge what is méete as he A third that is it may be some gallant a man of spirit that thinketh it a part of his courage to be without feare euen of God himselfe he hearing at a sermon threatnings denounced against sin and against those very sins wherof his life is a continuall practise in the greatnesse of his stomacke and in the prophanesse of his heart beginneth to set all at nought imagining that it cānot stand with that hardinesse and vndaunted resolution which he professeth to be strikē with the words of a silly man or to haue his heart terrified with a few idle spéeches In a word the people generally do not consider how well a thing is spoken how sufficiently proued how soundly seconded and made good by the word this neuer entereth into their thought but they see that he which preacheth what is he but a man of their owne sort one neither armed with authority to punish them nor endued with power to constraine them neither yet furnished with wealth to contend with them and that al his force lyeth in his tongue the exercise whereof when it is once past there is all that he can do and therefore they make a Tush at his doctrine and say of the Preacher as they did of old He is but wind and what is he that he should command vs Thus this also is one cause of resistance to the holy doctrine taught men looke no higher then the man and they value all that is sayd by the quality of the speaker Nymph This discourse of yours so fully discouering the proud conceits of an vnreformed heart calleth to my mind the commendation which Paul giueth of the Thessalonians When ye receiued of vs saith he the word of the preaching of God ye receiued it not as the word of men but as it is indeed the word of God for so long as men haue no higher a conceipt of that which they heare then that it is but a mans doctrine the respect vnto it cannot choose but be very small so that I must needs yeeld vnto you in this that this also may well go among the number of the causes why preaching is of so slender estimation here amongst vs. Yet sir men that are enemies in this case do pretend other reasons and will not be knowne of any of these to be the occasion or cause of their dislike Epaph. That is most true for sinne doeth euer seeke shades and it is a tricke which we haue learned of our grandfather Adam to sew figge-leaues together to couer our nakednesse For shame men will not say that they are hereby moued to dislike yet notwithstanding these be the true grounds and men in their consciences know it to be so If a man had asked of Pashur why he smote Ieremie the Prophet and put him in the stockes no doubt but he would tell you a very formall tale as that He prophesied against the citie he hath not sought the wealth of the people but the hurt and that he discouraged the hands of the men of warre in speaking such wordes vnto them This would be Pashurs pretence thus he wold pleade for his straite courses against the poore Prophet yet this is but a colour for the very matter is Ieremie was a little too bold he spake too plaine his sermons were like a fire and like a hammer that breaketh the stone he kept not a word backe of al that the Lord commanded him Nymph Indeede I haue heard much spoken by many and diuers exceptions made against preaching but I neuer heard any man acknowledge his dislike to proceede from any of these causes which you haue named I wish therefore that you would instruct me how to stop the mouths of gaine-sayers when I light into the companie of such They will not perhaps say much to your faces that are Preachers but such as I am shall often heare them talke at libertie and vtter the very bottom of their stomackes and spend all their powder and shot to the beating downe of that which I hope they shall neuer be able to ouerthrow Epaph. Assure your selfe of that for we may be bold to say in the comfort of a good conscience They that be with vs are moe then they that be with them And when we come on the same errand with Ieremie why may we not hope vpon the same promise They shal fight against thee
to sow and to reape should not such a one deseruedly be laughed at and be a scorne to those which heare him Yes and not without cause for euery man knoweth that though this be the sum of husbandry yet there are diuers particulars belonging to these which are neither soone learned nor easily practised so that he who desireth to be a good husband and to profit by his labors and to make the best of euery thing must not satisfie himselfe to know this that there is nothing in husbandry but to eare the land and to reape the fruite but he must learne also what belongeth to the right performance of these otherwise he may erre in sowing play the foole in plowing and come short in reaping And euen so it is in this case true it is that the summe of all religion consisteth in this in louing God aboue all and a mans neighbor as him selfe but what then If a man shall thinke by and by that he is a good Christian and knoweth enough because he apprehendeth these generals the same is exceedingly deceiued for there are many other branches belonging to each of these which vnlesse a man do know he can neither loue God as hée ought nor his neighbour as hee should so that to my seeming euen common reason is sufficient to conuince mens ignorance herein There is not the meanest profession the coursest trade the plainest occupation but it hath as we say a certaine mysterie in it there are many rules belonging to it which must be knowne not in grosse onely but euen very precisely before a man can in any mediocritie practise the duties of the same Nymphas It is true that you say for mine owne part I confesse it but yet Ignorance will replie and say Will you then vrge vpon euery common man the knowledge of euery point which in preaching you deliuer that seemeth very vnreasonable neither can men that want the helpes of learning attaine vnto it and will not a good meaning make a supply for all this Epaphras How vnreasonable it may séeme in mens eyes to be vrged to such exact knowledge I cannot tel this I am sure of that we that are Ministers are charged to shew the people the whole coūsel of God not to keep a word back If we cannot be dispensed with to keepe secret any thing how shal it be tolerated in the people to neglect the knowledge of that which we are bound by vertue of our commission to deliuer It was but an idle prayer of the Apostle on the behalfe of the Colossians to begge of God that they might be fulfilled with knowledge of Gods will in all wisedome and spirituall vnderstanding or for the Philippians that they might abound in all iudgement and discerne things that differ I say these were but idle wishes if so be that full measure of knowledge is not required of euery Christian And if some certain rudiments as it were shreds of knowledge were sufficient the Hebrews might well haue complained of wrong in that they were so sharply censured for their being dull of hearing and for that they still after so much teaching needed the first principles of the word of God And sure if it be vnreasonable to vrge men to know so much we must which were blasphemie challenge the wise God as an vnnecessary burdener of mankind who hath reuealed so much As it is curiositie to enquire into that which God hath concealed so it is vnthankfulnesse not to take notice of whatsoeuer he hath left written for our learning The secret things belong to the Lord our God but the things reuealed belong to vs and to our children for euer sayth the Scripture I confesse that if a man might attaine to the age of Methuselah who liued nine hundred sixtie and nine yeares and should in that space equall his diligence in searching the scripture vnto Dauid who made it his meditation continually yet many things would escape him and he should when he had done all be faine to confesse that the greatest part of that which he knoweth is not the least part of that which he knoweth not but what then because a man when he hath done best cannot know all shall he therefore not labour to know any thing God forbid Ignorance by a kind of necessity may seeme to haue some excuse but a voluntary neglect of that which a man may know cannot haue so much as a colour of allowance Nymphas Yet me thinkes it is hard for the common people the greatest part whereof cannot so much as reade to attain to so much knowledge as you seeme to perswade especially if withall they be such as liue by their labour and haue charge of children how shall they spare time for such occasions Epaph. Verily it is a wofull thing to consider the dulnesse that is amongst men and they do not know what they want that cannot reade a thing which notwithstanding of all other the parts of learning is the most easie and as soone learned as to be able to play at the cards if men were as desirous of the one as of the other yet howsoeuer in this case of knowledge in religion men do cast many mo perils then they need and are like the slouthfull man of whom Salomon speaketh who saith A lion is without I shal be slaine in the streete For knowledge is easie to him that will vnderstand and the yoke of Christ it is easie and his burden light wherefore serueth the scripture but to giue vnto the simple sharpnesse of wit and to the child knowledge and discretiō The entrance into thy words saith Dauid sheweth light as soone as a man in humilitie and in a true desire to know God doeth but begin to apply himselfe to the meanes of knowledge he shall secretly feele such a sodaine light cast in vpon his vnderstanding that he shall be able to apprehend euen the very secret of the Lord and the great mystery of godlinesse and so shall go from strength to strength vntill he be filled with all the fulnesse of God And we see by comfortable experience with what gifts of iudgement and good vnderstanding and speech yea and of prayer also the Lord furnisheth many who notwithstanding haue wanted the helpes of good education wherein the Lord maketh good that auncient prophesie touching the kingdome of Christ that he would in it poure out his spirit euen vpon seruants and maides so that the eyes of the blind should be lightened and the eares of the deafe opened and the dumbe mans tongue be able to sing And thankes be vnto God for his vnspeakeable gift So that it is a causelesse feare which men haue who imagine the knowledge of the doctrine of saluation to be a matter of that exceeding difficultie Now for the multitude of worldly businesses the necessary following whereof men pleade partly as a matter priuiledging them partly as
cōdemned for the supposed misdemeanor of them which preach God forbid Is any mā so vnwise as to disobey a warrant comming apparently frō a man of authority because the Constable or Tithingman is a naughty fellow that bringeth it Who then but either a foole or a froward hart wil tread the holy doctrine of God vnder his feete because he is a man of no good cariage that deliuereth the same Thirdly men are to consider this also that all are not Ministers which are so called neither all true Preachers come frō God that stand vp in the pulpit for in these corrupt times many are crept into the Church of God by the window whom God did neuer set apart to that holy seruice now it is vnpossible but that such as these though they may a long time couer their double iniquity vnder a dissembled sanctitie yet at last breake out into extremities Now it is against common reason to turne their miscariage into the generall disgrace of all honest Ministers There be many counterfeit dog-leaches and pretenced Surgions that hauing gotten a litle Rubarbe or Balsamum and some few words of art run about the country and beguile the people and cozen them of their mony purging their purses and scouring their bags vnder colour of clensing their bodies searching their sores Shal we say therefore that al Phisitions though they be neuer so well learned neuer so well experienced neuer so conscionable and wary in their courses of administring are cozeners and that it were pittie but the countrey were rid of them all it were an indignitie once to imagine it There is no profession but it hath as it were a certaine scumme and there are some that make shew of it that are altogether vnworthy of it Shall the vilenesse vnbeseeming cariage of those that are but the refue and as I may so speake the taile of an honest profession be cast into the face of all the rest that belong vnto it Reason it selfe sayth it is vnméete And men would soone yéeld to this were it not that the diuell hath taught them to be wise in any thing sauing in religion to fauor any profession sauing that of the ministery Men are herein like vnto many Lawyers who if you put them a case without naming the parties will tell you truly what is law but whē they vnderstand who they be whō the matter concerneth then they change their opinion and the law is altered So in the world ask you any man of cōmon vnderstanding this questiō whether it be meet that all of a trade or company should be chalenged because some such or such are worthy to be punished he will tell you there is no reason for it but come to particulars touching preachers thē he is of another mind he wil be ready to say that al Christs disciples were naught because Iudas was a diuel because he it may be knoweth some two or 3. sir Iohns or some other perhaps of better note in the eyes of the world but yet scarcely worthy of their places to be climing with Diotrephes or embracing this present world with Demas or carying themselues insolently with Pashur or otherwise kéeping bad rule with him who imagining that his master doth defer his coming begins to smite the seruants and the maidens and to eate and drinke and to be drunken by and by he concludeth that they are all naught and voweth that he will neuer beléeue any of them for all their shewes of holinesse Fourthly for the further cleering of this point this is also to be considered that Ministers and Preachers do not thinke themselues freed from common infirmities or endued with some greater power or larger priuiledge against sin then others therefore euery slip is not by by to be taken hold of as the maner is and to be turned to the blemishing of a whole profession He is said to be a man of vpright conuersation not who slippeth neuer for who is he that can vnderstand his faults but he who by his seldome slips and by his not continuing in any one knowne euill sheweth himselfe to be a man that vnfainedly desireth to haue his cariage such as becometh the Gospel of Christ Lastly mark this also you shal find it true those who are euer harping vpon this string touching the liues of preachers let thē be vrged to particulars you shal perceiue that either their euill speaking is occasioned by such kind of Ministers as I before named or else if they haue any exception against any of the better and painfuller sort it is such which if it be well examined and throughly looked into will be found rather to sauor of malice in the speaker then to argue any great error in the accused I told you I should be long in this point but now I haue done vnlesse you haue ought further to vrge therein Nymph The most that I haue to say is that men of the world that shall heare this Plea of yours will straightway say that you can speake well for your selues and that though you aggrauate other mens sins vpon occasions yet you can salue vp matters that concerne your selues and helpe to couer your owne infirmities Epaph. The diuell doth well answer his name for there is nothing can be so wel spoken but he and his can cauil at it for mine owne part I striue with my self to speake vnpartially The profession I must loue because God hath called me vnto it yet were I not of it God hath taught me to honor it because the feet of them are beautifull which bring glad tidings of peace And howsoeuer many do so far exalt themselues in their birth in their riches in their wisedome in their personage and bloud that they think it a disparagement vnto them to consecrate all their life to the ministerie of the Gospell yet as Christ himselfe disdained not the title of a Minister so among all the titles of kingdomes and countries this was to that great King the most honorable Solomon the Preacher I must therefore as a Minister but especially as a Christian endeuor to maintaine the credit of the ministery And yet I am not so caried away with a humor of magnifying the profession but that I do see and bemone both mine and other mens imperfections I know that though it be true that we are many times slaundered by soule mouthes yet we often faile and giue great offence euen vnto those that feare God who depending vpon vs are either grieued in heart or which is worse grieuously mis-led by our want of watchfulnesse ouer our selues And I heartily beg of God so to stablish vs in euery word and good work that while we liue we may be an example to them that beleeue and when we haue finished our course the people may haue cause to remēber vs to follow our faith considering what hath bin the end of our
conuersation Nymph My heart saith Amen vnto your good praier and God forgiue vs our backwardnes in that we make so seldom mentiō of you which are our Ministers in our prayers vnto him But now to the next exceptiō which is against the hearers the common saying is that there are none vsually so bad as these Puritanes for so in their ignorance not knowing truly what a Puritane is and in their malice seeking to disgrace honest men they terme euery mā that makes conscience of hearing the word for the building of himself in holy faith they are nothing but a pack of hypocrites men that are not to be trusted for all their faire shewes holy horses and the like names of disgrace which hell can inuent and out of this puddle of reprochfull speeches against the louers of preaching they gather vp filth to cast into the face of preaching it selfe Epaph. This exception and that which went next before are so wel like that they do easily appéere to haue had one father euen the diuel who was a slanderer from the beginning but blessed be God that it is no matter of any great difficultie to discouer euen the deepenesse of Satan to be meere simplicitie First then for this touching the hypocrisie of our hearers it is but a meere slander for to the glory of God be it spokē there are many of those that reuerence this so much contemned course of preaching who haue not onely a shew of godlinesse but do also feele the power thereof and are careful as they beleeue in God so to shew forth good works so that their liues do adorne the doctrine of God our Sauior yea and which is the cause of the so great malice of the vngodly euē reproue the leudnes of the irreligious Secondly suppose it to be so as it may well hypocrites mingling themselues with the soundest Christians that some of those which cary a face of holinesse and zeale loue to the word do notwithstanding hold fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darknesse liuing after the lusts of men and running with the wicked to the same excesse of riot yet who is able to say that euer they receiued any encoragemēt by preaching so to do Hath that taught them any such matter and not rather the cleane contrary Let malice speake if it be not constrained for very shame to kéep silence Doth the preacher perswade any man to be an vsurer an oppressor a hard dealer a drunkard a whoremaster or the like Nay it is well knowne that it testifieth to one other that the Lord is auenger of al such things that for them his wrath commeth vpon the children of disobedience These two things namely the falshood of the exception and the bad consequence of it if it were true may stop their mouthes which vse it but you told me as I remember that there be sundry arguments of this kind I pray you let vs heare them no doubt you shal see them all when they are arraigned and brought to receiue their trial at the Tribunall seat of Gods word to be condemned for lying vanities and to be no more able to stand before it thā the Philistins Dagon could keepe his shrine though no doubt he was fast nailed to it when the arke of Iehouah came in place Nymph The next exception is of a larger scope and fighteth against you with the generall wretchednesse of this last generation You shall see it in it owne likenesse that you may the better iudge of it It commonly runneth thus in former times when there was lesse preaching and the Scripture was more geason then now it is the world they say was much better there was more loue more hospitalitie more truth more mercie more good dealing amongst men then is to be found at this day so that whereas there is now much lawing much contention much oppressing much cruelty and sinnes of the like nature al this is layd vpon the backe of preaching this is the leauen that hath put the whole world out of taste this is also a peece of Dagon stump I make no doubt but the Lord hath furnished you with weapons mightie through him to cast downe holds and euery high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of Christ Iesus Epaph. I perceiue the Diuell much doubteth the ruine of his kingdome and therfore though preaching amongst men is thought to be but wind yet he féeleth his state begin to totter with the power of it so that he doeth stretch his wit and set his pollicy on worke and spareth for no engines to beat downe that which he shal neuer be able to ouerturne And that as we haue seene hitherto so I doubt not but we shall further sée it in the examination of particulars For those elder times as men call them first it is to be noted that it is true indeed that many of those who liued in thē were in the eies of men very commendable for those morall vertues as they are termed of hospitalitie of bountie of humanity of plain dealing the like the reason was this Satan let them alone in these things because he did hold them captiue at his will in the principal Though he doth hate these specialties in their owne nature being an vtter enemie to all goodnesse yet he was content to giue way in those lesser things so long as he could nuzle them in ignorance of God and of his word which he well knew was both hold enough for himself and sufficient inough also to blemish and disgrace all those reputed vertues before God But now the light of knowledge being come into the world and spreading it self further by the more common vse of preaching Sathan secretly perswadeth many that it is enough for them to haue knowledge though they neglect practise he laboreth also by killing mens care to shew themselues forward in these duties of ciuilitie to lessen the credit of the Gospel to haue matter of slaunder against the knowledge of Gods truth Secondly to speake more specially of this last and worst age of the world if it be well vnderstood preaching may be sayd to be the occasion though not the naturall cause of the extreame wretchednesse thereof according as Paul sayth that sinne tooke occasion by the commaundement and when the commaundement came sinne reuiued and grew out of measure sinfull Now the preaching publishing of the truth may be sayd to be the occasion of much euill in these last times in two respects first because of the fuller discouery of sin In the dayes of former ignorance many of the same grosse sins were which now are but either they were smothered in the darknesse of the times or if they were a litle discried yet they were reputed nothing so odious But althings when they were reprooued of the light became manifest for it is light that maketh all things manifest so that now sin being seene
bloud of all men and that no man who liueth vnder our ministery may haue cause in the day of the Lord to impute his slownes in repenting to our too cold too mild and couert maner of reproouing Nymph But what say you now sir to the third accusation which is that you make your preaching too common and so by that means draw it into contempt make it to be the lesse esteemed among men I can tell you there be many that are preachers themselues be of that opinion Epaph. I am the more sorie and to tell you what I thinke plainly I am of that mind that those which blame often preaching as a fault what colour soeuer they may set vpon it yet they do it chiefly for the couering of their own shame that their negligence may not be taken notice of I remember the old fable of the Foxe who hauing had a mischance lost his taile coming into the assembly of the beasts of the same kind fell to perswade them euery one to cut off his taile pleading the cumbersomnesse and waightinesse of it with many the like circumstances but the matter coming to further scanning it was found that the wily foxe did it onely to couer his owne deformitie which if to be without tailes had once bene a fashion should neuer haue bene espied I leaue you to apply it Only I wold wish all such so minded to follow Hieromes counsell in which he admonisheth one Calphurnius vpon some such occasiō as this that if he wanted téeth himselfe he should not be enuious against those with were able to eate When one counselled Moses to silence Eldad Medad imagining that their Prophecying in the hoast might haue eclipsed Moses his credite Moses liked not the aduice but wished that all the Lords people were Prophets But lest I should seeme too tart against this kind of mē of whō yet there is some hope I wil be cōtent to examin their reasons because as I gather by your spéech they séeke as the Prouerbe is to be mad with reason They say the ouer-commonnesse of preaching will breed contempt of preaching First of all suppose it fareth with some in respect of preaching as it did with the vnthankfull Israelites which loathed the Manna wherwith the Lord so miraculously fed them in the wildernesse so they also seeme to be as it were glutted with the continuall vse of the word preached yet this can be no reason why a diligent and frequent Preacher should remit any thing of his former industrie and speak more sparingly drawing his Sermons into a smaller number then he was wont It is truly said that there are thrée very good mothers which haue three very bad daughters and they are these 1. Truth which yet in the world bréedeth hatred 2. Peace a great blessing of God and yet through our corruption it causeth Idlenesse 3. Familiarity and the cōmon vse of a good thing which is notwithstanding mostly recompenced with Contempt And yet this is not in the nature of these things but onely in our corruption For as the nature of God is so perfectly good that he doth turn euen very euill things into very good things as he made the malice of the Iewes in putting his Sonne to death to be a meane of our saluation so our nature is so absolutely euill that it turneth very good things into euill as sometimes the grace of God into wantonnesse and Christian libertie into an occasion vnto the flesh so in these particulars which I haue named Now because truth is generally hated shall men therefore banish it from their speeches and frame their toungs to flatterie Because many abuse the blessing of peace shall we therefore voluntarily raise tumults or desire God to put an end to our happie dayes of quietnesse There is in the world no reason for it Neither is there any iust cause why we should go about to make our preaching as it were something more dainty because it may séeme to some raw and ill disposed stomackes to breed a kind of fulnesse and satietie Secondly if we looke better into it we shall see that the true cause of mens contempt of preaching is not so much the common vse of it as the ignorance of the worth and excellencie of it The Sun the water the fire what things more common and yet what things lesse despised and the reason is because we all know we cannot liue without them Let men be once perswaded of this that neither the Sunne nor water nor fire are more necessary for the outward man then preaching is for the soule and spirit and that where it is wanting there the people decay thē they will neuer be cloyed or at least if satietie through the in-bred corruption of our nature créepe vpon them by the remembrance hereof it will quickly be recouered Thirdly do but marke what course of preaching it is which pleaseth some to call ouer-common namely a setled course for euery Sabboth and it may be some wéeke day Lecture as it is called vsually Now I would faine sée how any man can say with reason that this is ouer often Paule commaundeth to preach in season If this charge carie any waight what better season can there be then the Sabboth a day of leasure a day in which men if not for conscience yet for custome and because of the lawes assemble themselues in one place for the performance of one common dutie and seruice vnto God I remember it is premitted as a circūstance to the historicall relation of some of Christs sermons that when he saw the multitude and great troupes resorted to him then he spake many things to them and in another place it is said that beholding the swarmes of people and considering their spirituall wants euen his very bowels did worke within him and he began to teach them So no doubt it is ought to be with euery good Minister he cannot as we say find in his heart to dismisse a multitude assembled to worship God without some word of exhortation Me thinketh that when a Pastor of a parish is comen into the church vpon the Sabboth day beholdeth his whole flocke gathered together as one man he should euen imagine that the very presence of the people doth cal to him as the Rulers of the synagogue did to Paul and Barnabas that if he haue any word of exhortation for them he should say on So that if to preach in season be a Minister his dutie and the fulnesse of an assembly vpon the sabboth be a seasonable occasiō as no man can deny it I cannot see how so seasonable an exercise can be charged with ouer-commonnesse or blamed as a meanes to make the word of God lesse precious amongst men God requireth that we should call the Sabboth a delight to consecrate it now how can that day be hallowed and consecrated as it ought if so speciall a
then this for the matter otherwise I know what the world will say euen that which it spareth not to speake alreadie that you Preachers are so earnest in the extolling of preaching onely for your owne priuate credites sake that you may be the better esteemed Epaph. God be thanked variety of sufficient proofes is not wanting in this cause but yet this I thought good to obserue as it were by the way to the end that men who it may be haue a good opinion of their owne well deseruing may see what an inconuenience is like to follow by the defence of such an opinion Nymph I am very desirous to heare what may be said in this case touching the comparison that is made betwixt reading and preaching and therefore I do euen long til you come vnto it Epaph. Well then to cut off all preambles and vnnecessary circumstances for this point touching the efficacy of preaching aboue reading I will stand vpon two reasons chiefly the one is experience the other is Gods ordinance who hath appointed the abilitie to preach as a matter of necessity in euery one that is called to the ministery Experience is sometimes called the mistresse of fooles but by it in this point wise men may learne a good lesson first of all if there be a view taken of all the places parishes where there hath bene onely reading and of those which haue bene furnished with a setled preaching Minister whose care hath bene to diuide the word of truth aright the different estate of the places wil soone make known the worth of preaching aboue reading for looke into those who haue euer rested themselues satisfied with a reading Minister neither séeking nor caring for better meanes of instruction and you shall find generally wofull ignorance lamentable blindnesse in the matters of God men altogether childrē in vnderstanding popish superstitious heathenish in one word to speake with the Apostle Walking in the vanitie of their mind hauing their cogitation darkned and being strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the hardnes of their hearts This is the generall condition of such places But looke againe to those who haue bene taught in the word haue made conscience to profit by the good meanes wherewith God hath blessed them there shall you see the seale of the ministerie euen the conuersion of soules comfortable knowledge conscionable cariage the Lords Saboth sanctified his word accounted precious the sacraments reuerently vsed priuate families trained vp in instruction and informatiō of the Lord euen a very church in euery house I know indéede that there are many good people dwelling in parishes wanting preaching and many ignorant and vngodly ones in places well furnished with teaching but yet let these circumstances noted by me be remēbred of resting wel enough satisfied with bare reading and of reioycing in the benefite of an able preacher then it wil be found true which I haue said and be a sufficient testimony of the power of preaching aboue reading Secondly whereas the scripture is a witnes of the bad opinion which the world will haue of the ministery of the word assuring them that are called to that office that the faithfull discharge of their duty shal be rewarded with affliction with hatred with all maner of euill sayings let any man examine his owne obseruation and sée in which of the two the Reader or the Preacher this is best verified It is an old saying that by the market folkes you shall vnderstand how the market goeth Take me therefore a common man whom you méet by chance question with him touching the place where he dwelleth about his minister if he be but a Reader you shall haue him say straite Truly we haue a good honest quiet man mary indeed he cānot preach but he liueth peaceably medleth with no mā is very wel beloued amongst vs for why he is a fellow like man c but put case the minister be a painful preacher one that seeketh to draw the people from their godlesse and superstitious courses to the knowledge of God then you shall heare him in another tune he wil say thē there we haue a man some say he is learned but sure I am he hath troubled vs all a good many of vs wish he had neuer come amongst vs we were all quiet before but now all is out of frame there is such reprouing finding of fault bringing vp of new fashions orders that we know not what to do some of the best of our parish will do what they can to remoue him these the like are the thoughts and speeches of no small many and the same no fooles in the eyes of the world who do indeed iustifie preaching by condemning it shew it to be the power of God by resisting it Thirdly for one other specialty drawn frō experience I wil appeale vnto mens cōsciēces whether they be such as feare God or otherwise They which feare God tremble at his words do in humility desire to know the secret of the Lord cānot but acknowledge that they do much more increase both in the knowledge of the truth which is according to godlinesse in the power of godlinesse do find their iudgements better strengthened their faith more confirmed their consciences more wrought vpon their affections more quickened by the word when it is effectually preached applied then when it is but only read vnto them And no maruell for indeed it cannot be that a briefe clause of holy scripture wherin in a short tenor of words such is the riches of the sacred text many particulars are comprised being onely read should profit so much as if by preaching it were expounded and according to occasions applied vnto Gods people If a mā saith the heathen Orator come into a wardrobe where many rich garments are folded vp together in a narrow roome it cannot so satisfie him as if the same might seuerally be layed forth to his view time being graunted to take notice of euery particular because being lapped vp he cannot see the whole beautie and being together he is not able to obserue euery specialty euen so it fareth with the scriptures if a man heare them read it cannot but draw him to admire the maiesty and riches of them and it wil cast some glimmering light vpō the vnderstanding but when he heareth them laid open by preaching it will much more astonish him it wil euen rauish him as it were casting a cleerer light vpon his iudgement working more mightily vpon his affections This truth al which truly feare God are able to iustifie out of their own experiēce Now for others I know they also must yéeld to this that they find the word being vrged and pressed by preaching to be far more powerful more piercing more maiesticall more awaking the conscience more