that hee despiseth publik hearing or so honoreth the word preached that hee neglecteth the word read I may say to him and all such as hee is as (a) Iam. 2.4 11. S. Iames said in a like case Ye are partiall in your selfes and are become Iudges of evill thoughts For he that said Heare the word preached said also Heare the word read yea and reade it in your privat dwellings and therefore if ye heare it preached will not heare it read ye are become transgressors of the Law The conclusion is They that will be blessed may not make a divorce betweene those ordinances which God hath made joint helps to a blessed life 2. If necessitie do at any time force us to forbeare some of these helps wisedome must teach us to make the more diligent use of the rest For example if sicknesse or some unavoidable necessitie do keepe us from hearing in the Church wee must bee the more diligent in reading at home And if want of education in our younger dayes hath left us unable to reade Scriptures by our selves wee must be the more carefull to heare them read by others And if attendance on children or other necessary occasions cause us to keepe our servants at home when others are busied in the service of the Church we should do our endevour to supplie the losse of publik instructions by our privat admonitions and by rehearsing to them at home those good directions which our selves did receive in the publik ministerie And he or she that is carefull thus to make up their wants and defects though sometimes they be hindered by occasion yet will gaine good opportunities which will guide both themselves and their people to true blessednesse and eternall glory CAP. VIII The keeping of Gods word is an other meanes to make a man blessed Cap. 8 HItherto I have spoken of hearing of Gods word the former meanes commended by our Saviour for attaining happinesse and eternall life Now followeth the second which is the keeping of the word heard For clearing of which point two things are necessarie to be knowen 1. How farre wee may and must keepe Gods word that we may be blessed 2. How this keeping of Gods word is availeable for blessednesse and eternall life §. 1. I. How farre wee may and must keepe Gods word For unfolding of this doubt three questions are to bee solved 1. What it is to keepe Gods word 2. how farre in this life a man is able to keep it and 3. Whence we have abilitie to keepe it in such sort 1. Quest What it is to keepe Gods word Ans This word to keepe when it is applied to speeches or doctrines as in this place it is hath two uses in Scripture For it signifieth either to keep in minde and memorie or to keep in our life and practice In minde and memorie we kepe it when with care we committ and laie it up in memorie do often think on it and revolve it in our mindes Thus the blessed Virgin kept what shee had heard concerning her Sonne and our Saviour For so it is said that the Shepheards of Bethleem upon the vision that they had seene and the words that the Angels had spoken unto them concerning the birth of CHRIST Came to Bethleem with haste and found Mary and Ioseph the Babe lying in a manger And when they had seene it they made knowen abroad the saying that was tould them concerning this childe Then the Text addeth But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart Luk. 2.16 17 19. And in the same chapter ver 51. When shee had found her Sonne JESUS being then but twelve years of age sitting in the Temple and reasoning and disputing with the Doctors and alledging for his so doing that he must be about his fathers businesse his Mother saith the Text kept all these sayings in her heart The meaning is shee layed them up in her memorie and often thought on them in her minde Secondly we keep Gods word in life and practice when we do that which God in his word requireth to be done by us Thus the word is used 1 Kings 11.10 where it is said of Solomon that hee * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 kept not that which the Lord commanded him And in this sense is the word frequently taken in the Scriptures as Ezek. 20.19 Walk in my statutes and keepe my judgements and do them And so Genes 18.19 Abraham will command his children and they shall keepe the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment And Exod. 15.26 If thou wilt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God And wilt keep all his statutes I wilt put none of these diseases upon thee c. And in the new Testament All these commandements have I kept from my youth up saith the yong man Matt. 19.20 And yee have received the Law by the disposition of Angels and have not kept it saith S. Stephen to the Jews Act. 7.53 And so in many other places both in the old and new Testament so that I may safely say that this is the common and usuall acception of this word Now of these two uses of the word * Rivet in Exo. 20.8 pag. 157. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 5.12 est à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod est servare sive cōservare etiā tenere retinere quod fit memoriâ indicatque hoc verbum curam sollicitudinem diligentiam ne emittatur vel effluat aut excutiatur quod observandum est Hoc sensu verbo custodiendi vel servandi usus est Dominus Beati qui verbum Dei audiunt custodiunt illud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luc. 11.28 Doctor Rivet maketh choise of the former as fitt for this place When our Saviour saith Blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he thinketh that heere is meant a keeping in memory or a care and sollicitude that the word which wee have heard do not slipp from us and be forgotten But to my thinking the Angell in the Revelation construeth it in the later sense or signification when uttering for substance the very same sentence that our Saviour used in this place he expresseth it in these words Blessed are they that do his commandements that they may have right to the tree of life c. And surely the common use of the word in this sense and the intention of our Saviours speech being compared with other like speeches in Scripture and the generall streame of Interpreters who run this way may perswade any man and do give mee sufficient warrant to understand this word in the later sense and to say that to keep Gods word in this place is as much as to do it and obey it Notwithstanding I will grant thus much to D. Rivet that the sense which he putteth upon the word may be included or implied in this place if wee construe the words to this
of right hearing Gods word HEARING AND DOING the ready way to blessednesse CAP. I. The scope of this discourse and the intention of the Author Cap. 1 BLessednesse is the end for which man was made and to which the frame of the world doth direct and whereunto himselfe in his daily thoughts doth aspire For though most men are much corrupted in their judgement concerning good and evill yet there was never any man but did desire his owne happinesse as the soveraign and most desirable good This being so he that could and would point out the ready way by which a man may become blessed I suppose might deserve great thankes at every mans hands And this our Lord hath done as elsewhere in sundry places of the Gospell so more especially in that Text of S. Luk But he said Luke 11.28 Yea rather blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it For herein he instructeth us in the way to blessednesse and that partly by his example and more fully by his doctrine And first by his example for when hee heard one of the company proclaiming with a loud voice the blessednesse of that woman who had bred and brought up such a sonne he taketh occasion hereby to discourse of the true blessednesse indeed which farre exceedeth all such blessings as the breeding and bearing of a good sonne is teaching us by this practice of his how to make that use of ordinary occurrences in the world which may stirre up our hearts to think on and to seeke after the things that are above which is a good step toward the blessednesse of heaven and eternall life And secondly our Lord teacheth us the way to happinesse more fully by his doctrine here delivered in which wee finde him telling us that the true blessednesse ariseth out of piety and Gods service that it is contained and set out in Gods word and may be communicated unto us by our hearing and keeping of that word All which points briefely and summarily set downe in our Saviours words I intend by Gods grace to enlarge and amplifie still laying the ground of my discourse in the sacred Text hoping by my poore labours in this argument I may somewhat further both my selfe and others to the obtaining of that blessednesse which wee all doe so much seeke after That God which hath put this thought into my heart put that vertue into my words that they may guide some soule or other to eternall life But before I enter upon the proposed points it will be necessary first to unfold the Text that so both our Lords doctrines my comment upon them may appeare the more plainely The occasion of this speech was this Our Lord had beene preaching the Kingdome of God to the people and a woman of the company ravished with the gratious words that proceeded from him brake out into his praises in these words Blessed is the wombe that bare thee and the paps that thou hast sucked but this commēdation given by the woman our Lord correcteth in this manner Yea rather blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it Which correction of our Saviour that it may the better be conceived wee must enquire what there was amisse in this womans speech that deserved a correction and how our Lord did amend it And my answere thereto I set downe in two propositions 1. Proposition There was not any thing so amisse in this womans speech as that she may be said either to have committed a sin or to have uttered an untruth For by this word blessed this woman meant not that perfect blessednesse which consisteth in the fruition of all good such as our Saviour meant when he said Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of heaven Mat. 5.3 but using the word in a vulgar sort shee meant by it a great blessing of God bestowed on Christs mother in the same sense that S. Paul said I think my selfe happy King Agrippa because I shall answer for my selfe this day before thee touching all these things whereof I am accused of the Iews Act. 26.2 For as Paul by these words meant that he thought it a great blessing to himselfe that he had such a Judge so this woman by her words meant that she thought it a great blessing to Christs mother that she had such a son And thus to call her a blessed woman was neither a sinne nor an untruth First it was not an untruth for Solomon saith The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoyce and he that begetteth a wise childe shall have joy of him Thy father and thy mother shall bee glad and she that bare thee shall rejoyce Prov. 23.24 25. Where by saying that they shall be glad and shall have joy of such a sonne hee implyeth that he thought this to be a great blessing But David speaketh more plainly and in the very dialect or phrase of this woman Children saith he are an heritage of the Lord the fruit of the womb is his reward He meaneth it of good children onely and of them hee addeth further Blessed is the man that hath his quiver full of them Psal 127.3 5. Secondly it was no sinne neither in this woman that shee did thus magnifie the happinesse of Christs mother in regard of such a son for Solomon and David in the places now cited did the like in the same case or in a case not so just as this was And upon these grounds I say in the first place that there was nothing so farre amisse in this speech of the woman as that we can say she either committed a sinne or spoke an untruth 2. Propos There was a defect in this speech which might bee bettered and amended for else our Lord would not have corrected it with a Yea rather And to speake particularly the defect herein was twofold 1. That shee did minde a lesser blessednesse and fixed her thoughts upon that when shee might but did not think on a farre greater blessednesse then that was and which concerned her in an higher degree For it is a kinde of blessednesse indeed to have a good and vertuous childe that may comfort us in the world but it is a farre greater blessednesse to enjoy a father in heaven in whose presence is fulnesse of joy for evermore And if this woman did not so esteeme of this blessednesse but with neglect of it did magnifie the other this was a fault that deserved reprehension Or if she did upon the present occasion as I suppose she did magnifie the happinesse of having a gratious sonne reserving notwithstanding her best affections for the happinesse of heaven then though shee could not bee blamed yet her speech might be amended He that calleth them blessed who have godly children saith well but hee that calleth them blessed who keepe Gods commandements saith better And therefore our Lord did amend the womans speech by turning it on that blessednesse which she had
neglected or at least omitted to speake of The summe of which correction is as if hee had said Thou sayest Blessed is the womb c. Which though I deny not to be true yet I will tell thee of a farre greater blessednes then that is Blessed are they that heare the word of God and keep it 2. This woman made not so good an use of our Saviours doctrine as shee might have done When she heard him preach with great wisdome and evidence of the Spirit she brake out into the praises of the preacher which were justly deserved by him but she said nothing perhaps she thought nothing of amending her life or of performing what she was taught And herein our Lord amendeth her speech by telling her what better use shee might make of his Sermon Shee commended him for his good Sermon when she had done better if shee had amended her selfe by his instruction She said Blessed is the mother that bred such a Preacher but he said Nay rather blessed is the hearer that maketh use of his doctrine The Text being thus explained I now proceed to speake of the points that I propounded omitting other by-notes which though they bee profitable in their season yet are not pertinent to my purpose CAP. II. By earthly things a wise Christian may bee occasioned to seeke after heavenly blessings Cap. 2 OUr Lord from this womans speech concerning the happinesse of his mother for breeding such a childe taketh occasion to discourse of the true happinesse that accompanieth Gods service And hence I observe that it is a point of holy wisdome to take occasion for heavenly meditations by the mention or sight of earthly things My proofes for this are two the constant practice of our Saviour and the helpes that it yeeldeth us to a godly and an happy life I. The constant practice of our Saviour related and commended to us in Scriptures for there wee reade that when he saw Peter and Andrew busied in fishing he tooke occasion by the trade that then they did use to tell them of an heavenly trade of fishing for the souls of men He saw them casting a net into the Sea for they were fishers and he said unto them follow mee and I will make you fishers of men Mat. 4.18 19. Againe when some told him of his mother and his brethren desiring to speake with him he tooke occasion from the mention of his earthly kindred to instruct us in the spirituall kindred that is betweene him and every good Christian It was told him by certain which said Thy mother and thy brethren stand without desiring to see thee And hee answered and said unto them My mother and my brethren are these which heare the word of God and doe it Luke 8.20 21. And againe when the woman of Samaria came to draw water out of Iacobs Well out of this accident he fetcheth occasion to instruct her in the living water that would refresh her soule unto eternall life There commeth a woman of Samaria to draw water Iesus saith unto her give me to drinke Then said the woman how is it that thou being a Iew askest drink of me which am a woman of Samaria Iesus answered and said unto her If thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith to thee Give me to drinke thou wouldest have asked of him and he would have given thee living water Of which water whosoever drinketh shal never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall bee in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life Ioh. 4.7 9 14. And yet againe when the people followed after him that they might eate of his bread he taketh occasion from their desire of earthly meate to instruct them concerning the bread of life When the people came to Capernaum seeking for Jesus Iesus answered them and said verily verily I say vnto you Ye seeke mee not because you saw the miracles but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled Labour not for the meate which perisheth but for that meate which endureth to everlasting life Iohn 6.26 27. Thus our Saviour by a constant custome taketh occasion by the words that are spoken and occurrences that happen in the world to raise mens thoughts from earth to heaven and from things that concerne this life to teach them spirituall lessons for obtaining of eternal life By which practice of his hee lifteth up men to heaven while they remaine upon earth and breedeth in them heavenly mindednesse while they are occupied about their worldly businesse And this being his constant practice who is the wisdome of his father it proveth the truth of my conclusion that it is a point of holy wisdome to take occasion for heavenly meditations by the mention or sight of earthly things II. The same point is further proved by the helps that we may receive from it towards holinesse and an happy life In which kinde I may reckon these that follow 1. It will make every creature that we see and every occurrence that wee meet with in the world to serve us as Schoolemasters to lead us unto Christ and as a Monitor to remember us of some duty The meat on our tables will teach us the necessity of the meate that never perisheth and our hungring after that will admonish us how wee should desire the food of Gods word that we may grow and bee strengthned in grace by it The clothes we put on will remember us of putting on the Lord Iesus and of the glorious robes of righteousnesse with which Gods children are adorned The tender affection which we shew to our children will bring to remembrance the great love of our heavenly father towards his sons and daughters The duty and service that wee require of our servants will tell us what greater duty we owe to our Lord in heaven and their failings towards us will remember us of many defects of our owne in Gods service and of our rebellions against his commandments And the like may be said of all other the like occasions and occurrences so that not a crumme of bread nor a corne of salt nor a drop of drinke but as they serve to refresh nature so they may serve also to increase and confirme grace in us And all the creatures will have not onely a naturall use for this life but also a spirituall use towards eternall life and the happinesse of the world to come 2. This practice of gathering holy meditations from worldly occurrences will help to preserve us from abusing the creatures in a sinfull sort Hee that when he eateth his meate for refreshing of his body shall think withall Yea but how much more necessary and comfortable is the food of Gods word to the famished soule will not likely abuse the creatures to surfetting and excesse And hee that when he putteth on his best clothes shall think Yea but how much more glorious are the garments of righteousnesse and the fine linnen and silkes with
he after some intreaties answered him to this effect (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Climac Grad 4. pag. 49. I saith he in this work of the Kitchin did never think that I served men but God who enjoyned me true service in my place and judging my selfe unworthy of any rest by reason of my many failings when I look on this fire in my chimney how intolerable the burning thereof would be to my flesh I am put in minde of the everlasting and much more unsufferable burnings of hell fire due to all impenitent sinners and the thought of this torment doth resolve me into teares for my sins And now if we will make use of this example we shall not need to goe abroad and gather instructions from other mens lifes as Pambo did we shall finde matter enough at home to exercise our thoughts with For example sake and to set our consciences on work in this duty If any of us shall bee tormented with an headach or a toothach or with the stone or strangury or a hot fever or some other tormenting paine that will not suffer us to take any rest we may make the like use of the burning fever or tormenting ach which we feel that this Cook did of the scorching fire which he looked upon We may think if this little smart in comparison and these short torments seem so unsufferable as that I would not endure them for a yeare together though I might gaine a Kingdome by it how unsufferable are the eternall torments of hell fire and what a fool am I if I plunge my soule into them for ever for gaining of a paltry profit and a fading and a filthy pleasure And if after drinking a cup of pleasant wine in our thirst or after eating a good dinner in our hūger or if after a sweete sleep when we have been weary we finde our selves comforted and refreshed then there is occasion to think O Lord how much more joy and refreshing will it bee to my soule when I shall rest from all my labours in Abrahams bosom and with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob shall eate bread in the Kingdome of God and shall bee fed with the pleasures of Gods house for evermore And againe if at any time wee be overjoyed who sometimes is not when some great preferment befalleth us such as are a high place in the Court a great office in the City or some matter of much gaine in our trading then it will be seasonable to think if such a scant advancement do so much overjoy mee what a joy will it bee and how shall I rejoyce when I shall be taken to bee Gods adopted son and to be heire of his Kingdome and a fellow citizen with the Saints in glory And thus we may doe on all the like occasions and if thus we do doe still converting earthly occurrences into matter of heavenly meditations we shall be profited toward salvation by every thing of moment that we see or heare abroad and by those things which we find feel in our selves But this practice is never more seasonable nor never more profitable then when we come to the Lords Table In this Sacrament wee have for the outward matter of it bread and wine in substance the same with that which is upon our own boards but in use of a far different nature When they be upon our own boards then they be naturall things ordained for the refreshing of the body and preservation of mans nature but when they bee on Gods board they are spirituall things ordained for the nourishment of the soul and the preservation of Gods grace within us Now if it be a point of wisdome to take occasion of heavenly thoughts from them when they are meere naturall things how necessary will it be to have more elevated thoughts of them when they are consecrated to a mysticall and supernaturall use Now that they are set apart to a sacred use they must needs be profaned if they be not handled in a sacred sort Here they are holy signes which represent Christ unto us with all the benefits of his Passion and we make them as no signes if we doe not see Christ and his death represented in them Therefore in the celebration of this Sacrament the Church teacheth the Minister to say sursum corda lift up your hearts and it teacheth the people to answer him back again Wee lift them up unto the Lord. When therefore our eyes doe look on these creatures on the Lords Table our hearts should look to Christ in heaven When we see the bread cut and broken in pieces that biddeth us remember that his sacred body was broken and torne in pieces for our sins And when we see the wine powred out of the vessel into the cup and out of the cup into our bodies that biddeth us remember that his precious blood was emptied out of the veines that our soules might be purged from their sins And when the bread and wine is delivered into the Communicants hand that telleth him that God the Father doth now reach unto him from heaven the flesh and blood of his deare Son that they may nourish his soule to eternall life as the bread and wine doth nourish his body for this naturall life So that in the whole institution of this Sacrament there is nothing dumb or without its signification and so likewise in the celebration of it wee should passe by nothing as if we were deafe and did not understand the meaning of it For conclusion as S. Paul said to Timothie so I say to every Communicant Meditate on these things while ye be about this holy work and 1 Tim. 4.15 Consider what I say and the Lord give you understanding in all things that ye may know how to make use of all Gods ordinances for his Glory and your own comfort CAP. III. The blessings of this life are nothing to the blessednesse of the life to come Cap. 3 WHen this woman magnified the happinesse of that mother who had bred so good a childe as he was who had discoursed in this manner our Lord amended her speech by telling her of a far greater blessednesse then that was consisting in the hearing and keeping of Gods word And hence I collect that the blessing of good children and other the good things of this life are much short of the blessednesse which accompanieth godlinesse and an holy life The proofes for confirmation hereof are three 1. The testimony of Solomon 2. The condition of worldly happinesse in it self considered and 3. It s want of those excellencies that are in the true blessednesse I. The first proofe is the Testimony of Solomon set down in the book of Ecclesiastes In it his Testimony is delivered 2. wayes 1. In a generall doctrine 2. In particular instances 1. His doctrine is this Of all worldly blessings and the happinesse that men can gaine by them he saith in the entrance of his book Vanitie of vanities saith
speech that if any of us did know that there were a mine of gold to be found by seeking wee would be glad it were in our own ground wee would moreover digge the earth hew the rocks and draine the marishes that nothing might hinder our obtaining of that treasure And in such maner would Solomon have us to labour for the knowledge of God that lyeth hid in his word Young people should desire to be catechised old people to be further instructed and all both yong and olde should willingly undergoe that paines what ever it bee that may open the Mine and bring us to the sight and possession of this treasure 3. If there bee any of us who have children whose happinesse wee doe desire we learne from hence to lay the foundation thereof in the knowledge of Gods word Moses commanded parents that they should teach their children upon every occasion and acquaint them with Gods word and his commandements promising them that then their dayes and the dayes of their children should be multiplied in the land as the dayes of heaven Deut. 11.19 21. And so if ye would leave a good portion indeede for your children and provide that they may live long upon earth and eternally in heaven catechise them in the principles of Gods word sow the seedes of godlinesse in their tender mindes and teach them how to follow the directions of Gods Law and this will give them instructions to know the right way and will follow them with exhortations to goe on in the way and will never leave them till it give them possession of heaven and eternall glory CAP. VI. Hearing of Gods word Read is a meanes of blessednesse Cap. 6 HItherto hath beene declared how the word of God containeth vertue in it to make a man blessed Our Lord goeth on to tell us how this vertue may bee conveyed and communicated unto us to wit by Hearing and Keeping of it Blessed saith he are they that heare the word of God keep it I begin with hearing and hereof there are two kinds mentioned in Scripture an hearing of the word read as it is delivered in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles and an hearing of the word preached as it is unfolded and applied by the ordinarie Minister sent of God for that purpose Of both these it is true that they are meanes by which the blessednes of Gods word may bee conveyed unto us and therefore both are necessary to bee considered in their place and order First then I say that hearing of the word read out of the Scriptures is a meanes to make a man blessed or to communicate blessednesse unto him I. This is proved first by Testimonies of Scriptures I will insist onely upon two 1. The first is that of Moses Deut. 31.9 10 11 12 13. The words are Moses wrote this Law and delivered it to the Priests the sonnes of Levi And commanded them saying At the end of every seven yeares in the solemnitie of the yeare of Release in the feast of Tabernacles When all Israel is come to appeare before the Lord thy God in the place which hee shall choose Thou shalt reade this Law before all Israel in their hearing Gather the people together men and women and children and the stranger that it within thy gates that they may heare and that they may learne and feare the Lord your God and observe to doe all the words of this Law and that their children which have not knowen any thing may heare and learn to feare the Lord your God as long as ye live in the land whither ye goe over Iordan to possesse it In these words we may note for this purpose these things 1. what Moses did that is 1. he wrote this Law to wit that which God had delivered unto him for the instruction of his people 2. he delivered it to the Priests that it might be for the use of the Church And this sheweth that the law whereof Moses speaketh was the written word of God committed to the Church 2. Wee may consider what Moses commanded the Priests to doe and that is that they should reade this Law to the people And this is illustrated and amplified by 3. things 1. by the solemnity of the time when it should bee read to wit in the great feast of Tabernacles when all Israel were to bee present 2. By the universality of the persons in whose hearing it should bee read and they are specified to bee men women and children as well strāgers as natives 3. Why or for what end the Law was to bee read to all these sorts of men gathered in such multitudes And the ends are diverse one subordinat to an other ech former serving as a meanes for that which commeth after and all of them tending and conducing to an happie life the first is that they might heare it the next that by hearing they might learn it the last that by hearing and learning they might bee brought to feare God and observe and doe all the words of that Law Now laie these together that Moses wrote this Law and the Priests read this Law and the people all of them heard this Law written and read unto them by Gods appointment and all this for this end and purpose that the people might feare God and keepe his commandements and they plainely prove that the hearing of the word written and read is an approved meanes to an holy and consequently to an happy life also For hee that so heareth the word that he is a doer of the worke is blessed in his deede Iam. 1.25 2. The second testimony is that of the Prophet Ier. 36.5 6 7. Ierem. commanded Baruch saying I am shutt up I cannot goe into the house of the Lord. Therefore goe thou and reade in the Roll which thou hast written from my mouth the words of the Lord in the eares of the people in the Lords house upon the fasting day and also thou shalt reade them in the eares of all Iudah that come out of their cities It may be they will present their supplication before the Lord and will returne every one from his evill way In this passage when it is said that Ieremie being restrained that himselfe could not preach did therefore command Baruch and that by Gods appointment as appeareth vers 2 3. to reade Ieremies words in a written Roll this sheweth both that the people did heare the word written and that it was a duty of consequence and moment And secondly when he saith It may bee they will present their supplication returne this implieth that though there might be some doubt of the successe because of the obstinacy of the people Yet this was a likely way and God made choise of it for that purpose that they might relent and repent and amend their evill waies and obtaine pardon as is more plainely signified v. 3. And this againe proveth that the hearing of the word is a meanes to reclaime
will come short of the publik because in the Church men may joyne both reading and hearing together When they heare the Ministers voice they may look upon the Text in their booke and so at once they shall have the use both of eare and of eye the one of which will stirre up the affection and the other will confirme the memorie and at every pause may reflect back upon that sentence that importeth them most And consequently at one time and in the same exercise they shall in good part reape the benefits both of reading and of hearing 4. Lastly suppose a man reapeth as much good by his privat reading as in reason such an exercice well ordered can produce Yet he cannot promise to his privat devotions the like blessing that God hath promised to the publik serviâ—es of his Church For of the Tabernacle hee hath said There will I meete with thee and I will commune with thee from above the mercie seate Exod. 25.22 And of the Temple he hath said I have chosen this place to my selfe for an house of sacrifice 2 Chro. 7.12 and vers 15 16. Mine eyes shall bee open and mine eares attent to the prayer that is made in this place For now have I chosen and sanctified this house that my name may be there forever and mine eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually And so of the Assemblies of Christian people CHRIT hath promised Where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them Matt. 18.20 By all which we may learne that when we pray heare in publik God hath promised a blessing not onely to the exercises themselves but to the place also where they are performed even because it is Gods house But if wee performe the same duties at home though he hath promised a blessing to the services if they be performed in due sort yet hee hath promised no blessing to the place because it is any mans dwelling or his privat closet And now according to this rule and observation a man may expect a further blessing upon his reading and hearing in the Church then he can expect upon the like performances in his owne house All these things concerning the two questions layed together the summe is this Reading of Gods word and hearing of it read are both of them good exercises which God hath coupled together and man must not put them a sunder Againe the performance of these duties at home and in privat is good in its season and may be a help that the word of Christ may dwell richly in us but it must not in any case justle out the publike service of the Temple where God more especially doth dwell And therefore as our Lord said of the duties of mercie and justice compared with the duties of tithing anise and mint and cumine these things ought ye to have done and not to leave the other undone Matt. 23.23 so may I say of publik and privat both reading and hearing These wee should do and not leave the other undone My conclusion shall bee an Exhortation consisting of two parts 1. That as occasion and opportunitie will serve wee be carefull to read the Scriptures in our privat houses When I say as occasion and opportunitie will serve I meane that I do not desire much lesse require that servants should steale from their masters the houres that be due to their service or that masters themselves should neglect the businesses of their calling in which God hath set them but I meane that both master and servant and all other Christians should redeeme the time as the Apostle speaketh that is should take the occasion and make their best advantage of it while the time serveth And he or she who besides the time allotted for such exercises on Sundayes and holy dayes shall take those shreds of time on the other dayes which each mans businesse will permit him without either wronging of others or neglecting of his own estate I doubt not but within a few yeares he may be well read in the booke of God It is reported of Alphonsus King of Arragon Serar in Josh l. 2. pag. 289. c. that notwithstanding his great affaires of government and the daily businesses of a Kingdome yet he gained so much time for this use as that he read over the Bible fourteen times with Glosses Commentaries upon the Text. And by this wee may gather that no mans place who is his owne master is so full of businesse but if he will husband his time well not drown himselfe in worldly cares or lavish away his time in eating and drinking and sporting he may gaine sufficient time for reading without neglecting of the works of his place and calling Yea and servants and labouring men who have the fewest houres to spare yet if they be provident for their soules may now and then finde some leisurable times for this exercise without either wronging of others whose work they do or defrauding of themselves of needfull times of refreshing 2. My exhortation also is that wee do not suffer our selves to bee kept at home without urgent cause when God by the ordinance of his Church doth call us into his house There are not a few in the world who partly through idlenesse and partly through fansifulnesse and contempt of government despise the good orders of our Church and neglect the publik service to the offence of God and wronging of their owne soules But they who are sober minded though they live in the midst of such a froward generation yet will consider and I beseech them so to do with heedfulnes care that God hath promised to meete with his people in the Tabernacle and that his eyes will be open his eares attent to the prayer that is made in the Temple and that where two or three are gathered together in his name he will bee in the midst of them And they may further be remembred that David when he heard that his child was dead went into the house of the Lord and worshipped 2 Sam. 12.20 And not onely the Pharisee who delighted to shew his devotions in publik places but the humble-minded Publican too went up into the Temple to pray Luk. 18.10 And Peter Iohn the blessed Apostles of our Saviour after they had beene filled with the holy Ghost went up together into the Temple at the houre of prayer being the ninth houre Act. 3.1 Now there were none of these men but might have found an house or a closet or a chamber to performe their devotions in but they knew nor did any man in those dayes make question of it but that the house of God was the fittest place to serve God in and that the houre appointed for publik prayer was the best season for them to present their prayers to God They had not learned that subtill distinction which some phantastiks use now a dayes that a privat prayer must not bee
ad proficiendum so as thou majest profit by it or as the vulgar readeth it more plainely though not so literally docens te utilia which teacheth thee profitable things or as Piscator paraphraseth it apta ad prodessendum such things as are apt or fit to profit them in goodnesse And this as a * Corn. Ã Lapides Learned Writer enlargeth the sense is as if he should say non curiosa non vana non pomposa plausum captantia I teach thee not curiosities not vanities not florishes and such things as may gain praises and applause but I teach thee saith the Lord Almighty such things as may bee for thy safety here and thy salvation hereafter Thus the wise Lord the great Pastor and shepheard of our soules hath left us an example that we who are Pastors in his Church should follow his steps And in these steps did the blessed Apostle tread who in discharge of his duty could say to his Scholars I have kept back nothing that was profitable unto you Act. 20.20 v. 27. I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsell of God In which sentences put together it is worth the noting that first he saith he kept back nothing that was profitable then saying the same thing over again that he declared unto them all the counsell of God And hence the collection is easie that therefore the whole counsell of God which is to be declared preached unto the people is onely of such things as are profitable to happinesse and a blessed life And now if any desire to know what these profitable things were which he used to preach to Gods people himselfe hath tould us elswhere that the summe of his Sermons was that men should repent and turne to God and do works meete for repentance Act. 26.20 And Tit. 2.12 That denying ungodlines and worldly lusts they should live soberly and righteously and godlily in this present world Soberly by moderation in the use of temporall comforts and righteously by just and faire dealing among men and godlily by serving God in the holy duties of religion These were the profitable things which God taught the people of Israel and the Apostle preached in the Christian Church And we that be the preachers of Gods word and dispensers of his mysteries ought both to imitate God as dear children Ephes 5.1 and to be followers of the Apostle as hee is of CHRIST 1 Cor. 11.1 And more particularly as God himselfe taught his people profitable things and as S. Paul taught his Auditors to repent and turne unto God and do works meet for repentance and that they should live soberly and righteously and godlily in this present world So our Sermons both for the matter and the maner of them should be such as that the Hearers may profit in piety and a godly life and by serving God in holinesse and righteousnesse may be brought to heaven eternall glory And therefore when wee are at our Studies framing our Sermons in privat and when we are about to utter them in publik wee should reflect our thoughts upon every part or passage of our meditations questioning with our hearts God and our owne consciences being the Judges of our thoughts whether such a point in the Sermon or such a sentence in our discourse be apt to minister grace to the hearts of the hearers and such as may further them in the duties of a good life and in one kinde or other help forward their salvation and happinesse And if we finde any thing more then this or otherwise then thus wee may and ought to blot out that and cast it away as being either pernicious or at the best but superfluous and idle This course if wee hold both in penning of our Sermons and in delivering of them we shall approve our selves as good Ministers of JESUS CHRIST and may in so doing both save our selves and them that heare us God direct both our hearts tongues so to preach CHRIST that we prove our selves to bee the servants of our people for JESUS sake 2. Rule The second rule is for the Hearers and that is that because a Sermon is no more worth then so farre as it furthereth men to an holy life therefore they should desire to heare such Sermons and ever judge them best by which themselves may be made better This rule is to be the more regarded because in all ages it hath beene so much neglected For first looke into the olde Testament and consider the times before our Lords Incarnation and there ye shall finde that the people of those times were rebellious lying children that would not heare the Law of the Lord. They said to the Seers See not and to the Prophets Prophecie not unto us right things Speake unto us smooth things Prophecie deceits Is 30.10 And if a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie saying I will prophecie unto thee of wine of strong drink hee shall even bee the Prophet of this people So saith the Prophet Mic. 2.11 and he meaneth that if a man should pretend to be sent of God and take upon him the office of a preacher and should withall preach libertie for their lusts and a freedome to follow their owne wills this would be the onely man in their esteeme and reckoning They would praise him and paie him and follow him from towne to towne and from one parish to an other Againe looke into the new Testament and there yee shall heare our Lord telling the men of his time I am come in my Fathers name and ye receive me not if an other shall come in his own name him ye will receive Ioh. 5.43 And S. Paul telleth us of after-times that men would not endure sound doctrine but after their own lusts would heap to themselves teachers having itching eares and would turn away their ears from the truth would be turned unto fables 2 Tim. 4.3 4. Where 1. when he saith Having itching eares he meaneth that they delight to have their eares tickled with such speeches as may please the fansie as on the contratie the Poet saith of unpleasing speeches Quid opus est teneras mordaci radere vero Auriculas that they bite and grate the eares of men 2. When hee saith that they desire Teachers after their owne lusts he meaneth they desire such as will preach what they please and will say that is truth which themselves fansie to be so or at least which they wish were so 3. When he saith of these men that they heape such Teachers he intimateth that they are not contented with one or two such as God and the Church hath appointed to bee their Pastors but they runne from place to place and single out such men for their masters as is agreable to their owne humors This the Apostle did fortell of the later times and into these times are we now fallen For first same there bee who delight in fine
do and that is he may not preach any more at Bethel in that maner and 3. why hee might not preach in Bethel in this rough maner and that is because it was the Kings Chappell and the Kings Court. As if hee should say that elswhere hee might take leave and be welcome but the King and his Courtiers would not endure so much boldnesse And just so is it now a dayes among us We may tell an Artificer or a Labourer or an husbandman or a servant or any such kinde of man we may tell them of their faults freely and without danger but if wee touch a Nobleman or a Gentle-man or an Alderman or a Great moneyed man we do it at our perill and shall bee sure to raise hornets about our eares Thus worldly men if they bee in higher place think themselves priviledged from reproof 2. The second example is in Balak the King of Moab Of him we read that he sent for Balaam to curse the people of God But Balaam refused to curse because God did forbid and restrain him hereupon the Text saith that Balaks anger was kindled against Balaam and he smote his hands together and said I called thee to curse mine enemies and behold thou hast altogether blessed them these three times Therefore now flee thou to thy place I thought to promote thee to great honor but lo the Lord hath kept thee back from honour Num. 24.10 11. Note here 1. what Balak intended for Balaam if hee would curse where he bade him that was great preferment I thought to promote thee to great honour 2. Why he withdrew his hand and sent him away emptie and that was because he did that which GOD had charged him to do and did not what Balak required of him And therefore saith he God hath kept thee from honour And just so is it now a dayes They that give benevolence to the Preacher looke that he should curse where they would have him curse and blesse where they would have him blesse or which is all one praise and defend that which they would have praised and disgrace and condemne those and that which they cannot abide and if at any time hee fall upon that sin which pleaseth them then as David said of Absalom Deale gently with the young man for my sake 2 Sam. 18.5 so they expect that the Preacher should deale gently with that sin for their sake All these men are partiall hearers who will heare nothing with submission but what pleaseth themselves men who come not to learne of the Preacher what they should do but to teach the Preacher what he shall speak Which is all one as if the Scholar shou'd tell his master what lessons he should teach him Thus some for their greatnes others for their bountie exempt themselves from just reproofe which is one task that the Preacher hath to performe in Gods name These then are all of them partiall hearers and therefor bad hearers because they refuse to learne what God doth cōmand the Preacher to teach them And consequently when our Saviour said Take heede how ye heare hee meant among other things that we should beware of partiality in our hearing and that wee should submit to every word of God how crosse soever it bee either to our opinions or to our practice III. The third sort are forgetfull hearers such as through negligence and carelessenesse let slip out of their memories what they have learned or heard like Nebuchadnezzar who forgate his owne dreame For God had sent him a dreame to instruct him in things belonging to his state Kingdome but before the morning came he had forgotten what his dreame was Dan. 2.5 8. And so it is with these men God teacheth them by his word the mysteries of his Kingdom the meanes of their salvation and they immediatly forget what was said as if they had been in a dreame all the while Thus farre they are like Nebuchadnezzar but unlike him in this that he used all diligence to finde out the dreame but these men heare and forget and never think of it after S. Iames saith of fruitlesse hearers that they are like to a man who beholdeth his naturall face in a glasse and goeth his way and straight way forgetteth what maner of man he was Iam. 1.23 24. He meaneth that as such a man forgetteth what he saw so these men forget what they heare For defect in practice and neglect of remembrance usually go together For if any man have no care to do Gods will hee will have no mind to remember his word and if any man do forget the word he hath left himselfe no meanes to performe it And therefore in Scripture phrase to forget God and his commandements is as much as to neglect both him and them as Psal 119.139 when David saith My Zele hath consumed me because mine enemies have forgetten thy words he meaneth that they did not think on them much lesse did they keepe and performe them And many such wee have now a dayes even among them who professe religion They go from the Church to their houses and from Sermon to dinner and from hearing of Gods word to talking of the things of the world but never call to mind what they have heard nor consider what use it may serve them for Such men do quickly forget all and practice nothing Our lesson in this case is delivered us by the Apostle where he saith We ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which wee have heard lest at any time wee should let them slipp Heb. 2.1 The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as Beza translateth it ne quando perfluamus that wee do not at any time runne out In which speech the Apostle compareth forgetfull hearers to leaking vessels because as those vessels let out by the chincks what they received by the mouth so these hearers let out at one eare what they received at the other And because they keepe not what they heare they lose the profit of their hearing like men who eate and cast up what they have eaten without receiving nourishment by it These then are a third sort of bad hearers therefore when our Lord said Take heed how ye heare he meant we should bee ware that wee bee not carelesse and forgetfull hearers IIII. A fourth sort of bad hearers are wanton or sensuall hearers such as desire to have their eares tickled with fine phrases rather then their soules setled with holesome doctrine Such hearers were the Athenians of whom it is said Act. 17.21 that they spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to heare some newes And some such like were they of whom God speaketh to the Prophet Sonne of man the children of thy people speake one to another saying Come I pray you and heare what is the word that commeth forth from the LORD And they come to thee as the people cometh c. And lo
For things commanded are not already done but are to be done afterward the precept ever in nature going before the performance And therefore Linacer a learned and exact Grammarian having first noted that all verbs of the Imperative moode are either of the present or preter tense addeth withall Quibus tamen omnibus prateriti formis siquis penitiùs inspiciat perfectio absolutioque potiùs quà m actio ulla praeterita significatur ne quis non gerendum aliquid imperari putet Those that bee Scholars know what this note meaneth those that bee not may at least carie thus much with them that the former words Lay apart or Lay aside doe note the time past and the later Receive the word and Desire the sincere milk doe implie the time to come And hence every one may collect that sin is first to be layed aside and then the word of God to be heard And therefore I called the duty signified by the former word a preparative duty which maketh way for that which followeth after and the duty signified by the later word the principall duty for which the preparative is intended This is the first thing that I note in these words of the Apostles 2. The second is that when S. Iames saith Lay apart all filthinesse and all superfluity of naughtinesse he meaneth all iniquity and all sinfull lusts and by giving thē this name he compareth them to superfluities of indigestion or to raw indigested humors which distemper the stomach and implieth hereby that Gods word is the food of our soules the digesting whereof is hindered by these superfluities of sin 3. When S. Peter saith Laying aside all malice c. desire the sincere milk of the word hee compareth Gods word to holesome meate and implieth hereby that these vitious qualities of malice c. are like to corrupt humours which doe hinder the nourishment of this meate 4. When S. Iames saith Lay apart all superfluities c. receive the ingraffed word and when S. Peter saith Laying aside c. desire the sincere milk both of them meane that as good meat breedeth not good nourishment in a corrupt stomach no more doth Gods word nourish our soules unlesse these bad humours of sinne be first emptied and purged out The summe of all is that he who will thrive and grow in grace by the food of the word must first disburden himself of the superfluities of sinne And this sheweth that this emptying out of all sinfull lusts is a preparative duty necessary for them that will receive good by Gods word This may suffice for proving of the point but yet we shall more clearely distinctly understand it if we consider what helps and furtherances this purging out of sin will afford him that cometh to heare Gods word for the profit of his soule And they be these and such like I. It qualifieth the minde for the clearer understanding of Gods word and the mysteries of salvation contained in it And that it doth in two respects 1. Because sinfull lusts are as so many clouds or dark mists cast before our eies which hinder us from discerning of the truth though otherwise it lye plaine before our face This is gathered from that speech of our Saviour to the Jews How can yee beleeve which receive honor one of another and seek not the honour that cometh from God alone Ioh. 5.44 Note here 1. the unaptnesse and indisposition of this people to beleeve CHRISTS word how can ye beleeve 2. the reason or cause hereof in these words which receive honour one of an other Hee meaneth that because they were given to vaine glory and esteemed the praises of men more then the honor that cometh from God therefore they could not beleeve the Gospell which did not onely bring contempt with it but did teach men willingly to beare it By which it appeareth that their vaine-glory did so blinde their eies that they could not acknowledge the truth of the word which was contrary to it And so by the same reason covetousnesse blindeth mens eies that they cannot beleeve any doctrine that is contrary to their profit And wantonnes blindeth their eies that they cannot beleeve that which is contrary to their lusts And revenge blindeth the eies that they cānot see that truth which is contrary to their malice And love of a mans selfe and of his own Teachers doth so blind his eies that he discerneth not the plaine truth that crosseth his prejudice and the opinions which his Masters have instilled into him And in a word every sinfull passiō is as a cloud to darkē the understanding that it cannot see any truth that is contrary to that sin And this may be one reason why the Apostle saith that the naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him nor can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 Hee meaneth that the mysteries of the Gospell are only discernable by a spirituall eie whereas the naturall man hath no eies but carnall But contrariwise a cleane heart maketh a clear judgement because hee that hath purged his heart from all sinfull lusts is alike disposed for all truths nor hath he any cloud within him that may darken his minde when he is to judge of them 2. Puritie of heart disposeth a man to the understanding of Gods word because his own feeling within himselfe and the experience that hee hath of the power of godlinesse Ut boni vitifimus voluntate maximè constat quam qui verâ fide induerit facilè easdem quae virtutem docent artes accipiet Quintil lib. 12. cap. 11. pag. 752. and the deceits of sin will bee as a cleare Commentarie to the rules and doctrines of Scripture which concerne those points If one of us who is a father and considereth what his owne affection was to his little son when hee did beat him for his faults should read that Text of David As a father pitieth his children even so the LORD pitieth them that feare him Ps 103.13 or that of Salomon Whom the Lord loveth hee correcteth even as a father the son in whom hee delighteth Pro. 3.12 that man would more clearely see and more feelingly judge of Gods tender mercies towards his children described in those Texts And so he that hath had his heart wounded with the sting of sin will best understand that Text A broken and contrite heart O God wilt thou not despise Psal 51.17 And he that is a pittifull and a mercifull man will best understand that of S. Paul Bee yee kinde one to an other tender hearted forgiving one an other even as God for CHRISTS sake hath forgiven you Ephes 4.32 and that other Put on as the Elect of God holy beloved bowels of mercies kindnesse humblenesse of minde meeknesse long suffering forbearing one an other and forgiving one an other c. Col. 3.12 And the like may be said of all other vertues and