that is to say My Father my father the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof so we also may not without good cause complaine of our master Hyperius thus taken from vs Although in very déede when I wey more déepely the whole matter with my selfe most worthy Senatours I scarcely sée what sparke of hope to be accounted off is left not onely to vs but also to all Germanye Pure religion was in the time of our fathers sore oppressed through the tiranny of the Bishops none otherwise then was a great while agoe the Common wealth of the Hebrues thorugh the violence and oppressions of the bordering Nations As the Lorde in olde time had mercy vpon the Hebrues so hath he had now also compassion vppon vs that like as then he stirred vp valiaunt Capytaynes and godly Iudges that did set the people in their former libertie so now in these dayes had be raysed vp many notable Doctors that might and did restore religion to hiâ— former puritie and deliuer vs from that pontificall tyranny Which either Capitaynes or Doctors of the Church séeing the Lorde doth now by littel and littel call awaye to himselfe as in the yeares past Luther Bucer Melanchthon and many other and in these last xv monethes Martyr Musculus our Hyperius wée are truly to be afrayed least these so many and great lightes of the churche beinge extinct considering that very few men or none remayne of like dignitie of like learning and experience there succéede other which not as the former will defend and maynteyne our liberty restored but will hamper vs againe in â— newe seruitude and bondage Yea verily when as those Capytaines being taken away euery man may séeme to doe and say what he list it is greatly to be feared least for our offences all our religion be againe enwrapped in most vgsom darkenes and so vtterly obscured and defaced For vndoubtedly as for the light of the trueth which after those dolfull times of darkenes wherein our forefathers were entangeled by the great benefit of God hath shined vnto vs our people can now in these dayes so ill away with all that they doe not onely openly and manifestly contemne the cléere light but euen couet also most gréedely to returne backe againe to their former darknes as it were to the flesh pottes of Aegipt Furthermore what the life of our Countrimen is what the maners of them are that glory of the profession of pure religion we sée I speake not onely of the cÌ„omon people basest sort of men but I speake of those whom wée all haue in admiration whom wée reuerence whom wée prayse and highly estéeme off So great is the contempt of religion amongest a great number so great the neglecting of godlines so great the suppression of vertue that they may well séeme to be no Christians at all but very saluage and barbarous people Which thinges séeing they are true there is no man verily that can imagine this our dread and feare to be vainely or without cause conceiued God winketh for a time at our sinnes and enormities as he is a longe suffering GOD and slowe to wrath But neuerthelesse when he séeth there is no hope lefte of amendement of lyfe and that our sinnes doe proclame nowe euen open warre agaynst heauen it selfe then sodenly prouoked to anger he prepareth himselfe to take vengeaunce Which when he intendeth to doe he oftetimes taketh good men from vs least they should the good with the bad the godly with the vngodly be enwrapped togither in these plages But nowe I maye séeme peraduentuÌ„re to giue an ouer vnlucky ghesse as touching the state of our Scholes and Churches wherefore then doe I not rather turne my talke vnto you most graue and prudent fathers Whom I praye and beséech most hartily that you would euery one of you so far foorth as ye are able bend all your trauayle and dilignce to the mayntenaunce and preseruation of godly studies And you especially I call vppon most excellent Companions thée I say most reuerend Rector Lonicerus thée most vigilant pastor Rodingus and you al furthermore that teach the holy Scriptures either in the Schole with vs or in the Church herevnto I beséech you bend all your coâ—itations and all your endeuours namely that our sacred and diuine studies may prosper and florish Procéede to teach as you doo diligently and faithfully study for the maintenaunce of peace and tranquilitie Let vs propound vnto our hearers not idle questions as touching vaine and friuolous matters but as our Hyperius alwaies did those principles most chiefely of the doctrine of religion which shall be necessary to the conseruation of the puritie of faith and most profitable to the information of lyfe and maners Let vs haue no dealing wâ—th vnlucky contentions whereby we sée now some Scholes to be most grieuously battered and shaken Let this our Schole rest as by Gods grace it hath already many yeares rested from importunate striuings and brablementes Let vs follow alonely in teaching the chiefe points of religion the holy Scripturesithe writinges I meane of the Prophetes and Apostles Let no mans authoritie so preuaile with vs let no Counsell be of such credite no patched writing of such force that wée shoulde depart so much as a heares breadth either from the authoritie of the Scripture or from the phrase of Thapostles or from the formes of speaking vsed by the holy GHOST himselfe These markes let vs prescribe vnto our selues as it were to ame at Let vs kéepe vs with in the compasse of these bouÌ„ds For so yea so it will com to passe that we shall not be caried about hither thither with the winde vanitie of euery doctrine but shall ramayne constant in our profession and shall alwaies froÌ„ time to time kéepe a certaine forme of sâ—uÌ„d doctrine And you also most diligent hearers you I say that are studious of the holy Scriptures I doe not onely exhorte but also pray and beséech you wey with your selues the state of Religion and the state of our Churches consider what perills hange ouer our heades in these dayes by reason of the wickednes of our liues and maners beholde how many famous Doctors and notable lights of the Church our almighty father hath in a short space-taken froÌ„ vs All the most excellent Teachers our heauenly father calleth out of this life by littell and littell home to himselfe many other neither so well learned neither such louers of peace concord he leaueth stil aliue which are not so carefull as touching the safetie and preseruation of the Churches as they be for their owne priuate authoritie and gaines which séeke not so much the peace left vnto vs of Christ as they doe their owne prayse and glory though it be by fetting the Lordes Sanctuary on fyre and which if thy were not brideled by thautoritie of godly maiestrates would confounde heauen and earth togither Consider I say and seriously ponder all these thinges
call diuinitie comprised in the holy writings of the Prophets Apostles The other of thinges humaine in which we doe not only account the artes called Liberal and the parts of Philosophy commonlye handled in the Scholes and likewise the tongues but also ciuill discripline and iudgement of polytyke and â—econonicall affaires And that verely is necessary to the Preacher to thinâ—ent he may sincerely inculke and repeate the principles of Christian religion confyrme the good in their godly opinions confute the euill and these that be of a sinister iudgement And this to th ende he may with the greater grace and dexterytie order al things but chiefely discouer and condemne all kinde of vices whiche raigne in diuers and sundrye sortes of men For how shall hee prudentlye frame his Sermon agaynst Usurye and manye vniuste bargaynes and contractes eyther els agaynste leude and cancred Customes commonlye receiued that haue not some kinde of knowledge of ciuill affayres Esay cap. 22. reprouinge the vaine counsels of the people touching the munition of the Citie wherein the vngodly in the time of warre dyd put more affiaunce then in God hymselfe and in many other places besides wherein he rebuketh diuers sinnes and enormities dothe sufficiently declare that he was not ignoraunt of ciuill matters How many thinges moreouer mayest thou sée in Ieremy Ezechiell Daniell and other of the Prophetes which do not obscurely argue that they were right diligent markers and wise estéemers of a number of thinges perteyninge to the state ciuill The same thinge dothe Christe testifye of hymselfe in many parables of whiche sorte is that of the vniust Stuarde Luke 16 of the Talentes Math. 25. and many of hys whole Sermons béesides Also out of the Sacred Chronicle of the Actes of Thapostles and out of the Epistles may easely be gathered that the Apostle Paule was reasonablye well séene both in the lawes of the Romaines and also in rourtlike and forensicall actions It is requisite therfore by al meanes that ecclesiasticall teachers be not onely some denie skilful in dyuine but also in humayne matters and specially in polytike and a conomicall affayres and so far forth skilful to as may be necessarye to the furtheraunce of their flocke committed vnto them and the impeachment of all kinde of wickednesse and impyetie But no smal number of thinges appertinent to this kinde as well by the familyar acquaintaunce with men of meane wisdome so they be séene in vse and experyence as also by the dylygent annotation of such affayres as daylye come to passe and the inuestigation of the causes and circumstaunces in the same euery good and wel disposed man may easely gather and conceiue Now that sanctimony of lyfe ought to be required in a Preacher of the Gospell euery man may iudge séeinge it profiteth nothing at all to edifye the Churche of GOD in worde if that whiche is already builded vp bee subuerted agayne with euill conditions A good life is as it were a scale whereby sounde doctrine is confirmed in the hearers A thing most vnséemely it is in â—ace hée that professeth to be a Phisition and wyll take vpon him to heale others of their infirmities bée hymselfe all scabbye and full of byles Phisition wyil they all saye heale thy selfe Therefore ought all men to set Christe béefore them as theyr Scholemaster whom we may heare preache not onely in worde but also effectually in déede For whiche cause the Apostle most dilygentlye prescribed what manner of men Bysshoppes or Elders lykewyse Decons with their whole families ought to bée with what vertues hee woulde haue them chiefelye garnished and from what vices hée woulde wyshe them to bée frée Albeit this is also to be added that where wee may not haue altogether so perfect and absolute Preachers in euery respect as we couet and desyre yet ought wee to suffer and imbrace those whose doctrine is sounde and with no sâ—ot of heresye or noysome opinions infected For whither any thorow enuy or thorow contention or thorow occasion doe teache so they preach Christ all is well and God is to be thanked No man is borne without his fault great alwayes is the fragilytie of mankinde and on euerye side euermore are we misers enuironed about with certaine domestical furies as yee would say continually enticing vs to sinne In lyke maner there is no man that can eschewe the bytyng teeth of detraction And in no place mayst thou not in these dayes specially beholde the malignaunt multytude what saye I multitude yea euen those also that take vpon them far beyonde the common sort whettinge their tusshes to slaunder and backbit the ministers of the Churche euen there also where they haue no iuste cause or occasion so to doe A number of Sicophants there be of the sect and faction to that wicked Doeg in whom Ambrose expoundinge the sixt of Luke saieth appeared a type of Iudas the traitor that haue the cast to construe and interprete actions of themselues voyde of all blame as huge crimes and enormities and in their accusations to make more then mountaines of miles or oliphants of flies Whosoeuer therfore is wise wil not rashly giue héede vnto those that commonlye and willingly speake euill of Ecclesiasticall teachers Whether may be referred that which the same apostle no lesse grauely prescribeth touchinge the life and conuersation of Elders then carefully and wiselye admonisheth that an accusation against a priest or elder is in no wise to be admitted without two or thrée witnesses In the thyrde place wee sayde that to a Preacher is néedefull and requisite a spyrite and power in teachinge I vnderstande by the name of Spirite and power a certayne peculyar facultie of proposynge sounde doctrine and also of moouing and drawing of mindes â—â— thintent that as many as is possible may reape most ample fruiteâ— and as few as may be presume to disalowe any thinge as vaine vnfruitfull Which facultie in one place is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power in an other place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 boldnesse of speache somtime 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might now and than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spirit erewhile agayne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the demonstration of the spirit and power For so doe the Euangelistes testifie of Christ He taught as one hauing power All men were astonied at his doctrine bycause his woord was ioyned with power And the Apostle Paule 1. Corinth 2. My woordes and my preaching were not in flattringe phrases of mans wisedom but in the demonstration of the spirit and of power that your faith might not bee in the wisdome of men but in the power of GOD. Whiche forme of speakinge hee vseth also in the fourthe Chapter of the same Epistle Agayne in the fourth of the Actes Peter filled with the holy ghost is had in admiration for his libertie in speaking And in the same chapter the Apostles pray vnto God that he would giue his seruants grace to speake the word
the condition or impotencye of the partye as if it be a poore man if it be a widow orphan c. 4 Of the innocency of lyfe Of hym that hath hurt no man nor shamefully and prodigally coÌ„sumed his substance we sooner take pitie and compassion 5 Of the former estate happy prosperous c. 6 Of the kinde of the calamitie 7 Of the greatnesse therof 8 Of the comparison of the present euill with other discommodities 9 Of the place time instrument maner and other circumstaunces 10 Of the power and crueltie of those that inferred the iniury 11 Of the prouidence of God disposing all thinges wisely and to the best which also would have present examples of calamities to be extant for our sakes to the ende a tryall might be had how we ought to behaue our selues in the afflictions of other men and that wee mighte haue occasion to exercise the duties of Charytie towardes the oppressed 12 Of the dignitie of hym that is distressed as namely that he is our brother pertaker of the same spirituall regenâ—ration with vs and redéemed with the self same blood of Christ 13 Also of that that our brother which is oppressed doth not suffer onely for his owne offences but rather for the example of others as Christ interpreteth the casualtye of those men that were slayne by the fall of the Tower in Siloe 14 Of the feare of the lyke euills hanginge ouer our heades For the punishments which we sée inflicted vnto others we ought to knowe that the same also are prepared for vs at all times by the good will and iuste iudgmente of God. 15 Lykewise of the precepts of God wherby we are commaunded to be mercyfull vnto other 16 Of the promises that are set forth vnto those that exercise the déedes of mercy 17 Of the threatninges both of temporall and eternall paynes which doe hang ouer as well the body as the soule of those that are not touched with compassion towardes others 18 Of the auoydyinge and contemninge of the sleightes of our spirituall enemies the fleshe the worlde the deuill that call vs away from well doyng and continually séeke to drawe vs into daunger misery and thraldom But bée it sufficient to haue rehearced these places in order which doe minister occasion wherby also other fitte and conuenient places may bée excogitate Moreouer somtime are published the most ample benefites purchassed by Christe very well therefore shall the Preacher with all force of wordes and couragiousnes of minde extimulate his hearers to wheigh exactely the greatenes of Christes benefites to the intente that by their ameÌ„dement of life and by their good and godly conuersation hereafter they may endeuoure to showe themselues thankfull for the same In this behalfe therefore hée shall not without good cause bestowe greate laboure and diligence But as we saide before lyke as these thinges are properly pertaininge to Diuinitie euen so the places applied to the mouinge of affections can not more conuenintly bée collected out of any other faculty those onely excepted which wee sée to bee contained amonge the rules of the Rhetoricians then out of Diuinitie it selfe Howebeit to stande longer vpon these pointes and to occupy the time in repeating and discoursing of these and such like places would be but a superfluous labour We séeme to haue perfourmed that which to our duty appertayneth in as much as we haue after a sorte shewed away wherein they that beginne at any time to trace shall easely enure themselues to drawe out of the fountaynes of Diuinitie places apte for euery kynde of argumente For Diuinitie is very ritch and ministreth most plentifully and liberally to euery one that seeketh all kynde of furniture requisite to the faculty of well speakinge But as touchinge figures which serue to the mouing of affectioÌ„s it is not neéedfull that wée should ad any thing further then the Orators haue done For such as they haue taught to bée profitable for this purpose all those shall the Preacher at his liberty appropriate to his owne oration Wherefore repetition heapinge of matter increasemeÌ„t contention exclamation interrogation subiection apostrophe communication dubitation permission silence hyperbole effiction imagination hypotyposis and other figures of the same kynde doe take place béeinge wyth iudgement applyed Albet oftetymes also the Preacher settinge a side all arte and cunninge and vtterly excluding all furniture and preparation doth vehemently moue and enclyne When namely the oracles of God the testimonies of the Prophetes the preceptes promyses comminations of God himselfe the interpretations of the holy Prophetes by reason of their certeynty dignitie and grauitie are perceyued to bée of so great weight and importance especially if a certayne comely and graue maner of elocution bée adioyned therevnto that they may eftesoones drawe yea and compell also euen those men that are stiffe and rude vnto mercy indignation hatred feare hope loue study and disire of imitation For it behoueth that to be true which the Lorde hymselfe sayth by the Prophet Ieremy namely that his word is as it were a fyre and lyke vnto a hammer that breaketh in sunder the harde stone Also that which the author of the Epistle to the Hebrues affirmeth The worde of GOD is very quicke and mighty in operation and sharper then any two edged sworde and entreth through euen to the deuiding a sonder of the soule and the spirite and of the ioyntes and the marye and is a discerner of the thoughtes and of the intentes of the harte In which behalfe truely that the Preacher is in better cace then the Orator all men must néedes confesse Furthermore where the Orators bée of opinion that it is not good to sticke longe especially in the affections that are ouer vehemente in that pointe wée also assente vnto them séeinge the thinges that are ouer vehement can in no wise bée of any longe contynuauÌ„ce But as for the gentiller sorte of affections to disperse them through euery parte of the Sermon it is very séemely and profytable for the Oration the alwayes créepeth lowe by the ground and neuer at any time mounteth vp a lofte or waxeth hote it is very lyke that such a one will bringe tediousnes bée disliked of the hearers Such as bée luke warme in the actions of pietie the Lorde hateth promiseth the he will spewe theÌ„ out of his mouth what shall wée then iudge of their Sermons that make others luke warme also Wherefore I might worthilie add herevnto examples wherein affections are moued out of the Prophetes and Apostles and likewise out of the holy fathers I myght also explane some thinges perticulerly by themselues makinge a perfect demonstration of the whole arte but I feare lest my discourse thould excéed hir prescribed compasse Howbeit some points I wil shew briefely by the way To the care of obteininge saluation Esay soliciteth Cap. 23. Ezechiell Cap. 6.16 18. Also Peter in he 2.
the deuises of mannes wisdome But assone as they perceiue themselues to be conuinced as well by the Scripture as by naturall reason they knowe not in the worlde which way to turne them Wherefore they conuert themselues to deceites and wiles and when they are fully bent in their mindes vppon mischiefe and in the meane time stand in doubte of all thinges they séeme as though they were moued with some fauour and zeale of the truth but in very déed they imagine nothinge els then howe to deface and oppresse it But at the length their malyce one way or other brusteth forth in such wise that the godly may both eschew them and auoide their snares pryuily prepared xxxi Institution All the godly therefore are admonished to béeware and circumspecte and to obserue diligently so far forth as may be the tokens whereby they may finde out the fraude and impietie of those men with whom they haue to doe Those that goe about to oppresse the truthe some are tirauntes some hipocrites of either of them we may beholde the image and paterne in Herode alone and goe no further Both of them at the first coulloure their deuises yea and fame themselue to séeke with the godly to promote the sincere worshipping of God as Herode saith here that hee will worshippe Christ But surely those affections of the mindâ— shime not forth neither doth that spirite appeare to bee in them which otherwise is to bee founde in the godly sort but rather alwayes there are noted in them either some wordes or déedes out of which it is no harde matter to gather their contempte and hatred of pure religion Such a one is this where Herode héere not without disdayne calleth Christ a childe sayinge Serch diligently for the younge childe Neither truely can the wicked any otherwise doe then extinuate the dignitie of Christ the worde of God the Church the ministery of the gospell and one while openly an other while ouerthwartly giue some signifycation of their malignante minde especially when they feare either that it will come to passe that their enormites shal bée disclosed and reproued or els their credite and commoditie any thinge empayred There is no doubt but that the Iewes perceiued some such signes in them which after they were brought out of Babilon into Iury would haue ioyned themselues as inhabitauntes vnto the Iewes returned out of captiuitie in buildinge of the Temple Howbeit Zorobabell would not admit them and that for good cause For albeit they auouched themselues to worshippe together with them one and the same GOD yet notwithstaÌ„ding sone after they declared many wayâ—s how cruel vnmercyful enemies they were of pure sincere religioÌ„ And loâ— the Starre which they had seene in the Easte went before them tyll it came and stoode ouer the place where the childe was XXXII and XXXIII Doctrine and Institution The iudgement of the Scriptures is heard the common incklinge engrauen in the mindes of all men likewise naturall causes are considered and that to the intente all those thinges so farre forth as may bée beinge compared amonge themselues bothe our Faith might be confirmed and also the knowledge of spirituall thinges chiefely of the rightuousnesse goodnesse mercy and power of God myght growe and encrease in vs. To which ende and purpose God himselfe oft times is accoustomed els where to adioyne eftesones vnto his worde and doctrine notable workes and effectes Let vs not contemne therefore the reasons and naturall causes which doe illustrate and set forth vnto vs the knowledge conteyned in the woorde of God and wonderfully helpe forwarde our weake vnderstandinge XXXIIII Doctrine There was néede of a Starre which shoulde shewe not onely the Citye but also the house yea and the childe himselfe It is very lykely that all thinge there were so vile and abiecte that no man woulde haue thought Christ the king to bée there Albeit the Scripture be a faithfull wytnes testifyer of the truth yet is it néedefull for vs to learne many thinges of men of causes naturall of signes and other of the same kinde which are ordynary and allowed of God and so be made certaine of many particular thinges necessary to be knowne And when they sawe the starre they reioyced exceedingly with greate ioye XXXV Institution The doctrine touchinge spiritual matters by which we are directed vnto Christ doo profite in Christ we ought to imbrace with gladd ioyfull minde and also to giue thanckes vnto God for the same Which thinge truely they gladly wil doe that haue any vnderstandinge at all what great vâ—iliâ—ie and profyte commeth of sounde doctrine And entring into the house they founde the young childe with Mary his Mother and fell downe and worshipped him and openinge their treasures they presented vnto him giftes Gode and Frankensence and Myrhe XXXXVI and XXXVII Doctrine and Institution Faith fyxed on the promises of God is not dcceiued but like as god that promiseth is true so the faith also of the belieuer fyndeth at the length the trueth by experience and perceyueth in déede the large fruites of fayth By fayth the wise men were drawen out of farre Countries into Bethlem for howe shoulde they haue taken vppon them so longe difficulte and daungerous a iorney the way being altogether vnknowne vnto them except they had bene incensed with a wonderfull Fayth there then they founde in very déede that which afore they beléeued Therefore let vs also lokinge vppon the promises of god touchinge the benefytes as well of the life present as to come neuer caste away our faith but by the example of the faithfull Abraham beyond hope beléeue vnder hope nothinge doubtinge but that God will performe his promises if not for our cause which verely are vnworthy of his benefytes yet for his owne sake xxxviii Doctrine The wise men whilest they honour Christ with that honour which is due to God alone doe confesse Christ not onely to be man but also true and perfecte God. Which thing they fyrst learned in Persia by reuelation from heauen afterwarde in Iury by the oracles of the Prophetes XXXIX and XL. Redargucion and Doctrine Here are conuinced all heretikes as the Ebionites Cerinthians and such like which contended that Christ is onely pure man and not god But much more grieuously are confuted the Iewes which when they had heard partly of the wise men partly out of the Scripture many and most certaine testimonies touchinge Christ yet would they not adioyne them selues to the wise men to the intent to worshippe him as neyther they will be perswaded to this daye to worshippe and ackonwledge Christ to be true god Howe much better had it bene neuer to haue had any knowledge of Christ at all for vndoubtedly looke how much more manifestly Christ is declared vnto them so much more grieuously shall they be punished whiche refuse to beléeue in him beinge knowne But in déed those thinges ought to be fulfilled which God longe before by his Prophetes
where it is described what maner of person the sayde Anna was how godly and vnblameably she lyued very oportunely next after those wordes briefelye declared shall be added that wheresoeuer the confession of faith taketh place ther ought also manifest fruits of faith and manifold exercises of pietie to be seene Finally that confession is known to be perfect which on the one syde is accompanied with the perils of temptations perfecution and on the other side with the notable fruites of faith With suche a confession God is delighted the rest of the godly are strengthened the enemies are directed and discouraged the Diuell hymselfe is discomfited and subdude Fourthly Anna is reported to haue confessed lyke wise and agreeing in al poynts with SimeoÌ„ to haue spoken 〈◊〉 so of Christ to al the looked for redemption Not without cause therfore shall be declared in the last place how it behoueth the a confession in al the partes members therof be agreeable with the worde of god further the it remayne apparaunt franck firme and constant euen to the ende of lyfe And thus the whole sermon very neere shall be spent about one common plate touching the making of a confession of faith But I feare least ther be some that wil cry out and accuse me to be ouer tedious wherfore I forbeare to adde any more examples Further there is no cause why any man shoulde suppose the héere are digested allegorical interpretations For the state is alwaies drawen forth out of certaine words apparauntly placed in the narration Neither is digressioÌ„ made in the explication of the parts from the natiue sygnifycation of the words which in euery allegory is accustomed to be done Besydes there is no other thing sought for héere then that the interpretation of the parts may both be directed to one fountaine or common place also conuerted to the coÌ„mon instruction of life in rightuousnes For if somtimes out of doctrines yet for the most parte we sée al this order of interpreting to be gathered out of institutions which otherwise according to that forme that I haue exhibited in the thirde chapter may be excerpted out of the same meÌ„bers And now theÌ„ there happeÌ„ such narratioÌ„s as séeme to minister very little matter to teache wherefore it is no lesse requisite then profytable that the partes thereof be expounded after this sort as touching some certaine common and large stretching place Thefore truely a man may more rightly terme all this kind of â—narration instructiue or morall then allegorycall And to be true that we saye we will shewe it by an example taken out of Christom For he in his homilie 67. vpon Mathew séeking occasion to prouoke his hearers to deserue well of the poore selecteth two partes out of the text of the euangelical histore which he interpreteth of one the same coÌ„mon place procéeding in the like order that wee haue done and so longe taryeth he in them as he iudgeth to be most fyt conuenient The one part is of Christ the king méeke poore whiche was contented to be caried vpon a she Asse wherin Chrisostom teacheth that those things are only of vs to be sought for which the necessary vse of lyfe doth require and that pouerty is to be taken in good part of al men The other wherein it is sayd that some layde their garments vpon the Asse some spread them in the way this Chrisostom explaneth as touching helping and clothinge of the poore Therefore to the commending and setting forth of the poore tendeth the explications of the cause of the two partes and standinge somwhat long vpon either of them with great sharpenes of speache setting abroche all the engings of arguments he exhorteth vrgeth soliciteth impelleth all men to indeuour to be benefyciall to the poore Nowe that héere are to be séene allegorycall interpretations no man being in his right minde will affirme but all men may easely perceiue them to bee playne instructions Howbeit in the same sermon Crisostom there rather vseth an allegory where he auoucheth that by the Asse is sygnifyed the Iewish people accustomed to beare the burthen of the lawe and by the Colte the Gentiles which liued alwayes without the law without burthen without the discipline of Gods commaundements That the Asse like wise and hir Colts were brought of the disciples forasmuch as the Apostles by the preaching of the word ought to conduct both the peoples vnto Christ That Christ moreouer rode vppon either beast as theyr Lord for that he gathered to himselfe of either people an obedient Church and that the Gospell is paciently heard of their both That no man forbad the beasts to be brought vnto christ bicause it lyeth not in the power of any man to stop the course of the Gospel In the Colt so sodenly admitting one to take his 〈◊〉 without kicking to be shewed the prompt ready minde of the Gentiles in receiuing of the Gospell Agayne whilest the Asse commeth after the Colte to be signifyed that after Christ hath drawen vnto hym all the Gentiles the Iewes also will one day with greate zeale follow after By the disciples putting their clothes vpon the beasts that Christ might the more conueniently syt to he mente the teachers of the Gospell which ought not vnwillingly to bestow all that euer they haue yea euen their bodye and soule so that their hearers may be furthered and the glory of Christ more and more set forth And thus muche welnigh hath Chrisostom in that place But yet there is no man that séth not the interpretations to be very discrepant where one sayeth that forasmuche as Christe was contented to be caryed on an Asse and hir Colte we are taught that wee ought to liue contented with a fewe thinges and pacientlye to beare our necessetie and agayne for that Christe was caried vppon an Asse and hir Colte to bee signified twoe peoples to wit the Iewes and Gentiles that shoulde acknowledge Christ to be their Lord and receyue his gospell Agayne there is founde no smal difference in case where the disciples are reported to haue layed their garmentes vpon the beastes whereon Christ ought to sitte it be one while added that all men are there admonished willingly to giue clothes and other necessarys to the poore an other while it be sayde to signifye howe it behoueth the Preachers of the Gospell to bestowe all that they haue yea euen their body and soule for their flock Certes those former interpretations are excerpted out of the natiue sense of the words standing in the text and be perspicuously referred to the institution of lyfe whiche thing is the cause why Chrisostom discusseth them with a more plentifull discourse but in the later interpretacions digression is made from the proper signifycation of the wordes wherefore that they are allegorycall and for that cause the lesse profitable to the information of lyfe and mouing of affections there is no man that canne well dissemble
within thy palaces In the second tome is read an homilie concerninge those words of Math. 25 That which ye haue done to one of these little ones ye haue done vnto mee In the thirde tome are expounded in entire Sermons these places out of Iohn 4. The true worshippers shall worship the father in spirite and trueth Out of Iohn 15. Yee are my friends if ye doe whatsoeuer I commaund you which sentence he explaneth in two homilies Out of the i. Cor. xi There must be heresies that the approued might be knowen Out of other writers other examples may be had Howbeit whensoeuer the members of a sentence or any place be in that order which is spoken off expounded and declared it is the parte truely of a wise interpreter to consyder what speciall poyntes bene expedient out of them according to the state of the church and the publike vtilitie or necessitie either largely or compendiouslye to be handeled This thing is also to be vnderstoode that those to whom it apperteyneth to preache of present businesse affaires offered by occasion doe sometimes excerpte some sentence or place out of the scripture and apply it to their purpose somtimes agayne vse no place of scripture at all in the beginninge What time therefore they prefixe to their Sermon any place of Scripture they shall very aptlye haue recourse vnto that forme of interpreting whiche in this presente Chapter we haue indeuoured to shew and commend vnto all men ¶ A simple Theame how it ought to be discussed in the kinde Didascalick Cap. VIII OFt times in this didascalik kind in which we are yet busy hauing one while no reding or sentence of the holy scriptures going before an other while agayne after the somewhat hath bene declared out of the scriptures it behoueth vs to handle simple theames and to entreat somtime more largely somtime more briefely of faith loue hope the law sinne death of the Gospel and such like Luke reporteth Act. 24. that Saint Paule disputed before the president Felix as touching iustice and temperaunce of the iudgement to come Which disputations would god we might haue had they would haue bene no doubt greatly for our commodyty Neuerthelesse we will assay to exhibit a certayne order of examining those theames profytable and easye to be knowne to all men It must bee called to remembraunce that there were two formes or orders of places of inuention once attrybuted of vs vnto this kinde in the former wherof we reherced the diuine places of vs afterwarde termed somewhere generall that is to say doctrine redargution institution correction and consolation in the latter we disposed partly the places which commonlye after the receyued maner they call logicall and reduce them to certayne questions partelye other also taken out of Diuinitie it selfe Now therfore let vs sée howe by the direction and ayde of those places a single theme may and ought to be expounded with the fruite of the hearers But to the intente all this deuise may become the more cléere and euery man the sooner perceiue it wee will comprise in certayne obseruations whatsoeuer conduceth therevnto I It séemeth good by all meanes that he that wyll declare a simple theme doe prescribe to himselfe following the example of the Logicians a certayne order of questions and exactly serch First What it is of which the sacred Sermon is appointed secondly what partes or how many formes be thereof thirdelye what the causes bee fourthly what the duties or effectes fyftely what thinges be of aliaunce therevnto sixtly and lastely what contraries it hath Neither shall any man thinke this order to be dispised séeing it is very much profytable as well for the teacher as also for the learners to haue a certayne method reteined and kept But me thinketh I here some man obiecting vnto me that this forme of entreating which I speake off is more frequented of Aristotle and of his followers the Logicians then of the Diuines And that very seldom or neuer among the prophets or holye fathers are to be founde any sermons simply declared in this method Verily I wyll say that which is trueth To the enserching and drawing forth of the nature of euery thing out of darknesse as many certes as are wisely occupyed in the office of preaching so oft as they wyll entreat of simple theames doe set before them as a rule this order of questions But yet this difference is to be marked betwene a Logician or philosopher and a diuine preacher The Logician truely by his owne proper right as he the vndertaketh and promiseth that he will vtter bring forth whatsoeuer may probably be sayde of euery argument that is offered imagineth the he hath disciples desyrous to bee come philosophers very curiouslye and subtelty pursueth the course of all the saide questions But the Diuine and specially the Preacher whiche professeth himselfe to be the teacher of the whole multitude and in it of a greate number of vnlearned suffereth not his oration to be enclosed in so narrow straightes but as one raunging in a champion fielde choseth those questions onely to be explaned whiche he supposeth to be moste congruent to the vnderstanding of his hearers and also most fyt for the place and time Wherfore albeit be premeditating at home in his studye what thinges are expedyent to bee propounded in the Church haue those questions before his eyes as the moderators of his thoughtes yet after that hee hath some while debated the matter he sticketh faste in the inuestigation onelye of one or two or els of thrée questions at the most Herevpon therfore grew the custome whereby for the most part the pastors of churches do in the first place learnedly discouer what the thing is of whiche they purpose to entreate Where if they be perswaded that the thing is knowen already to the hearers then with good cause pretermit they that question From thence they procéede to an other question whiche they déeme to be most conueniente for the place time and persones and doe alledge somewhat peraduenture of the thirde question whiche is as touching the causes This being accomplished they passe to that whiche is the fourth in number namely concerninge the duties or effectes And in this wise with the explication of two or haply of thrée questions they make account to satisfy their hearers Somtimes and that not seldome there happen thinges which in no cace doe admit all the said questions in Diuinitie As for example there is offered a thing that can be deuided into no parts or formes Why then should there be a question prefixed of diuers partes or formes In lyke maner when there can be giuen no contraryes of a thing doubtles it were very ridiculous to assigne a question to be discussed of contraryes To be short there may happen also such a theame as may easely be conueighed through all the orders of questions yet notwithstandinge the godlye Preacher forasmuche as he enioyeth as I sayde frée
is retired to his old vomit and the sowe washed to hyr wallowing in the mire xxviii After all these thinges if it happeneth that the Preacher by reason of his franck and seuere but yet iust and necessary rebukes doe fall into the hatred displeasure of some men yet shall he therefore in no wise bee faint harted nor as one discouraged cease from his work but rather he shall more and more harden him selfe and goe forward by all meanes to wrastle out amongst them to the intent that thinge may come to passe in very déede which he coueteth most chiefely to sée And let him oft times call to remembraunce what an excellent function he is called and aduanced to not of men but of God himselfe also what incomparable rewards be prepared of the same prisemaker God for all those that doe valyauntlye scriue and continue to the ende of theyr course There is no doubt but that which is pryuie in himselfe that he hath with al diligent endeuour and fidelitie faithfully perfourmed and accomplished whatsoeuer his duty was to doe but that he I say shall féele present comfort neuer wanting vnto him and the holy Ghost shall surely witnesse with his spirit that he hath God in so great labours and difficulties fauorable and merciful vnto him and that he wil not suffer him through the vnbridled rage of his enimies to be oppressed or by any other meanes to faint and giue ouer But the preacher himselfe moreouer shal molify break in sunder the hartes of a great number shall preuent the matter least they shoulde wrathfully be inflamed against hym if so be he sometimes inculke in his sermon that he doth that which he doth altogether by vertue of his office that it is not lawful for him so much as the bredth of a nayle to depart from the lyne of trueth whiche the Lorde himselfe hath limited That he is the ambassadour and messenger of the highe GOD for so doth the Prophet Malachy call the ministers of Churches Angels and therfore that he neither can nor will vtter any other thing then that which hys mighty prince hath giuen him in charge Againe that all thinges whiche he speaketh are grounded vpon the diuine Oracles and defended by the force of the inuincible trueth That he in no wise feareth the iudgements of godly and learned men which shall vprightly indifferently weigh and consider his cause That he for his part full sore against his wil and neuer without great griefe of minde commeth to the painefull reproofes and rebukements of sinnes but that he is drawn and enforced vnto it seeing both publike necessity requireth it and the common profite of his hearers perswadeth him therevnto That he chiefely doth that which good Phisitians vse to doe who not after the will of the pacientes but after the nature of the diseases doe minister medicines some sharper some gentiller That it is a thinge very vnciuill and agaynst all humanitye to deale contumeliously with hym that well deserueth that that sicke body is altogether vnworthy of help at his Leaches hand which would rewarde hym offryng an holsome though somewhat bytter potion vnto hym with reuilement for his labour Last of all that he whiche will néedes stande presumtuously agaynst the pastor of soules doth nothynge els then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say kéepe battayle with God himselfe and that it is a harde matter in the meane time which God sayd somtime to Saule for him to kicke against the pricke And that in déede the poore minister of the Church may for a time as one hated and dispised of the worlde be vexed and afflicted but the trueth it selfe can neuer bée troden downe or extinguished By these I saye and such like reasons the Teacher of the people shall partly fortify and confyrme himselfe and shall as ye would say pricke forwarde himselfe to the vnfearefull executinge of his office and partely shall prouide and foresée that fewe or none be offended with him by reason of that which he doth in reproouinge and comptrollinge of sinne Besides this the kinsfolkes and familiars of those that are stayned with the infection of sinnes and doe stande in néede of the percinge meditine of rebukes ought gentilly and friendly to admonishe them that they would not conceiue any displeasure against him that enformeth thē of such things onely as are iust true profitable and necessary And that which is more it behooueth the magistrates themselues to prouide and with all diligence to endeuoure that the Preachers bée not of any man baynously molested for their holesome reprehensions sake or the sounde doctrine that they teach For the Apostle in moe places then one willeth those that laboure in the worde and in teachinge to bée highly estéemed to bée had in honour to be preserued from all hostile violence to the intent they may liue with vs without feare or daunger and with ioye and alacritie execute their office But let this bée sufficient Wée haue gathered into this place as it was méete and conuenient manye Cantions but yet many moe may euery man get and obserue as well by the diligence perusinge of affayres incident as also by the very order and procéedinge in preachinge We will add herevnto some notable Examples of this kinde of Sermons Esay cap. 28. griuously inueigheth against the excesse and superfluitye of the Iewes and withall threateneth punishment vnto them Cap. 58. he condemneth the glorious workes of the hipocrites and requireth of them the déedes of true godlines Against the same also be preacheth cap. 59. Ieremy cap. 2.3.4.5.6 hath left vnto vs a notable Sermon which may not without good cause be put for an Example as wherein he vpbraydeth and obiecteth to the pastors their ignoraūce vnto all in common their neglecting of gods lawe their felowship with the Gentiles their oppression of the holy Prophetes their cruelty to the poore Citizens theyr Idolatrye periuries adultries corrupt iudgementes c. Through all which thinges he teacheth that they had deserued great plagues and threateneth that vnlesse they repent a mende their liues they will shortly fall vpon thē The same in a maner he doth cap. 7.8.9 Ezechiell cap. 11. laboureth in reproouings their contempt of gods word their crueltye to their subiectes Cap. 13.14 he toucheth false teachers and hipocrites Cap. 16. are accused the Idolatrye and ingratitude of the Iewes Cap. 17. he compttolleth the felsehood of Zedechias And cap. 19.20 he detecteth the wickednes of the princes and rulers wherevpon he falleth to the condempning of the common impietye and Idolatrye of all men Cap. 22. 23. he is in hand with the same matter Cap. 28. he entreateth against the pride of the kinge of Tyrus Cap. 34. against the auarice and slouthfulnes of the priestes Hose cap. 1.2.3.4 hath a full Sermon disposed against sondrye enormities but chiefely Idolatrye Of the like argument be the 5.6.7 chapters To be short looke how many prophetes there
An Oration as touching the lyfe and death of the famous and worthy man D. Andrewe Hyperius penned and pronounced 〈…〉 assemblie of all the States of the Citie of Marpurge by Wygandus Orthius And done into English by Iohn LVDâ—Aâ— 1577. ¶ Hominis vita varijs fortune vicibus assidue rotatur ¶ To the right worshipfull Master Alexander Nowell Deane of the Cathedrall Church of Sainct Paule in London Continuance of health all things prosperous in Christ Iesus HAuing accomplished gone through with all things apperteyning to the edition of this former Booke right worshipful It was my hap to light vpon this OratioÌ„ pÌ„ened in good pure Latine by Wigandus Orthius as concerning the life death of the famous and worthy man D. Andrew Hyperius author coÌ„poser of the same Booke Which wheÌ„ I had once reade ouer and finding it to be both pleasaunt profitable by reason as wel of the varietie of mater as also of the aptnes of the phrase holesoÌ„nes of the argumeÌ„t perceyuing againe that it might minister no small occasion to the Reader whereby the better to like not onely of this but of all other the workes of this most excelleÌ„t writer I could by no meanes satisfie my selfe till such time as I had turned the same into our English tongue and placed it as a thing seuerall by it selfe in the later ende of this volume The thing it selfe I grauÌ„t is smal but if the substance of the mater be considered it may seeme peraduenture to be I will not say great but such as neither the Reader shall haue cause to repent him off in reading nor I cause to forethincke mee off in writing Sed vino vendibili non est opus suspensa haedera Howbeit why I haue bene so bolde to put it foorth vnder the title of your name as you purchaÌ„ce may maruaile so haue I to render some reason First I was moued vnto it by the example of the penner of this Oration who causing it to be fixed in the later ende of a worke begon not finished by the Author thereof D. Andrewe Hyperius entituled The Method of Diuinitie dedicateth the same to his very friende and Scholemaster Master Iohn Princierus Secondly I was induced so to do by the likenes resemblaÌ„ce of the persons that is to say of D. Andrew Hyperius and D. Alexander Nowell the one a famous Superintendente in Marpurge a Citie of high Almayne the other a most worthy Deane of the Cathedrall Church of S. Paule in LondoÌ„ the one renowmed after his death for his rare gifts of learning godlines of life the other yet liuing with no lesse commedatioÌ„ as well as for his manifold knowledge in thinges diuine and humayne as also for his singuler ornaments of Curtesye Affabilitie Modesty c. The one a Mirrour of his time for his notable frugalitie sobriety the other a spectacle of our age for his bouÌ„tifulnes and good hospitalitie But I cannot prosecute this point so far as I iustly might considering thaâ— neither is it any part of my purpose to set foorth your praises otherwise then by occasion neither I am sure conceyue you any pleasure at all in hearinge of them seeing you are wont to ascribe al praise glory vnto god alone vnto maÌ„ nothing but shame confusion The third thing that alured me to the doing of it was the consideration of the neere friendship familiaritie that remaineth betwene your worship that Reuerend father my Lord of LondoÌ„ wherby I thought it not amisse coÌ„sidering my dutie to both to ioyne and lincke you together as in one bande of amitie so in one littell volume Fourthly and lastly I was stirred or rather coÌ„pelled herevnto as well by the certaine report of your rare benignitie towardes all men and especially poore Scollers ministers of the Church as also by infallible experience of that bountifull Curtesy which naturally is ingenerate in you floweth as a man would say euen vnto those with whom you are smally acquainted For which causes as you cannot be but greatly beloued of all in general of mee in speciall so couet I againe by some meanes to testifie the gratefull signification of my good meaning in this behalfe which I cannot otherwise doe then by this simple demonstration of my good will and ready obseruance toward you This only remayneth that you according to the goodnes of your nature accept my doinges in good part esteeming rather by this litle what a great deale more meaneth then by the smalnes of the gift to misconstrue the mind of the giuer Vale Integerime vir et Deus opt Max. Dominationem tuam quam dintissime incolumem seruet domisque suis eximijs eandem indies augea locupletet diteseat From Wethersselde the .xxviii. of May. 1577. ¶ Your worships alwayes most humble in the Lorde Iohn Ludham ¶ An Oration as touchinge the lyfe and death of the famous and worthy man Andrew Hyperius penned and pronounced by Wygandus Orthius professor of Diuinitie in the citie of Marpurge the xxvii of Februarij 1564. IF I should euen in the very fyrst beginninge of my Oration breake forth into teares and fall to wéeping right honorable Lord Gouernour right worshipful graue Fathers I suppose there is none that would not willingly pardoÌ„ my dolour and griefe so iustly conceyued For why we haue lost as you sée the most graue Diuine â–ª D. Andrew Hyperius Wée haue all forgone a most worthy coÌ„panion many are depriued of a most excellent Scholemaster But I for my part haue lost not onely a companioÌ„ scholemaster but also a most swéete and comfortable kinseman who was fyrst vnto me the author and beginner of my study in Diuinitie who became alwayes afterwarde a helper and furtherer in it whom I vsed as a councellor in all my affairs and dealinges without whose counsayle and aduice I attempted nothing priuately at home nothing publickely in the schole with whom I was accustomed to conferre my studyes by reason as ye knowe of the domesticall acquaintaunce and familiaritie betwixt vs. Such a maÌ„ such a coÌ„panion such a master such a friend such a kinseman haue I lost Therefore amiddest the publicke and common mournynge and lamentation of all good men there is also happened vnto mée a priuate and peculiar cause of sorowing For neither can I now looke vpon mine Aunt bereft of a most excelleÌ„t husbande nor vpon my Cousyns depriued of a most worthy parent in the middest of their so great heauines griefe without the sheadding of my teares But yet as for this my priuate sorow either time might mitigate it or the consideratioÌ„ of our common mortality might asswage it if so be a greater that is to say an vniuersal and publick calamitie encresed not our heuines which through the deth of this most excelleÌ„t man is come not onely to our schole and to the Churches of Hassia but also to all Germany and euen to all the
with all boldnes In the 6. cap. is commended Steuen ful of saith strength or rather power for the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is there read and that none coulde resist the wisdom and spyrite which spake in hym Of lyke sorte and effect is it that the Lord sayeth vnto Ieremie Beholde I haue giuen saieth he my wordes into thy mouth beholde I haue appointed thee this daye ouer nations and ouer Kingdomes that thou maiest pluck vp and roote oute subuert and destroye build and plant Many moe places there be whiche do not obscurely make mention of this facultie and power in speaking But it appeareth that the apostle ioyned these thrée thinges together I meane Doctrine Puritie of lyfe and Facultie or Power in teaching in that place where he sayeth vnto Timothy Take a paterne of the wholesome wordes which thou haste harde of mee with faith and loue which is in Christe Iesu The notable thinge giuen thee in charge keepe thorowe the holy ghost which dwelleth in vs. By holsome wordes is playnely and sufficientlye ynough distincted and meante Doctrine by faythe and loue Puritie of lyfe by the excellente thinge giuen in charge and the holy ghost Facultie or the gifte of teachinge And certes so farre foorth is this power and vertue in teachingâ— which me haue touched in the thirdâ— and lâ—ste place requisite in all those that wyl teach the people that albeit they be endued with learning and also with integritie of mâ—ner yet tsâ—e thâ—â— be destitute of thâ—â— one let them neuer lâ—â—â—e to accomplishe any thinge worthy of prase or commendation Wherefore so muche the more muste all meâ—â—e labour the matter that prepare themselues to the function of 〈◊〉 or that haue 〈…〉 vnto that 〈◊〉 lyke as they are furnished with 〈◊〉 and good manners so also adorned with a spyrite and power in teaching they may come forth into the publyke Theatre of the Church Moreouer the spirit or power in teachinge to thintent we may ad this also is geuen freely of God in the first calling but the increasemeÌ„t thereof is obtained of hint thorow often prayer Fynally it is nourished and preserued with a feruent studye of procuringe the health and saluation of the hearers Whereof the fyrste verylye is manyfest For whomsoeuer GOD voucheth safe to choose and selecte to the excellent excellent office of teachinge the people in the Church the same also immediatelye he fréely garnisheth with hys spyrite and giftes necessarye to so weighty a charge A plentifull wytnesse of hymselfe is Ieremye Cap. 1. who when he had sayde that he coulde not speake as one that was a childe heareth the Lorde sayinge vnto hym Thou shalt goe vnto all that I wyll sende thee vnto and all thinges that I wyll giue thee in charge shalte thou speake I haue giuen my wordes into thy mouth c. Christ lykewise is a witnesse of the same matter promysyng to sende and geue to hys Apostles and Disciples the holy ghost that shoulde teach them in all trueth whiche shoulde strengthen and furnishe theyr myndes and in theyr extreame perilâ— euen with Kinges and Princes also minister vnto them in due time what thinges they shoulde speake To bée shorte the Apostle Paule affirmeth that it is GOD that maketh the ministers of the news Testamente méete both to thinck and to speake The seconde pointe béecommeth playne and perspycious by this that Thapostles in the Actes Cap. 4 doe make their petitions vnto GOD that hée woulde graunt vnto his seruaunts That they might speake the woorde with all confidence and lybertye And Paule not onely hymselfe for the same cause sueth vnto GOD with continuall prayers but also requesteth and beséecheth others to doe the same Praye sayeth hee for mee that the woorde may bee giuen vnto mee in the openinge of my mouth with lybertie to the ende I may make manifest the mistery of the Gospel for the which I supply an ambassade in chaines that I may speake therein freely as I ought to speak Agayne in the 2. Thessa. 3. Pray for vs brethren that the worde of the Lorde may haue free passage and be gloryfied For whiche cause also there is a custome receiued in all Churches that all Diuine Sermons shall begin with publick inuocation In whiche inuocation it behooueth all men with their whole hartes to pray first that the Teachers may sincerelye and with boldnesse open and explane the woorde of God then that GOD woulde vouchsaue to illustrate the hartes of the hearers to th ende they may rightly vnderstande the doctrine proposed and duly vse and practise the same As touchinge the thirde it is certayne that where the office enioyned of GOD is with zelous and feruent affection executed it cannot bée but that hée of his bountiful goodnes wyll brynge to passe that happye and prosperous successe shall follow and ensue For GOD wyll not suffer the great labours and industry of good men seriouslye séeking hys glorye to become frustrate and voyde of fruite For this cause the doctrine of the word of GOD is not in one place alone resembled vnto séede that bringeth forth much fruite The Apostle also exhorteth Timothy not to neglect the gift giuen vnto hym but to exercise himselfe dylygently to thintent his profiting might be apparaunt in all thinges For if he gaue attendaunce to him selfe and to learning and continued therein it woulde come to passe that hee shoulde both saue himselfe and his hearers And certenly he that doubteth not of his callinge hee that is assured of the verytie of the doctrine which he professeth he that cannot be reprooued of any manifest crime hée that is pryuye in his conscience of hys owne fidelytie and dylligence hee that accounteth nothinge of more weight and imporfauÌ„ce then to sanctifie the name of God on earth and to gayne as many vnto Christ as is possible Vndoutedly hee speaketh boldly and vnbashfully that which God coÌ„maundeth The sharpe and vehement Oration of this man striketh and perceth the hartes of the hearers pea hée doth not onely pricke men forwarde to the amendement of lyfe but playnely forceth and compelleth them Wherefore there is no man but that may perceyue him to bée decked and adorned with a singuler spirite powre in teachinge euen of GOD himselfe But such a study and such godly affections the Apostle very artificially describeth 1. Thess 2. his wordes no doubte are worthy of vs to be remembred and such as all Preachers ought contiunally to haue in a table before their eyes Yee your selues knowe bretheren sayth hee our entrauÌ„ce in vnto you howe that it was not in vayne but after that wee had fuffered before and were shamfully entreated at Philippos as yee well knowe wee behaued our selues boldely in our God to speake vnto you the Gospell of god with much striuing For our exhortacion was not to bring you to errour nor yet to vncleanes neither was it with guile but as we were
allowed of god that the gospel should bee committed vnto vs euen so wee speake not as though wee entended to please men but God which trieth our hartes Neyther was our conuersacion at any time with flattringe wordes as ye well know neither in cloked couetousnes God is recorde neither sought wee praise of men neither of you nor yet of any other when we might haue bene in authoritie as the Apostle of Christ but we were tender amonge you euen as a Nurse cherisheth hir children so our affection beeinge toward you our good will was to haue delte to you not onely the gospel of God but euen our owne soules also because yee were deere vnto vs Yee remember bretheren our labour and trauaill for wee labored day and night bicause were would not be burâ—henous to any of you and preached vnto you the gospell of god Ye are witnesses and so is god how holily iustly and vnblameably wee behaued our selues amonge you that beleue as ye know how that we exhorted and comforted and besought euery of you as a father his children that ye would walke worthy of God which hath called you to his kingdome and glory Which wordes if they were so exactley weighed considered as méete it were they should do euidentlye declare the the apostle taught in spirite power albeit those yet that immedialy folow touchinge the notable effecte of his Sermons doe more perfectly proue and illustrate the same Wherefore saith he we thancke God without ceasinge bicause that when yee receiued of vs the word whereby ye learned god ye receiued it not as the worde of man but euen as it was in deed the worde of God which worketh in you that beleue The like will the like study and the like feruency we may perceiue in that oratiÌ„o which the apostle had to that Elders of the church at Ephesus a little before hée trauayled to Ierusalem But we may not coueniently least we should be ouer tedious repeate the same at this prelente Therefore we saide not without cause that the spirite power in teaching is both nourished and conserued with an ardent study of procuring the health saluacion of the hearers But as touching al these points I meane lerning innocency of life spirit or power in teaching the reader may obserue muche more matter in the epistles to Timothy Titus which verili forsomuch as they séeme altogether prepared to expres the whole office of a precher whosoeuer taketh vpon him the charge of teching the people may worthily read yea often read them agayn Thus much we thought good to premise to thinteÌ„t we might make it plaine apparant that the office of teching the people in the church is of far more difficulty weight then a number suppose it to be and that it ought not rashly vnaduisedly to be takeÌ„ in hand of euery one much lesse greedily to be inuaded No smal nuÌ„ber there be the atteine to the gouernment of churches yea that I may vse the words of Iere. make hast to run before they be sent yet are touched in the meane time with very litle or no care at al of obteining of god his spirit power in teaching Bishoppes therefore aboue all men ought to be circumspect in this behalfe that they commit not rashely this reuerende function to euery one that will sue for the same especially to younge men whoÌ„ neither knowledge of the holy Scriptures nor the vse and experience of thinges or any earnest study and zeale of religion doe commende and set forth Neyther was it without good cause spoken of the Apostle that wyse workeman in the church of God where he sayeth Lay no handes hastely vppon any man neyther be partaker of other means sinnes ¶ The ende of a Preacher what it is Cap. III. BVt what the ende of a Preacher is may partely be perceyued by those thinges that we haue next before touched His worke and labour chiefely consisteth in this that with all study and inforcement he aduaunce and set forth those thinges that conduce to the saluation and reconciliation of man vnto god Whervnto it perteyneth that the Gospell is called the worde of health and by which men obteyne remission of sinnes And wysely sayeth the Apostle It seemed good vnto God by the folishnesse of preachinge to saue them that beleue In the same Epistle also Cap. 9. I became all thinges to all men that I might saue at the leaste some God gaue vnto vs the ministery of reconciliation and put in vs the worde of atonement In effecte syth the office of a Preacher is by the ayde of the holy Scriptures to accomplyshe all thinges we doubt not to affyrme that to be the ende appoynted to a Preacher which the holy ghost by the mouth of the Apostle hath prescribed in the sacred Scriptures The holy Scripture sayth he is able to make thee wyse to saluation Then therefore doth the Preacher giue apparaunt significatioÌ„ that he with his whole hart and power is bent to promot aduaunce the spirituall profit and vtilitie of men When as he handleth and confirmeth true and holsome opinions reproueth and grauely confuteth thinges erronious and hurtfull when he dilygently inculketh and inferreth those thinges that are requisite to the godly and due information of lyfe agayne seuerely controlleth those that offende labouryng to bryng them into the right way Lastly when he exhorteth beséecheth blameth the sluggishe and dull and comforteth the afflicted fynally pretermitteth no iote of those thinges whereby hée trusteth the mindes of hys audytors maye bee trayned and drawne vnto Christe our Sauiour ¶ That many thinges are common to the Preacher with the Orator and of the office of the Preacher cap. IIII. THat many thinges are common to to the Preacher with the Orator Sainct Augustine in his fourth Booke of Christian doctrine doth copiously declare Therfore the partes of an Orator whiche are accounted of some to be Inuention Disposition Elocution Memory and Pronounciation may rightlye be called also the partes of a Preacher Yea and these thrée to Teache to Delight to Turne Likewise againe the thrée kyndes of speakying Loftye Base Meane Moreouer the whole craft of varienge the Oration by Schemes and Tropes pertaineth indifferently to the Preacher and Orator as Sainct Augustine in the same booke doth wittily confesse and learnedly proue To be short whatsoeuer is necessarie to the Preacher in disposition Elocution and Memorye the Rhetoritians haue exactlye taught all that in their woorkhouses wherfore in my opinion the Preachers may most conuenientlye learne those partes out of them Certainly he that hath béene somdeale exercised in the Scholes of the Rhetoritians before he be receiued into the order of Preachers shall come much more apte and better furnished then many other and may be bolde to hope that he shall accomplish somwhat in the Church worthy of prayse and commendation Whiche thinge
homiles Long it were to reken vp what places of the scripture the same author hath in like maner explaned Which thinge may by very good right also be sayde of August Of Basill are set forth two homilies the one vppon the beginning of the prouerbes of Salomon the other vpon th'intry of S. Iohns gospell Among the homilies of Gregorye NaziaÌ„zene there is one extant wherin is expressed the euangelical history touching the Pharisies that tempted Christ with a question propounded Whether it were lawfull for a man to put away his wyfe for euery cause Moreouer in many places the custom is to haue vpon the Sundaies certen fragments as wel out of the history of the Gospel as also out of the epistles of thapostles and words of the prophets repeated in sacred assemblies and faithfully expounded to the hearers Last of al diuers sundry orations may be séeâ—e of euery thing offered by occasion in diuers sundry writers For in the workes of Chrisostom in his fifte Tome we read sermoÌ„s touchiÌ„g the calamity of the citie of Antioche thorow sedition rebellion there raised touching the wrath of the Emperour agaynste the Antiochians and that the feare of Princes is profitable to the maiestrates sent from the Emperour Theodosius for enquiry after the subuerters of the regall images of the atonemente and reconsilyation of the Emperour with the Citie the occasion of all which homilies thou shalte learne out of Theodoretus Lib. 5. Cap. 19. and 20. And out of Tripart historia lib. 9. Cap. 32 of women that decked themselues with golde and garlands and folowed diuinations and inchantmentes of those that receiue vnworthily the diuine and holy misteries of them that beléeue not the paynes of hel fyre of almes of concorde that moderate temptations are profitable also after his returne from his former exile c. Nazianzenus in lyke maner hath put forthe the Sermons as that wherein he excuseth himselfe that hee had absteined a certaine time from his ecclesiasticall function a consolation touching the calamitie of the hayle Item to the subiects stricken with feare and the Emperour moued with yre also touching regarde and prouision to be had for the poore c. There is extant a Sermon of Cyprian of lyke effect made when the pestilence waxed hote Hytherto may the Sermons be asscribed also vttered in the prayse of certain vertues or in dispraise of certayn vices of which sorte Basill hath ministred some vnto the Church Chrisostme very many Agayne the funerall orations likewise of Nazianzen and Ambrose But in all Sermons vppon what occasion soeuer they be framed and made this Cantion is in any wise to bée marked and taken héede off namelye that nothinge bee brought in or aleadged but that whiche is certaine substanciall founde taken out of the holy Scriptures oute of interpretors worthy credite or out of the chiefe moste allowable Historyographers and by all meanes agréeinge with the doctrine expresly contayned in the volume of the Sacred Bible For those men that propouned sectes or opinions grounded vpon no good foundation and those that delight to tell fabulous tales and hystoryes as a number of craftye and subtill felowes haue deuised and imagined for their owne lucres sake of Sainctes eyther of them indifferently doe incurre reprehension The one sorte are euill spoken of as vnskilfull and mutable and the other bee reprooued of leuitie and auarice Wee haue spoken of the ende and matter of Sermons it is méete that wee adde some thinges also concerning their forme ¶ Some thinges touchinge the formes of sacred Sermons Cap. VI. EVery Sermon ought to be briefe then to consist of playn and perspicious speach thirdlye to haue partes rightly ordayned The first is necessary to thintent the people may cheerefully and without yrcksomnesse come together to sacred assemblies and the more easely commende vnto their memorye the thinges that are heard For it is by no meanes requisite that ecclesiasticall sermons should excéede in prolixitie Orations sometimes accustomed to be made of Orators in their consistory Therfore duly to them both as wel Preachers as Orators were giuen certayne dyals for to measure the howers withall And many thinges may in few wordes be declared The seconde is required as well for the vnlearned whereof there is a great number in the multitude as also for the avdyding of all suspition of sinister and fraudulent dealyng For in déede an oration ouer cunninglye made and after a sorte inuolued induceth the hearers to thinke and surmise that some thinge els is sought for rather then theyr profite Wherefore albeit a man be thorowlye furnished with all kinde of preparation and furniture of speaking yet shal hée so aduisedly behaue hymselfe to the people as though hee folowed by no meanes the traces of arte beyng mindfull of that saying that it is a notable poynt of cunnynge to dissemble Arte. Now hée shall obteine the facultie of speakynge playnely in the Pulpet that vnderstaÌ„deth well the mother tongue that hath vsed some space the companye of those that sounde it purelie that hath accustomed to heare the Sermons of fine teachers in the same tongue that hath dylygentlye reade ouer theyr Bookes that are iudged to haue excelled therein but yet hee shall passe all the resydewe that is endued with a certayne prerogatiue of nature and hath a facultie and modesty in speakynge as ye woulde say ingenerate It is no lesse vertue to speake apertly simply and popularly then learnedly sharply and grauelye Which vertue very excellent and rare all men must of necessitie graunt beyond the residewe alonely to Chrysostome amonge the Geeke writers whom trulye I woulde wishe vncessauntlye that all Iunior Preachers should reade both day and night yea and if it were possible transiate hym with lyke happinesse and fertilitie into the vulgar tongue Neither ought euen those that are learned in déede to be ashamed to borrowe and mutuate diuers places of christian doctrine yea that in a maner verbatim out of Chrysostom who not without good cause hath obtained this notable name or other if peraduenture there may any be founde lyke vnto hym Now for the thirde poynte namely that a Sermon shoulde consist of his lawfull partes who knoweth not that it is required as the principall matter in euerye oration for not so muche as an epistle written priuately to one of familyar affaires ran be destitute of the aâ—t order disposition of hir parts how much more then ought the parts of a sermon which is made of most graue weighty matters to the whole multitude to be placed in order Not onely the learners but also the teachers themselues haue néede of iuste disposition of partes these verely least in the discourse of their Sermon they shoulde bee compelled to stound and by silence to doubt of what poynt it were best for them to speake and those to thintent they maye the more easily perceiue each thing by hearyng and when they are
and by his prouidence gouerneth the same when also the doctrine is expounded concerning the thrée persons the properties of euery person of the church of the law of sin of the gospell of repentaunce of faith of charytie of hope of the sacraments of the resurrection of the dead of eternall lyfe c. These and such lyke places are frequentlye founde in the Scriptures explaned in a iust method and after the popular mener of teaching Redargution or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is no other thinge then a destruction or confutation of false and eronious opinions which are obtruded of the enimies of truthe to deceue the ignoraunt and vnlearned For it is necessary that theyr mouthes be stopped by thautority of gods word for which cause the Apostle would haue him to be a Byshoppe or teacher of the church that coulde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say reproue and conuince the gaynâ—speakers Thou shalt sée not seeldome times in the Sermons of the Prophetes of Christ and thapostles the phantasticall surmises of the Gentiles of the false prophets Pharisies and such lyke grieuously assaulted and vtterly ouerthrowne Furthermore Institution 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnderstand to be that whereby the lyfe and maners are informed vnto Godlines The holy Scriptures doe abounde with precepts and exhortations of this kinde into whiche sufficiently tedyous and prolixe euery man slippeth euen without occasion and intending some other matter Correction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is after a contrary order occupyed in reprouing of corrupt maners and of those crimes where vnto many men are perceiued to be giuen The Prophets Apostles in their Sermons are in nothyng more busye then inueyinge against their sinnes and wickednesse whom they couet to traine to repentaunce and to haue them become honest and vertuous Last of all vnder the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Consolation what oughte to be vnderstoode there is no man that can be ignoraunt seeing euery one of vs beynge daily conuicted of our owne iniquitie doe feele by experyence how greatly we stand in neede of consolations prepared for all euents And surely of comfortes and consolations which may assuredly stay erect vp afflicted mindes the sacred scripture is a most plentifull storehouse If therefore we will heare S. Paule what soeuer thinges may profitably be spoken out of the scriptures it is requisite that they be referred to these fiue ends or chapters Why then may we not say that accordinge to these same chapters all kindes of sermons ought to be distincted and deuided Herevnto is added that there is no treaty that hapeneth any where in the sacred scriptures which may not be placed vnder some one of these chapters as vnder a certayne captayne and guide It were no long work to demonstrate in the volumes of the Prophetes and Apostles iust Sermons the arguments and titles wherof might most aptly be prefixed after the sayde Chapters a proofe of which matter we wyll bringe in the sequell hereof and especially in the second Booke where shal be noted diuers and sundry examples And what if all thinges necessary to be knowne to a man carefull of his saluation are founde to be layde vp aboundantly in the same chapters for what things soeuer pertayne to sincere religion and christian piety are referred either vnto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say knowledge or science or els vnto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is action or doyng The author of this particion least any maÌ„ should finde fault therwith we haue the Apostle Paule which prayeth vnto God that all the godly may be filled as well with the knowledge of the misteries and will of God as also that after the measure of knowledge which fell vnto them they might fructifie in all good workes And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verely is then made perfect when as those things are perceiued and allowed which bene true and agreeable to the first truthe manifested by the holy ghost and agayne those thinges be reiected which are false and vntrue Here then are eftsoones perceiued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doctrine and râ—dargution But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 leaning vpon actitons or works is altogither in this continually that it may shew forth worthy examples of honesty and vnfeigned holynes and as for thinges filthy and reprochefull shonne them with all indeuour In the meane while in that one poynt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or institution bewrayeth it selfe In this other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or correction Where as if againe it chaunceth any man eyther in these thinges which are referred vnto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or in those that perteyne vnto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to doubt wauer or feare in such sort that some great daunger of falling séemeth to hange ouer his head then must seasonable remedy bée applyed by ministringe apte consolations It is playne therefore that the order of comfortinge in the fift place ought in this wyse of necessitie to bée adioyned vnto the premisses Moreouer thrée thinges by the consent of all men are determined to be of themselues most worthy in which the spirituall lyfe of man doth wholely consist namely Fayth Charitie and Hope For when these things be in any man the diuine oracles testify that he shal neuer perishe And surely Fayth stickinge fast to the certeyne rules of the holy Ghost is susteyned and fortefied with doctrin and redargution Charitie busily applying to good workes is furthered and holpen forward with Institution and Correction Lastly Hope is nourished and cherished with swéet consolation and comfort Yea in thorder of these Chapters may al those thinges bée disposed also which the Rhetoricians doe comprehende in the thrée sayde common kyndes of Cases But on the other side not all the thinges agayne that are comprised in those Chapters can haue place vnder those kyndes of cases For those thinges that amonge the Oracles are ascribed to the kynde Iuditiall may conueniently bee handeled in redargution or correction Of which that one is applied to the state definit and this other to the state of qualytie But those thinges which are attributed to the kyndes delyberatiue and demonstratiue bée very aptelie placed vnder institution touching which matter we shall haue an other place agayne else where to entreate of But if thou shouldest requyre of the Rhetoritians a kynde of case to the which doctrin or consolation might be referred they coulde giue none at all as those that haue euermore set ouer the whole practise of Teachinge and comfortynge to the Philosophers of Vniuersities and thin-habitauntes of Scoles giuinge themselues to ouer muche ease and idlenesse in the meane tyme But hée that will followe the course and direction of those fiue Chapiters or fountaynes shall pretermit no order of Teaching which maye serue any thinge at all to the furtheraunce and information of the myndes of wretched men Which thinges séeinge they bée so it is very méete and
Somtymes agayne after the lessen read some one place in fewe wordes is repeated in the beginninge of the Sermon that inespecially of which the Preacher hath determined more at large to entreate We will adde to some examples Chrysostom in a certayne homily to the people of Antioche taking in hand to expound the place of Sainct Paule vnto Timothy Vse a littel wine for thy stomacke and thy often infirmities Beginneth with the dignitie of the Apostle and compareth him to a Trumpet and Harpe The same interpretinge the Psalme 127. immediately after the beginninge of the Psalme recited vnto thee haue I lifted vp myne eyes beginneth his Sermon with that that it is good to bée strycken with aduersitie Agayne homily 68. he repeateth in the entry thereof these wordes out of the first to the Thessalonians Cap. 5. Deere brethrne saieth Sainct Paule reioyce alwayes pray without ceassing giue thankes in all thinges For this is the will of God. And forthwith hée addeth Alwayes to be thankefull is the point of a howse wisely instructed Thou hast suffred some distresse but if thou wilte thy selfe it is no distresse Giue thankes to God and thine euill shal be turned into good It is a custome also commonly receyued to take and driue beginninges of circumstaunces of causes of similitudes or of other places So Chrisostom expoundinge the euanglicall history of the woman of Canaan beginneth with the prayse of the dilligence and constancy of the hearers In the history of Elias conueied into heauen in a fyrie Chariot he beginneth with a similitude taken of the maner whereby kinges are accustomed to rewarde those that hazarde themselues in battayle with a Chariot or else to granish theÌ„ with some other princely 〈◊〉 whervppon he gâ—thereth that God would also in liâ—â—e maner adorne his faithfull minister Elias with a Chariot and so drawe him vp into heauen Nazianzenus at the Gospell which is read in the 18. Chap. of Mathew beginneth his Sermon with the labor dilligence of Christ in trayning of men to the truth But that which we haue already sayd may suffice in this place WheÌ„ a SermoÌ„ is framed of an argument offred by occasion of tyme it is lawfull to deriue an Exordium out of diuers sondri things places But neuerthelesse the most apte and vsuall order of all other is this namely wherein at the beginninge is by by opened of what matter or businesse we purpose to intreate As néere as is possible the first wordes of Thexordium ought to be aunswerable to the matter it selfe which thou haste taken vppon thée to handle yea and the very same either taken out of some place of Scripture or simply expressinge the kynde and maner of the busynesse Out of the Scriptures are taken these beginninges Nazianzenus in his Sermon to the subiectes strickeÌ„ with feare by reasoÌ„ of the displeasure of the Emperour vseth the wordes of Ieremy 4â— Oh my bowells and the inner partes of my body I am sore grieued c. And Basill when he taketh in hande to entreate of fastinge boroweth the wordes of Ioell Blowe vp the Trumpet in Sion vppon the notable day of your solemnitie c. As we haue littell before remembred when an argument or proposition is expressed in simple wordes without any place of Scripture â—â—nexed therevnto a man may fynde diuers and sundry Exordiums in Chrisostom Nazianzenus and other moe Nazianzenus beginneth his Sermon which hée made to those that came by water out of AEgipt in this sort To them that are of AEgipt will I speake Albeit hee doth not yet there open what maner of argument hée will handle Neuerthelesse hée entreateth afterward of the mistery of the Trinitie But when hée sayde that hée woulde speake to those that came from the Church of Alexandria which Athanasius and after him Peter bishops there had rightly enstructed in sounde doctrine of the Trinitie and they comminge to Constantinople were nowe approched to the Church where Gregory Nazianzene a stout defendour of the Trinity and of one substaunce in the same then taught the hearers might easely perceyue that Gregory vppon that occasion woulde speake of their faithfull consent in the confession of the Trinitie Touchinge which thinge somewhat there is Tripart Histo lib. 9. Cap. 13. The same takinge in hande to speake hys minde concerninge prouision and care to bée had for the poore beginneth thus Men and brethrne yea and as I may say fellowe beggars for wée are all the sort of vs poore and néedinge the grace and goodnesse of god although one may séeme to goe before an other if yée haue measured with small measures receyue and imbrace these wordes touchinge the loue and good will which ye ought to beare towardes the poore Thexorgiums in this kinde of Sermons are otherwise as wée haue sayde very large and frée Esay Cap. 1. reprouinge the enormities of his owne nation especially the sinne of hipocrisy and contempt of the true seruice God beginneth with an exclamation or contestation of all creatures and therewithall introduceth God himselfe gréeuously expostulatinge the matter For his whole oration from the beginning forth on is very vehement and ardent Peter willing to rebuke the peruerse iudgement of the people touching the miracle of the tongues vseth a place of attentiuenesse then wisely remoueth the cryme of dronkennesse obiected vnto them and so procéedeth to the cause of Christ our sauiour Steuen and Paule desyrous to expounde the businesse of the Gospell take the beginninge of their Sermons of the callinge of Abraham By these thinges it is manyfest after what sorte Exordiums ought to bée framed and ioyned togither when the matter so requireth that a Sermon be made of a Theme simple For the lyke reason is in this that was in the other before But as for Exordiums discrepante from the cause and such as are far fetched or also very tedyous and prolixe no wise man will allowe And yet notwithstandinge sometymes they are to bee borne with all in sacred Sermons vppon this condition that they tende to some edifyinge of the congregation and bée applyed to the commoditie of tymes and persons and bée aptely and conueniently handled But then most chiefly are they to be admytted when some thinges bée propounded to the people that may not conueniently bée enterlaced in the enarration folowing or else are iudged expedieÌ„t for some other cause and consideration Some such Exordiums are extante in the homilyes of Chrisostom vppon the booke of Genesis in the which Exordiums hée exhorteth chydeth or dooth some lyke thynge a yée woulde saye on the sodayne Such an Exordium also Paule séemeth to vsurpe Acts. 17. Where hee beginneth with reprehension of the supersticion of Thathenienses and with the Aulter of the vnknowen god Afterward hée goeth on to declare Christe to bée true GOD and to make hym knowen vnto all men Neither is this to bée passed ouer that the Exordium sometymes may bée omytted and the proposition or diuision eftesoones produced
that the whole Sermon beâ— applyed to the reprouinge of a false opinion or to the correction and abolishinge of superstitions or of some euill inueterate custome then doubtelesse it is both seemely also very requisite that all thinges bée dissolued in order that are produced of obstinat men for the defence of their errors For great labor and dilligence is néedefull to the extirpinge and rooting out of peruerse opinions wherwith the myndes of men haue any longe tyme bene infected séeinge they alwayes subtilly and craftely goe about to imagine and contriue a number of thinges to establish and confirme their noysom opinions withall For after this sorte wee may sée confuted in the booke of Salomon which is entituled Ecclesiastes the false and erroneous opinions of many touchinge the soueraigne felicitie And the Apostle Paule in his Epistle to the Romaynes Cap. 5.6 and 7. wysely infringeth and dissolueeth no fewe thinges which the aduersaries obiected against the doctrine of iustificatioÌ„ by faith without workes Moreouer the Preacher shall vse all the order and conâ—ing in confutation which wée sée to be prescribed to the Orators and he shall franckely vse negation eleuation translation excusation digression regestion inuersion distinction absolution conquestion inuestigation of the matter and forme of argumentes after the maner of Logicke and whatsoeuer else is of this kynde For of all these thinges examples may be shewed in the Sermons of Christ the Prophetes and Apostles Notwithstandinge he must take dilligent héede of this that his Confutation bée vtterly voyde of all subtill sophistry that it bee without ostentation of the deceytfull drinkes of Logicke and lawelyke craftinesse to be short that it bee without any desyre of cauillinge And that verily for this cause least any man shoulds suspect hym either to trifle or else to bee desirous to circumuent and begyle his auditors Whereof the one is the poynt of shamefull vanitie and the other of malitious subteltie Full well goeth the ecclesiasticall discourse forward that is séene to bee decked and adorned with veritie and simplicitie Some there bee that in confutinge now and then become so hote and vehement that as men enraged wyth ire they brast forth into contumelious reproches yea and somtimes into Thiestes execratioÌ„s which whilest they doo they excéede all measure and mediocritie These men wee wishe to be admonished that they woulde endeuour themselues to restrayne with the bridell of charitie the excursion of their vehement and hasty Oration For it lesse offendeth albeit it bee a sharpe reprehension if it may bee vnderstood to procéede of charitie These thinges touchinge the maner of Confutinge applied to the Popular vnderstanding and congruent to euery kinde of Sermons whither it be a whole booke or a parte of the booke or some certaine place that is expounded or whither we entreat of affayres offred by occasion of tyme may suffise For the thinges that ought besides to be accommodate as proper to the kinde râ—dargutiue or correctiue those things we will with more dilligence declare when we shall seuerally entreat of the same kindes ¶ Of Conclusion Cap. XIII IN euery sacred Sermon eche parte or common place doth craue a briefe conclusion but besides that a certaine apte and conuenient peroration must be added to the whole oration Now it this if many notable places out of a whole booke or a part of a booke haue ben examined a short repetitioÌ„ is rightely made of some principal points Chapters therof If two or thrée places haue bene expouÌ„ded then of euery one in order may be called into memory some certayne proufes such as séeme to be most emineÌ„t probable nowe and then the Preacher strayeth onely in those thinges that pertayne to the last place the doctrine and vtilitie whereof he alonely studiously commendeth But in cace some one certaine place of Scripture or a Theame simple or compound shall thorow out the whole Sermon be declared at large or that the Sermon be taken in hande touchinge businesse which the state of the Church requireth to be handeled then for the most parte a peroration is accustomably bestowed in mouing of affectioÌ„s to the inteÌ„t meÌ„ may be stirred to desire or eschew to alow or dissalowe that whereof entreaty hath bene made Somtyme to Sermons of euery kinde are annexed exhortation or obiurgations vtterly deuided from those places that are before expounded Which then truely rightely commeth to passe when certayne affayres doe happen whereof it behoueth the people to bee admonished So Chrisostom in a place in the ende of his Sermon rebuketh those that neglectinge diuine Sermons vsed to gadd to the Theatre to beholde there the games on horsebacke called Ludi equestres The same in his Hoâ—â—lie 19. vppon Genesis after the Scriptures declared wyth a briefe conclusion hee passeth to an exhortation wherein he detesteth couetousnesse and requireth all men that they woulde endeuoure themselues to helpe the poore and to giue almose vnto them In his Homilie 15. after hee had besought his hearers that they would commende vnto their memory the thinges that had bene spoken touchinge the incomnparable mercy of GOD he admonisheth them that they woulds laboure to passe the residewe of the Lente fruitefully and studye not onely to absteyne from meates but also much more from sinne and wycked attemptes But most commonly he concludeth simply in prayinge and beseacute echinge his audientes that they woulde haue dilligent consideration of the holsome doctrine propounded vnto them that they woulde repeate it after they were returned home somtymes also declare it vnto others which we may sée him to haue done Homilie 2.14 and 20. vppon Genesis and else where and finally conuert it wholely to the amendement of their lyues Moreouer nowe and then the Preachers doe admonish in the conclusion of what matter they are determined to entreate in their Sermon followinge Out of Chrysostom Homilie 4. vppon Genesis also 4. vppon the first Epistle to the Corinth Item his 5. Tome Homilie 28. agaynst Swearinge some gather that the custome was in the church in tymes past that the people after the ende of the Sermon shoulde clappe their handes and make acclamations but so asmuch as this custome séemeth to haue folowed from the Theatre or market place it is worthely obsolete and growen out of vre Much better it is verely to ende all sacred Sermons with prayer or that wee certaynely knowe to bee done in some place wyth the confession of fayth that is to saye with the repetition of the Symboll Apostolyke or Nicaene ¶ Of Amplification Cap. XV. WHatsoeuer thinge is profitable either to teache perspicuousely or also to moue perswade withall all that shall the Preacher purchase to himselfe as most requisite and necessary furniture Therefore let him knowe that argumentations tripartite quinquepartite Enthymemata also Schemes and Tropes further the crafte of amplifying and mouing of affections and finally whatsoeuer else of this order is
taught of the Rhetoritians masters of well speakinge doe appertayne and belonge vnto him Howbeit our purpose is not to speake any thinge at all touchinge the formes of argumentes of Schemes or Tropes forasmuch as we doe gather these thinges onely for their sakes vnto whoÌ„ we supppose all those thinges to bee already verye well knowen But neuerthelesse we will note somwhat touchinge amplification for that we perceyue many of the holy Fathers to haue bene studiously occupied in handelinge of the same Yea and somwhat otherwyse to vsurpe amplifications and to alledge also other maner of arguments theÌ„ the Orators are accustomed For the Preacher doth not vse amplification to the intent to bring to passe that the matter might appere either greater or lesser then it is of it selfe or as it is fayed that of a flye might bee made an Elephante or agayne of an Elephante a flye in which point the Rhetoritians doe most chiefely laboure couetinge withall to corrupte the iudgement of the hearers and to withdrawe them from the right scope but to the ende it may bee acknowledged of all men to bee suche and so greate as is meete and requisite that it shoulde bee in deede which verily is no other thing theÌ„ to reclayme men erring from the truth to a prudent and sincere iudgement And herevppon we maye also gather when and at what time the practise of amplification ought most conueniently to be vsed For if at any time thou happenest vppon those places of which it is likely that the bearers cannot iudge sufficiently aright then by adding to amplifications we must labor to bringe them to this point that they may be able to conceaue both what and howe great euery thinge is And oft times it commeth to passe that certaine sinnes for asmuch as they are commnoly and euery where without controlmente committed be by the iudgement of the common people supposed not to be so haynous as they are in déede of whiche sorte are concupiscence hatred of our neighbour reuilements periurie brawlings dronkennes offences giuen c. Of these therfore when the Preacher shall fortune to entreat he shall not without good cause by vsinge of amplyfications goe about to declare the greatnesse of the same In respect wherof Esay Cap. 1. doth very artificially amplyfye certaine sinnes of the Iewes by comparisons and suche lyke places Christ in like maner Math. 5 amplifieth diuers and sondry offences as namely reproche of our neighbour concupiscence periury and proueth them to be much more grieuous then a great number did suppose Agayne some there be that estéeme certayne thinges more highly then they ought to be estéemed as for example we may sée some men to attribute so much vnto ceremonies rights mens traditions c. that they are not affrayd to prefer them before the very commaundements of god Therfore when it shall be for the behoofe of the hearers to entreat of these thinges the Preacher shall prudently extenuate al obseruations or traditions yea and with necessary and probable argumeÌ„ts so much as lieth in him conclude that they are by no meanes to be compared with the preceptes of Gods law Christe Mathew 15. and Mark. 7. doth grieuously reproue the preposterous iudgementes of men in this behalfe And Paule in his epistle to the Colossians dothe with wonderfull dexteritye shake vp and bringe into conteÌ„pt the vphoulders and maynteyners of traditions Sometimes it so falleth out that certaine notable vertues are neglected or be not estéemed as they are worthy wherefore throughe amplifications they shall bee aduaunced to the dignitye whiche of right they ought to haue In respecte whereof the Apostle to the Rom. 4. doth amplyfye the faithe of Adraham by the causes and circumstaunces thereof to the intent that all men might perceiue that the faith wherby Abraham so greatly pleased god was accepted of him and wherby also men ought to be iustified was not colde and light but vehement notable and very wonderfull Who contrary to hope sayeth hée beleeued in hope that hee should be the father of many nations accordyng to that whiche was spoken So shall thy seede bee And hee faynted not in the fayth nor consydered hys owne bodye now dead whon hee was almost an hundred yeares olde neither yet the barennesse of Saraes wombe Hee staggard not at the promise of God through vnbeleefe but was stronge in fayth giuinge glorye to GOD and beinge full certifyed that what he had promised he was able also to performe And therefore was it reckoned vnto hym for rightuousnesse There is extant also a graue amplyfycation of the same Apostle touchynge the wrath of God to be feared of all those that wyll not acknowledge Christ to be the true Messias Take heede my brethrne sayeth he least at any tyme there bee in you an euill harte of vnbeleefe to departe from the lyuing God but exhort yee one an other daylye while it is called to day least any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne For wee are made pertakers of Christe if wee keepe sure vnto the ende the beginninge of the substaune and so foorth as it is in the texte For the place is longe Moreouer the Preacher may vse all the furniture of amplyfyinge that the Schole of Orators ministreth vnto hym Wherefore as touchinge that whiche pertayneth vnto woordes hee may mingle together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expolition definition description distribution heapinge vppe of matter encreaâ—ement As touchinge the things themselues he may transferre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to saye passe from a question definite to a question infinite or common place hee may examine so farre foorth as the nature of the argument wyll suffer the causes to witte the matter forme effecte ende Moreouer the circumstaunces as the personne time place maner instrument occasion and so foorth Then thinges happening or signes whereof some be antesedeÌ„ts some subsequentes other some annixed to the busines it selfe also comparisons similitudes contentions contraries and whatsoeruer thinges els are in this kynde set forth of the Rhetoritians Againe further the Preacher may borrowe many poyntes of amplifying out of Theologye it selfe whiche hath no small number of peculyar places apt and correspondent to euery kynde of argumente as well as any other discipline beside lyke as we shall a little after declare Therefore hee that teacheth the people doeth ofte times frame his amplyfication Ab attributis Dei that is of the properties of God as that God searcheth the harte that hee can not bee deceyued Of the Commaundement of God Of the Promises set foorth Of the Threatninge of punishmentes Of the Callynge of Manne to the knowledge of the trueth Of Electinge into the Churche of God Of Spirituall giftes receyued Of a Generall sentence in Diuinitie Of the Predictions of the Prophetes Of that that they bee thinges spyrytuall Of the tyme of the Lawe Of the Tyme of the Gospell Of the Signe
that may afterward redounde to potterytie And these places verely may be taken as specifyed of the Orators but out of Diuinitie are deryued groundes of greater weight and importaunce as 8 Of that that wee ought not to be so fylthye and vile as that wee shoulde submit our mindes and bodyes to our enemy the Diuell to serue his wicked and diabolicall suggestions 9 Of that that we incurre the crime of disloyaltie yea and of high treason also if we reuolte from the tents of our sauiour Christ unto Beliall 10 of that that it is a great ingratitude and that more is an extreame cruelty to crucify Christ a fresh through our sinnes and to dispise his blood wherwith he hath once wasshed and sanctified vs. 11 Of that that by defylynge our selues with sin we grieue the holy ghost and doe slaunder the holy angells our kéepers yea and the vniuersall church of God. 12 Of the that by the grace of God assisting vs we may be able to refist the temptor and traitor sathan tame our flesh abandon evill thoughts c. 13 Of that that if we harken vnto the Deuill all the fault shall be imputed to vs and vnto our iniquitie neyther shal it bee lawfull to pretende any excuse at all but euen wee our selues shall bes punished for those enormities whiche by the prouocation of the deuill we commit 14 Of the paines that are threatned vnto sinners and the same not onely temporall but also eternall to the auoyding and eschewing wherof there is no way for vs to be founde except we repenting implore the ayde of Christe Somtimes occasion is offered vnto the preacher to sti◠vp his audients vnto loue that is to saye vnto charytie or beneuolence Which truly then chiefely commeth to passe when as entrety is made of some notable vertue or when the excellent déede of some Patryarke Prophet Apostle or of any other man of worthy memorye is celebrated and solempnised For héere it is conuenient to prouoke the mindes of men and so farforth as may be to enflame them to loue and imbrace so excellent and rare a vertue to the feruent study of imitating so notable a déede To the furtheraunce therefore of this matter much auaylable will be the reasons taken out of the places of thinges to be desyred and thinges to be eschewed to witte 1 Of the honestye Of the thinge 2 Of the godlynesse Of the thinge 3 Of the religiousnesse Of the thinge 4 Of the gloryousnesse Of the thinge 5 Of the easynesse Of the thinge 6 Of the necessitie Of the thinge All which thinges may briefely be confirmed and illustrated by reasons sentences examples similitudes deryued out of the treasurie of the sacred scriptures Item 7 Of the causes of thinges 8 Of the circumstaunces 9 Of the signes or accidents as well 10 Antecedent and 11 Adioyned to the matter it selfe as also 12 Conssquent c. Which kinde of places verily and those deduced out of Diuinite we sée the holy Prophets to vse as oft as thei exhort vnto rightuousnesse vnto modestie vnto humilitie vnto the confession of the knowne trueth vnto the diligence obseruation of the true worshippinge of god Neyther dothe any thinge what soeuer appertinent to this kynde of busynesse lesse notably appeare in those Sermons of Chrysostom in which he endeuoureth to traine men vnto pacience sobryetie hospitalytie liberalitie towardes the poore and other such lyke vertues Now to cause that feare of gods iudgemēt to be imprinted in the mindes of the hearers will be a helpe and furtheraunce proofes drawen forth 1 Of the the greatnesse of our sinnes which it behoueth to be amplyfyed out of the law by and through all the circumstaunces thereof 2 Of our owne vnworthynes and proper offence 3 Of our owne imbecilitie and weakenesse We that are voyde and destitute of all kinde of vertues what shall we obiect against the iudement of God 4 Of that that it is necessary the threatninges of God thould be accomplished without any exception 5 Of the grieuousnes of the paynes that are euidentley mentioned and set forth in the threatnings of God. 6 Of that that God executeth those things indifferentlye whereby both his iustice becommeth famous and his mercy also apparaunt 7 Of the examples of those men whō we know to haue bene sharply punished of God for their sinnes 8 Of that that God if he punisheth not by and by and if not in this lyfe yet after a shorte time or at least after this lyfe he repayeth due penalties accordynge to the desertes 9 Of that that no euasion of mans wisdom or industrye will serue to escape and winde out of Gods iudgement It is no difficult matter to accorde also some other places vnto these arguments touched before in the premisses The controlling Sermons of the Prophets and Apostles or of Chrysostome and other holy fathers doe throughlye abounde in this kinde Further to the procurement of hope and desyre of mercy doe conduce a number of places accustomed to be vsed in consolations but especially these 2 Of the confession of sinnes before God. 3 Of our humilytie or mortification 4 Of the continuall imploration of Gods ayde God despiseth not the prayers of them that humble themselues and dispaire of their owne strength 5 Of the power of the spirit assistinge vs in our prayers 6 Of the promises of God. 7 Of the naturall goodnesse of God that is the promiser whereby he will both be prayed vnto and also graciousely graunt our peticions 8 Of that that God delighteth to stande by his woorde and promise and will deceiue no man. 9 Of the intercession of Christ our mediatour 10 Of the effect of the death and all the merits of Christ 11 Of that that our father knoweth our necessities yea euen before the aske 12 Of our election vocation iustification 13 Of that that God neuer vtterly forsaketh those that be his but with fatherly compassion helpeth them before they fall into any extreame daunger To the furtheraunce also hereof let the Sermons consolatory or comfortatiue be read disposed to the fortifiynge and erecting of mindes in the conflicts of temptations and no doubt a much more plentifull matter will offer it selfe in them then can of vs in few words be comprised Lastly if thou intendest to prouoke the mindes of men vnto pitie and compassion which then truely is expedyent to be done when the people is to be admonished and required to be helpfull to the poore and needye to succour them that are afflicted with sicknesse shypwracke casualtie of fyer rage of waters warre or such lyke calamitie to labour with all dilygence to reduce those that erre or those that are almost fallen into desperation into the right way agayne or to pray vnto God for their health and safety thou shalt conueniently gather some reasons of these places followynge 1 Of the age as if it be a childe or an olde man that is afflicted 2 Of the sexe 3 Of
by the death of Christ I gladly sticke in the same example why may not I say a man auouch that miserable men are well delte withall and that greate occasion is offred vnto them to hope for all good thinges at the handes of GOD when as they beholde God as well by his worde as by the sacramentes by him instituted to certifie and assure them of the remission of their sinnes by his sonne Iesus Christ And that there is no cause why they shoulde cast themselues hedlonge into the whirlpoole of desperation so longe as they fixe their mynde vppon the promysses of GOD and the couenaunte which hee hath made with vs. Hitherto touchinge the fiue principall Diuine places of â—â—â—ention wherevppon the mynde ought with all enforcement and dilligence to bee intentiuely sette so ofte as out of the Scriptures which are openly explaned we intende to excerpte certayne common places profitable for the Church Seing the Apostle himselfe so euidently affyrmeth that we ought to gather euery where out of the readinge of the Scriptures whatsoeuer is auayleable to doctrine to reproue to institution to correction to consolation whom may wee rather followe for our author then him And why shoulde nto wée I meane so many as are conuersante in the ministery employ our wholle laboures and studyes vppon this that wée maye drawe forth of the Scriptures these most holsome and profitable thinges Certes this inuention of common places is as ye woulde saye the grounde worke and foundation wherevppon the wholle frame of all Diuine Sermons doth consist For vnlesse thou shalt in this wyse note the common places accordinge to the diuersitie of the members of Scripture thou endeuourest in vayne to vtter any thing whereout any fruite may bée hoped for to redounde to the hearers But he that will followe this order and method of inuention after the fine places afore goinge shall neuer bée destitute of plenteous godly and profitable matter of speakinge Verely I suppose there bée some will say that this deuice is straung and very difficulte But forasmuch as we haue the Apostle Paule the ringeleader of all preachers as the teacher thereof who can worthily suspect it or lightely esteeme of it Moreouer I dare warraunt to those that shal be buâ— meanely furnished with the knowledge of common places perceyuinge to Christian religyon that it will euen forthwith béecome easye well lyked off and fruitefull There is no man I am sure will euer repent him of his paynes taken That which is attempted to the aduauncement of godlynesse commeth alwayes of necessitie vnto good successe And we a litell after will add some examples which shal open a way vnto all men and make it very playne and easy all impedimentes set a parte Neither in this didascalik kynde â—ons but also in the other kyndes of Sermons those thinges that are spoken touchinge these places may conueniently bée applyed to all and euery explication of Scripture lyke as so ofte as it shall bée requisite we will agayne admonishe Now let vs entreate of the places of inuention apperteyninge to the seconde forme or orded These declare vnto vs howe and after what sorte wee maye more néerely trye and axamine the nature of euery thinge of which at the least any thinge in Diuine Sermons may truly bée sayde or discâ—â—rsâ—d and heape togither proofes or argumentes meete to the accomplishement thereof For by them we easely learne what euery thinge is howe many partes or formes be thereof what the causes what the offectes or duties what thinges bée of alyaunce what Contrary therevnto as those that playnly appere to be destinate to the explication of these questions He that shall diligently discusse the sayde questions is supposed to haue amâ—ly and thorowly atteined whatsoeuer is worthy to be knowen as touching that thing Which thing is the cause why the Logicians and Philosophâ—â—s doâ— very highly esteme them and maruelously commend â—heÌ„ Théen both the 〈◊〉 vse 〈…〉 them to be agréeable to his treatise takeÌ„ in haâ—â— We wil therefore reherse them doo nothing else then â—eherse theÌ„ for hint that is desirous to know more we remit to the masteâ—s teachers of Logicâ—â— But 〈…〉 they profit to the 〈◊〉 indagatioÌ„ of diuine affayr 〈…〉 at large sufficieÌ„tly inough declared in our Theologicall Topicks At séemeth good héere onely to dispose them in such wyse as by the same dilligence I maye set forth vnto the eye to the explication of what questions euery of them may and ought to be applyed To the declaration of the question what the thinge is are referred I. Definition of the name II. Definition of the thinge III. Generall kinde IIII. Speciall kinde V. Difference VI. Propertie To the discussion of the question Howe many partes or how manyfolde the thinge is be annexed VII Diuision VIII Wholle IX Partes To the question of causes doe accorde X. Matter XI Forme XII Effect XIII Ende He that will explane the question what be the effectes or offices of the thinge must haue regarde to the XIIII Euentes XV. Effectes XVI Destinata XVII Adiacentia XVIII Actes XIX Subiecte For a man to finde out what be of alyaunce or aiffinitiâ— to the thinge he ought to respect XX. Coniugata XXI Contingentia XXII Signa or Signes wherein for the most parte Contingentia doe consist XXIII Circumstaunces XXIIII Pronunciata XXV Similia XXVI Comparata The question what be the contraries of the thing is absolued by searchinge out XXVII Opposita XXVIII Disparata The sayde places are taught of the Logicians who as it is méete and conuenient those artes to serue the turne of more worthy actes doe minister the same to the professors of other disciplines but especially of Diuinitie to be vsed Moreouer Theologie is accustomed to produce other places also to the explication of thinges in the kynde didascalik and in the bookes of the prophetes and Apostles we may perceiue no small number of probations deriued of the places followinge 1 Of the vsurpation of the voyce of any man in the sacred Scriptures Thapostle in that promise made of God vnto Abraham Genes 17. I haue appointed thee to be the father of many nations weighinge the worde Nations he reasoneth in this sorte Abraham is the father of many nations Ergo the Gentiles also séeinge they are the children of Abraham shall be pertakers of the spirituall benefites purchased by Christ which were promised to Abraham and to his séede 2 Of the certaine forme of speaking or of the phrase of holy Scripture Mans iustification or beatification the Apostle interpreteth to bee the remission of sinnes the not imputinge thereof which hee confirmeth by the wordes of the Psalmiste taken out of the 23. Psalme Blessed are they whose iniquities be remitted and whose sinnes are couered Blessed is that man to whome the Lorde will not impute sinne Christ affirmeth himself to be very God out of the wordes of Dauid Psalm 109 The
therof Abraham staggered not at the promise of God through incredulitie but being made strong by faith gaue the glory to God conceiuing a certaine perswasion that he which had promised was able also to performe So is it read Rom. 4. we may therfore argue in this sorte God hath promised ergo hee will vndoubtedly performe Héere also must héede be taken whether any maner of condition be annexed to the promise 17 Of a prophesy or propheticall prediction The Euangelistes doe very frequently commend vnto vs this place of inuention so oft namely as they shew this or that thing to be therfore accomplished in or by Christ forsomuch as it was necessary those thinges shoulde be fulfilled which were spoken before of the Prophets touchynge the same 18 Of the truth of a diuine or propheticall determination The thinges that are once pronounced and decreed of God or of some notable Prophet by Gods commaundement those thinges must of necessitie be accounted certain and sure He that vnderstandeth how to argue conueniently of a generall sentence shall also well perceiue the vse of this place 19 Of the person of one good man to the person of all the godly So gathereth the Apostle Rom. 4 Abraham was iustified by faith therefore shall all that beléeue lykewise be iustifyed by faith It is not written saith he for his cause onely that it was imputed vnto him but also for our sakes to whom it shall be imputed if we beleeue c. 20 Of the person of one vngodly man to all The hardeninge of Pharao came of God therefore commeth the hardenyng of all other wicked persons of GOD likewise 21 Of a type or figure to the truethment thereby The bones of the lambe that was eaten at Easter might not be diminished ergo neither ought the legges of Christe hanging on the Crosse to be broken And the tipes of the prophet Ionas and of the brason serpent erected in the wildernesse Christ interpreteth of hymselfe So then we may elegantly gather they that behelde the serpent in the desart were healed ergo those also that beléeue and hope in CHRISTE shall obtayne saluation 22 Of an allegory to the thing signifyed The prophet Esay Cap. 54. by an allegorye and in many wordes teacheth how wonderfully the Churche encreaseth Reioyce thou baren saith he that bearest no Children breake foorth and cry thou that trauailest not for shee that is desolat hath many mo children then she which hath an husband And the Apostle intending to demonstrat that albeit the Iewes raged neuer so much yet it would come to passe that the churche collected of the Gentiles should be increased and amplyfyed yea euen then when by reason of troubles and contentioÌ„s if should be supposed to be vtterly destroyed applyeth the same allegâ—ry very fifly and saith If she that was baren despised as Sara doth yet bring forth children and hir posteritie encreaseth beyonde all mens expectation why shoulde we not beleeue that the Church though small and abiecte receiueth dayly encreasement also These places therefore if not alwaies all yet at the least a greate sorte of them and one while these an other while those doe they rightly vse that haue to speake in sacred assemblies And then verily do they vse them when as they shall entreate either of a certaine place or sentence of holy Scripture or of busines offred by occasion of time or else of a theame simple or compounde like as afterward we will once againe admonishe when wée shall come to the addinge to of some peculiar examples They haue néede vndoubtedly of a right iudgement and of some wisdome and experience in this behalfe gotten by the continuall readinge and â—earinge partly of the Scriptures partly of some faithfull and probable interpreters He truely shall beste prouide for himselfe and may at the length be able to performe some thinge worthy of prayse and commendation who so will dilligently obserue the profes and reasons extant in the didascalick Sermons of the prophetes Christ and Apostles and will enserch the places out of which they are taken and deduced and fynally beinge night and daye studious of imitation will endeuour after hys power and abilytie to practise the same Now vnto this kinde forsomuch as it is weighty and diffyculte and no small wisdome is required therein wée will worthely adioyne like as wée vndertooke to doe certayne Cantions whereby euery man may bée premonisshed to vse dilligent héede and circumspection in his procedings Which wée haue in lyke maner determined to doe in the other kindes followinge I In doctrines or princyples of relygion to bée taught before the people it is very requisite to be considered what maner of persons the hearers are how far forth traded in the knowledge of diuine matters For it is necessary that all the order of teaching so oft I saye as it is thought good to examine any sentence be tempered accordinge to their capacitie Christ himselfe that we should be circumspectâ— in this behalfe hath admonished vs when as he said to his Apostles I haue many thinges to saye vnto you but ye can not beare them away now And the apostle I could not speak vnto you brethren as vnto spirituall but as vnto carnal as vnto babes in Christ I haue nourished you with milke and not with meate For ye could not as yet away with it neither can yee as yet It is certayne therfore that the thinges whiche are true vndoubted and taken out of the worde of God are to be taught and set forth vnto all men And albeit a man taketh in hand one and the selfe same doctrine to handle and entreate off yet truly ought he to attempt all thinges far otherwise among the hearers and Citizens of an ample citie hauing now of long time ben accustomed to hare men excellinge in learninge and eloquence then in an obscure place where men of rude wits and maners can neuer attayne to any thing but that which shall very grosly be inculked and beaten into their heades To whiche effecte well nere S. August hath somewhat in his treatise 98. vpon the gospell of Iohn II What hearers soeuer shall betide let the tractation of those poyntes be eschewed and pretermitted whiche doe smally conduce vnto godlynesse and the inquifition and knowledge whereof doe make the hearers rather curious then godly disposed Whervnto pertayneth that whiche Thapostle writinge in diuers places vnto Timothye and Titus forbiddeth any place to be giuen in the church to doctrine which is not after godlynesse to foolishe and fantasticall questions to contencions and striuings about the law which are vnprofitable and superfluous and which do rather procure deuision then edifiyng III After thou hast chosen out suche a sentence or assertion as is holsomelye to bee handled and entreated off it is requisyte that thou dilligently enserche and perpende the doctrine contayned in the bookes of the prophetes and Apostles touching the same whiche onely is
dreame Heerevpon therefore wee haue to vnderstande what great prudence and dexterytie is required in them that take vppon them to teache or by reason of their office ought to teache others Certes it is very requisite that they accommodate themselues in all that they may to the capacitie of their hearers and make also their proofes and reasoÌ„s of thinges vsuall familyar and wel knowne For so Paule the apostle preachinge of Christ the true God to the Athenienses taketh occasion of speaking of a thing manifest to all men to wit of the altar dedicate to the vnknowne God Afterwarde he procéedeth vnto reasons prouing the power and goodnesse of GOD playnly perceyued of all by the onely instinction of nature And we are come to worship him XIII and XIIII Doctrine and Institution They which sée the Starre that is to say that haue teathers and guides of whom they may by the woorde bee rightly instructed in the exercises of Godlynesse in their mindes faith springeth and withall they are stirred vp to the true worshipping and pure inuocation of God and vnto other thinges adioyned herevnto But they that haue not teachers of the worde or refuse to heare suche as they haue doubtlesse it can not be that they shoulde laye a right the foundations of faith or otherwise profytte therein For faith commeth of hearing and hearinge by the worde of God. Let vs all therefore praye vnto God that if the trueth hath not as yet shined vnto vs he woulde sende those that might enforme vs by hearinge of whom we may also conceiue true faith in Christ But if the truth hath now already bene reuealed vnto vs then that we may rightly vse it and direct the knowledge whiche wee haue gotten to the true inuocation of Christ through a lyuely fayth and sanctimony of lyfe XV. Doctrine The wise men whilest they professe themselues to bee come to worshippe Christe doe not obscurely testify and declare his diuine nature For it is the Lord that ought to be worshipped When Herode the Kinge had heard these thinges he was troubled and all the citie of Hierusalem with him XVI Correction Wonderfull is the difference betwéen the Gospell and men following the worlde and the things that are in it Assoone as by the grace of God the trueth of the gospell waxeth cléere Princes and a great number of people séeke meanes to stop the course thereof For the diuell without ceassing moueth by his champions suche as are described Actes 16.17.18.19.21.23 c. bloody broyles and tragidies soweth battels seditions and tumults trusting he thal bring to passe by this meanes that sounde doctrine shall be euill spoken of suspected and become hatefull so by little and little be vtterly explosed and abandoned of al men And the world now adaies nourisheth euery where an huge heard of Sathans bondeâ—laues whiche at all times goe about craftely to take away the truth and to hinder the studies of the holy scriptures But they labour in vaine as it is manisest that Herode also with his conspiratours attempted all thinges in vaine The trueth may for a time bee assaulted and hidden but expugned and vttery abolyshed it can not be So also the vngodlye may accomplishe some thing after their owne desyre but in the meane time the misers and blinde bussardes doe not perceiue that the victorye whiche they haue of the poore ministers of the worde wyll turne to their owne destruction For suche is this kinde of conflicte that whosoeuer haue the vpper hande in it are in deede miserablye vanquisshed and put to the foyle And victorye in this respect is nothynge els then a token of GODS wrath and vengeaunce whiche bursteth foorth eyther vpon the children nephewes or vppon the posterytie to come XVII Institution Whiche of vs soeuer will declare our selues to bee the children of the light if at any time wee perceyue the Starre of trueth to shine anywhere vnto vs let vs not with wicked Herode and his adherentes be troubled and kéepe a sturre but rather as ioyful and glad let vs runne to méete it imbrace it with both our armes and giue thankes vnto God for it XVIII Doctrine Herode through ambition ritches auarice and ingratitude towardes god was driuen to resiste He feared least a newe kinge rising vp he should be put from his kingedom The vnthankeful multitude alwaies proue to the worste willingly ioyneth it selfe to the will of princes especially in euill matters It is euident therefore that men of haughtye minde proud puffed vp vaineglorious dronke thorough pleasaunt fortune couetous vnthankefull to god warde craftye vnstable and such as in a moment apply themselues vnto all thinges thorough a certaine carnal wisdom they haue doo not lightly imbrace the Gospell and doo very hardly enter into the kingdom of heauen As touching which thing Christ Math. 8.19 Luc. 18. and the Apostles also els where doe preache And when he had gathered all the chiefe priestes and Scribes of the people togither he demaunded of them where Christ shoulde be borne XIX Correction The vngodly being prouoked with the maiesty of the truth appearinge séeke diuers and sondrye wayes to oppresse it They apoint commissions they call counsels and sinodes and pretermitte no â—ote of those thinges which they suppose will bee profitable to the furtheraunce of their mischiefe The men of Anathoth goe craftelye about to intrappe Ieremy XX Doctrine Out of the mischeuous endeuours of men the Lorde oft times draweth that which is good The consultations and mandates of the wicked Kinge touching the enserchinge of the trueth were the cause that the trueth which before laye hidden was out of the monuments of the prophets brought into light Except this dilligent inquisition had bene made by the kinges commaundement neither the Persian wise men nether the Iewes yea nor yet we at this day shoulde haue so certaine knowledge of the place wherein Christe was borne Beholde after what sort God wonderfully prouideth for his church and how in it men profyte goe forwarde in the knowledge of thinges spirituall There sprang vp heresies cruell and barbarous persecutions against the professors of the trueth in the meane season the church standeth stedfast and is encreased not onely for that it profiteth in the doctrine of faith but also forasmuch as it becommeth more ware and prouident in auoyding or enduringe of daungers in humilitie modestie patience and other vertues exerciseth it selfe not without great gayne and aduantage For so truely it pleaseth GOD to delude the enterprises of the wicked and to bring to passe that to the godly al things turne to the best XXI Institution It is to be obserued in this presente place that the colloquies and assemblies of learned men touching matters perteyninge to religion and the state of the Church are oft times ordayned to a very goodende and purpose And albeit there be commonly in such assemblies some hypocrits or other yet is the trueth by them or by the godly
be feared Certaine it is that if we which haue longe since receyued the light of the gospell doe not procéede to bringe forth fruites worthy of the gospell otherwise then hitherto we haue done God will soner then we be aware take him kingdome away from vs and giue it to a nation that will bringe forth worthy fruites in déede When will ye â—wake O ye stubburne and stiffenecked people oppressed with continuall sléepe XI and XII Institution and Consolation With what force and power all wiches hypocrites false teachars heretickes and tyrauntes haue to this presente day withstoode our sauiour and redéemer Christe from the time that he was fyrst manifested in the fleshe may partly out of the Euangelicall history Actes and writinges of the Apostles partly out of the Ecclesiasticall stories inough and to much appere And surely in Christ which is in many thinges set forth to vs for an example shineth a type or figure of the christian lyfe and euen of the whole Church Wherefore séeinge Christ himselfe hath alwayes susteyned contradictions and controlementes it is not to bée meruayled at if the godly also bée oftetymes and in many thinges spoken againste For contradiction or persecution we may knowe to bée as a sure token whereby the true Church of Christ is discerned from the sinagoge of Sathan For so it is prouyded that as many as will liue godly in Christe Iesu muste suffer persecution And as hee that was borne after the fleshe persecuted him that was borne after the spirite euen so is it nowe And our Lorde Christe hymselfe vnto his disciples If yee were of the worlde saith he the worlde woulde loue his owne If they haue persecuted mee they will also perâ—ute you But let vs be of a good courage and comfort our selues in aduersitye by the example of Christe goinge before vs. We knowe well ynoughe that seruauntes can not be in better place then their lorde is in wherefore let vs valyauntly susteyne the lot that God hath appointed vs in the confession of the Gospel nothing doubting But that if we suffer and be humbled heere with Christ we shall also with him be exalted and haue the fruitioÌ„ of eternal glory And moreouer the sworde shall pearce the soule that the thoughtes of many hartes may be opened XIII Doctrine The blessed Virgin hir selfe sufferd no doubt excedinge much griefe and anguishe for Christes cause For what hart had she may we thincke I say not when for feare of Herode she was driuen to flye into Aegipte and there liue longe time an exull nor wheÌ„ afterwarde beinge loste by the way she fought hir sonne very carefully in euery company but when she sawe him hanging on the crosse and distressed with al kinde of contumelies There is no doubte but that she was then vehemensly troubled and had almost thought that he was not the true Messias whom afore she beleued of whom she had conceiued a most certaine hope Such an offendicle therefore or at least such inwarde heauines is noted by the Metonimye of a sworde bringinge sorowe with it Howebeit héere we may learne that no man is so perfect but that nowe and then he suffereth some offence vaynquished by the infyrmitie of the fléesh by reason of Christ or the Gospell For euen the Saintes also doe oftetimes complaine that their féete are well nie caused to slide whiles they behold the godly here on earth to bée afflicted and the wicked to florishe in sprosperitie But so it is God helpeth his chosen in due tyme and by streatchinge forth as it were his hande lifteth them vp whom he perceyueth to be in daunger Temptations are not perpetuall neither doth God suffer any to bée tormoyled with them aboue their strength XIIII Institution Let vs acknowledge therefore our owne weakenes and if at any tyme it chaunceth vs to wauer and fayle either in doctrine or déedes let vs remember that we are not better then the residue of the Saintes and with all let vs require and expecte at gods hande that he woulde confyrme vs in the trueth XV. Doctrine Ruine or vprisinge as they happen for Christes cause are not light or hidden such as manye be apprehended onely by thoughts but very graue sharpe vehement and such as are apparaunt and open so that all men haue power to iudge of them For all maner of offences doe first springe in the harte where the thoughts doe accuse or also excuse one an other and as ye would saye striue and conflicte amonge themselues notwithstanding a litle while after they breake forth into wordes or else into manifest déedes So lurked the offence of CHRIST some whiles in the hart of Peter whylest he priuily thought That Christ whom the Iews so spitefully entreated was in no wise the true Messias But in short space aster his thoughtes were disclosed when he openly reuolted from Christ yea and flatly denyed that euer he knewe him Wherefore howe Christ was to him an occasion of ruine or fallinge euery manne myght then easily iudge Contrarywise they that beléeue doe fyrst in their harte beléeue vnto rightuousnesse and afterward with their mouth make confession to saluation Which whilest they doe all men maye iudge howe CHRIST is to them a resurrectyon or vprisynge againe XVI Institution Seing therfore the cace standeth thus that euery offence is first conceyued in the hart and after commeth abrode into light It be honeth vs truely to pray vnfeignedly to God that he would vouchsafe so to purge and fortify our hartes with his spirite that no offenses take any roote in them Or if at any time we beginne to wauer and doubte as touching the dignity of Christ or excellency of the Gospell then that he would by his holy spirite and word strengthen vs before such cogitations come to light whereby extreme destruction should of nessitye folowe And there was one Anna a prophetisse the daughter of Phanuell of the tribe of Aser she was of a great age and had liued with an husband seuen yeres from hir virginitie And she had bene a widowe about fower score and fower yeres which departed not from the temple but serued god with fastinges and prayers night and daye XVII Doctrine In this seconde parte touchinge the confession of Anna where many thinges are rehearced attributed to hir persone as the name of Anne the gifte wherewith shée was adorned prophesie hir parentes tribe age hir former state of life hir widdowehoode place she departed not out of the temple hir exercise or maners she serued GOD with fastinges and praiers night and daye these thinges I say thus attributed vnto hir wee shall perceyue to bée heaped together to the amplifyinge and augmentinge of hir dignitie by reason whereof the autoritie of hir testimonye or confession which she made of Christe is of necessitie also illustrated and increased Herevpon wée haue to consider that there is no estate or degrée of men which God refuseth but that euen to all so
as manye as professe Christes religion ought to be brought forth and consecrated to God forasmuch as all the glory and benediction of that auncient people is conâ—eighed by Christe to the beléeuinge Gentiles as Peter in his fyrste Epistle Cap. 2. aparauntly teacheth You saith â—ée are a chosen Kinde a Kinglye priesthod an holy nation We are admonished therefore that we should with al studye and dilligence endeuour our selues to obserue the law of God. If Christ the author and lord of the law did humbly submit himself to the law what excuse shal we make wherby we should not obey the law It remayneth therefore that we consecrate our selues wholy vnto God not onely in our younge and tender age but also all our lyfe longe The ceremonies and oblations of Moyses are verilye in our dayes abolyshed neither is it required of vs that we shoulde offer for our children Turtle doues or young pigeons Neuerthelesse it is our part and dutye in cace we haue any children borne vnto vs fyrst to acknowledge them to be giuen by the onelye goodnesse of God and that we owe vnto hym vnspeakable thankes for so great a benefite Moreouer we shall consecrate them vnto the Lorde if so farre forth as lyeth in vs we bring them vp in the feare of God and in the simplicitie of doues in modesty and innocencye and so instruct them throughout all their life as that for their sanctimony and vertues the name of God may be gloryfyed on earth This is one manner of conseeratinge children to the Lorde set forthe vnto al christians Ye fathers bringe vp your children in the nourtour and correction of the Lorde For the whole institution and chastisement ought to be directed to the glory of the Lorde And the childe grew and waxed stronge in spirite and was fylled with wisdome and the grace of God was vpon hym XXIX Doctrine All thinges truely in Christe are very excellent and singuler and that by reason of his dyuine nature ioyned to his humayne Notwithstanding we may iudge also in generall of all children especially those that are borne of faithfull parents that the holy Ghost vouchsafeth likewise to strengthen them which in deede is the most ample benefytte of God toward vs For this cause Christ not in one place greatly commendeth little children Except ye turne and become as young children ye shal not enter into the kingdom of heauen Suffer little children to come vnto me forbid them not for of such is the kingedom of God c. XXX Redargution Who therefore is of so mischeuous a minde to cry out the young children which Christe so muche commendeth can not be partakers of spirituall benefyts and to restraine them from baptisme and all sacred rites God voucheth safe to sanctifye some euen in their mothers wombe whiche is reported of Ieremy and Iohn the Baptist in the scriptures some he sanctifieth eftsoones in their childhood as Samson and others why doste thou theÌ„ enuie such and wilt not suffer them to be consecrated to the Lord xxxi Institution How much better that we doe if we entirely loue young children being so déere vnto god and deuoutely reuerence them as the electe organs of God againe if we pray to our heauenly father that hee woulde enforme their harts with his holy spirite and direct them to learne and imbrace true pietie and godlynes For the feare of the Lorde is the beginninge of wisedome Let children therfore be nourtered and taught in the elements of sounde doctrine Where the foundations shall in this wise be layde the lord will add happy successe and procedinges in the rest Hee wyll fyll them with wisedome and the grace of GOD shall bee vpon them as it shall séeme good vnto the Lorde in whom alone it lieth to prescribe the meane O happy are those children of whom it may in some sorte be iudged that God doth illustrate them with the light of â—is grace xxxii Correction Albeit it chiefelye dependeth of the goodnesse of God that children are made strong in spirite fylled with wisdom and by the speciall grace of God prospered in all their procéedinges yet that a great helpe and furtheraunce herevnto remaineth also in the parentes no man is ignoraunt The first education of children euen alone for the most parte is the cause that we haue either good or ill citiezens For looke what impes we bringe vp such men in a maner doth the common wealth receiue of vs afterward Beware how thou thinkest them to proue good men whom beinge boyes thou séest to be of rude and dissolute maners What great infection of euills children take of their parents and what mischeuous examples they mark oftetimes at this age in their gouerners and masters no man can with toung expresse or declare There is no doubt but that this inordinate education of children which now a dayes we may euery wher behold doth portende some bloody happes and great calamities verye shortly to ensue But let vs praye vnto God that hee will guide vs all with his grace and turne awaye in time the mischiefes hanginge ouer our heades How if consideration be had of the time present then with good right shall be handeled before the Church the 1. and 2. places which are as touchinge the certainty of the christian faith also the 20. 21. 22. 23. of the agrement in doctrine and confession of the same before the Church of God. It is certaine that these places beinge either seuerally at large or ioyntly amonge themselues forsomuch as if thou lokest vppon the matter they are of allyaunce togyther clearelye explayned will ingender no lyttell fruite in the myndes of the hearers and will bringe to passe that a greate number shall couragiouslye imbrace the GOSPELL and with all séeke by all meanes possible to promote and aduance the same Moreouer for those that in these dayes doe slaunder and barke against the labours of godlye teachers and that forge and contriue no fewe thinges whereby they maye bring as well the Gospell it selfe as also the interpreters therof into hatred and hasard it shall bee for the behoofe of the church if the 6. and 7. places against them to whom Christe is an offence bee more largely and amplye declared Where if it lyke thée rather to erect and comfort those that now in many prouinces are most cruelly oppressed for the confession of the trueth thou shalt oportunely entreate of the 9. 10. 11. 12. 20. 21. places But in case any be disposed to frame such a Sermon whereby all sortes of men may be admonished and moued vnto pyetie and sanctimony of lyfe very fyt for this purpose wyll be the 17. 18. 19. places more copyouselye discoursed But who knoweth not what detestable demeanour and corruption of maners is now euery where to be seene in children agayne what great negligence there is as well of parents as of Scholemaisters in the good bringing vp of Children Therfore he should best prouide for the
wherevpon also it pleased Chrysostom to touch them only in few words and as it were beside the purpose These thinges therfore being duly considered it wyll be very easy to giue a right iudgement as touchinge the interpretations which wee haue vsed in this present Chapter First is briefely playnly expounded in passing through all the partes whatsoeuer belongeth to the sacred narration Then to euery parte is ioyned an interpretation in which appéereth nothing hard wrested or farre fet but out of the aduised consideration of the words and senteÌ„ces are those thinges deduced which ingender holesome institutions or instructions of lyfe And to make the matter more cléere and lightsom euery thing is in such sort disposed that all thinges are directed to the nature and true vse of one common place In which respect no doubt the hearers capacitie is better prouided for then if many thinges and the same diuers and not euident should be obtruded Who therefore will deny this maner of interpretinge with great fruit to be exercised and to be both godly and profytably produced to the people in the Church And as I admonished in the beginninge to those that in the partes of the historycall narration can not by obseruing a certayne course and order of causes effectes contingents and suche lyke places it is no harde matter to make and adorne these kindes of interpretations But from allegories such inespecially as very necessitie it selfe doth not extort in those places of Scripture which of themselues sygnifye otherwise some inconuenience euery man shall by mine aduice so far forth as may be absteine We sée in so great a worke of the propheticall and apostolycall bookes how fewe are vsed It is playne that they are more apt to delight with then to teach and that none but very slender proofes are deriued out of them therfore that place is to be giuen vnto them onelye after other arguments whiche haue in them more pithe and strength They haue very litle or no graâ—e at all if they be diffused through all the partes of an oration yea the sacred SermoÌ„ which is on euery side powdred with allegories is iudged verye slender and barren And in a matter little fruitfull to tâ—uet to séeme witty and to spend much time no man will iudge it to be the part of a wise man and of one that séeketh the profyt of his hearers Wherefore I purpose not to adioyne vnto this our work any Chapter at al touching allegorycall sermons These thinges that we should in this maner somwhat more proâ—ixly theÌ„ we thought for prosecute and discourse we were by the temeritie that we speake nothing more bitterly of some mens iudgement vehemently compelled That somtime the whole reading of the sacred Scripture is briefely runne ouer to the intente some one common place may afterwarde more at large be declared Cap. VI. WE finde commonly in the sacred Sarmons of the holy fathers had vnto the people the whole reading of scripture euen so muche as had bene recited to be discoursed with a compendious paraphrase or some other lyke apte forme of enarration and that parte which remaineth whole and principal to be consumed in the explication of one common place And that commeth to passe not onely when an historycall narration but also when a tretise of doctrine taken out of the holy scriptures is in hand Examples almost infinit are extant in Iohn Chrisostom especially in his expositions vppon the sacred bookes as Genesis the Gospel of Mathew Iohn and the epistles of S. Paule For in his homilie 3. vpon Genesis whilest his intent is briefly to reproue y Gentiles which supposed that al things created were gouerned by chaunce fortune he handeleth a common place at large as touching the reducinge of those that erre into the right way whence lastlye he falleth to the commendation of almes Againe in his homiles 7. 8. he entreateth of reclayminge the Gentiles from their error albeit in the later some thinges are added as concerning fasting In his 4. homilie after the partes of scripture before read declared he toucheth the right vse maner of fastinge and the restraynt of wicked lusts A good part of his 26. homilie is spent in stirring vp the hearers to render thanks vnto God for hys benefits receyued Homilie 27. hee reasoneth al large touching the remitting of wrongs and that not coueting of reuâ—gment In the greater part of his homilie 30. he intreateth of fasting and praier Vpon the Gospell of Math. homilie 4. ChrisostoÌ„ declareth in many words what maner of people that people of god is that should be deliuered from their sins 〈◊〉 Christ withal admonisheth euery man to study â—o shew hiÌ„selfe faithfull to be one of the nuÌ„ber of Gods people We might out of the gospel of Math. which conceiueth hystorycall narrations out of Paules epistles in which is plainly exhibited the handling of manifold doctrine produce and bring forth no few example 〈◊〉 séeing euery man sufficiently perceiueth vnto what ende our discourse tendeth no man will think it needful Onely therfore héere we wil admonishe how it commeth to passe two maner of waies that a commoÌ„ place after the scriptures expounded may be declared at large I Somtime occasion is taken of those things that in the in self text of the scriptures read are spoken or touched In the homilie vpon Gene. 26. to speak of thanks to be giuen vnto God after his benefyts receiued he is moued by the example of the gratitude which he saw in Noe. Homilie 4. vpon Mathew is in good time prosecuted the long discourse touching the people of God forasmuche as the angell had sayd that Christ should saue his people from theyr sinnes Homilie 67. vppon Mathewe it is reported in the texte that the disciples put their clothes vpon the beast whereon their Lorde shoulde be caried Herevppon therefore taketh Chrisostome occasyon to speake at large of clothing and reléeuing euery way the poore II Again somtimes a common place is handeled in the seconde parte of the Sermon not for that in the Scripture read beefore there happeneth any mencion thereof but bycause the order of time and the state of the Churche doe greatly require it Wherfore when Chrisostome in the time of a publyke fast tooke in hande the interpretation of the booke of Genesis hee diuers times with verye good cause breaketh forth into a common place of fasting So in an other place also in the chiefe and greatest part of his Oration he reproueth certayne vices or doth some other thinge not vnlyke But howsoeuer it shall séeme good to deale it behoueth wise deliberation to be had at all times as touchinge the choice of the places that are in this sorte to be handeled For other thinges serue for other times places persons which also is a thing commonlye knowen Howe and after what sorte one place of Scripture or some certaine sentence ought conueniently to be handeled Cap. VII NOt
alwaies an entier booke not alwaies a parte of a booke is offered to be declared but ofte times it behoueth the Sermon to bée framed to the people of one onely sentence or of one place of Scripture and the same also not very largely stretchinge But that the same order of gatheringe diuers common places shoulde héere bée vsurped which we haue shewed to be profitable in the premisses it can by no meanes bée What then will some man saye remaineth to bée done In what maner and method shal one place or one certain sentence bée fruitfully declared Wée so far forth as we maye will set forth a most syt and absolute forme which excepte any shall deuise a better it shall bée expedient for him to folowe and as well for breuities sake as also that it may become the more clere and euident we will comprehende the same in certaine obseruations I. Before all thinges it is conuenient very carefully to consider and to declare vnto the people vppon what occasion or to what ende the author of the sacred booke out of which the place or sentence is taken spake and pronounced those wordes And that for this cause that whilest wée declare of what matter wée will speake and what our purpose is we may credibly auouche that we will in no wise abuse an other mans sayinge neither transfer it vnto other purposes theÌ„ is méete but vsurpe it altogeher in the same or at leaste in the like cause for which the author himselfe did so speak After this maner we may sée Peter Act. 2. intendinge to interprete certayne wordes taken out of the Psalme 16. as touchinge Christe risynge againe from death prudently to add some thinges of Dauid and of his meaninge and iudgemente in those wordes And truely it standeth vs very much vppon to deale faithfully and vprightly in this behalfe For it is a greuous offence yea and the holy Ghost is moued with vnspeakeable reproch in cace a man doth force or wreste any sentence out of the scriptures to any other ende or purpose then becommeth him He that shall be founde to haue done this but once doth quickly loose all his authoritie with the hearers and afterwarde yea euen then when he alledgeth the Scriptures aright he shall hardely bee credited To apply aptely and properly the Scriptures to present busines and affaires is the principall vertue that belongeth to a preacher II. Where it is nowe discouered of what matter wée minde to entreate and declared that the sentence taken out of the holy scripture accordeth to our purpose the next poynt is that we diligently consider whether that very sentence as it standeth in the sacred writer doth minister any proofes at all of causes circumstaunces signes or discriptions agréeable to the busines of which entreaty is made As many as are founde to be such shall worthily before any other be brought forth and as those that be of greate weight and importaunce forasmuch as they answer to the minde and method of the author from whiche it is not lawfull vnaduisedly to depart and doe in all pointes agrée with our matters shall studiously be digested adorned and inculked Neither is it a hard matter to drawe forth such kinde of proofes or argumentes partly out of the thinges that lye hid and are included in the sentence it selfe and partely out of those things that either goe before or folowe after the same Of this kinde I would affyrme it to be tht Peter Act. 2. in that Sermon whereof mention is made before to the intent he might shew the he rightely vsurpeth the sayinge of Dauid reduceth into memory howe Dauid in that he was a prophet knewe before hand that Christe after the flesh should take his beginning out of his posteritye and therfore also by the inspiration of the holy Ghost prophesied before of Christes rising againe And whosoeuer is but meanely exercised in the holy scriptures may easely perceyue that in the same Psalme as of the death and great deiection of Christ so also certaine thinges are ioyntly spoken of his resurrection It is not much vnlyke that the Apostle Galat. 3. speakinge of the Gentiles that should be blessed in the séede of Abraham affirmeth those that are of faith to be the sonnes of Abraham and howe it was longe before tould vnto Abraham that it would please God to iustifie the Gentiles by fayth againe where he addeth that the inheritaunce was giuen vnto Abraham by promise III. Moreouer it is very profitable to make as it were a certaine resolution of the whole sacred sentence and to examine in a iust balaunce euery words therein and diligently to ensearche the significatioÌ„ force and vse of them And that to thintâ—nt out of euery of them may be gathered certaine argumentes or proofes agreable to the state of th appointed Sermon and may afterward be oportunely applied to teache and instruct the hearers Of which craft and diligence I meane in drawing foorth of proofes out of euery worde well nighe of any one sentence we haue the holye Scripture it selfe as a moste expert maistres and most faithfull teacher Which thing we will straight wayes make playne and euident III. After the wordes wisely weighed and considered it is requisite that we procéede with like industrye to a more exacte contemplation of the matters themselues or affayres which in euery sentence are signified For it is not very lykely that there shoulde any where happen thinges of them selues so barren that a man may not out of theÌ„ if at least he be not altogither endued with a blount and blockishe witte deuise and excogitate some profes profitable to teach He that hath once throughlye sifted and examined the thinges whereof he entreath may easely finde the meanes to make his oration become both frutefull plentious and delectable We see in this behalfe the Apostle Paule after arguments draweÌ„ out of euery worde of one peculiar sentence to heape vp still a plentifull matter of other proofes and the same flowing out of the nature of the thinges themselues The examples which we will a litell after touche shall plainely testifie this thinge to he true V. Last of all to him that feareth and suspecteth that he shall want sufficient matter of speaking we giue this aduice namely that he put before his eyes the places of inuencion which he knoweth to be attributed vnto that kinde of Sermons to which the sentence of the sacred author appertayneth For euery kinde of sermon as is afore sayde hath certayne proper and peculiar places of inuention the order whereof beinge attentiuely considered we are eftsones admonished of many thinges which maye aptely be spoken of eche kinde of busines taken in hande Therefore him that shall speake of a sentence or state of the kinde didascalick we remitte to the places of inuentioÌ„ as well diuine as other not diuine that he may so longe exercyse himselfe in them as that he maye procure for his true méete and sufficient furniture therby Of which
as it is required of vs that we should expound a parte of an holy boke or also some certaine place taken out of the holy Scripture it is by all meanes very requisite that we expresse the state or summe of those thinges whereof wée will entreate in one theame compounde And that the like thinge happeneth somtimes when entreatie is made of an entier booke of Scripture wée haue already by examples brought as touchinge Ecclesiastes Cantica Salomonis and the Gospell after Iohn aboue declared Besides when any thinge falleth out by occasion to be talked off in the pulpit it is necessary that the same be propounded in a theame compounde Of this sorte it is if I say Honger or drouth is paciently and quietly of vs to be endured God by his iust iudgement sent the calamitie that fell through haile Of the one Theame Basilius Magnus most grauely entreateth of the other Gregorius Nazianzenus Now hereby it maye plainely appeare that the vse of those thinges which are to bée touched in this Chapter is of very great importance in the Church of god In the meane time it shall be lawfull briefely to absolue these thinges forasmuch as very many pointes doe accorde herevnto which are sufficiently at large discussed in the former Chapters I. Where if so bée therefore thou be determined to handle a theame compounde when a whole booke is taken in hande to be declared or a part out of any booke of scripture is proposed to the multitude there is no man that seeth not the very text of the diuine wordes which are recited in the sacred assembly to minister and suggest by it selfe many and diuers things which may both godly and relygiousely be vttered and through euery part thereof be aptly dilated and amplified It shall then therefore be best to imitate followe some one of those orders of expoūding which we haue comprised in the 3.4.5.6 chapters of this present boke II. But where as no reading or lecture of holy Scripture ouer longe shall goe before but onely either a briefe sentence or a place out of some sacred booke shall be taken in hande or els no wordes at all be premised out of the scriptures thē truely it shall be expedient thoroughly and exactly to consider all those thinges in order which we haue in certaine obseruations comprehended noted in the seauenth Chapter as touchinge the maner of handelinge one place or sentence of scripture For it is conuenient that the same consideration be had as well of a sentence as of a theame compounde A proufe hereof is this that oftentimes those that are purposed to declare a theame compound doe gladly borrowe some sentence out of the scriptures which may be agreable to their purpose doe prefixe it before their Sermon or in any wise insert it The Apostle to the Romaynes 4. intendinge to proue that man is iustified by faith taketh that sentence out of Gene. 15. Abrahā beleeued god it was imputed vnto him for rightuousnes In the Epistle to the Galathians handeling the same matter he produceth out of Geneses 22 the promise of god made vnto Abraham In thee or in thy seede shal al the nations of the earth be blessed Moreouer in the two sayd Epistles in that to the Hebrues is prefixed a theame compounde or briefe sentence out of the prophet Abacuc 2. The iust man shall liue by fayth That the same craft or cunning therfore is aptly to be applied to the tractatiō of a theame cōpound which a litell before we shewed to be requisit to the discussing of a sētence or place of holy scripture ther is no cause why any man should doubte III. And forasmuch as wée then also admonished that it is somtime very necessary in case a resolution of a sentence or place taken out of the Scriptures be had and all the partes therof examined a parte it shall be profitable also to vse the like experience in the tractation of a theame compounde When this thinge is to be done it shall be conuenient not onely to goe that waye to worke which we haue shewed to bee open vnto vs in the holy Scriptures and that truely very excellent but also wée shall gette furniture of teachinge both substanciall and plentious out of those thinges whiche in the former Chapter bée of vs declared as touchinge the explanation of simple theames For certes the places which deuided into two formes or orders we shewd to be attributed to the kinde didascalicke doe giue occasion of deuising and finding out great and weightie thinges of euery theame that is offered Wherfore wee shall not without cause require ayde and succoure of them As touching all which thinges here to repeate againe with many wordes that which hath bene already sayd would bée very superfluous IIII. And surely séeinge the multitude and varyetie of thinges is infinite that are treated off in the Church so ofte as the vse and order of time doe require there can no better counsaile or aduice be giuen then that euery man haue a speciall regarde vnto their Sermons which haue most aptely and holily handeled theames compound and that he endeuour so far forth as lieth in him to render and expresse in his sermons that which he perceyueth to haue most force and grace in them Such Sermons are with great care and exacte iudgement to be pervsed to the intente thou maist examaine euery thinge occurrent in them and that which is best to bee liked choycely digest and put in order as things to be adioyned to thy household stuffe to be vsurped as thine owne when time and occasion shall serue To make any futher declaration it is not necessary But examples wherein theames compounde of the kinde didascalick are most learnedly explaned these inespecially be commended in the sacred Scriptures In the Epistle to the Romaynes the Apostle declareth at large that men are iustified by faith without the workes of the lawe Againe cap. 9.10.11 That the Iewes are reiected of god and the Gentiles called to be the people or Church of god In the first Epistle to the Corinthes cap. 15. it is proued by stronge argumentes that the deade doe all rise or reuiue againe In the Epistle to the Galathyans it is againe confirmed that men are iustified by fayth without the workes of the lawe in the last part of the second Chapter and also in the 3.4 and some parte of the 5. Chapters In the Epistle to the Ephesians Thapostle teacheth in thrée Chapters that men by the onely grace of God in Christ are elected called iustified and glorified The author of the Epistle to the Hebrues in two Chapters declareth with wonderfull perspicuitye that Christ is true God and true man. In the same Epistle cap. 7.8.9.10 out of one sentence of scripture are drawen fower distinct theames compounde and euery one of thē is with certaine and assured reasons established and explaned whereof the first is that Christ is a preist after the order of Melchisedec
well the wordes as matters be agréeable and correspondent to our purpose â–ª For thou séeste how the prophisies and promises of the prophetes are of Christ Peter expounded of those things that then came to passe in Iudea thou séest Rom. 4. a very shorte sentence touchinge the maner whereby Abraham was iustified to be applied to the interprised disputation thou séest Rom. 10.1 Corinth 10. Gal. 4. historicall examples to be added to And in the place where the apostle 1. Corinth 9. goeth about to proue that to the ministers of the Gospell all thinges necessary for this lyfe are duly to be ministred of the hearers he taketh out of Duet 25. a certaine precept and showeth it to agrée very well with the cause that he hath in hande Speake I these thinges after the maner of men Saith not the lawe the same also For it is writen in the lawe of Moses Thou shalt not mosell the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the Corne. Doth god care for oxen Sayth he not this altogether for our sakes Yea for our sake is this writen that he which eareth might eare in hope and he which soweh in hope might be partaker of his hope It is no harde case to note in readinge many moe examples in which diuers things that are spoken off may aptlye be ioyned together and may aunswere accordingly to the purposed matter For like as the Prophets doe take and apply those their sayinges out of the law Christ and the Apostles both out of the lawe and the Prophets So haue we frée lyberty to borrow all maner of sentences whatsoeuer out of the law prophets and apostles And not onely olde and auncient matters out of the holy Scriptures but also late and new not much past our memory or the memory of our fathers yea and such daily as styll come to passe adde also thinges taken out of other writers as Poets Historiographers and such like may somtimes fittely and opportunly be adioyned to the confirmation of any thing belonging to the present state of thinges For Christ when he laboured to moue all men alyke to repentaunce to the entent they might so with feare and trembling looke for the comming of the Lorde and some were then present that shewed hym of the Galilaeans whose bloud Pilate had mingeled with their sacrifices he aunswering them that told him such newes sayth Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners aboue all other Galilaeans bicause they suffered such thinges I say vnto you no for except yee repent yee shall all likewise perish Either els suppose ye that those eighteene persons vpon whom the towre in Siloe fell and slew them were detters more then al the inhabitaunts of HierusaleÌ„ I say vnto you no but except ye repent ye shal al likewise perish And Mat. 11. Luk. 7. Christ speaking of the stiffenecked Iewes which would neither admit his preaching nor the preaching of Iohn Baptist To whom shal I resemble saith he the men of this generation whoÌ„ are they like They are like vnto childreÌ„ sitting in the market place crying one to an other saying we haue piped vnto you ye haue not dauÌ„ced we haue song vnto you a mournful song and ye haue not wept For Iohn Baptist came neihter eating bread nor drincking wine and ye saye he hath the diuell The sonne of man came eating and drincking and ye say Behold a great eater and drincker of wine a friend of Publicans and sinners And wisedome is iustified of all hir children Likewise the interpretations of the parables as they are of Christ hymselfe made and put forth be replenished with this kinde of craft and workmanship of applyinge And how the Apostle in his most graue Sermons and Epistles hath vsed the testimonies or sayinges of the Poets to witte of Aratus Act. 17. of Menander 1. Cor. 7.15 of Epimenides Titus 1. it is better knowne then that it shall be needefull to reherce the places themselues But out of this admonition touching the heaping together of proofes or argumentes to be skilfully and conueniently applyed to the businesse of which intreaty is made or to the present state of the Church floweth an other exhortation as holesome and necessary as any other That is that all men would wisely weigh and consider with themselues how farre forth it shall be expedient to vse the holy sermons whiche other haue made and setle forth The causes of this exhortation when thou shalt heare whosoeuer thou art I knowe thou wilt pronounce theÌ„ to bée iust and lawfull Wée se which is greatly to bée marueled at the minysters of Churches euery where to be so tied and fastened wholly to the bookes that conteyne the diuine sermons coÌ„piled with no litle study by others that by reason therof they neglecte to reade the sacred Byble there wanted litle but I had sayd plainely contemne it But it can not be dissembled that the authors of those sermons doe ofte times adnixe long and tedious digressions also interlace without order reasons and argumeÌ„tes somwhat discrepant from the scriptures openly recited namely forasmuch as they iudged them in especially to be méete and conuenient for the place and time Now it can not be that those selfe same thinges shoulde be apt and correspondent to the present state of the church wherein thou supplyest the office of teaching Howbeit let vs admit that there be no digressions at all and that the holy scriptures are simply and sincerely expounded in them but what maketh that to thy purpose I praye thée if the whole explanation as it lyeth be directed most chifely to those poyntes of Christian doctrine whiche in those places and times were in déede very aptely and with great grace handeled of the Preachers and fauourablye receiued of the hearers where as nowe in these dayes and with thy audienâ—es they will all bee out of season To what ende serueth the explication of that portion of Scripture wherein are confuted the mayntayners and defenders of two contray beginninges the Manichees or other hereticks whose assertions haue now no where any place What shall it profyt to inueigh against those that gad to the Lystes or Theater to beholde playes and games before that people whiche is vtterly ignoraunt what those termes meane Moreouer it is no poynt of wisdome nor conuenient to vtter straight wayes euery thinge openlye especially in diuine matters that is gathered together by the labour and iudgement of other men For they doe alledge in déede out of the Scriptures sentences examples proofes and probations of all sorts but forasmuch as some of them doe note the same very briefly and onely as ye would saye by poyntes or titles some also doe scrape them together at all aduentures out of others whiche haue lykewise lately published and put forth Sermons it is very requisite except thou wilt cast as well thy selfe as thy hearers into open daunger that thou shouldest diligently examine euery thing takynge a narrow new of the
fountaines of scripture obseruing there all thinges that either goe before or followe after what causes or circumstaunces hange together agayne what driftes of reasons or arguments there be what force they be off determine finally with thy self whether they be agréeable to thy purpose or no. And by the same paynes taking that thou must of necessitie sustayne in this behalfe thou thy selfe mightest as wel after thine owne lykement deuise a new and entier sermon according to the state of thinges present But to draw to an ende be it so that those straunge and forreine Sermons be in all respects perfect and sounde and that there is nothing as touching either matters or wordes wanting in them yet art thou very much deceyued which supposest that thou shalt with as good a grace sette foorth the doyngs of an other man as thou vtterest thine owne made at home in thy house Labour striue enforce thy selfe so far as thy wittes wyll suffer and yet truely will there neuer appere in thée that voyce that plyauntnes of sounde that moderation of gesture and mouing that grauitie that ardent affection that power and vehemency in words which were found in the first author Euery man is the best and most graue reciter of his owne doyngs And the chiefe part of a Preacher teaching with commendation is absent when he wanteth pronounciation I omitte to tell that if it shall fortune any of thy hearers to haue the very same author at home of whō thou borrowest in a maner all thinges it will come to passe that in short space thou shalt procure to thy selfe great haterd and contempt amongst all men I could my selfe wil they say make as good a Sermon as our Preacher I can read at home at my house euery day in the wéeke al the he preacheth neither is there any cause why I should after this resort to the church And by this meanes is engēdred in their minds a certein contempt of holy assembelies and by litle and litle all ecclesiasticall actions and the whole ministery of the Church begin to waxe vile and lothsom Verily I beléeue that those which doe alwayes thus vse yea rather abuse the labours of other men bring forth litle or nothing of their owne are of Gregory Nazianzenus well and thriftely taunted and taken vp where as in his Apologeticus he saith If there be any peraduenture that haue learned two or thrée sermons out of the auncient writers and that haply more by hearing then by reading Or in case we haue kanned a few Psalmes héere and there out of Dauid afterward doe vse them by apparelling them with a more fulsome and well plighted vesture or if we can bragge and vaunt of Phylosophy euen to the starres counterfettinge a certaine shewe of godlynesse and disguising our face with such like inuentions we will now in all the haste be praysed and had in admiration we thinke now forthwith to be placed ouer some peoples we séeme in our owne fantasy euen from our cradels to be some consecrated Samuels We will also be counted wise and teachers of diuine misteries yea and set our selues amonge the Scribes and Doctors of law c. And certes it is to to be lamented that the labours of most excellent men replenished with no lesse learninge then godly zeale shoulde be racked to a far other end and purpose then the authors when they put them forth looked they should haue come For we sée how shamefully both the vnlearned and learned do abuse them alike Those verily when by the helpe of them they craftely and deceitfully intrude themselues into the ecclesiastical function for the which they are vnméete and these for that assoone as they haue gotten them they become all together sluggishe and slouthfull they neglect to peruse the holy scripture and other godly bookes they are not carefull neither doe they once thinke any more to frame sermons by their owne with and labour And yet it is most certaine that the scope and meaninge of those good men was not to aduaunce and promote vnto dignitie any impudente vnlearned and shamelesse persons or to maintaine the slouth vnlustines of any meane schollers and of all other they ment least to withdrawe any from the readinge of the canonicall Scriptures But this rather they alwayes wished and hoped by all meanes it woulde come to passe that the Lucubrations which they consecrated to the whole Church and submitted to the iudgement thereof should redounde also to the profit and vtilitie of all the whole Congregation And amongest other their desire was chiefely to profite those that being called to the ecclesiasticall ministery beginne with commendation to exercise themselues therin to the intent doubtlesse they might out of their most sacred workes gette a ready and familiar methode of popular teachinge to the intent they might learne apte and vsuall phrases the maner of findinge and disposinge all maner of proofes of chosinge and applyinge common places and to be shorte the order of mouinge of affectious againe to the intent they might by their example be stirred and prouoked to the continuall readinge of the prophetical and Apostolick books to the collection of apt reasons and argumentes out of the same and to the diligent deuisinge and framinge of sacred Sermons For like as those mē that sell Sinamon Galingale nutmigs cloues and mace and such like straunge and precious spices doe vse to giue a peéce of euery of them for a taste to the commers by to the intent they might the raher be allured to bye Euen so they that haue put forth bookes of holy sermons haue wished and desired nothinge more then by giuinge as ye would say a certaine taste of diuine matters to excite all men to the reading of holy bookes and to encrease their diligence in the study of imitatiō Now hitherto doe al these things tende We couit to perswad al those the haue already applied their mind to the ministery of the Church yea and we beséech them in Christ Iesus that first formest they would withall possible diligence peruse and turne ouer the sacred Scriptures conteined in the body of the holy Bible that they would make them to be most familiar vnto them whiles they may haue out of them sondry and manifoulde matter of heauenly doctrine prepared against all euentes purposes then after that they would with as great endeuour as they can enure themselues to make and describe godly Sermons after the patterne and examples of the Sermons of Christ the prophetes and Apostles and lastely that they would aptly and conueniently apply to their busines in hande those things that they shall finde in other doctors of the Church whither they be Greekes or Latines to be profitable for their vse directinge in the meane time all thinges to the glory of God alone and to the edifyinge of their hearers And so finally by this meanes shall they be iudged and that truely by the verdicte of the authors themselues rightly
authors of great and publike offences c. We will shew a compendious way how these thinges may be brought to passe I No small number of reasons may chiefely be deryued from those places which we sée to be in vse with the Orators as Of the honesty Of the cause or matter Of the iustice and equitie Of the cause or matter Of the goodnesse Of the cause or matter Of the profitablenesse Of the cause or matter Of the surety Of the cause or matter Of the comlynes cōmendation Of the cause or matter Of the necessitie Of the cause or matter Of the easines or possibilytie Of the cause or matter II To declare any thing to be iust godly praise worthy necessary many grounds and proofes may be drawen out of the most plentifull storehouse of the sacred Scriptures whiche thou mayste dispose in what order thou wilte Of the commaundement of God. Of the promises of God. Of the counsell of the holy prophets or Apostles whiche séeme to perswade some such lyke thing Of the examples and déedes of the holy Saints Of the profit and vtilitie which wyl redound to the mindes of the faithfull or to the whole church Of the illustration of Gods maiesty and glory when namely we shew the to the settyng forth of Gods glory to the sanctyfying of his name vpon earth the thing that we speake off wil wonderfully auayle Of the edifying of others when we declare that the same déede wil be profytable to a great number of other to the end they may be confirmed in godlynes For these and such lyke places moe be as ye woulde say domesticall and companyon lyke to diuinitie but to the Orators they are straunge and vnaccustomed if so bee I meane they be handeled after the same maner that we sée them to be handeled in the holy scriptures Now if thou be disposed to exhort or admonish thou hast in this behalfe also certaine places at hand I And worthily in the first place shalt thou put before thée those thinges that may be taken out of Diuinitie as a treasury by it selfe very ritch and plentifull Argumentes are deriued Of the prayse of the thing wherof entreaty is made or also of the persons which we desyre to admonish For so the Apostle doth oftetimes through praysing stirre vp mens mindes Of the hope of the successe For God fauoreth gladly helpeth the endeuorus of the faithfull Of the publike expectation of other brethren or congregations Of the glory to be looked for as well with God as with men For to require a testimony of the trueth of honest good men is an honest poynt And all men ought to labour in this that they may to all euery where bee a good sauour of Christe It behoueth all men to profit a lyke both by good reporte and euill report and to promote the thinges that are Jesus Christes But yet shall no good man couet ouer much to séeke after glory with men much lesse shal he rest in it being gotten and that for this cause least whilest be obteyneth temporall glory of men he be spoyled of a more ample glorye to wit immortall which he should haue enioyed of the immortall God. Of the feare of ignominye or reproche For it may be obiected vnto them that they profit not in Christ but rather reuoult from Christ as we sée the Galathians to be taunted of the Apostle whom he doubteth not to call foolysh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the certaintie and greatnesse of the rewards which remayne for vs as well in this lyfe as also in the lyfe to come For there be promises of both kyndes put foorth vnto vs. II And héere againe be effectuall those places that a litle before I reherced to wit Of the commaundement of God Of the promises of God Of the threatnings of God Of the counsell of holy men Of the examples and déedes of the same Of comparisons c. III What shall I saye that of causes moreouer and circumstaunces may no slender argumentes be taken when as in these oft times lye hid many thinges which minister no small force to the styrring vp of mindes IIII Neither shall héere be pretermitted the craft or cunning of mouing of affections For in case thou desyrest to induce the multitude to the loue of vertue to the hatred of vice to compassion towardes the oppressed with wronge to indignation against the despisers of vertuous exercises to the seruēt study of any thing it shal be thy part to set abroch all the engins of art and grace in speaking Hitherto finally do pertaine also communications obsecrations contestations and such like figures as we sée oftentimes the prophets and apostles to haue vsed Furthermore he that wyll prayse eyther a person or déede or thing shall vnderstand that he must somwhat otherwise frame his talke in the Church then the company of Rethoritians is accustomed at the barre or in the Scholes For these truely when they prayse any person doe prefixe before their eyes these places the nation countrey lygnage wounders or miracles that went before the natiuitie name ornamentes of the body as fauour strength comlines moreouer education studies artes also the goodes or ornamentes of the minde as witte docilitye sharpnes of sight prudence gentilnes sobrietye grauitye constancy fortitude godlines zeale of religion then the kinde of life state or condition likewise the benefites of fortune as riches friendships possessions enheritaūces againe the actes done both publickely and priuately afterward the rewardes of the actes done as honours offices triumphes last of all the thinges accomplished in the olde age death end of life opinion after death signes or wonders going before or following after death After this sort I saye are the Orators wont to run through all the degrees of age But somtimes they distribute those places in this order the first they speake of the gifts of the body next of the gifts of fortune and finally of the giftes of the minde But verily the preacher in all this busines vseth somuch vnlike practise I. First truely the Churche hath not bene accustomed to prosecute with prayses those that be a liue still subiecte to all kindes of tempations and sinnes as the Orators haue done in puttinge forth their Panegyricall and plausible Orations vttered in prayse and commendatiō of men as who saith iudgeinge that to be either the propertie of flatterers or of such as prepare a triumph before the victory Of whom that the doinges of those are shamefull of these fonde and folishe it is plaine and manifest But it prayseth and extolleth those onely whom all good men trust assuredly to be now translated into the felowshippe and societie of Saintes II. Againe the Preacher that will celebrate the praises of any good holy man dealeth very slenderly with those places which wée reherced yea so far is it off that he taketh matter of prayse of the benefites of the body and of fortune that he scarce
contriued and couched togyther but other places much more holesome and fitte for the enformation of the hearers such as are these of preparation vnto death that death is the penaltye of sinne of the miseries of mannes lyfe of the delyueraunce from them by death of the contempt of the world and all earthely things of desiring the felicitie of the lyfe to come of the immortalytye and eternall blessednes of sowles of the resurrection of bodyes of the last iudgement how an accompt is to be made therin of all the life past of Gods mercy open to all sinners if they repent but euen at the last gaspe againe that the deade are not immoderately to be bewayled or lamented but that GOD rather is to be thanked which hath deliuered them out of the most filthy prison of theyr body that the death of the sayntes is pretious in the lordes sight that they are all happye and blessed to whom it is giuen to sléepe in the LORDE that is to saye in the confession of a true fayth and who is able to recken vppe the residewe II. Where if so be it be thought good after these places declared that somewhat be sayde of the brother which is brought to buriall then add they briefely and as ye woulde say shamefastely some thinge touchinge the kinde of life that he imbraced and shewe how deuoutly he serued God therin by diligent performinge of those thinges that were his dutye to doe Wherby the hearers also are giuē to vnderstand what great industry it behoueth them to employe to the intent euery of them in their callinge and kinde of life may become acceptable to God. III. Peraduenture also they commende and set before them the be aliue to be followed one or other vertue wherin the brother deceassed excelled or some notable acte done by him for the behoofe of the Church for the common wealth for redressinge the calamities of the poore or his confession of Faith made in the very conflicte of death Further as touchinge the Doxologiae whereof wee made mention before they are not now in vse They were bestowed altogether in aduauncinge and cōmendinge of gods goodnes towarde mankinde and in times past were premised in the sacred assemblye to the intent the people might with more willinge mindes and with greater deuotion sing holy himnes vnto God giue thankes to him for his most ample benefites poured vppon them as well spirituall as corporall But now commonly for the most part in some partes of the Sermon is commended and set foorth after the same rate the goodnes and clemency of God his iustice seueritie wrath power prouidence and other poyntes to him attributed and that verily to the ende men might be moued and induced to thankes giuinge to eschewe vice to repentaunce to amendement of life to put their trust and confidence in God. But how these partes ought to be absolued and accomplished it may be knowne out of those thinges that bée already saide Bée it therefore sufficient to haue in this wyse giuen enstruction touchinge all these thinges now will wé add certayne Cantions and then afterwarde examples I. The first Cantion The Preacher must not endeuour himselfe to perswade any thinge to the multitude but that which is necessary and showeth foorth presente profite and vtilitie II. In perswasions or exhortations there must appers in the speaker a francknes or libertie ioyned with a certaine fauourable simplicitie For the one addeth weight or importaūce and vehemently moueth the other putteth away al suspicion that the preacher be not thought either craftily to handle his cause or otherwise to séeke his owne priuate commoditie Some there be that endeuour to set foorth certaine things and doe cunningly pretend a certaine veyle of religion but by litell litell they bewraye themselues to tender more their owns gaine and lucre then the furtheraunce of true religion Of which sorte of craftesmen our age alas the while hath brought foorth to to many whom the successe hath openly proued to be such as haue sought meanes to pamper their gréedy paunch and to gaine not soules to Christ but money to the vnsaciable God their helly III. By like reason he must take héed that in any wise he be not perceyued to submit and abase himselfe in perswading more then is méete for that truely is the point not of teachers with grauitye but of flatterers with great leauitye He that teacheth the multitude ought not to be carelesse in defending of his owne authoritye IIII. Further as our exhortations ought to be-voyde of all rude inciulitye so againe must we prouide that we séeme not ouer nice secure colde or timerous V. Neither certes shall a man thincke that he doeth as much as he néedeth to doe when he once or twise putteth his hearers in minde of any thing or exhorteth them to doe this or that but he must often times and with great feruentnes repeate the selfe same cause and that so longe till he shall perceyue owe fruites to followe Chrisostome that it ought so to be declareth in many wordes in his sixt homilie vppon the first Epistle to Timothye And we may sée in the Sermons of the sayd father diuers and sondry admonitions sometimes also very longe and applied to the mouing of affections as touching the selfe same matters This likewise must not be forgotten Where there be many ministers in one Churche to sustayne the laboures of teaching there they shall viligently common and entreate amonge themselues of those affayres which they shall iudge to be profitable and necessarye for the behouse of the Church that with like study and agréement they may handle the same before the people VI. Again he that purposeth the time so requiring to publishe and set forth the prayses of some holy men shall doe it very sparingly yea and shall purposely auoide fond and fabulous histories and the vaine rablement of miracles There be some stories of Saintes carried about which are altogither vnsauory and vntrue some also openly reiected as it may appere Distinctione XV. C. Sancta Romana Paule the Apostle to the Romaines 15. reporteth that he by the power of Christ had done many signes and wonders and yet Luke in the Actes toucheth very fewe Let vs therfore likewise followe here in the wysdome of Luke II. In the prayse and commendation of déedes and of thinges nothinge must in any wise be spoken for fauour or flattery But as in other thinges so also in prayses ought a meane and measure to be prefixed VIII Besides in all prayse he must be sure to obsteine from such comparisons as may engender enuy grudge For comparisons are wont for the most part to procure hatred and offence euen in prophane matters Wherefore ther is no cause why thou shouldest hope that they will bée well thought off and allowed in diuine matters IX And with the same modesty prudence it behoneth him to procéed in funerall Sermons in which some thing is inserted to
the Corinthes and homilie 5. vppon the first to the Thessalonians Now let vs distinguish and sorte out the kindes of men to the intent it maye appere and become euident vppon whom chiefely the dartes and dint of rebukes ought of right most frequently to be throwne XVI As it is apparaunt that there is no state or degrée of men voide of lustes or frée from sinne so the Preacher shall in no wise let to blame and accuse the enormities of all men without exception To which effecte it perteineth that the apostle writinge as well vnto Timothy as to Titus so prouidently teacheath them how and after what sort they should behaue themselues in oxhorting reproouing of al sortes of men And againe the same hath generally coÌ„maunded that those which offend should openly be reprooued to the terrour also of others That in like maner is vniuersally to be taken which long before to the prophet Ezechiell cap. 3. god him selfe said If thou shalt not warne the vngodly nor speake vnto him to disswade him from his wicked way that he might liue I will require his bloude at thy hande But if thou doest admonishe him theÌ„ hast thou delyuered thine owne soule Wherefore to come to that which I was about to say the Teacher of the people shall iudge all his hearers indifferently in this behalfe to be accompted in the selfe same order and that ther is none amonge them all whiche ought not to be subiecte to Ecclestasticall discipline XVII But in the meane time there appéereth to bée some difference made of holy Teachers in reproouinge comptrollinge of persons The prophetes doe in their wordes both more often and also more bitingely stinge the Iewes vnto whom had shined plentifully the knowledge of gods will then the Gentiles drowned in the diepe gulfe of ignoraunce Againe the apostle Paule more seuerely chideth the Galathians then he doth the Corinthians or any other beside The same admonisheth Titus that he shoule sharpely reproue the Cretensians And this he doth truely not as though they should thincke it méete to haue regarde onely of the crimes themselues but also of their qualities and kindes Moreouer wee sée the Prophetes Apostles and CHRIST chiefe Capteyn of the preaching schole to be accustomed as most coÌ„monly so also most grieuously to assault the vngodly priestes Doctors Scribes Pharyseis the authors of false opinions and that for this cause inespecially in that settinge out their externall and counterfet rightuousnesse they sought meanes to haue the internall and true rightuousnes in déede to be vtterly buryed vnder foote and agayne for the they preferred mens traditioÌ„s before the law of god With lyke lyberty of speach doe the prophets oft times shake vp the corrupt Iudges terming them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and oppressors of the poore againste all righte and equitie And peraduenture for this cause doe they assayle both the sortes that is to saye one while the priestes an other while the Iudges for the of these two kindes of men depeÌ„d the safety of the whole citie séeinge that from them sins and vices are soone deriued into all the people and againe these being brought into order it is an easy matter to reduce all the rest of their subiectes to the obedience of lawes What néede many wordes we may gather out of these things that how much the more fowlely any are fallen or be of more obstinate dispositions or hurt more through their offences then others so much the more studiously and seuerely are they to be corrected xviii But in noting and reproouinge the vices of maiestrates there is néede of singular iudgement For some potentates there be which wyll suffer themselues to be rebuked of some men but not of euery man some againe will admit no teacher or instructer at all Sainct Ambrose as it is recorded in the Tripartite history lib. 9. cap 30 trusting to the goodnes of his cause which he had in hand vnbashfully reprooued the Emperour Theodosius and he so worthy a prince tooke wel at worth the reprehension of so worthy a doctor although it were bytter publique For vnto Ambrose was known right wel the notable towardnes of the Emperour and the feruâ—t zeale of his minde enclyned to equitie againe Theodosius had perfect trial experience of the wisdom integrytie of Ambrose And certes where the preacher himselfe leadeth a pure and vnspotted lyfe the maiestrate for his part vnfeignedly imbraceth iustice there doe the holsome endeuours of the minister of the Gospell aspire to most happy successe Iohn Baptist doubted not openly to repâ—oue the wicked kinge Herod he againe as the Euangelist witnesseth feared and reuerenced Iohn Christ Luk. 12 ouerthwartly pinched Herode calling him fox Nathan séemed to vse as it were a certaine stratageme or fine poleey when intending to reprooue kinge Dauide he sodeinly deuised a parable of two men the one riche the other poore Neither is it a straunge thing to obserue other parables also put foorth of the prophets in hard and difficult matters as Esay 5. Iere. 24 c. To be short it is plaine and euident that maiestrates are to be reprooued in time and place as ofte as they depart from the path of rightuousnesse but with what foresight and prouision that is expedient to be done no man canne certeinly demonstrate by rules but it is necessarye that euery man according to his owne discretion doe partely out of the sermons of the prophets and of Christ partely out of the kinde causes circumstaunces of matters incident gather and deuise with him selfe Neither truely doe I knowe very well how it commeth to passe that in the Sermons of the Apostles wee finde not any thing ouer hardly spokeÌ„ against any maiestrates but rather there occurre many thinges whereby subiects are admonished to obey them yea though they be euyll and wicked But I suppose two causes may be rendred of that matter One for the al gouerners of coÌ„mon weales at the time were euery where ethnicks vnbeléeuers and therfore not as yet receiued into the societie of the church whervnto the Apostles knew right wel that their authorytie only stretched For those that were without they left vnto GOD alone to be iudged The other that forasmuch as the doctrine of the gospell was euery where euill spoken off of a great nuÌ„ber also flaundered as seditious and tending to the decay of common weales the Apostles iudged it very vntimely to exasperate them with the ouer sharp controlment of their priuate vices whoÌ„ being stirred vnto wrath they knewe would forthwith séeke by all meanes possible to hinder and stop the course of the gospell Where I might adde that the apostles peraduenture enstructed by the holy ghost saw before that in reproouing the princes of that age whoÌ„ God as yet vouched not safe to call they shoulde loose all their labour and trauaile But the processe of our talke groweth further then wee think for XIX Certes that we
ought more modestlye to deale sometimes with those that supply any publicke charge and are placed in the degrée of worshippe or dignitie the apostle séemeth to insinuate where vnto Timothy he saieth Rebuke not an Elder but exhort him as a Father And we may doubtles prosecute the cause of religion and of the Church with great feruentnes and may also vrge the seuerity of ecclesiastical discipline but yet this whole busines requireth a certaine moderation and discretion Wherefore of some is improoued the sharpnes of Chrisostom in his correctory Homilie entituled against Eutropius of which sée the Tripartite histo lib. 10. cap. 4. The like iudgment haue a number giuen of the homily wherin the same Chrisostom by reason of Eudocia the Empresse whom he knew to be grieuously displeased and to practise wiles against him displaied and layed open the vngraciousnes of women Like wise of an other against the saide Eudocia the beginning where of is Herodias once againe waxeth mad and is troubled shee longeth once againe to gette Iohns head in a dish XX But howsoeuer we prepare a Sermon to reproue our fuperiours we must take diligent héede leaste wee vnaduisedly powre foorth any thing wherby the vngodly may snatch occasion either to vtter or attempt any thing seditiously So to secke to take away offences that greater offences grow thereby séemeth to be the part of an vnaduised or rather of a mad man And vndoubtedly euery Ecclesiastical reprehension ought to tende to amendement not vnto tumult to edification not to destruction XXI And albeit so oft as any degrées of men are touched by way of rebuke it be expedient to refrayne from their names yet when entreaty is made of such persons as procure destruction to the whole multitude of whiche sort inespecially are the authors of sects and open rebels then is it lawful to vtter their names or to paint foorth their persons in their coolours For so doth Paule the Apostle 1. Timothy 1.2 Timoth. 2. call Himenaeus Alexander and Philetus hetitickes by name and willeth them to be auoyded Againe in the same Epistle cap. 4. he toucheth Alexander the copper Smith But least any man shoulde alledge and saye that this is done in an epistle writen priuately to one looke Esay cap. 22. openly preaching against Sobna the scribe xxii Thou must not think much to reproue the selfe same crimes often times and in diuers sermons and truly so long till thou shalt perceiue some amendement to follow Touching this thing Chrisostō admonisheth in a certaine homily entituled of Dauid and Saule and of tolleration or sufferaunce The same also hath left vnto vs notable examples especially where hee inueigheth against swearing wrath c. xxiii Now and then also he that hath the ouersight of the Church doth wisely threaten those that declare by euydent proofe that they wyll by no meanes forsake theyr vycious lyuinge howe hee wyll exclude them according to Christes institution from the holy table of the Lord that is as they vse to speake excommunicate them especially where the crimes be such that they minister reproche to the Church onely where they are committed and be supposed to require such a remedye or medicine Which thing we may sée Chrisostom to doe with a stout and valiaunt courage in his tome v. homilie 26. 28. where he entreateth against those that vsed vnaduisedly to sweare XXIIII Neither is this ynough The Preacher shal admonish also and exhort the christian maiestrate to put to his helpinge hande to the suppressinge of sinne and vice Which thing truely he may easely bring to passe in case he will but inioyne a certaine ciuyll penaltye to those that dispise or deride the worde of GOD and the censures of the Church For what shall the Preacher of the Gospell preuaile with brutish and degenerate people though he stoutly set forth things profitable comptrole the contrary if so be the maiestrate doth not acknowledge it also to bee a parcell of his charge to aide and assist him Truely there shall neuer be any common weale established worthy the name of christian where it commeth to passe that how much the teachers of the Churche doe build vp through their trauaile in declayming continualy against vices so much againe the ciuil maiestrates doe pluck downe through their negligence in neuer séeinge execusion done vpon those that be offenders XXV But in all the order of reprouinge of sinnes it is very necessary that the minister of the worde doe studiously teach by what meanes sinnes and the custome of sinning may best be auoyded of euery man. Chrisostom in his tome v. homily 5. doth skilfully show a way how the wicked custome of swearinge might be eschewed Ezechiel whilest cap. 34. hee reprooueth euill pastors by the same diligence declareth what the office of a good sheapheard is xxvi I had almost forgotten this Vnto euery bitter and vehement rebuke shall be adioyned some temperature of comfort and that chiefely by propoundinge vnto them that repent certayne and assured hope of mercy which god accustometh bountifully to exhibit to all those that vnfeignedly craue it at his handes The maner is among the Phisitions of bodies to put to their simple purging medicines when by their sharpenosse they molest the stomack or other parts of the bodye certaine thinges to allay their strength yea and with all bitter medicines least the mouth should be brought out of fast to intermedle swéet thinges We sée therfore that this deuise hath lyked also the prophets the Phisitions of soules whose perpetuall fashion in a maner is vnto rebukes to ioyne consolations and vnto threatnings to add promises And why it ought so to be this is the reason The preacher must with all diligence bende him selfe to this that he bring sinners not onely to sorrow of minde or contrition as they call it but also vnto faith for in these two partes that is to say contrition or mortification faith is repentaunce accomplished and that for this cause least such as finde themselues gilty of euerlasting dampnation being cast downe by the seuerytie of Gods iudgement should be driuen headlong into desperation xxvii At length when the preacher féeleth and perceyueth that by his fidelity and diligence by his timely and vntimely entreatings pursuinges cryings twitchinges instigations some are brought to amendement of lyfe he shall at some conuenient time prayse them and comfort them either publikely all in generall or some also priuately as much as lieth in him shall be the author vnto them of perseueringe in their good and godly purpose Which thing also we may perceiue the prophets to haue done oft times whilst they commende and set foorth the felicitie of them that reuoltinge from the tents of vngodlynesse do repayre to the Ensignes of fayth and repentaunce And it commeth to passe truely by this meanes that they doe not lightly returne againe to the filth of their former life neither can iustly be touched with these prouerbes The dog
be so many masters hast thou excelling in this craft Againe such as these be a number of Christes sermons wherein he reprooueth the vngraciousnes as well of the rude multitude as also of the Scribes and Pharisees Looke Math. cap. 11.12.16.21.23 Mark. 2.8.11 And further to this ende ought to be referred the histories or actions tendinge to the extirpation of vices as that touchinge the castinge out of the Temple those that bought and solde Neither want there examples in the Epistles to the Galathians and Corinthians For 1. Corinth 5. the Apostle expostulateth against those that had committed offence and willeth them to be chastened by the censure of the Church Cap. 6. he inueigheth against brawelinges in lawe and wisheth rather iniury to be suffered In the same Chapter he speaketh against sondry vices but especially against leachery and sensualitie Cap. 11. against the custome whereby men prayed in the sacred assembly with their heads couered and women with their heads bare Likewise against those that came not soberly and â—â—aritably to the Lordes Supper Cap. 12. against strifes raysed by reason of spirituall giftes and chiefely through prophesy and tongues To the Galat. 6. he teacheth how spirituall brethren ought to be haue themselues towardes those that are fallen In Chrysostome are extant diuers and sondry Sermons against the detestable custome of swearinge and periury whereof some be wholly applied vnto this ende alone as the 27. and 28. other some haue onely certaine pointes mixed here and ther to that effect as homilie 5.6.7.8.9.10 11.12.13.14.15.16.19.26.28 Of which in some thou mayst finde also certaine thinges scattered against backe biting Against that vice are the homilies 29.30.31 against ambition the 43. against enuy 44.45.53 Against dronkennes and riot 54.55 against such as come vnworthily to the holy misteries in the Lordes Supper 60. 61. also that we giue no offence to any man that we followe not the concupiscence of the fleshe against slouthfulnes in well doing against the desire of vayne glory aginst leachery and other pleasures c. Moreouer it is be noted that vnto these two kindes of Sermons the Instructiue I meane Correctiue may iustl be added those thinges which the Rethoritians in the kinde iudiciall doe affirme to make statum qualitatis seu iuridicialem the state of the qualitye or the state iuridiciall For when entreatye is made of déedes and it is called into question whither a thing be done lawfully or iniuriously or whether a déede be iust or vniust to the doing truely of those thinges that be iust men are admonished and prouoked or if they be don already praised and commended but the thinges that be vniust men are deterred and diswaded from or it they be already committed blamed and coÌ„dempned and the verily by the groundes and reasons taken out of those very places which to these two kindes instructiue and correctiue we haue sayde to be accommodate Of the kinde Consolatory or Comfortatiue Cap. XIIII THat all mortall affayres are tossed and turmoyled euermore with the tempestuous waues of innumerable daungers and that we bee all the sort of vs borne in that state and condition that as well through the offence of our first parentes Adam Eue as also through our owne corrupt nature we are continually oppressed with sondry aduersities and calamities it is not néedfull to be declared in wordes séeing the dayly euents the happen doe much more euidently then were to be wished verify and demonstrate the same For truely we sée by experience that the greatest number of men is miserably vexed and distressed one while with warre or besiegement or sedition an other while with dearth and scarcitye of victuals as hauinge thei corne fildes destroyed through vnseasonable weather somtimes wiâ—thâ—â—stilence and other contagious disseases sometime with ouerflowinge of waters somtime with the rage of fire and burning of villages or some part of the citye sometime with eruell persecution for the confession of faith He therfore that in these publike calamities can lift vp those that be downe comfort the sorowfull confirme tho weake and wauering shall be thought verily to deserue well of all men and to haue fulfilled the dutye both of a good pastor and also of an expert phisition But as touching the Rhetoritians they haue vtterly cast from theÌ„ this part leauinge it to the Philosophers the masters of lyfe and maners Howbeit none in very déede can handle adorne it more excellently then Diuines as the profession of whom like as it doth far awaye surmount excell all others so is it peculiarly ordeyned to the easing and asswaging of soro we and griefs Wherfore whosoeuer is destrous to comfort the afflicted must first of all borrow certaine rules or proofes out of the places of the kinde instructiue with which we vse either to perswade or disswade For what is it els to comfort but to disswade froÌ„ griefe Then shall he procéede to places of Diuinitie Of the first sort therfore be these places I. Of the honesty of the cause It is the part of a wise man with a strong and inuincible courage to stand stedfast in euery daunger It becommeth men chiefely to imbrace all manhood and prowesse but especially constancye II. Of the iustice and equitye of the cause It is méete and conuenient to lay a side mourning especially séeing we are more fauourably dealt withall then our desertes doe require III. Of the profit or disprofit What profiteth it thée to lye tumbling in deformitye to wast and consume thy selfe with sorrowe Thou art grieuous both to thée and thine thou disquietest both thy body and minde in vaine IIII. Of the comelines and commendation All the be of a sound iudgement doe thincke it very vncomly and womannishe to lament without measure to take so impaciently the chaunce that happeneth All thinges doe inuite thée to pacience V. Of the easines Thou so oft procurest to thy selfe a freshe newe heauines as oft as thou procéedest to bewayle thy case VI. Of the necessitie What meanest thou Thou must bears and not blame that which cannot be remedied These rules also bée taken out of the frontiers the Philosophers VII Of the kinde of euills which wée suffer to witte that they are not so gréeuous as they be commonly taken yea that they bée rather benefites then euiles as being certaine prouokementes vnto vertue Againe that they bée not neither can bée continuall that they molest the body onely and not the minde which is frée from all dammage and detriment that they bée common to vs with many that they are recompensed with other commodities that in respect of many other inconueniences they are very small that wée haue before valiantly susteined the like and also greeuouser thinges Nowe to the places of the other sort Truely there bée conueighed alongest the féeldes of Diuinitie very pleasaunt and delectable riuers of Consolations when as it appéereth to bée giuen of GOD vnto mankinde especially to this ende I meane to
Preacher and vvhat I. Learning Vltera crepidare is a vvord taken prouerbially vvhwere a man vvyll take vpoÌ„ him further then his knovvlege vvyll serue Lucke 4. 1. Timoth 3. Tit. 1. Phellipp 1. 1. Timoth 5. III. Povver in teachinge Math. 7. Marc. 1. Luke 4. Ieremy 1. 2. Timoth. 1. Spirite or povver in teachinge vvhence it commeth and hovv it is encreased That God giueth the spirit in teching Ioan. 16. Math. 10. 2. Cor. 30. That the increasement of the spirite is obteined of God vvith 〈◊〉 prayer Ephe. 6. That the godly and earnest teachers shall haue good happy succes in their doctrine Esay 55 Luke 8 1. Timoth 4. The studye affection of a true Preacher by the discription of Sainct Pauleâ— The effect of S. Paules Sermons Act. â—0 Conclusioâ—â— The cause of the premisses hitherto touchinge those thinges that are necessarye to a preacher Ieremye 2â— â— Timo. 5. In vvhat thinges the Preacher ought to bestowe his labor The Gospell what â— Cor. 5. The ende limited to a Preacher â— Timo. 3. The markes of a true preacher That manye thinges are common to the preacher vvith the orator vvhat I. II. III. IIII Rhetorick 〈…〉 That the rhetoricall precepts of Pronounciation pertaine not to a Preacher That the preacher differeth in many thinges from the Orator and that chiefelye in Inuention Math. 13. 1. Cor. 4. What matter the Preacher shall chose I. Profitable Of matter ê“fitable three special places and vvhiche 2. Places of Loue. 3. Places of Hope II. Easye vvhy one easi matter ought to be chosen 1. Timo 1.6 2. Timo 2.3 Tit. 1.3 Trip. histor Lib. 7. Cap. 1â— Occupation Hovv a harde place is to be expounded 2. Thessal 2. A place of Paule touchinge the last comminge of Christ An other place of the same touching the reicetion of the Ievves callinge of the Gentiles III. Necessary Tit. 3. Necessarye matter vvhat Diuine places though profitable yet not al fit for euery place time Esay 56. The preacher must somtime vary his oration The order maner of the auncient doctors of the churche in their teching The pastor vvith the other ministers ought to consult as touching the matter of the Sermon accordinge to the manner and condicion of the time One and the same matter diuers times handeled of all the ministers to the people What fathers expounded to the people vvhole books Who they vvere that explaned certen partes or percels of the holy bookes to the people Sermons framed to the expositioÌ„ of soÌ„e one place out of the scriptures Sermons of thinges offered by occasion Orations made of vertues and-gainst vices A Cantion to be vsed in sermons Transition Sermon hovv and after what sorte it ought to bee I. Briefe II. Perspicious III. CoÌ„sisting of lavvfull partes The care and diligence of the auncient Doctors before the Sermon Marc. 16. 1. Timoth 4. The kyndes of Rhetorical cases not agreeing to diuine Sermons I. The signification of the vvorde doctrine II. Of Redargution III. Of Institution IIII. Of Correction V. Of consolation That all Sermons ought to be referred to these fiue kindes That al thinges are referred eyther vnto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or vnto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philipp 1. Coloss 1 The seedplots of these fiue chapters That the Rhetorical kyndes of cases also are conteyned vnder these fiue orders of Sermons but not contraryvvise He passeth to the explicatioÌ„ of the kyndes of Sermons The names of the kyndes 1. Didascalick 2. redargutiue 3. Instructiue iiii correctiue v. Comfortatiue 2. Timoth 3. Rom. 15. PreoccupatioÌ„ An other particion of the â—â—des vi Mixt kinde Transition State vhat That the title of Sermons doe oftetimes conteyne the â—â—ate Theme what and hovv manyfolde That SermoÌ„s of euery kind are to be deuided into parts The partes of a Sermon I. Reading The maner of reading in the old churche That reading somtime goeth not before the Sermon What bookâ— ought to be read That the precher ought not rashlye to innouate any thing in the sacred scriptures Sozomenus Tripart histo lib. 1. cap. 10. The order of inuocation in the begining of Sermons of vvhoÌ„ firste set forth 1. Cor. 3 Diuers maners of prayinge I. Of the â—athers What the precher vvhat the people ought to prai for II. III. IIII. Inuocation vvhat it ought to be The maner of Exordinge moste conueniently shevved in examples Whether Exordiums be aâ—lvaries needfull The matter of exordium vvhence it is to be taken Obseruations of Exordium â—â—n thapplication of a vvhole booke 2. In thexplication of a part of the booke III The first wordes of Thexordium must as neere as may bee aunsvver to the matter Act. 2. Act. 7. 13. Exordium sometyme omitted Proposition vvhen it is to be vsed Diuision vvhen Proposition vvhere it is to be placed An example of Diuision Diuision vvhat and after vvhat sorte it ought to be Diuision vvhen needfull That all the members of Diuision are not alvvayes declared That many and diuers places are handled somtymes without any diuision goinge before Transitions exortacions other such lyke figures in diuision do oftetimes betoken a nevv argument That proposition diuision both are novv then neglected The place of ConfirmatioÌ„ ConfirmatioÌ„ can not one vvay be handeled The order of thinges to be said touching confirmation Chapters of obseruations A prayse of the said forme of deriuing collecting disposinge of proufes The maner of popular Teaching vvheÌ„ce it is deriued I. II Confutation hovv after what sorte it ought to bee Confutations vvhere to bee placed put Diuers formes of confutation Confutation must be voide of sophystry CoÌ„tumelious chidinges to be auoyded Conclusion Conclusion double of the parte and of the vvhole Oration which is called peroratioÌ„ What is to be repeated in the Conclusion Affections to be moued also in a peroration Exhorte Reproue Simply to pray and beeseech The herers to be admonished of the matter of the next Sermon Certayne meanes of finishinge sacred Sermons I II III What thinges the Preacher shall get to himselfe Of amplification what he vvill speake vvhy the Preacher must vse amplification AmplificatioÌ„ vvhen to be vsed Hebr 3.4 Whence the Preacher may take orders of amplyfiynge I. Out of the facultie of Orators II. Out of diuinitie it selfe Examples I III IIII 1. Reg. 14 What maner of arguments ought to bee ministred vnto children for thexercise of their stile Thar the maner of mouing of affections ought to bee knovven of the Preacher The order diuision of the thinges to be spoken touching mouing of affections I When affections are to be moued Diuision of affections 〈◊〉 affectiâ—â—◠〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 of the â—â—â—â—â—er Hovve to knovve vvhen affections are to be moued II Where or in vvhat parte of the Sermon affections are to be moued III With what skill cunning the affection are to be moued I. Meane Hovv we may stir vp affections in our selues Psal. 119. II. Meane De ciuita deâ— Lib. 15. Cap. 6 III.
is this knowledge touching the condemnation of wicked affections imprinted in the mindes of al men that euen the heathen lawe makers and iudges doubted not to pronounce that the will somtimes is to be estemed as the déede it selfe Which thinge also the Satyricall Poete in his Satyre 13. noted in these verses followinge These paynes and penalties of sinne the onely will sustaynes For looke in whom a secret thought on mischiefe sette remaynes Hee guyltie is of thactuall deed c. Now hitherto doe these thinges tende and therefore are they thus appointed to the intent we may know how that God like as he would haue man by him created to consist of two most excellent partes that is to saye of minde and body so also that he would perpetually kéepe and reteine him wholly adicted to himselfe and bee of him deuoutly worshipped in eyther of the said partes But God veryly is a spirite and therefore that kinde of worship chiefely pleaseth him which procéedeth from the moste noble part of vs to wit the minde the spirite or soule And to the ende this thinge might the more conueniently be in this wise of men accomplished it hath pleased God to impart his spirit also to the faithfull by the which their spirite may be stirred vp gouerned and holpeÌ„ forward to the right exhibitinge of spirituall worship By meanes whereof the spirite of god also witnesseth together with the spirite of the faythfull that they are the sonnes of god by like indeuoure induceth them to crye Abba Eather Moreouer by this meanes the minde the harte the soule the spirite the affections thoughtes will study and by what name soeuer it may be called whatsoeuer is found to be most excellent in man doe procéede further in the internall and true spirituall seruice of God and in the same are exercised without intermission Againe forasmuch as the same God is the creator also of mannes body it is very méete doubtles that this wonderfull worke in like maner doe acknowledge reuerence and celebrate his maker Wherefore it behoueth vs also to worship God in our body This thinge is the cause why the Apostle Romaines 12. beseecheth all the beleeuers that they woulde make their bodies a quick sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God their reasonable seruice And Rom. 6. he exhorteth them in this maner As you haue giuen your members seruauntes to vncleaÌ„nes and iniquitie from one iniquitie to an other Euen so nowe giue your members seruauntes vnto rightuousnes to holines Which thinges forasmuch as they are so consider O maÌ„ and applye thy selfe vnto this that thou maist with all thine indeuour consecrate thy selfe wholly vnto god serue him with all thine harte with all thy soule and with all thy strength yea and with all thy bodye also Kéepe thy handes and beware least thou commit anye wicked acte with them Refraine thy tongue neither let any reproch filthy speakinge leasinge scurrilitie or euill language procéede out of thy mouth last of all studye also to bridle thy corrupt affections and cogitations Take héede thou be not brought into that beliefe that thou maiste followe thy fancye as touchinge thoughtes for that they are not séene neither can any man reproue thée for them Inasmuch as out of theÌ„ all maner of offences whither they be coÌ„mitted with the tongue or any other members doe take as Christ witnesseth Marke 7. their beginninge But when thou féelest thy selfe ouer weake and almost destitute of strength knowe that it is thy part duty to cal coÌ„tinually vpon god thy heauenly father and with inwarde groninge teares to praye vnto him that he would create a pure harte within thée that he would turne awaye thine eyes least they behold vanytie that he would apply thy tongue to speake that which is good and godly that he would direct thy handes to the doinge of laudable actions and such as are acceptable vnto him that he would kéepe thée wholly both in minde and body harmeles and innocent and that he would alwaies further thée to the exercising of the duties of godlynes and pietie For vndoubtedly except God of his mercy doe prouide that thou be not tempted or if temptation come that thou bée spéedily deliuered from it thou canst in â—o wyse be frée from sinne But thus far touchinge the question what the thing is I feare least ouer much For in case wee should séeme to proséede in this order our discourse would grow to be ouer tedious It is requisite therefore that we vse henceforwarde breuitie and note onely certayne poynts of things briefely as touching the seconde question The sinne in which we are borne is by the fall of our first parentes deriued into all their posteritie wherof so great is the force that we can neuer be inclyned to that whiche is good nor obey the law of God wherefore we are founde guilty also through our owne offence There is a sinne the euery man wheÌ„ he is now come to perfect reasoÌ„ vnderstanding coÌ„mitteth of his owne wil by transgressing the law of god either in thought word or déede That sinne they cal oryginall this actual of which chiefely we haue hitherto entreated Moreouer the holy scripture coÌ„memorateth sins of omission ignoraunce as namely when one is founde to be gilty for that he hath not perfourmed those things which he ought or in such order as he ought to haue done agayne when he sinneth where he least thought yea supposed also the he had done well after which sorte S. Paule confesseth in moe places then one the he had grieuously offended Furthermore some sins are called straunge or extraordinary as when a man commeth into daunger sustayneth blame for an other mans offence And what wil ye say to that sinne where Christ pronounceth him worthy of most grieuous punishmeÌ„t which shal minister to an other an offeÌ„ce occasioÌ„ of falling But how hard a thing is it to know whether the brethren the are present be weake soone offended or whether they be strong throughly instructed Againe further the sin committed against the holy ghost is saide neuer to be forgiuen Now among so many sundry sorts of sins Iohn teacheth 1. epist. cap. v. the there is one kinde of sin vnto death an other not vnto death But what shal néede many wordes We are compelled to â—btles to say with the prophet Our errors or sinnes who may comprehend So great therfore is the varyetie in sinnes that it enforceth vs to confesse the law of god to be most largely spred abroad neither that we can so easely attayne the sence and effect thereof as a great number doe suppose For what soeuer thinges are any where discoursed or rehersed in the sacred scriptures as touching good or euill déedes those thinges ought with very good right to be taken of vs for a commentary and interpretation of the same law Moreouer it behoueth vs héere to consider the seuerytie of Gods
iudgement when as wretched man is so many wayes euery where beset with perils and for the causes that he least supposeth found giltie of sinne For by this meanes the whole worlde is in daungered to God and God concludeth al men vnder vnbeléefe which neuerthelesse we may not so interpret to be done that he shoulde destroy all men and damne them for euer but rather that he shoulde haue compassion vpon all men and by that meanes set forth and make knowne his goodnesse euery where Howbeit these thinges doe admonishe all the sorte of vs that we should be sober vigilant ware circumspect and that we should studiously avoyde not onely open and manifest but also priuy and secret sinnes yea all occasion of sinne and euen suspition also We are lilke vnto Pilgrimes or to those that trauaile in a straunge and vnknowne country by waies in which we are euery moment in daunger of théeues wilde and venemous beasts waters downe falles such lyke hurtful and perillous things The diuell the worlde and our flesh doe neuer cease to lye in awayt for vs they séeke by a thousand wiles to draw vs into their nets and snares But we must resist valiantly striue against thē by faith prayers fastings by the word of God and other spiritual weapons which Christe the inuincible confounder of all vices and wicked spirites hath prepared hath vouched safe to shew vs how we should vse them 1. Pet. 5. Ephe. 5. Math. 4.17 c. Thou séest what great plenty of things doe offer themselues and how large fields are opened vnto him that wyll procéede after this maner Wherfore we will make an ende In asmuch as the other questions may be reserued tyll an other time namely that touching the causes of sinne and another touchinge the effectes of which sort in the scriptures are handeled no smal number and alas wretches that we be in so many troubles and calamities of our times great store may dayly be obserued But forasmuch as death also is numbred amonge the effects of sinne we will adde lykewise an example but briefely handeled as thouching this He that will speake therfore of death may aptly prefixe two questions out of which he shall finde sufficient plenty of matters that he may declare to the commodytie of his hearers Let them therfore be these What death is and what the effects of death For a description or definition of death this may be had Death is the penalty of sinne iustly inflicted of god vnto al men like as al men also are sinners It is deriued of the causes and aboundantly proued by the testimonies of the scriptures God threateneth the payne of death vnto sinners The reward of sinne is death Through one man sinne entred into the world and through sinne death and so death came vpō al men inasmuch as al we haue sinned In which place are touched the chiefe causes of death man I say sinne whervnto may be added out of Gene. 2. the the Serpent also or the diuell is the author of death which to the Hebrues 2. is sayd to holde the empier of death Heb 9 it is saide This is appointed to all men that they shall once dye and after that commeth the iudgement Out of which places diuers and sundry things may be drawen to demonstrate more amply what Death is And by like industrye may the godly be excited to true humilitie of minde to the contempt of carthly thinges to passe theyr lyfe in the feare of God to call vpon Gods mercy for the intigation of the paynes whiche we through our sinnes haue deserued c. When he shall come to the question of the effectes it shal be necessary to discerne the effects of death in the Godly from the effects of death in the vngodly and that partlye by this meanes first The godly are perswaded that death shal in no wise happen vnto thē to their condemnation destruction but rather to their health and saluation inasmuch as the sentence of dampnation now long since pronounced agaynst vs is by the death of Christe vtterlye cancelled and rased out The law of the spirite of lyfe through Christe Iesus hath made me free from the law of sinne and death Christe by his death hath abolished the power of death Christe hath once suffered for our sinnes the iust for the vniust that he might bring vs to god We know that if our earthly māsion of this tabernacle bee destroyed wee haue an other building of God a mansion not made with handes but eternal in heauen But as touching the vngodly◠they know that death is appointed to them as a moste bitter paine doe féele vndoubtedly the heauy iudgement of damnation by reason whereof it commeth to passe also that in temptations but chiefely in their extreame conflictes they are vehemently troubled afflicted and doe miserably faint and giue ouer I will not say for the most parte vtterly dispayre For what can they els doe in whom remayneth no hope or confidence at all touching the remission of their sinnes Euill shall slea the vngodly and they that hate the rightuous shall be desolate Secondly The godly forasmuch as they suffer continually many aduersities and so long as they liue in this worlde are vexed of the vngodly doe willingly longe after death and with ioyfull mindes imbrace it as they that are not ignoraūt that by it is giuen vnto them an entraunce to a happy blessed life I desyre saith Saint Paule to be dissolued and be with Christ We mourne inwardly in our selues for the adoption looking for the redemption of our body We grone in this our tabernacle longing to be translated into that which is from heauen And after a few words Wee truste and doe better lyke to be farre away absent from the body and to be present with God. And 2. Pet. 1. Death is called the putting off of this tabernacle On the other side the vngodlye for that they enioy héere in this life wealth prosperitie and all thinges happen vnto them for the moste part after their hartes desyre are plucked away sore against their willes and doe take it very grieuouslye if a man doth but once make mention of death vnto them But what followeth When they flatter themselues most of all and thinke to settle themselues heere most sure sayinge O soule thou haste great aboundance of wealth enioye it at thy pleasure Not long after yea the very same time when they least do suspect they héere it sayde Thou foole this night shall they fetch thy soule from thee And generally both of the godly and vngodly we reade 2. Thes 1. It is a rightuous thing with God to render vnto those that persecute you afflictiō vnto you that are persecuted peace tranquilitie with vs when our lord Iesus shall be reuealed from heauen And moreouer Abrahā saieth vnto the ritch man Luk. 16. Sonne remēber that thou in thy life time receiuedst