to our further comfort Nymp. Amen Well then because I do euē long to acquaint you with that which hath when I haue bene by my selfe much disquieted me you shall vnderstand that the occasion mouing me at this time to craue your aduice is this Since it pleased God to let the light of the glorious Gospel of his Sonne by preaching to shine in these parts more clearely then in former yeares it hath happened that I haue fallen into the companie sometime of common men sometime of men of better fashion which in the world we call wise men sometime also of men of learning and by profession Ministers some of whom to my griefe I haue heard speake very disgracefully some very scornefully all of them to the lessening of that reuerent estimation which we ought to haue of the preaching of the word and of the ordinary course thereof which is amongst vs. Epaph. It is not vnlike neither yet indeed is it to be maruelled at as though some strange thing were come vnto vs. The diuell knoweth by long experience that the preaching of the word is the ruine of his kingdom that therby he is made like lightning to fall downe from heauen And therefore it hath euer bene his practise at the very first entrance of sincere preaching to raise vp some men of corrupt minds to resist the truth and to stop the happie proceedings of the Gospell The first Preacher mentioned in the Scripture is Enoch the seuenth from Adam together with the relation of whose doctrine the text mentioneth also the cruell speakings and violent curses of wicked sinners against him The next after him was Noah which was a Preacher of righteousnesse and howsoeuer the storie mentioneth expresly no tumults raised vp against him yet it may easily be gathered in that he preaching so many yeares before the comming of the floud yet all that while we do not find any one to haue bene reclaimed but they all continued in their accustomed securitie and knew nothing till the floud came and tooke them all away Passe from him to Moses of whose resistance the storie relateth many particulars at his first vndertaking any authoritie among the people in séeking to end a strife betwixt them he was taken vp short with the common spéech VVho made thee a man of authoritie and a iudge ouer vs After when he was sent backe into Egypt to deliuer the people from the bondage of Pharaoh the story is a witnes how often and openly he was gainsaid sometimes by the people they murmuring at him sometimes by Iannes and Iambre two Egyptians somtimes by Korah and his complices so that though the Lord wrought mightily by Moses yet he had daily experience of the malice of the wicked against the truth Now for the times of the Prophets one Ieremie may be a sufficient witnesse he saith he heard the railing of many and the word of the Lord which he preached was a reproach vnto him and in derision daily If you examine the times after Christ at the first spreading of the Gospell this wil be more apparant Run through the book of the Acts the preaching of Peter and Iohn was entertained first with mocking afterwards more open violence was vsed the men in authoritie tooke it grieuously that they taught the people and by cōmon consent put them to silence Steuen was a man ful of faith and of the holy Ghost and they were not able to resist the wisedome and the spirit by which he spake yet certaine arose euen of the synagogue and moued the people against him Paul was mightily withstood sometimes by Elimas the sorcerer sometimes by the Iewes sometimes by Demetrius and those of that faction somtime by Phygellus and Hermogenes otherwhiles by Hymeneus and Philetus Thus we haue euen a cloud of witnesses to confirme this that it hath euer bin the diuels course by all meanes to withstand the preaching of the truth And therefore maruell not good neighbor at it when you see the like in these times these are Satans old pranks and he will thus bestirre himselfe to the end Nymp. Blessed be God you haue well satisfied me in this so that I now see that those which loue the truth haue cause to reioyce at it rather then to be dismayed when they shall see the outrage of the world and the fury of carnall men against the publishing of the Gospell Epaph. You are not deceiued for the diuel his strugling on this wise sheweth that there is a stronger then he come to bind him and to take his armor frō him And though the oppositions of men are at the first assault somthing troublesome yet we haue euer cause to reioyce when wee can say iustly After this maner did they to the Prophets Nymp. Yet sir by your leaue I cannot but maruell that seeing the preaching of the word is so excellent a thing as it is euē the power of God vnto saluation men should notwithstanding so eagerly resist it and shew themselues so great enemies vnto it Epaph. You wil cease to wonder when you shal truly vnderstand the causes mouing worldly and vnregenerate men to malice and maligne that which indeed as you say if the worth thereof were knowne they ought rather with al reuerence to embrace and if you thinke that it may be helpfull vnto you in that wherein you desire to be resolued I will open the same vnto you somthing more at large Nymp. You cannot content me better then if you shall vndertake to discourse therof for as I suppose when I haue once learned the true cause why preaching is so much misliked I shall the losse feare the pretenced reasons which I dayly heare to be alleaged against it Epaph. The true causes why the course of preaching when it is performed so as it ought is so much repined at are these three especially The first is this As men loue nothing more then their sinnes so they loath nothing more then the discouery thereof they can by no meanes endure to haue their secret coruptions ript vp it is a death vnto them to be thoroughly directly dealt withal Wicked Ahab hated the sincere Prophet of the Lord Michaiah because he neuer prophesied good vnto him but euill that is he neuer spared him but deliuered the truth of God vnto him plainly without flattery Now the preaching of the word it is as the prouerb is The finger in the bile it is euer rubbing vppon the gall and being light it maketh all things manifest and discloseth euery mans close and secret vngodlines In the dayes of blindnesse that is in times and places where there is not a setled course of preaching many a man seemeth to himselfe and to others also to be vnreproueable who when the light of the word by powerful application breaketh out is discouered both to others especially to his
then séeke for sound instruction for their owne better edifying Thus haue you my iudgement touching the vse of humane testimonies in the exercise of preaching Nymphas I willingly agree vnto you in that which you haue said touching some mens course of preaching I haue sometimes my selfe bene at some mens sermons which haue had the name of great Clarkes and learned men and yet it may be mine owne dulnesse was the cause such hath bin their maner of handling so full of schoole-points and termes and sayings of men that neither hath my iudgement bene bettred nor my conscience any whit comforted thereby But I do not yet see how you will make the parts of your owne speech to agree you say preaching must be learned and eloquent and yet you are straite in allowing the vse of those things which may testifie learning and garnish and set forth your sermons for I tel you in the countrey here you are not thought learned nor yet eloquent so long as you speake nought but English and withall common and ordinarie words and alleage nothing but places of scripture which euery man can fetch out of the Bible as well as you I pray you therfore recōcile these two how there shall be that plainnesse in your sermons and yet learning too Ep. The matter is not what men think but what men ought to think It is possible for a man to be skilful in the tongues and yet to be farre from a learned man and much reading though it argueth industry may be a witnesse of a good memory yet it is no certaine argument of sound iudgment That man is most learned who by his skill can make another man learned for this is the end of preaching to make men schollers and he is most eloquent that can make him who heareth him vnderstand that which he him selfe conceiueth The intent of learning is not the men which haue it should therby bréed astonishmēt in their hearers gain admiration to themselues but that by it they shold be profitable helpful to those which are without it So likewise the vse of eloquence is not to be as it were a mist before a mans spéeches to cause him to be the more hardly vnderstood but to giue lustre as I may so speake thereto to bring both light delight to the dull apprehensiō of the hearers And therfore whosoeuer so preacheth as that because of the depth of his learning as men cal it he passeth the capacity of the meanest hearer again whosoeuer so speaketh as that his eloquence as men terme it maketh him to be as it were an alient to his ordinary audience surely the same is neither truly learned nor truly eloquent because his learning not conceiued profiteth not his eloquence not vnderstood benefits not So that this being considered that he is most learned whose preaching is most profitable and he most eloquent whose maner of speaking best entreth into euery ordinary conceit it is an easie matter to reconcile these two that our preaching must be learned yet familiar eloquent and yet so plaine that it may be truly said of it that if it be hid it is hid to them that are lost Nymp. Yet it will be thought that preaching will grow into very great contempt and seeme but base in the eyes of wise men if choise speaking quaint words which in other discourses are thought very commendable shall be banished from your sermons Ep. Why man did you neuer heare of this phrase the foolishnes of Preaching When the Gospel was first preached in the world the reason why it had so cold entertainement was this The Iewes they wold either haue it confirmed by some extraordinary signes or els they wold not credit it The Iewes require a signe The Gentiles being men of great learning as appeareth they seeing Paul and the rest comming after a very meane fashion men for their personage silly for their profession making shew to know nothing but one Christ the same crucified and for their course and cariage in the ministery plaine auoyding purposely the enticing words of mans wisedome they by by scorned it and déemed it folly to be caried away by a thing of that simplicity The Grecians seeke after wisdome hereupon this Epithete was cast by the reprochful world vpon the best kind of preaching to cal it foolishnes and al for this one cause because as for the substance of it it is crossing to mans reason so for the fashiō of it according to the world it is cleane out of fashion onely beautifull in this because it is not beautified with that without which the nice and giddy world thinketh euery thing to be deformed So that the opinion of men reputing it to be but foolishnesse because it wanteth that garish garnishing which mens itching eares are much delighted with ought to be no disparagement to it in the sight of those that are truly religious and I pray God giue vs all grace that are called to the Ministerie to be so set for the glorie of God in the conuersion of soules that we may more affect foundnesse of teaching then finenesse of speech and may thinke it our best art to secret art to take héede of that bastard eloquence with this worst age of the world seeketh to make legitimate It is is a good aduice of Ierome to auoid a pompous kind of speaking in theologicall discourses for a man saith he that handleth holy matters a low and as it were a foote oration is necessarie and not such as is thickned with artificiall framing of words It is no matter though the Papists continue to call vs in scorne Inke Diuines because of our close adhering to the holy text so long as the soules of Gods seruants shall receiue comfort by vs for then I am right sure this being sought for the litle flocke shall pray for vs and the great shepheard shall be good to vs. Nymp. You haue at least to my vnderstanding well remoued this imputation of rude vnlearnednesse I pray you therfore come to the next which is that your maner preaching is too austere you haue nothing in your mouths but hell and condemnation and the iudgements of God which as some say is the next way to bring men vnto despaire Epap I confesse indéed that there is a great error committed by some whose zeale doth sometimes so farre ouer carrie them that they forget the Apostles rule of suffering the euill men patiently and it may not vnfitly be said to many such as Christ said to his disciples when they would needes haue had leaue to commaund fire to come downe from heauen to consume them which would not receiue him they know not of what spirit they are Yet notwithstanding the conceipt of the most who wold haue nothing but peace preached to them when as it may be truly said to them as Iehu said to the seruant of Iehoram what haue they to
is of all other cities and incorporations the most glorious so it is the greatest priuiledge that any man can attaine to be of a stranger and a forreiner admitted to be a citizen and free denizen of that societie Thus at your request I haue giuen you a taste of the doctrine of Christian Libertie the obedient Christian is the true free-man euen the Lords free-man Nymph Doubtlesse this is a most excellent point and to the soule of a Christian exceeding comfortable how much therefore are we bound to giue thankes to our heauenly Father who hath deliuered vs from the power of darknesse and hath translated vs into the kingdom of his deare Sonne And I beseech God giue vs the grace that being thus made free from sinne we may become the seruants of righteousnesse that so hauing our fruite in holinesse the end may be euerlasting life But now if it please you I long to heare the third cause of the small regard of Preaching Epaph. The third cause of contemptuous resistance is the iudging of that which is taught by the outward semblance of the teacher as for example Some great man in the world that happily is a Magistrate or a man of note and special reckoning in the place where he liueth comming to the Church and hearing his sinne reproued and such and such duties perswaded straite he casteth his eye vpon the person of the speaker and him he seeth to be but some ordinary man one that if he should come in place where he is should be serued as the poore man in the torne coate of whom S. Iames speaketh that should bee bidden to stand there aloofe off or sit here at my footstoole eftsoone he beginneth to thinke with himselfe that it would be a shame for him to suffer the words of such a one so far below him in the world to cary so great authority with him as that he should by and by conforme himselfe to his perswasions Another perhaps that hath had some good education and thereby hath gotten some tast of learning or is otherwise by obseruation experience growne to be a man of some reach and capacitie he when he compareth himself with the teacher seemeth to sée as much if not more learning iudgement reading and vnderstanding in himselfe as in him and therfore he sayth with himself Why should I yeeld to his instruction why should his opinion sway so far with me as to draw me from mine owne courses why should not I be as wel able to iudge what is méete as he A third that is it may be some gallant a man of spirit that thinketh it a part of his courage to be without feare euen of God himselfe he hearing at a sermon threatnings denounced against sin and against those very sins wherof his life is a continuall practise in the greatnesse of his stomacke and in the prophanesse of his heart beginneth to set all at nought imagining that it cānot stand with that hardinesse and vndaunted resolution which he professeth to be strikē with the words of a silly man or to haue his heart terrified with a few idle spéeches In a word the people generally do not consider how well a thing is spoken how sufficiently proued how soundly seconded and made good by the word this neuer entereth into their thought but they see that he which preacheth what is he but a man of their owne sort one neither armed with authority to punish them nor endued with power to constraine them neither yet furnished with wealth to contend with them and that al his force lyeth in his tongue the exercise whereof when it is once past there is all that he can do and therefore they make a Tush at his doctrine and say of the Preacher as they did of old He is but wind and what is he that he should command vs Thus this also is one cause of resistance to the holy doctrine taught men looke no higher then the man and they value all that is sayd by the quality of the speaker Nymph This discourse of yours so fully discouering the proud conceits of an vnreformed heart calleth to my mind the commendation which Paul giueth of the Thessalonians When ye receiued of vs saith he the word of the preaching of God ye receiued it not as the word of men but as it is indeed the word of God for so long as men haue no higher a conceipt of that which they heare then that it is but a mans doctrine the respect vnto it cannot choose but be very small so that I must needs yeeld vnto you in this that this also may well go among the number of the causes why preaching is of so slender estimation here amongst vs. Yet sir men that are enemies in this case do pretend other reasons and will not be knowne of any of these to be the occasion or cause of their dislike Epaph. That is most true for sinne doeth euer seeke shades and it is a tricke which we haue learned of our grandfather Adam to sew figge-leaues together to couer our nakednesse For shame men will not say that they are hereby moued to dislike yet notwithstanding these be the true grounds and men in their consciences know it to be so If a man had asked of Pashur why he smote Ieremie the Prophet and put him in the stockes no doubt but he would tell you a very formall tale as that He prophesied against the citie he hath not sought the wealth of the people but the hurt and that he discouraged the hands of the men of warre in speaking such wordes vnto them This would be Pashurs pretence thus he wold pleade for his straite courses against the poore Prophet yet this is but a colour for the very matter is Ieremie was a little too bold he spake too plaine his sermons were like a fire and like a hammer that breaketh the stone he kept not a word backe of al that the Lord commanded him Nymph Indeede I haue heard much spoken by many and diuers exceptions made against preaching but I neuer heard any man acknowledge his dislike to proceede from any of these causes which you haue named I wish therefore that you would instruct me how to stop the mouths of gaine-sayers when I light into the companie of such They will not perhaps say much to your faces that are Preachers but such as I am shall often heare them talke at libertie and vtter the very bottom of their stomackes and spend all their powder and shot to the beating downe of that which I hope they shall neuer be able to ouerthrow Epaph. Assure your selfe of that for we may be bold to say in the comfort of a good conscience They that be with vs are moe then they that be with them And when we come on the same errand with Ieremie why may we not hope vpon the same promise They shal fight against thee
cōdemned for the supposed misdemeanor of them which preach God forbid Is any mā so vnwise as to disobey a warrant comming apparently frō a man of authority because the Constable or Tithingman is a naughty fellow that bringeth it Who then but either a foole or a froward hart wil tread the holy doctrine of God vnder his feete because he is a man of no good cariage that deliuereth the same Thirdly men are to consider this also that all are not Ministers which are so called neither all true Preachers come frō God that stand vp in the pulpit for in these corrupt times many are crept into the Church of God by the window whom God did neuer set apart to that holy seruice now it is vnpossible but that such as these though they may a long time couer their double iniquity vnder a dissembled sanctitie yet at last breake out into extremities Now it is against common reason to turne their miscariage into the generall disgrace of all honest Ministers There be many counterfeit dog-leaches and pretenced Surgions that hauing gotten a litle Rubarbe or Balsamum and some few words of art run about the country and beguile the people and cozen them of their mony purging their purses and scouring their bags vnder colour of clensing their bodies searching their sores Shal we say therefore that al Phisitions though they be neuer so well learned neuer so well experienced neuer so conscionable and wary in their courses of administring are cozeners and that it were pittie but the countrey were rid of them all it were an indignitie once to imagine it There is no profession but it hath as it were a certaine scumme and there are some that make shew of it that are altogether vnworthy of it Shall the vilenesse vnbeseeming cariage of those that are but the refue and as I may so speake the taile of an honest profession be cast into the face of all the rest that belong vnto it Reason it selfe sayth it is vnméete And men would soone yéeld to this were it not that the diuell hath taught them to be wise in any thing sauing in religion to fauor any profession sauing that of the ministery Men are herein like vnto many Lawyers who if you put them a case without naming the parties will tell you truly what is law but whē they vnderstand who they be whō the matter concerneth then they change their opinion and the law is altered So in the world ask you any man of cōmon vnderstanding this questiō whether it be meet that all of a trade or company should be chalenged because some such or such are worthy to be punished he will tell you there is no reason for it but come to particulars touching preachers thē he is of another mind he wil be ready to say that al Christs disciples were naught because Iudas was a diuel because he it may be knoweth some two or 3. sir Iohns or some other perhaps of better note in the eyes of the world but yet scarcely worthy of their places to be climing with Diotrephes or embracing this present world with Demas or carying themselues insolently with Pashur or otherwise kéeping bad rule with him who imagining that his master doth defer his coming begins to smite the seruants and the maidens and to eate and drinke and to be drunken by and by he concludeth that they are all naught and voweth that he will neuer beléeue any of them for all their shewes of holinesse Fourthly for the further cleering of this point this is also to be considered that Ministers and Preachers do not thinke themselues freed from common infirmities or endued with some greater power or larger priuiledge against sin then others therefore euery slip is not by by to be taken hold of as the maner is and to be turned to the blemishing of a whole profession He is said to be a man of vpright conuersation not who slippeth neuer for who is he that can vnderstand his faults but he who by his seldome slips and by his not continuing in any one knowne euill sheweth himselfe to be a man that vnfainedly desireth to haue his cariage such as becometh the Gospel of Christ Lastly mark this also you shal find it true those who are euer harping vpon this string touching the liues of preachers let thē be vrged to particulars you shal perceiue that either their euill speaking is occasioned by such kind of Ministers as I before named or else if they haue any exception against any of the better and painfuller sort it is such which if it be well examined and throughly looked into will be found rather to sauor of malice in the speaker then to argue any great error in the accused I told you I should be long in this point but now I haue done vnlesse you haue ought further to vrge therein Nymph The most that I haue to say is that men of the world that shall heare this Plea of yours will straightway say that you can speake well for your selues and that though you aggrauate other mens sins vpon occasions yet you can salue vp matters that concerne your selues and helpe to couer your owne infirmities Epaph. The diuell doth well answer his name for there is nothing can be so wel spoken but he and his can cauil at it for mine owne part I striue with my self to speake vnpartially The profession I must loue because God hath called me vnto it yet were I not of it God hath taught me to honor it because the feet of them are beautifull which bring glad tidings of peace And howsoeuer many do so far exalt themselues in their birth in their riches in their wisedome in their personage and bloud that they think it a disparagement vnto them to consecrate all their life to the ministerie of the Gospell yet as Christ himselfe disdained not the title of a Minister so among all the titles of kingdomes and countries this was to that great King the most honorable Solomon the Preacher I must therefore as a Minister but especially as a Christian endeuor to maintaine the credit of the ministery And yet I am not so caried away with a humor of magnifying the profession but that I do see and bemone both mine and other mens imperfections I know that though it be true that we are many times slaundered by soule mouthes yet we often faile and giue great offence euen vnto those that feare God who depending vpon vs are either grieued in heart or which is worse grieuously mis-led by our want of watchfulnesse ouer our selues And I heartily beg of God so to stablish vs in euery word and good work that while we liue we may be an example to them that beleeue and when we haue finished our course the people may haue cause to remēber vs to follow our faith considering what hath bin the end of our
helpe as in these already handled yet because I haue this good oportunitie and do find you also so willing to instruct me I will yet further acquaint you with one other allegatiō which being answered I shall I thinke be well prouided both to satisfie those of my acquaintance which shall perhaps seeke help from me and also to say something to those who with their quirkes and shewes of reasons thinke to put downe such plaine men as I am when we come into their companie I named it to you before though happely by length of communication it is slipped from you and it is this That euen reading it selfe is preaching and that they seeke to proue by those reasons first they say to preach is nothing but to publish the Gospell and that is done by reading secondly in hearing the scriptures read we heare the sermons of the Prophets of Christ and of his Apostles which passe all other sermons which any man now can make Thirdly there is they say euen in reading that which we so much commend preaching for namely expounding and applying for the new Testament is the expounder of the old and the Epistles of Paul and Peter and the rest do apply both vnto mens consciences Thus though in our common speech we account reading to be one thing and preaching to be another yet by these deuises we are many times shrewdly puzled and know not sodainly what to answer Epap These reasons what shew soeuer they may make at the first view yet are they neuer able to proue that for which they are alleaged as shall God willing appeare in the seuerall examination of them First for that which is said that preaching is nothing but a publishing of the Gospell I yéeld vnto it if it be well and rightly vnderstood and when it is so vnderstood as it ought to be then it will appeare that the reading of the bare context cannot properly be tearmed preaching I find in the new Testament foure words especially to be vsed when preaching so farre forth as it is incident to the office of an ordinary Pastor in Gods Church is mentioned The first signifieth to deliuer good tidings because the Gospel is as it was by the Angels to the shepheards tidings of great ioy to all Gods people The second third words signifie to make manifest to discouer to make knowne to set forth to open view and so to handle a matter as the Prophet was commaunded to deale with a visiō which God had shewed him namely to make it plaine vpon Tables that he which runneth may reade it This shall appeare to be true to any man that shal take the paines to examin and duely to ponder those places of the new Testament in which these words are vsed in the Gréeke which being applyed to the Minister his office are translated by the word Preach And these kinds of words do fitly set forth the duty of a Preacher which is especially that which Paul exhorteth the Ephesians to begge of God on his behalfe to wit To make knowne the secret of the Gospell which seeing it must be sought for as siluer and searched for as for treasure is not ordinarily to be looked for in the vpper face as it were but to be with paines and industrie digged out of the very bowels and heart of the Scripture The fourth word signifieth to publish and as an herald or a crier to deliuer a matter in open place in the hearing of a multitude that many may take notice of it For this cause the Prophet Isaiah was willed to Crie aloude and to Lift vp his voice like a trumpet and Ieremiah was commaunded to stand in the gate of the Lords house and to crie the word there And hence also it is that the wisdome of God is said to stand in the top of the high places and to make as it were a publike proclamation O men ô ye foolish who so is simple let him come hither Ho euery one that thirsteth come vnto me al ye that are wearie c. By this it may appeare what it is to Preach and in what sense Preaching may be tolerably defined to be a publishing of the Gospell namely it is an open and comfortable discouerie by word of mouth making plaine vnto the people of God the mysterie of godlinesse euen the secret of the Gospell Now as no man duly considering the nature and vse of the forenamed words can denie Preaching by a Minister lawfully called to be euen such a kind of publishing the Gospell as is now set downe so neither can he with any face or colour affirme the action of reading the Scripture to be answerable to this description So that though it be granted that the text of Scripture is the Gospell and the very word of God and withall that reading is after a sort a publishing thereof because thereby the letter of the Text is recited with a lowd voice from an eminent and conspicuous place in the audience of a multitude yet when we shall enter into a more exact examination of things it will then appeare that Reading simply cannot be called a publishing of the Gospell in that sense as it is required of Ministers and Teachers to be spreaders abroad and proclaimers of Gods truth Adde hereto that that which is the principall thing looked for of a Preacher in the publishing of the word the bare Reader in the act of Reading neither can nor doth performe and that is the deuiding the word of truth aright and to apply Christs words in a case not much vnlike a giuing to them of the houshold which is the Church 1. Tim. 3.15 their portion of meate in season A Minister is one to whō the dispensation or stewardship is committed in the familie of God and his office is out of the store-house of the Scripture to share out to euery one that which he shall find by his caring to know the state of his flocke to be best fitting and agréeing to him As for as example Milke that is the first principles of the word of God to those which are inexpert in the word of righteousnesse Strong meate that is doctrine of greater depth for them who are able to beare it Meeknesse of instructing for those which are contrarie minded a rodde and sharpe rebuke of slow bellies that they may be found in the faith Improuing or conuincing of Gainesayers that their mouths may be stopped admonition for them that are vnruly comfort for the feeble minded a discréet and respectiue framing of exhortation to seuerall ages and degrées to the Elders as to fathers to the younger men as to brethren to the elder women as to mothers to the yonger as to sisters After this sort euery mans portion must be allotted out vnto him and this ordering of that prouision which the Lord as a carefull housholder hath left for his spirituall
bloud of all men and that no man who liueth vnder our ministery may haue cause in the day of the Lord to impute his slownes in repenting to our too cold too mild and couert maner of reproouing Nymph But what say you now sir to the third accusation which is that you make your preaching too common and so by that means draw it into contempt make it to be the lesse esteemed among men I can tell you there be many that are preachers themselues be of that opinion Epaph. I am the more sorie and to tell you what I thinke plainly I am of that mind that those which blame often preaching as a fault what colour soeuer they may set vpon it yet they do it chiefly for the couering of their own shame that their negligence may not be taken notice of I remember the old fable of the Foxe who hauing had a mischance lost his taile coming into the assembly of the beasts of the same kind fell to perswade them euery one to cut off his taile pleading the cumbersomnesse and waightinesse of it with many the like circumstances but the matter coming to further scanning it was found that the wily foxe did it onely to couer his owne deformitie which if to be without tailes had once bene a fashion should neuer haue bene espied I leaue you to apply it Only I wold wish all such so minded to follow Hieromes counsell in which he admonisheth one Calphurnius vpon some such occasiō as this that if he wanted téeth himselfe he should not be enuious against those with were able to eate When one counselled Moses to silence Eldad Medad imagining that their Prophecying in the hoast might haue eclipsed Moses his credite Moses liked not the aduice but wished that all the Lords people were Prophets But lest I should seeme too tart against this kind of mē of whō yet there is some hope I wil be cōtent to examin their reasons because as I gather by your spéech they séeke as the Prouerbe is to be mad with reason They say the ouer-commonnesse of preaching will breed contempt of preaching First of all suppose it fareth with some in respect of preaching as it did with the vnthankfull Israelites which loathed the Manna wherwith the Lord so miraculously fed them in the wildernesse so they also seeme to be as it were glutted with the continuall vse of the word preached yet this can be no reason why a diligent and frequent Preacher should remit any thing of his former industrie and speak more sparingly drawing his Sermons into a smaller number then he was wont It is truly said that there are thrée very good mothers which haue three very bad daughters and they are these 1. Truth which yet in the world bréedeth hatred 2. Peace a great blessing of God and yet through our corruption it causeth Idlenesse 3. Familiarity and the cōmon vse of a good thing which is notwithstanding mostly recompenced with Contempt And yet this is not in the nature of these things but onely in our corruption For as the nature of God is so perfectly good that he doth turn euen very euill things into very good things as he made the malice of the Iewes in putting his Sonne to death to be a meane of our saluation so our nature is so absolutely euill that it turneth very good things into euill as sometimes the grace of God into wantonnesse and Christian libertie into an occasion vnto the flesh so in these particulars which I haue named Now because truth is generally hated shall men therefore banish it from their speeches and frame their toungs to flatterie Because many abuse the blessing of peace shall we therefore voluntarily raise tumults or desire God to put an end to our happie dayes of quietnesse There is in the world no reason for it Neither is there any iust cause why we should go about to make our preaching as it were something more dainty because it may séeme to some raw and ill disposed stomackes to breed a kind of fulnesse and satietie Secondly if we looke better into it we shall see that the true cause of mens contempt of preaching is not so much the common vse of it as the ignorance of the worth and excellencie of it The Sun the water the fire what things more common and yet what things lesse despised and the reason is because we all know we cannot liue without them Let men be once perswaded of this that neither the Sunne nor water nor fire are more necessary for the outward man then preaching is for the soule and spirit and that where it is wanting there the people decay thē they will neuer be cloyed or at least if satietie through the in-bred corruption of our nature créepe vpon them by the remembrance hereof it will quickly be recouered Thirdly do but marke what course of preaching it is which pleaseth some to call ouer-common namely a setled course for euery Sabboth and it may be some wéeke day Lecture as it is called vsually Now I would faine sée how any man can say with reason that this is ouer often Paule commaundeth to preach in season If this charge carie any waight what better season can there be then the Sabboth a day of leasure a day in which men if not for conscience yet for custome and because of the lawes assemble themselues in one place for the performance of one common dutie and seruice vnto God I remember it is premitted as a circūstance to the historicall relation of some of Christs sermons that when he saw the multitude and great troupes resorted to him then he spake many things to them and in another place it is said that beholding the swarmes of people and considering their spirituall wants euen his very bowels did worke within him and he began to teach them So no doubt it is ought to be with euery good Minister he cannot as we say find in his heart to dismisse a multitude assembled to worship God without some word of exhortation Me thinketh that when a Pastor of a parish is comen into the church vpon the Sabboth day beholdeth his whole flocke gathered together as one man he should euen imagine that the very presence of the people doth cal to him as the Rulers of the synagogue did to Paul and Barnabas that if he haue any word of exhortation for them he should say on So that if to preach in season be a Minister his dutie and the fulnesse of an assembly vpon the sabboth be a seasonable occasiō as no man can deny it I cannot see how so seasonable an exercise can be charged with ouer-commonnesse or blamed as a meanes to make the word of God lesse precious amongst men God requireth that we should call the Sabboth a delight to consecrate it now how can that day be hallowed and consecrated as it ought if so speciall a
owne conscience to be nothing else then that which he was supposed to be Here is theÌ„ one cause of dislike the word thus handled openeth that which men of all other things desire most to be concealed so that it is true of the word of Christ which he witnesseth of himselfe The world hateth me because I testifie thereof that the workes of it are euill Tell me now I pray you what thinke you of this Nymp. Truly I cannot but beare witnesse to the truth hereof out of mine owne experience For howsoeuer I haue now learned I thanke God to say with Dauid Let the righteous smite me for that is a benefite let him reproue me and it shall be a precious oile that shall not breake my head yet I well remember when I first heard preaching I was many times discontented me thought the Preacher was too peremptory and a great deale more plaine then needed yea I had much ado at times not to perswade my selfe that I was chiefly aimed at in some things and that the Preacher had receiued some secret informations touching me and my demeanour which he there opened in the pulpit So hard a thing is it for flesh and bloud to beare the words of reproofe yea though in the witnesse of a mans owne conscience he hath euery way deserued the same But I hartily beseech God on the behalfe of you and others of your sort that he would enlarge your spirits and giue vtterance vnto you that you may open your mouthes boldly to publish the secret of the Gospell For I thinke there were neuer any dayes of greater securitie in which it is needfull that the men of God should lift vp their voice like a trumpet to shew the people their transgressions and the house of Iacob their sins because indeed as it was said of old All the world sitteth sâ—ll and is at rest And I wish vnfainedly that the seuerall watchmen in their particular charges would remember that Item which the spirit of God giueth by the Prophet Ye that are mindfull of the Lord keepe not silence But sir I am afraid I do too much interrupt you therefore I pray you proceed to shew the next reason of dislike Epaph. You haue said the very truth We can be content to heare the word vntill it rifle vs. But as a purging potioÌ„ as long as it is in drinking is but as other drink vntil it worke and then we could be content to cast it vp againe so we can quietly heare the word vntill it work vpon vs but then it seemeth a burden vnto vs. But to come to the opening of the second reason of the dislike of preaching I haue by obseruation found it to be this because preaching is as they suppose an enemy vnto libertie a thing which by nature euery man desireth to enioy In the second Psalme we reade what is the opinion that men haue of Christian obedience they call it bands cords that is to say meere seruilitie and slauery a base and ignominious thing to be conformable This is the very right conceipt which worldlings haue of yeelding them selues vnto the doctrine of Christ Iesus When Lot admonished the Sodomites begaÌ„ to perswade with theÌ„ to desist from violence against the strangers that were with him in his house they cried straite Shall he iudge and rule Forthwith they began to repine against his godly aduise as against a matter of too much tyrannie in Lot and of too great subiection in themselues It was the imputation of Korah and his adherents to Moses and Aaron You take too much vpon you they déemed the gouernement of Moses too peremptery as an enemy to their liberty therefore not to be endured When the Prophet Amos preached it was said that the land was not able to beare his words as who should say his sermons were too censorious men that were of a liberall and free disposition were not able to digest them One reason which the Iewes had against Christ to stir vp themselues to find a meanes to suppresse him was because they supposed that if they let him alone the Romanes would come and take away both their place and nation They thought bondage wold follow vpon his doctrine This might easily be enlarged with the additioÌ„ of many examples but our owne experience may be a sufficient confirmation For euen at this day the world maintaineth the same opinion of obedience and conformitie in Christian duties that it is an abridgement to liberty that it sauoreth of slauishnes basenesse for a man at the words of a Preacher to be restrained Nymph Truly sir it is euen so for out of my poore experience I am able to witnesse thus much that many men imagine that for them to liue without controlment following the sway of their owne affections if they may sweare and blaspheme and be vicious and riotous and drink with the drunkard and profane the Sabbaoth and scoffe at zeale and sinceritie in religioÌ„ and runne into all manner of excesse this is libertie On the other side they repute the restraint from any of these things to be the greatest thraldome a misery it is to be kept within compasse that a man may not sweare may not spend the Lords day in sports or in worldly businesses or in trauelling vpon his owne occasions that he must set such a narrow watch before his mouth as that there should be no filthines nor foolish talking nor iesting that he should be tied to the continuall hearing of the word to often receiuing the sacrament and the like this is a misery of all miseries a thing not to be endured they crie when you tel theÌ„ these things This is a hurd saying who can abide it and determine as those of whom you spake Let vs breake their bands and cast their cords from vs. But resolue me herin I pray you sir is this liberty Are not men herein altogether mistaken Epaph. Yes verily for howsoeuer men think themselues iolly fellowes because they can seeme to contemne all gouernement yet in indeed of all conditions it is the basest and of al thraldomes the most slauish for a man to be subiect vnto sin to be giuen ouer to his owne lusts to be led wholly by the corrupt affections of his owne hart and to say the truth euen in reason it must needs be so for as to be a slaue and a vassall is in it selfe very opprobrious and such a thing as euen the nature of man doth abhorre so the more vile he is to whom a man is in bondage the more base and odious is it in the eyes of others and the more tedious to himself if he be of any ingenious disposition Now what more vile thing can there be imagined then sinne is What more abhominable before God what more dangerous to the soule of him that committeth it so that sin being a thing so vile in how seruile an estate
and all their studies and endeuours to the seruice of the church and do so long after their people from the very heart roote in Iesus Christ that for their spiritual furtherance they could beteame to deale euen their owne soules vnto thē such I say through the blessing of God vpon their holy labours do so increase in iudgement and in zeale and haue such a doore of vtterance opened vnto them to speake the mysterie of Christ that as they themselues placing a kind of felicity in the doing of their dutie find in themselues a certain facultie in that heauenly exercise so the Church of God committed to them is instructed by their soundnesse of doctrine and whetted on by their zealous exhortations So that to say that sound preaching is for the peoples behoofe and not frequent preaching is a méere collusion presupposing that which is most false namely that soundnes of doctrine and oftenesse of teaching cannot go together How litle I approue of rash aduenturing vpon this kind of exercise that which I haue spoken formerly may witnesse and how small reason there is to separate these two profitable preaching and often preaching I referre it to any indifferent iudgement Nymph But because some that are reputed learned affirme that often preaching is not so much for the peoples profite shew me I pray you some good reason to the contrary that I may be able both to preuaile against mine owne backwardnes when I beginne to grow weary of diligent hearing and to prouoke others also when I shal behold them as it were glutted with multitude of sermons Epaphr There is a certaine disease which we are all more or lesse infected with our Sauior Christ calleth it slownes of heart this euill sicknesse being accompanied with a kind of spirituall sléepinesse and lethargie maketh vs as it were a very lumpe of fluggishnesse slow in attention slow in vnderstanding slow in remembring slow in practising First for attentiō we sée it by euery days experience how like the most of our hearers are vnto the idols of the heathen of whom the Psalme saith that they haue eares and heare not It is true that Elihu sayd to Iob God speaketh once or twise one seeth it not many excellent things are spoken which we obserue not we heare generally with the hearing of the eare so that we haue all need to haue that of the Prophet often vrged He that heareth let him heare that so we might endeuour to fetch vp our hearts to our eares that one sound may at once pierce thē both this is our slownes in attention there is nothing that is heard more idly then that which ought to be listened vnto most carefully Secondly for conceit vnderstāding our slownes therin equalleth our slothfulnes in the former many points are taught that with as much plainnes as is possible in which notwithstanding he that speaketh seemeth as it were a Barbarian vnto vs. That same natural man which perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God sometimes beareth too great a stroke within vs somtimes also God permitting it for our better hūbling the god of this world blindeth our minds that the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ cānot shine vnto vs. The blind man whō Christ healed at Bethsaida when his sight began in some degrees to be restored being asked if he saw ought he looked vp and said I see mē walking as trees he saw at the first not distinctly but after a confused maner I apply it thus we are all by nature blind in the best things and because they are spiritually discerned of our selues we cannot see them now when it pleaseth that God which commandeth the light to shine out of darknes to shine in our hearts we haue at the first but as it were a certain glimpse of heauenly matters the precise exact knowledge is not by and by attained Thirdly touching memory how great weaknes there is in it I cal euery mans conscience to witnes Indeed we see how surely and how long men can remember matters of the world The vncharitable and malicious man will remember an euill turne many a yeere wayting still an oportunity to reuenge it The old man hath so fresh an impression of the toyes vanities of his youth that he wil make you as perfite a relation of them with euery circumstance as if they had bene done but yesterday The couetous worldling though perhaps he can neither write nor reade nor hath any to keepe his reckonings yet he can remember all his bargaines all his conditions in bargaining all his dayes and houres places either for the payment or receipt of any thing The young man or woman can soone learne without book many a ballad or idle Loue-song tending to the increasing or stirring vp of vncleannesse and so it fareth in other particulars But come now to matters of religion piety alas how true is it that the conceipt of them is as soone gone from our minds as the sound from our eares When Dauid enquired of Ahimaaz comming from the camp touching Absolom his answer was I saw a great tumult but I knew not what Like to this will be the answer of a great many when at their returne frō the house of God they are demaunded touching the particulars there deliuered they will say they saw a man speaking and heard the noise of his voice and beheld his gesture but they know not what they can tell litle of that which was vttered by him Lastly for slownesse in practise it is long before after long hearing we are brought to incline to a good dutie and yet after some good disposition to it there are so many delayes and so many pul-backes yea and after a reasonable beginning so many fallings backe and so much waxing weary of well doing that we are too well like Salomons sluggard who it may be maketh many offers of rising yet whilest he crieth Yet a litle sleepe a litle slumber the time stealeth away and his vineyard is all growne ouer with thornes for want of husbandry This is our drowsie sicknes of slownesse of heart The best ordinary remedy against this disease is often preaching as you shall see if you well examine it Continuall calling vpon at last through a kind of importunitie will win vs to attention Often repetition of the same points will both cleare the vnderstanding and settle the iudgment also It grieueth me not saith Paul to write the same things to you and for you it is a sure thing That which after many times deliuery is stil committed to forgetfulnesse yet at the last it is laid vp in the mids of the hart and by the negligence and backwardnes of many yeeres yet in the end the words of the wise Preacher being like goades is drawne vnto some cōfortable perfection If oftē preaching may lawfully be comcomplained of
who haue iuster cause to grone vnder the burden of it then we that are Ministers For besides the wasting of the bodies health and the consuming of the vitall parts thereof what a griefe is it to a mans soule to lift vp his voice to them which wil not heare what a death and toyle to make infinite repetitions of the same principles what a vexation to beate the aire what a discouragement and euen the killing of a mans heart to haue to do with those whose neck is an iron sinew their brow brasse and yet though these things might make a man to resolue with Ieremy to speake no more in Gods name yet we haue no such commission to giue ouer but we are commaunded still to be instant with all long suffering prouing if God at any time will giue repentance If a preacher should put forth such a question to Christ touching preaching as Peter did touching forgiuing should say Master how long willt thou that I preach vnto a stif-necked and obstinate people vnto seuen times I doubt not but he would returne him the like answer that he did to Peter I say not to thee vnto seuen times but vnto seuentie times seuen times When Peter his company had trauelled in fishing all night had takeÌ„ nothing neuertheles at thy word sayd he to Christ I wil let downe the net The Lord hath called vs to be Fishers of men And though it be a great hart-breaking to haue laboured long to small purpose yet for our Masters sake there is further triall to be made hoping that yet at the length that long-expected draught will come and accounting our selues happy and all our paines wel bestowed if with all that we can do we shall gaine one soule vnto God To shut vp this point then if we shall duely weigh our owne backwardnes and withal the Ministers duty of whom that instant diligence is required we shal then sée that it is much and often preaching which we must wish for beseeching the Lord to pardon that aboue all things if we shall find the word through the common vse of it to grow vile before vs. Nymph You haue said well to this point onely you haue forgotten the similitude of the raine which may be some ocâ—n of doubt to vs that are common men â—th because we find in the scripture the word of God to be compared to the raine and because also in common experience we feele the inconuenience of too great abundance of raine Epaph. I had not forgotten it though if I had it were not much materiall it being indeed but for the satisfying of your minde scarce worth the answering We haue a rule in schooles that borowed speeches do make no grounded arguments and for scripture similitudes it is certaine that by pressing euery thing that is applied by the spirit of God for some speciall illustration a man shall run into a world of absurdities according as the Papistes in their violent wringing of many parables to giue some colour to their vile opinions affoord vs no small number of examples It is true the word of God is in the holy Scripture compared to raine and that very fitly because as the raine falling vpon the land maketh it either more fruitful or more barren according to the nature of the soyle vpon which it falleth so the word that goeth out of the mouth of the Lord doeth not returne vnto him voâ—le but it becommeth either the sauour 〈◊〉 life vnto life or of death vnto death to those which heare it making the thildreÌ„ of God more zeasons of good workes and the wicked more outragious I do not find in the scripture the similitude of raine when it is applied to the word to haue any further meaning and therfore to stretch it further according to a mans owne priuate fancy is to forget the Apostles rule of vnderstanding according to sobrietie and wilfully to continue in such a practise is no other but to peruert the Scriptures to a mans owne destruction The Lord doeth in the scripture threaten it as a plague to take away the Prophet and to send a famine of hearing the word and he promiseth it also as a blessing to giue pastors which shall feede the people with knowledge and vnderstanding and watchmen which all the day and all the night continually shall not cease but I do not remember that euer I read either often preaching threatned as a curse or seldome and thinne preaching promised as a blessing And surely if as abundance of raine so abundance of preaching were a punishment I doubt not but the good laws of our Church which haue prescribed a prayer against ouer-much raine might well set downe the same course in respect of much preaching from which notwithstanding euery honest mans eares would abhorre And therefore I will be bolde to conclude that this reason pressing the similitude of rayne and moysture to the washing away of diligent preaching and hearing from out of Gods Church is a very dry reason which though it may appeare to haue some taste of witte yet hath scarcely any smacke of honestie Nymp. I pray God therefore we may remember to make the prayer which our Sauior taught vs namely that the Lord of the haruest would send forth laborers into his haruest and that he would so furnish them with gifts of knowledge of vtterance and of zeale that they may vrge and call vpon vs continually for as you truly sayed we are so slow and backward that except we be dayly pricked forward and rouzed vp we shall grow cold and carelesse and be euen frozen vpoÌ„ the dregs of our owne securitie I know sir that in good manners it is now high time to forbeare troubling you any further yet I would gladly craue your direction in one thing more and that is this for mine owne part I thanke God I both do and euer since I had any tast of goodnesse hue loued preaching onely I find a great defect in my selfe that I cannot so profite by it as I would and as I see many do I am bold therefore to intreate you to shew me how and by what meanes I may heare profitably both for the setling of my iudgement and for the increase of holinesse in my common conuersation The humours of many men are herein verie strange some say that there are such differences of opinions among you that be learned that a common man knoweth not which of you to beleeue others hold opinion that it is not for priuate ordinarie persons to take vppon them to iudge of the things they heare so that the resolution of the greatest part is that it is the wisest way either not to heare or else if for satisfying the lawes they must heare yet not to giue credit Besides there are many of vs which heare vsually and yet are little bettered by it