Censure which Basil past upon some Preachers in his dayes that they preached Art and Wit and not Christ crucified But moderately and modestly to make use of Secular Learning for the explicating and illustrating of Divine Doctrine by Allegoricall Allusions Comparisons and Similitudes c. is not onely lawfull but very expedient and profitable for the benefit of them that hear us Vse 2 And for this we ought to bless God in that by the mouth of his Ministers he stoopeth so low unto us as to teach us by Parables and Similitudes and in so delightful and familiar a manner to reveal unto us the Mysteries of his Kingdom that Speech of our Saviour to Nicodemus would be remembred Joh. 3.12 If have told you Earthly and ye believe not how shall you believe if I tell you of Heavenly that is If having discoursed unto thee of these spiritual Matters and illustrated and explained them by earthly Similitudes of Wind and Water thou yet findest such difficulty both in Apprehension and Assent What likelyhood is there that thou wouldest believe me if I should tell thee of the greatest Mysteries of Salvation and the deep things of God of those high and incomprehensible Matters of another World This was a high Aggravation of Ephraim's blockishness and stupidity that God used Similitudes unto them by the Ministry of his Prophets and yet they would not be instructed Hos 12.10 And thus much of the Doctrine taught now of the Manner of Teaching Text. He spake Oâ—otoris est dicere Vulgi loqui saying There is a difference to be made betwixt Speaking and Saying Speaking comes by Nature and Custom Saying by Art and Study Children speak but the Learned say Our blessed Saviour did so speak as that he said which implies a distinct audible and teachable kind of Speaking unto his Auditory So that all that heard him might understand both Words and Meaning And herein may God's Ministers be taught after the Example of their Lord and Master Doct. So to speak unto their People as that they may be understood of them God commanded Habakkuc to write the Vision that is what God was about now to declare unto him and to make it plain upon Tables so that he who might read Hab. 2.2 It is storied of that Tyrant Caligula that upon Suit of the People to have the Law written and set up that it might be known and so none ensnared through the Ignorance thereof which was a thing very ordinary under his Tyrannical Government he condiscended to their Request but withall he caused it to be written in so small a hand that none could read it But this is not God's way It was his Command to his Prophet so to declare his mind unto the People and after such a manner that every one might receive Information thereof he must not only write it but so write it and in so fair and legible a hand that although a man were upon the speed and did run by yet he might read as he runned intimating thereby after what manner he would that his Servants the Ministers of his Word and Gospel should deliver their Message to whom they are sent And thus the Levites in the dayes of Nehemiah did so read the Law unto the People as that they caused the People to understand it Neh. 8.7 So it was prophesied of John the Baptist that he should go before the face of the Lord to prepare his way Luke 1.76 and how he should do that is further declared by giving Knowledg of Salvation unto the People Ver. 77. which was done not by Infusion as those four Children had their Knowledg and Skill in all Learning and Wisdom Dan. 1.17 for that is proper to God alone but by Instruction publishing the Doctrine of Salvation in so plain and familiar a manner that all that heard him might understand the meaning And thus Philip preached Christ unto the Eunuch he caused him to understand the meaning of that which he was reading out of the Prophet Isay Acts 8.28 So all faithful Pastors which are after God's own heart and of his giving and sending they feed their People with Knowledg and Understanding Cavea for Archippus by Jer. Dike Jer. 3.15 How with Knowledg saith a noted Divine unless with Understanding and how with Understanding unless they could be understood The End of our Preaching is our People's Profit as the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 7.35 This I speak for your own Profit Yea and thus too For if I come unto you speaking with Tongues such as you understand not What shall I profit you 1 Cor. 14.6 It is no other than to speak in the Aire in respect of any Fruit or Profit that can follow thereupon to the Hearer as the Apostle there shews at large by many excellent Similitudes For the Will follows the Act of Understanding Without Understanding there can be no Assenting without Assenting no Believing To believe a thing further than we know it is impossible to love it is Leightness to hate it is Injustice forasmuch as it may deserve the contrary for ought that we know therefore as the Apostle concludes in that Chapter 1 Cor. 14.19 Five words spoken to the Understanding do more good in the Church of God than ten thousand spoken in a strange Tongue such as you understand not without an Interpreter or in that Language which you well enough understand but yet it is spoken in such a manner and the Phrase so sublime that plain English-men cannot understand it Vse 1 From hence it follows that not only those Ministers are failing in their Duties and come under Check who have mouths and speak not although they have a Treasury of Learning and other excelent Abilities yet they will saith Synesius as soon part with their Hearts as with their Meditations But they also deserve Reproof who speak but say not no way applying themselves to their People's Capacities seeking rather to shew themselves Schollars unto their People then to make their People the Schollars of Christ This we never learned of our Lord and Master He hath set us a better Copy by his own Example He spake the Word unto his Hearers as they were able to hear saith St. Mark Chap. 4.33 not as He was able to have spoken unto them And so Christ tells his Disciples I have many things to sa y but you cannot bear them now Joh. 16.12 He had respect to the Capacity of his Auditory Nor did we ever learn this of his faithful Servants who have been before us Who can say that be is better gifted than St. Paul He was not inferiour to the very chief of the Apostles for Tongues 1 Cor. 15.18 2 Cor. 11. 5 6. Learning and Eloquence Indeed he speaketh of himself as rude in Speech though not in Knowledg 2 Cor. 11.6 not that he was so indeed But admit I be such a one as some false Apostles in the Church of Corinth say of me an Idiot a plain down-right
in the same Estate This Variety of Estates and Conditions David mentions Psal 49.1 2. Hear this all ye People give ear all ye Inhabitants of the World both low and high rich and poor together And that Parable propounded by our Saviour Luke 14.8 confirms the Point When thou art bidden of any man to a Feast sit not down in the highest place lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him c. that is one of higher Ranck and Quality so then there are degrees amongst men and amongst Rich men too some in higher place than others and had in more honourable esteem than others in respect of their outward State and Condition Reas 1 In this Inequality much of God's Wisdom appears to the Sons of men for as he shews himself herein to be a free Donor giving to whom he lists and as he lists so a wise disposer of these earthly things For as there is a great variety in the inward abilities of mens minds and outward statures of mens bodies so accordingly he thinks it fit that there should be a difference in mens outward Estates suitable to their abilities Mat. 25. not dealing herein as the Tyrant Procrustes did who made but one Bed to fit all Passengers for if they were too long for his Bed he would cue them shorter and if they were too short for it he would lengthen them out with their own Flesh But He suits each one with a Bed according to his stature disposing of these outward things after such a manner and in such a proportion that men maybe enabled to do good to others and receive good from others and that the Rich as Ambrose saith might have Praemium Benignitatis the Recompence of their Bounty in supplying the Wants of the Poor and that he might crown the Poor Merce de Patientiae with the Reward of their Patience Reas 2 Again Were there not an Inequality What would follow but Disorder and Confusion both in Church and State and every man would do what he list You may find this daily amongst us when men of Equality meet and have very leight Occasions offered How scornfully do they carry themselvs each towards other I am as good as you as well bred and born I care not for you no more beholding to you than you to me See my Exposition on that Parable of Luke 7.40 p. 38. c. Were all the Strings of an Instrument of the same bigness and wound up to the same height you can expect but sorry Musick God is the God of Order and not of Confusion saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 14.33 Use 1 Let us therefore praise God for this provident hand of His it tending to the Preservation of Peace amongst us and let our Prayers be put up to Heaven for the preserving and upholding of this Inequality both of Persons and Estates God could if he would either have made mens Estates more equall as having plenty of Spirit so plenty of Wealth or else have given every one sufficient of his own so that he should not stand in need of another But it is his good Will and Pleasure to have it otherwise as the Apostle shews at large 1 Cor. 12. As for those Rhymes so usuall in the Mouths of many When Adam digg'd and Eve span Who was then the Gentleman They were in all likelihood saith one made in Watt Tyler's Camp Dr. John White at the Cross on 1 Tâ—m 2.1 and there wants not some of the same Camp at this day amongst us who like no Tune so well as that The Lord keep us from coming under their Oak of Reformation and falling into Leveller's handling who when they have done all that they can yet neither they nor all men in the World shall be able to make all equal unless they can make all men of like Stature in Body A tall Saul to be equal with little Paul Use 2 And let us be further admonished from hence That we take heed of murmuring against God's Providence in disposing thus unequally of our outward Estates or of evnying and repining at any that are above us in state or place a thing that we are very prone unto and therefore the greater care ought to be had lest any of us become guilty of so foul a fault We read in the Gospel of some Labourers who having received their full pay for their day's Work yet murmured against the Master of the House for that he had given unto some who laboured but one hour in his Vineyard as he had given unto them who had born the burthen and heat of the day Mat. 20.11 And such there are amongst us who gâ—udg to see their Neighbours thrive and prosper in Wealth when they themselvs who take more pains rising up early and going to Bed late eating the Bread of Sorrow and drinking the Wine of Care yet go slowly on and can hardly subsist and maintain themselves and Families by their Labours But for the quieting of the Spirits of these and suppressing of all such murmuring and repining thoughts let these things be pondered on First It is the wise God that doth thus order things They fall not out by Fortune and Chance as some imagine who tell us that such or such a one was born to a good Fortune and that a good Fortune hath befell him but it is by the Will and Providence of God that these things thus fall out We are all like Counters upon a Table which he makes use of in casting up his Accounts and effecting his own Ends. If one man be in the place of Hundreds yea Thousands and another in the place of Pounds yea Pence 1 Cor. 4 7. God had the principal hand in laying of us there And it must be the same hand that there laid us that must remove us or else it will never be to our Comfort When the most wise God hath made up his Reckonings we shall all meet as Counters put into the Bagg after the Account is ended then shall there be no difference hetwixt Counter and Counter that which stood high and that which was low The Sickle of Death will make the Stubble eeven and levell albeit whilest the Corn grew in the Field one Ear might be higher and weightier than another and this may keep us from murmuring and repining Secondly God who gives to one more and another less gives none of thine he disposeth of his own And as the Housholder said to the murmuring Servant Is it not lawfull for me to do with my own what I will Mat. 20.15 So Is it not lawful for God to dispose of that which he hath infinitely more Right unto than thou hast or canst have to any Penny in thy Purse And in desiring a greater Estate than thou hast in this World thou desirest that which thou hast no right unto Thy eye may not be evill because His is good Thirdly Whatsoever thou hast is God's free-Gift and not by thee deserved
and Meditations as that he had neither room nor leisure for vain and sinful Thoughts to take place So Malach. 3.16 the Fear of God and Thinking upon his Name are joyned together for what we do indeed fear we most think upon Thus the thoughts that proceed from holy affections will eat up and devour our carnal thoughts and cares as the Apostle intimates Rom. 13.14 Wherefore keep spiritual Affections hot and lively in thy Soul suffer them not to cool and thou shalt soon be rid of many vain and sinful thoughts that now annoy thee Flies light not upon what is hot but upon that Vessel that hath cold Liquor in it Sixthly Begin the day with holy Thoughts and Meditations It was God's Command that the first that opened the Matrix should be his Exod. 34.19 So the first-born of thy thoughts daily are God's not thine but by Sacriledg When I awake saith David I am still with thee Psal 139.18 that is I no sooner open mine eyes but my thoughts are of thee and I am with thee in meditating of thy wonderful Goodness in preserving and keeping of me and of thy great Works and Wisdom So at the instant of you awaking let your hearts be lifted up to God in a thankful acknowledgment of his Goodness to you the Night past in giving you comfortable Rest for he it is that giveth his beloved Sleep Psal 127.2 In preserving of you from the dangers of the Night-past for it is he that hath kept thee Prov. 6.22 And he it is that reneweth his Mercies to thee every Morning Lament 3.22 23. This is to awake with God and to speak first with him till then no other thought nor business is to be admitted At your first awaking you shall find multitude of Thoughts attending on you to speak with you Dr. Tho. Goodwin's Vanity of Thoughts like Clients saith one speaking of this Subject at a great Lawyers Door in the Term time Now put Case some great Lord should be there amongst the rest Would he take it well if every inferiour Person should be admitted into the Lawyer 's Closet before him and he made to waite without doors till every Country Client were dispatched Judge then in this Case whether God will take it well at thy hands if every base and worldly thought shall be admitted into thy mind so soon as thou awakest and he last and least thought of who ought first to be heard and served It is good to consecrate a man's first awaking unto God In the Morning saith David I will direct my Prayer unto thee and will look up Psal 5.3 In so doing he knew his Prayer and Meditations should not be lost he would look after it as Suiters do after their Petitions which they prefer unto their Prince not doubting but to have a gracious Answer Certainly you shall find that religious Thoughts let into the heart in the Morning at our first awaking will keep it in better tune all the day after when worldly Thoughts are admitted they will but trouble us and distract us the more the whole day following or they stand about us but as Chesse-men to take up the Heart for the Use of the World Flesh and Devil and to draw away the Heart from the Service of our Maker The Wicked give their first Thoughts to those let us devote our first Meditations to God's Glory so if we be ready to praise him and till that be done we are unready he will be ready to bless us Seventhly Have a vigilant and watchful eye over thy Thoughts the whole day after for albeit thou season thy Soul with private and holy Meditations in the Morning yet a great care must be had the whole day following to keep them from Infection which in regard of our corrupt Nature we are apt so receive He that gives way to the suggestion of an evil Thought can hardly stop the Consent of a depraved Will or stay the working of an evill hand It is Wisdom's Advice above all keepings so keep the Heart Prov. 2.24 Set a strong Watch about that which if thou dost thou shalt be sure to take in thy Watch many wandring and roving Thoughts these must be taken up as Vagrants and corrected and sent away with a Pass to the place where they were born Others are stubborn and unruly Thoughts Thoughts of Atheism Blasphemy Infidelity dishonourable to God or Thoughts of Malice Revenge Pride Deceipt prejudicial to thy Neighbour These are like your sturdy Rogues that come unto your Doors and give ill Language use threatning words c. These lay hands upon and carry them to the next Justice even to the Lord chief Justice of the whole World and complain of them to him that they may be brought into Subjection 2 Cor. 10.4 Shew not the least favour to any of them and do it betimes at the very first appearance of them These are those Brats which must be dashed against the Scones whilest they are little ones Psal 137. if we would be freed from Babylonish Captivity of Sin Other Thoughts thou shalt apprehend in thy Watch which are lawful but unseasonable and in performance of Family Duties or private Devotions of which something was said before be assured that some Thought or other it may be of thy particular Calling will be jogging thee on the Elbow or pulling thee by the Sleeve and will thee to make haste thy Mother and thy Brethren are without to speak with thee let these stay a while put them by till another time Say as Abraham did to his Servants Abide you here at the bottom of the hill with the Asse whilst I and the Lad go to worship yonder and I will come again to you Gen. 22.5 Other thoughts you shall meet withall that can give you a good account whence they come and what they go about being good seasonable and necessary these relieve and succour according to Statute as God hath commanded And as this Watch much be daily kept so especially upon the Lord's Day above all other Dayes for then naughty thoughts like vagrant Rogues are prone to do us most mischief If we can but order our thoughts well this day we shall order them the better the whole week after but if in case you let your thoughts loose upon the Sabbath as some careless Masters do their Servants to go where they will and do what they will you shall not have them at so good command the six dayes following It is a day that God hath set apart for this end that we may be better enabled to keep our thoughts in order when we come to follow the works of our particular Calling and without we do it we cannot expect a blessing on our Labour Esay 58.13 14. Eighthly Avoid Solitariness and Idleness I joyn them because they are seldom separated and the Devil makes a like use of both taking occasion from both to fill the mind with dangerous and detestable thoughts When Eve was stragling