at home at certaine spare howres that at the last they shall both reioice for so great riches spiritual treasure obtained and shall leaue behind them many of full and ripe years who perhaps in this respect tooke themselues not to be the last or behind others To this we may adde that they are therby moued to write fast and speedily whilest they are constrained to indeuour by writing to keepe tacke with the preacher before the things that were spoken slip out of their memorie and so become not so much painters as good and cunning writers indeed which thing also hath a verie apparant vse not onely in publike schooles but in euerie sort of a more learned and ciuill life whatsoeuer whether in the Church or in the ciuill estate men shall applie their minds And by this kind of writing both the memorie and the iudgement of youthes is marueilously sharpened The memorie holpen The memorie certainely while it suffereth not those things to flote and vanish away which the penne must spedilie receiue and take and the iudgement The iudgement also whilest men discerne betwixt things spoken besides the purpose and such as in the Sermons are deliuered to the point indeed that so omitting the former they may imbrace and receiue these And though it may so fall out that one and the selfe same thing not onely as in regard of some particular words but as in respect also of the whole sentences be now and then repeated and beaten vpon by the preacher which Augustine in some place of his bookes touching Christian doctrine August de doct Psa 10 sometimes perswadeth the minister and preacher of the Church to do namely so long to pursue and stand vpon the beating and repeating of one and the same point vntill by the gesture and countenance of the hearers he perceiue that they vnderstand it that yet they should know that to note it once onely will be sufficient yet so as they doe preferre that before the rest Many things required in a diligent hearer or writer of Sermons which both in words and sentences doth excell the rest Also they must know when the seuerall partes of the speech or method of the Sermon beginneth or endeth that is to say which is the beginning or ending which is the narration or discourse which is the proposition or diuision which is the confirmation which is the confutation which is the conclusion and when some of the parts of the speech are omitted which thing is sometimes performed either about the beginning or else in the confutation or towards the conclusion or perhapps in some other part of the speech as we haue declared in his proper place CHAP. 4. Touching the duties that the hearers are to performe when the Sermon is done A corrupt opinion THere is scarse the hundreth man that doth not fully perswade himselfe that he hath well and exactly done his dutie in and about the matter of hearing Sermons if with a sertaine kind of attention diligent meditation of the things propounded he hath heard the Sermon from the beginning to the ending and haue also felt some certaine motions of the mind and deuotion of the heart as it were by the way and vpon the present occasion in the Sermon while stirred vp in him Mo things required than diligent attention at Sermons c. And to say the truth these exercises and offices of a Christian man are not to be contemned or neglected But yet the last labour ending and finishing as they saie are not yet so added vnto this holy worke but sundrie things yet remaine which directly concerne the liuely and healthfull practise of the doctrine heard yea doe so turne the doctrine we haue heard into moisture blood that the fruit thereof doth by many meanes and waies also redound to our selues and others Rom. 2.13 which yet are of so much the greater moment and weight because not the hearers but the doers of the law shal be iustified as the scripture affirmeth And Christ himselfe saith If ye know these things Iohn 13.17 blessed shall ye be if ye do them Wherfore touching some things concerning this point and such as shal be thought necessary we will now put men in mind For first an vngodly lewde and shamefull custome of many Churches doth beare this Men ought not to go out of the Church so soone as the Sermon is ended that such as hardly indured and held out to the end of the Sermons so soone as they are done shall in such a number and heape and with such violence also get them out of the temples that few are found that tarie the publike praiers of the Church fewer that are partakers of the holy sacraments which are the seales of Gods couenant and specially that stay the administration of holy baptisme and fewest of all which waite and looke for the blessing of the Church with which the holy assemblies and exercises should be shut vp and finished Inconueniences that follow going out of the Church before all be finished But in the meane season remaining in the Church yards as they call them cōmonly or in the Church porches they treat of that with no small profanation of the Lords day and the taint or spot of Christian profession worldy and prophane busines yea in some places certaine buyings and sellings yea that with such vncomely rude filthy outcries yea somtimes railings yea tumults also as is pitifull to see or heare whereas it is a godly hearers dutie not so much as to remone his foot out of the holy assembly til such time as the publike praiers be made the Sacraments administred and the blessing of the Church be pronounced and giuen Why the whole Church should be present at publike praiers For concerning publike praiers this is it we must hold seeing there are two principal actiōs parts of the holy assemblies one by which God speaketh with vs both in his word sacramētall signes as if it were by visible words the other by which we againe do by our praiers as it were talke with God we may see that they perform but one halfe of Gods worship seruice that withdraw themselues from the praiers of the Church and not without notorious vnthankfulnesse against God do bewray a retchlesse and detestable impietie Many euils insue our departing out of the Church before publike praiers be finished securitie and slouthfulnesse of their minds by which they declare that they are not touched with any care either of themselues or of the Church which is the communion and fellowship of saints or haue any consideration of all or any of Gods iudgements whether they be benefis and fauours or punishments present or to come For what execrable and accursed vnkindnesse or vnthankfulnes were this The proposition of a similitude if thou shouldest heare some worldly king or prince whose fauour and bountie thou and all thine
our birth or birth day it shall be deferred He shall be degraded and neuer haue to deale with war The punishment yea he shall indure the open sale of his patrimonie whosoeuer he be that shall vpon any time of the festiuall day be present at shewes spectacles And the same punishment shal the apparitour or summoner of euery iudge indure if vnder the pretext of publike or priuate busines he thinke that the things which are established by this law may be violated By such a like constitution did Constantinus the great decree Const magn that all iudges and assemblies of Cities and townes and the seruice of all artes should cease or rest vpon the reuerend Sonday as wee call it or vpon the Lords daie Wherefore such in this behalfe offend that on the Lords day will not haue so much as a foot in the holy places of praier Profaners of the Sabbath or thinke that they haue well discharged and done their dutie if happily they doe superficially heare the forenoones Sermon or perhaps the halfe of it but spend the rest of the time of that daie in or about profane things only They also offend that supersticiously perswade themselues that the sanctification of the Lords day standeth in idlenesse onely and in doing of nothing and yet passe the same away in diuers follies vanities dansings drinkings and pleasures As indeed it cannot otherwise be An olde and true saying but that whilest men doe nothing they learne to doe ill But betwixt these two blameworthie extremities this is the meane namely to consecrate and to spend that day in those exercises which we haue spoken of alreadie and that not onely in the publike assemblies of the Church but at home in euerie seuerall familie priuately and aparte What worldly 〈…〉 Nay we say further let no worldly businesses or labours be taken in hand but such as necessitie it selfe doth force vs vnto that is such things as pertaine to our owne health welfare and defence or to the health welfare and defence of our neighbours and yet so to and in such things as could not either be taken in hand or dispatched the daie before or will not indure a delaie till the day after For in or vnder the commaundement touching the Sabbath such good works from God are not forbidden as the intermission thereof hath both ioyned with them the assured death and destruction of man and also is contrarie to charitie For in that case the sonne of man also is Lord euen of the Sabbath and the Sabbath was made for man Mat. 12.8 Marke 2.27 and not man for the Sabbath Wherefore the Macchabees did in this behalf through superstition offend 1. Macch. 2.34.35 c. that vpō the Sabbath day would not fight against Antiochus nor cast a stone at their aduersaries by meanes whereof they indured the slaughter of a thousand men or there about Wherupon after they had well weighed this errour and that by this meanes they might be rooted out of the land 1. Maccha 2.40.41 they decreed to fight against all that euen on the Sabbath day should set vpon them by battaile So doth our-Sauiour Christ defend that against the calumnies slaunders of the Pharisees his own disciples who for the beating backe of the necessitie of famine did pull the eares of corne and gather them on the Sabbath day Mat. 12.1.5 And further addeth haue yee not read in the law that on the Sabbath daies the priestes in the temple profane and breake but this he speaketh vpon supposition of the opinion of his aduersaries the Sabbath and yet are blamelesse where no doubt he alludeth to those holy workes and labours of the priestes who were constrained on the Sabbath day to slay sacrifices Num. 28.9 to bake the shew bread to set them in rowes before the Lord also to prepare incense Leuit. 24.5.8 to kindle the fire for the sacrifices to seeth the flesh of the sacrifice at the doore of the tabernacle Leuit. 8.31 and to dispose and set in order those seuerall instruments and vessels of the seruice and worship Exod. 26.33 which was prescribed vnder Moses all which surely required no small labour and businesse So if all the haruest time together the skie were rainie and onely the Lords day faire no man that is of sound iudgement could doubt but that the graine might without sinne both be cut downe and caried into the barnes Sixtly if we haue heard in the Sermons some certaine points which are dark 6 We must aske councell of the ministerie touching such things as are darke and we do not well vnderstand or which we our selues could not sufficiently attaine vnto we must not at any hand loath or neglect them vnder the pretext of this prophane speech things that are aboue vs doe not belong vnto vs but either we must aske councell concerning them of the ministers of the Church or if in this case reuerence of them or shamefastnesse in our selues which yet should not be doe hinder vs we ought to goe to them that are more familiar to vs and are indued with greater knowledge of Gods word and holy things For if we doe this in other things of this world and concerning our owne life how much more must we performe it in these diuine and heauenly things the right knowledge whereof is necessary for vs vnto saluation in the knowledge and iudgment wherof we should more and more abound that we may knew the things that differ Phil. 1.9.10 and that we may be syncere or pure And in this behalfe it is the duty of the ministers of the word not onely to teach euerie one in the publike assemblies of the Church but pruately also to instruct and teach As on the other side it is the dutie of faithfull hearers not to be content onely with the publike hearing of Sermons but priuately to lay open and poure out as it were into their ministers bosomes their ignoraunces doubts and scruples of consciences For the priestes lippes preserue knowledge Malach. 2.7 and the people must require the law at his mouth because he is the messenger of the Lord of hostes And Christ being exalted to the right hand of his Father doth not for any other respect vphold and preserue the ministerie of the Church than this Ephes 4.13 that we might all meet together into the vnitie of faith the acknowledging of the son of God that we henceforth be no more children or so should remaine alwaies in Gods matters wauering and caried about with euerie wind of doctrine but following the truth should grow vp c. So that Eunuch which was chamberlaine to the Queene of Ethiopia was not ashamed neither thought he it any whit hurtfull to his credit to lay open his ignorance to Philip Act. 8.34 and to intreat him to open vnto him that place of Isaiah which he was reading So the Apostles
frō all the words which the lord hath cōmanded vs either to the right hand or to the left neither to adde any thing to that word Deut. 12.8 Deut. 28.14 Deut. 4.2 nor to take any thing from it Lastly that we cānot in the whole course of our life calling be at any hand assured certified of the presence fauour blessing of God with vs vpon vs vnlesse his word be a lāterne vnto our feet Psal 119.105 a light vnto our paths for it is not an idle or empty word which God witnesseth vnto vs but it is our life and by this word we shall prolong our daies These meditations I say and thoughts while we heare the bels ring while we prepare our selues to go on to holy assemblies or else euen in those waies as we go are that excellent preparation and quickning or rousing vp of our selues and sanctification that so we should not come to the hearing of Gods shord with vnwashen hands but our heartes should be disposed and fitted indeed to true reuerence and deuotion To the former three aboue mentioned this must be added in the fourth place Deut. 32.47 The Text that must be expounded in the Church must first be read at home and thought vpon there namely that he who taketh true delight and pleasure in Gods word must if he be any whit learned before he come to the holy assembly sundrie times reade yea and reade ouer again and againe eyther the Chapter or the Text of the Bible which are to be expounded in the holy meeting which will easily appeare to euery one vpon the Sabboth daies by the ordinarie Texts which then are commonly expounded in the Sermons which are had and handled on the weeke daies out of some whole booke of scripture that is expounded in order as it lieth yea and he must by himselfe assay what he can doe in searching out the argument of that text the parts doctrines vse No man should be discouraged in his wants and other things that are contained therein Now these priuate meditations though performed rudely and grossely if yet a diligent hearer will compare them with the publike preaching or Sermon he shall with small adoe at the least find out eyther in what things he did not sufficiently attaine vnto the purpose of the holy Ghost or aimed not rightly at the drift thereof And if in any thing he did sticke in his priuate meditation he shal perceiue light communicated vnto him and a hand raught out to leade him And if by indeuour and earnestnes he do once ouercome the first difficultie of this holy godly and wholesome exercise he shall make such good proceedings in the skill both of reading the holy Bible and of hearing holy Sermons that the matter it selfe wil make plaine proofe of this A notable incouragement that the fruit shall notablie answere the labour bestowed and that he shall inwardly reioyce for so great good gotten thereby This very same counsel we reade that Chrisostome also in former time did giue vnto his Church at Constantinople for thus he writeth vpon Iohn One thing for the present Chrysost in euan Iohan. hom 10. before we come to the words of the Gospel I would intreat you yea I pray you despise it not specially sith we desire nothing that is grieuous or hard to be done neither profitable but to him only that receiueth it and yet farre more profitable to you that shew it forth What is it then that we require of you That vpon some one of the daies in the weeke or vpon the Sabboth at the least you would haue regard to reade such portions of the Gospell The hearers duties as are to be expounded which you should haue in your hands before our preachings and should often repeat in your houses and should diligently search out the meaning therof and marke what is cleare and what is darke in them as also what seemeth to be contrarie when indeed it is not And so hauing throughly examined and waighed all things you should present your selues verie attentiue to these Sermons The fruit that shall come therby By this meanes no small fruit and profit should come to eyther of vs For as touching our selues we should not need to vse much labour to shew forth the power of the Gospell when you your selues haue at home made familiar vnto you the sense and meaning specially as in respect of the words And you shall be made more sharpe and quicker conceited not onely to heare and perceiue the doctrine but euen to teach others also A Christian mans dutie in reading of the Bible Thus farre he And indeed the dutie of a Christian man doth not consist in hearing publike Sermons onely but requireth also priuate reading of Gods word at home and that not only when we are presently to goe vnto the Temple or Church Psal 1.2 but we must meditate day and night in the law of the Lord from which kind of studie and exercise a blessed man is described Yea we must afford our selues some time and leasure from our affaires and cares of this life that we may giue our selues to this heauenly and wholsome exercise knowing that this one thing is very necessarie Luke 10.42 Neither must we stay onely in the reading of those Chapters or Textes which are expounded in the assemblie and meeting of the Church For the whole scripture is giuen by inspiration from God is profitable to teach to conuince 2. Tim. 3.16 c. And therefore our Sauiour Christ commaundeth vs to search the scripture Iohn 5 39. or rather giueth this testimonie to the Iewes that they did search them And the Apostle Paul commaundeth Col. 3.16 that the word of Christ should plenteously in all wisdome dwell on vs or in our houses to wit by daily reading and exercise thereof we teaching admonishing one of vs another out of it or according thereto Which studie and care indeed Luke doth highly set out and commend in the men of Berrhea Act. 17.11 And truly vpon the verie same place to the Colossians lately alledged Chrysostome commenteth and writeth after this manner Chrysost in Epist ad Coloss hom 9 Heare saith hee all you that are temporall men and haue charge of wiues and children how euen to you particulerly and principally he commaundeth this that ye should reade the scriptures and that not simply or by the way as we say but with great diligence And a little after O all ye secular men Commendation of the scriptures heare I beseech you Get you Bibles they are the medicines of your soules If you will haue nothing else yet get the newe Testament the Acts of the Apostles the Gospels continuall and diligent teachers If heauines betide you come and sit downe heere and take and taste these things as a storehouse of soueraigne medicines From hence take vnto thy selfe comfort against thine euill
it selfe corrupteth the rest of the bodie as we may easily see in the stomacke for if it alone keepe the food to it selfe it both killeth the rest of the bodie with famine and destroieth it selfe with it owne neuer satisfied corruption whereas on the other side if it receiue that which is sufficient for the satisfying thereof and sendeth the rest to the other members it preserueth both it selfe and the rest of the bodie in good state and health euen so thou also if thou keepe to thy selfe the things which thou hearest from vs The reddition with the reason of it and doest not communicate the same vnto others thou both hurtest them and also corruptest thy selfe because thou dost foster within thee these two sore diseases of slothfulnesse and enuie for it will suffice for thy destruction either through wickednesse or enuie or if ye will through sloth not to communicate them to others Thus farre Chrysostome Fiftly men after the Sermons which they haue heard vpon the Lords daie 5 Vpon the Lords daies after the Sermons are done men must not meddle with any profane businesses must not vndertake or treat of worldly and profane affaires belonging to this life as vpon markets mariage feasts dancings pressing or swearing of souldiours vnlesse the enemies power and presence and as we may say assault vrge and presse the same bargaines of buying and selling diuiding of inheritances casting of accounts about money matters or other things and such as be like to these by which the Lords Sabbath is profaned and the Lords day is not dedicated to God as it should be but to our selues and to the world No these things must be left and the Sermons which we haue heard must at home be repeated and rehearsed againe and againe Priuate exercises on the Sabbath and we must read the holy Bible and other profitable bookes touching Christian religion we must exercise holy singing of Psalmes and parents must vndertake to repeat with their children the points of the Catechisme and these things must be performed in euerie house and familie The preuention of an obiection But if in some houses there be not any that be learned or can read some of the neighbour families which can doe that dutie shall meet there and lend them their labour and aide as in this behalfe For as we take vnto our selues and imploy about our owne businesses A iust and a verie weightie reason all the rest of the sixe daies of the weeke and that many times from daie peepe as we say till it be verie late in the night so surely it behoueth vs no lesse to dedicate and consecrate the Lords daie wholly to God himselfe to holy actions and such exercises as are good for the health of our soules For what if God had claimed to himselfe and to his holy seruice sixe daies and had left vs only one for our vse and the affaires of this life what would we haue done then A worthie inference vpon the premisses As therfore this is a great argument of his singular goodnesse and mercie that here yeelding much of his owne right and authoritie he hath appointed but one day only for himselfe so of what great ingratitude vngodlinesse and of neuer satisfied couetousnes is this a testimonie that we will not or can not leaue no not the seuenth part of our whole life to God and our owne soules vntouched and vndefiled For good Lord with what deceits crafts vsuries lyings A vement exclamation thefts bankettings drunkennesses wanton songs blaspemies cursings by the holy name of God braulings blowes fightings whordomes adulteries wantonnesses vanities murthers and ten thousands besides of most grieuous wickednesses doe faires mariages markets dancings and the other things aboue rehearsed pollute and defile the Lords daies in so much as we may say that they are rather consecrated to Venus and Bacchus yea to the diuell himselfe than to God God verily will haue his people on the Sabbath day to cease and rest from earing from haruest worke Exod. 34.21 August in Psal 91. August lib. 10. de chordis And yet Augustine vpon the Psalmes and in an other peece of his workes affirmeth that it is better to goe to plow on the Sabbath day than to daunce that it is more meete for women to spinne then than that whole day to daunce vnchastly Yea God would haue the Sabbath vnder the old Testament to be sanctified with so great religion that he would not haue the Jewes so much as to kindle fire thoroughout all their habitations Exod. 35.3 And vpon paine of their soules or as they loue them he commaundeth them to take heed of this Iere. 17.21.27 that vpon the Sabbath day they neither bring in nor bring out any burthen by the gates of Ierusalem But notwithstanding this if they will do otherwise he threatneth that he wil kindle a fire in their gates that shall deuoure the houses of Ierusalem it shall not be quenched Nehem. 13.15.16.17 Wherefore Nehemiah seeing certaine men of Tyrus that in Ierusalem did buy and sell vpon the Sabbath day he reproued the rulers of Iudah and calling to their memorie this threatning of God denounced by Ieremiah he prouided that the gates of Ierusalem should be shut vpon the Sabbath day and set some of his seruants at the gates to watch that there should no burthen be brought in on the Sabbath day Nahum 13.21 Yea he was so zealous in this behalfe that he would not suffer chapmen and merchants no not without the walles of the Citie but protested amongest them that if they did so once againe he would lay handes vpon them There is a notable law of Leo and Antonius the Emperours touching the Lords day In Cod. lib. 3 tit de Feriis and it is this We will not haue holy daies dedicated to the most high maiestie of almightie God to be spent in any pleasures or to be profaned with any troubles of exactions wherefore we decree that the Lords day shal be alwaies so honoured and regarded that it shall be exempted from all executions A worthie and verie religious law no summons shal vrge any man then no demaund shall be made of suretiship all appearance shall be silent all pleading shall be hushed that day shall be farre from taking knowledge of causes the rough voice of the crier shall be silent the parties contending shall cease from their controuersies and haue a space of agreement the aduersaries may come together not fearing one another c An excellent caution And yet giuing libertie to the ease and rest of this religious daie we doe not or will not for all that suffer any man to be detained with filthie pleasures Stage plaies and Theater sighes shall chalenge nothing that day feates of wrastling running c. as also the pitifull spectacle of wilde beastes yea though the solemnitie thereof should fall to be kept for