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
men Augustine held it profitable that of the same questions many bookes should be made by sundry men in a differing stile though not with a differing faith All stomackes we see are not alike One kind of dressing pleaseth one which hath no relish with another and yet the same meate ordered after some other fashion may fit his appetite also As there is a difference of stomacks so of humors and dispositions in men The same matter diuersly handled may find entertainement with diuers men which yet digested after one onely fashion would haue acceptance but with a few Touching the maner of writing I will promise thee nothing more then ordinary It is not for me either to praise or discommend mine owne workes the one were vanitie the other folly I submit all to thy iudgement Onely this I say somewhat to help my selfe Hierom saith there are two things requisite for diuinity-studies Silence and Leisure Of the lacke of both these I may well complaine Houshold affaires and the stirres occasioned by those businesses cannot but breed distraction and he which is exercised with the care of a congregation shall meet with very seldome intermission I intreat thee therefore when thou shalt find me to faile in any thing from which I account not my selfe priuiledged impute it to this forenamed want and hope thus of me that if I had had more freedome and more time all things should haue bene brought to better perfection I haue troden in an old beaten path both by old and new writers by Diuines and Heathen namely to frame my matter to the forme of a Dialogue a very good way in my seeming to help the vnderstanding of common men I confesse it to haue haue eased me much in writing I doubt not but it shall turne to thy benefite in reading also Well whatsoeuer it is good Reader thine it is and being thine I am cōmanded by him that may command vs al not to withhold it frō thee Receiue it therfore with the same hand with which it is deliuered to thee Vse it to thy comfort and whatsoeuer good thou receiuest by it let the glory be the Lords All that I desire of thee by way of recompence is that thou be a suter to God on my behalfe that with his preuenting and following mercy in all needful things which I know not he wold instruct me in all truth which I do know he would vphold me and in those things wherein as a man I haue failed he would reforme me And the same God sanctify vs both throughout that our whole spirit and soule and body may be kept blamelesse vnto the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ Farewell Modbury in Deuon 1. September 1604. Thine in the Lord Sam Hieron ⧠The Preachers Plea Or a Treatise in forme of a plaine Dialogue making knowne the worth and necessitie of that which we call Preaching shewing also how a man may profit by it both for the informing of his iudgement and the reforming of his life Epaphras a Minister Nymphas a priuat man Nymphas SIr vnlesse I do very much mistake I haue oftē heard you in your publike sermons vrge the sufficiency that ought to be in a Minister and especially for the clearing of doubts and cases of conscience among those of whō the holy Ghost hath made him an ouerseer Epaphras It is not vnlike that among other points deliuered in the ordinarie ministery you haue receiued this also for I am well aduised that of old it was the appointment of God that the Priests lips should preserue knowledge and men should seeke it at his mouth So that we all as many as tender the good of the Church of Christ haue cause to bewaile our countries estate in which are so many VVels without water as S. Peter termeth them and that not vnfitly for as a well placed by the way side in regard of the outward séeming thereof putteth the poore thirsty traueller in hope of some refreshing who repairing to it and finding nothing but emptinesse goeth on his way with the greater discouragement so these kind of men standing in the Church of God do by reason of their outward habite semblance of grauitie make the wearied distressed perplexed Christian conceiue that if he haue recourse to them he shall certainely be reléeued but yet when he maketh triall he findeth them to his greater griefe not vnlike to the images of the Heathen VVhich haue mouthes and speake not not hauing the tongue of the learned that they should know how to minister a word in time to him that is weary But tell me neighbor I pray you this being granted what you would inferre hereupon Nymphas Surely that which I would inferre hereupon is this that you being by your calling a Minister are therefore able and being also by the prouidence of God that Minister vpon whose labours I must especially depend are willing also to enter discourse with me and to affoord me your best helpe for my better vnderstanding in some points wherein I haue of late dayes bene very much perplexed Epaph. For mine abilitie in this behalf what it ought to be I know and what I wish I it to be I know also yet whatsoeuer it is I shall be most willing as my dutie is to spend my time to bestow my labour and to employ my best endeuors in so holy a businesse as is your building vp in knowledge and your furtherance in the wayes of godlinesse And I do heartily wish that both you and others of our neighbors would more often giue me the like occasion I should then the better know your doubts and so fit my selfe to speake in preaching to euery mans conscience and you also should by that means be resolued in many things which for lacke of conference must néeds breed scruple especially in those which haue not yet through long custome exercised wits to discerne both good and euill Nymp. I am not a litle glad to heare this from you for to tell you the truth plainely without flattery I haue heard some complaine of a certaine strangenesse in you and others of your coate which they say hath discouraged them from aduenturing to conferre with you Epaph. That may be but a pretence yet it will not altogether excuse either others or my selfe herein happily we be not so tender ouer the wants of our people as we ought to be Howsoeuer to preuent any such feare in you for this time I pray you be bold to speake your mind freely and you shall find me far from seeming weary of you or from giuing you any occasion to thinke that I am vnwilling to seeke to resolue you as I may in any thing that may trouble you And I pray God the God of all grace euen for Christs sake so to blesse this our conference by giuing to vs both a right iudgment in al things that it may be both to his glorie and
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