thereof that would be further instructed heerein V. A minister must bee furnished with books as good Furnished with good bookes Of humanitie helps to further his studie and these of all sorts First for humanitie of the seuerall Arts of Ethickes Politickes Oeconomicks natural Philosophie such as haue written of Trees Herbes Beasts of Husbandrie Geographie Histories of Iewish customes of their Waights and Measures and what other matter the learned haue written of for the Scriptures especially Next these bookes of Diuinitie and other necessarie Of diuinitie with such as are immediate intended helpes therein First the Bible the booke of God in English Latin Greeke and The Bible Hebrue our best English translation Tremelius Septuagints translation Montanus interlineall or Vatablus Beza his Testament Secondly Dictionaries besides the Latin Dictionaries and Greeke common for all sorts the Hebrue Pagninus and Auenarius Thirdly Concordances Latin Greeke and Concordance and the singular vse therof to finde proofes for a Doctrine to enlarge the vse of the same by reasons and examples and to handle a common place Hebrue of which there is singular vse a Concordance helpes memorie much to finde out any place of Scripture also in comparing Scriptures to finde places the same with the text repeated or like places in words that affoord helpe to prooue doctrines by seeking the principall word in the doctrine which it will helpe also to enlarge by considering the seuerall places which speake of the same matter or haue the same words out of which may be obserued differences causes effects exhortations promises threats yea and examples also to handle therby a Common place As for example If a man would speake of Feare let him finde Feare in the Concordance and there he shall see some place wil tell him what feare is as Prouer. 1. 7. some the kinds of God of man true and false feare what to feare and what not as Matth. 10. Exhortations to true feare Deuter. 4. how to attaine it Prouerb 2. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Deuter. 17. 19. signes of feare Psal 119. verse 14. The benefits reaped thereby Psalm 25. 34. And diuers other things at large will bee offered to thy consideration to follow any point of Diuinitie thereout if once you had gotten an vse heerein the benefit of this is more then heere I can conueniently expresse Surely he that vnderstands his text well and knowes how to draw a doctrine needs no printed or written Sermons to helpe for to inlarge it the right knowledge how to vse a Concordance is euerie way a sufficient helpe for proofes reasons and illustrations of the same It may seeme and will prooue irkesome to him that at the first makes triall thereof but time and experience will make it easie and pleasant IV Analyticall expositions for the diuiding of bookes Analyticall exposition benefit therof and chapters and vnfolding of the Scriptures as Pflacherius hath done on the Historie of the Bible Piscator on the new Testament and some of all such bookes helpe to shew you the coherence the antecedents and the consequents the scope of the Author the whole method arguments for confirmation or confutation of the proposition handled It were verie good for a yoong beginner to read euerie day one chapter or two with some learned mans resolution of the same hee shall profit much thereby in knowledge of the Scriptures V. Of Annotations as Bezaes of Phrases Westhemerus Annotations and Illyricus in his Clauis Scripturae hath gathered many of diuers acceptations of words as also Marlorats Enchiridion The commoditie of Marlorats Enchiridion sets downe which booke is of verie good vse to shew how many waies many words are taken to helpe to finde out like places to compare with the text and to handle a Common place the benefit of these books and such of the like kinde is to further vse in the interpretation of any obscure portion of Scripture Reconciliation of places VI. Of reconciling places seeming to differ and to be one against an other as Christopher Obenhimius and Andreas Catcehismes Althamerus or any other if any haue more or done better of this matter VII A Catechisme conteining the doctrine of the Church and principles of Religion Caluins Institutions and Vrsinus Catechisme both which studied throughly will sufficiently informe a mans iudgment in the chiefe points of Religion which a Diuine must bee well practised in for the trial of his doctrine and other mens iudgements by the Analogie of faith as before declared It is good for a beginner to haue without booke the definitions and distributions of the principall heads of Theologie as Polanus Partitions setteth downe that so hee may readily know to what Common-place bookes and speciall traclates being particular common places of seuerall things at large head to refer his doctrines or other mens propositions to examine and iudge rightly of them VIII Common-place bookes Musculus Peter Martyr Zegedinus tables which booke is a sum of most principall learned mens labours before his time At the first a Diuine is to exercise himselfe in handling making Common places for so doing he shal furnish himselfe with much matter and learne to discourse follow and stand vpon a point in a Sermon Vnder Common places I conteine particular Tractats of seuerall things being some large Commentaries and what vse to make of them Common place of some speciall point of God of Christ his incarnation passion resurrection c. and of any other thing distinctly let downe IX Commentaries of Orthodoxwriters all which will helpe thee in vnderstanding the text they will more confirme thy iudgement seeing others to agree in that which thou hast conceiued thy selfe they by occasion of words may put into thy minde what of thy selfe thou canst not dreame of nor they themselues intended by these thou maiest as it were talke with and aske the iudgement of the Ecclesiasticall histories and Epistles of the ancient Fathers greatest Diuines in the world of any Scripture they write of they yet liuing and speaking to vs by their labours as Caluin Peter Martyr Musculus and others X. Ecclesiasticall Historiographers Eusebius tripartite Historie Ruffinus Socrates Theodoretus Sozomenus Euagrius Nicephorus Iosephus Philo Zonarus to which adde the Epistles of Ierome and other Fathers and of late writers These historicall books are of this vse for the knowledge of the Churches estate to reforme maners and to abolish superstitions XI The Acts and Canons of ancient Councels the Acts and Canons of Councells Centuries Functius Sleidans Commentaries and the book of Martyrs to see the iudgement of Churches in matters of Religion the condemning of heresies and maintenance of the truth Heereunto adde the Harmony of confessions of late reformed Churches XII Controuersies whereinto we may safely proceed Controuersies and when to studie them and whos 's in the first place being well grounded by these things aforesaid Heerein it is good
THE FAITHFVLL SHEPHEARD OR THE SHEPHEARDS Faithfulnesse Wherein is for the matter largely but for the maner in few words set forth the excellencie and necessitie of the Ministerie A Ministers properties and dutie His entrance into this function and charge How to begin fitly to instruct his people Catechising and Preaching And a good plaine order and method therein Not so as yet published Very profitable both for yoong Students who intend the studie of Theologie heerein being also declared what Arts and tongues first to be learned what kinde of Authours to be râ—â—â— and books necessarie in the beginning and which in the first place as also for such Ministers as yet haue not atteined to a distinct order to studie write meditate and to preach methodically both for their better course in deliuering the Word and the peoples vnderstanding in hearing and memorie in reteining the same By RICHARD BERNARD Preacher of Gods Word 2. Tim. 2. 15. Studie to shew thy selfe approued of God a workeman that needeth not to be ashamed â—â—â—uiding the word of Truth aright LONDON Printed by Arnold Hatfield for 〈◊〉 1687. TO THE RIGHT WORshipfull his Honorable good friend M. Doctor MOVNTAGVE Deane of his Maiesties Chapell R. B. wisheth heartilie all true happinesse and felicitie for euer IT is the saying of him Right Worshipfull whom God did mooue you once to honour with this selected text Moses my seruant is dead to your great praise Grauis est arduus si quis alius ex omni Theologia locus is qui est deformandis concionibus by which being vttered of a man of that learning and experience I might be somewhat afraid to attempt the publishing of this Treatise vpon such a subiect but that I know it is acceptable to God if we haue no greater gift to offer to cast a mite into the Lords treasury I haue had also the approbation of some for my incouragement both in the Vniuersitie countrie A mite in a great treasurie is small in shew for encreasement thereunto neuerthelesse it is some what though but a mite What I haue performed in this labour for matter and method it may by reading of it appeare my labour hath not beene little my intendement good Whatsoeuer it is Right worshipfull I presume to offer it you as a poore present to testifie my humble and heartie thankfulnesse for your manifold kindnesses and liberall fauours vnto me I long ago offred it to your view in a naked shape and first conception which euer since I haue beene better proportioning and now haue thus clothed it as it is If before this I had prepared it I had not so long deferred off or if my pouertie could haue affoorded a better testimonie as in will I can wish it should most gladly haue gone forth as worthily deserued vnder the honor of your name Accept Right Worshipfull this labor and so looke vpon it as you haue bene and are wont louingly to accept of me so shall you encourage me to further endeuors and bind me still more in all dutiful respect to acknowledge your professed and approoued loue and good will constant towards me and to powre out my praiers to God continually for your preseruation and encrease in all spirituall graces for euer VVorsop this 16. of Iune Your worships bounden in Christ Iesus euer RICHARD BERNARD To his brethren of the Ministery and the beloued Readers Grace and peace THe Preaching of Gods word brethren in the Lord beloued an vnfolding therof to the peoples capacity with words of exhortation applied to the conscience both to enforme and reform and where they be wel to confirme as it is most necessarie so is it indeed a very hard worke to be performed though to the vnskilfull it seeme easie and thereupon not a few vnaduisedly take it in hand speaking without iudgement rashly without order preposterously tatching matter together without dependancie little to the peoples edification and lesse to the honour of this holy ordinance which by these is made odious with many and held rather a talke of the toong from a disordered affection without knowledge than a godly instruction rightly disposed by setled iudgment It may be they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of a good affection attempt this worke but withall they must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hauing abilitie in wisedome aptly to teach Discreet vnderstanding must goe with zeale and grauitie with sinceritie affection is headiâ— without wisedome this moderates as the other pricks forward they must be linked inseparablie Knowledge alone deliuereth coldly and zeale alone not respectiuely knowledge without zeale permitteth of more than is meet by distinction and zeale not according to knowledge breedeth but dissention It is requisite therefore the Ministers be neither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom pride may puffe vp not yet hauing in a sanctified course learned to moderate the lusts of youth nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as yet not apt to teach and vnfit to be ouerseers in a Congregation for we must know what to teach for the matter and how for the maner and so to diuide the word aright to the hearers which is required in all that preach vnto the people And therefore to further both these vpon these considerations duly weighed I was encouraged to proceed and to vndergoe the maleuolous censure of this enuious age First for that I see many do obserue this order in part though not so exactly as were to be wished and as it is here by precepts briefly and plainly set downe whose good approbation I hope to finde as maintenance against the rest Secondly for that I haue found by my owne experience in teaching both the easinesse thereof to be atteined soone vnto as also that it is a very sound profitable way as I haue iudged hearing other and they me neither disliked of any that I haue heard of who list to speake faithfully and with profit Thirdly for that I hauing vpon an occasion studied the 11. of the first of the Corinthians from the 23. verse to the end I finde plainly this method set downe by the Apostle and so hath it a diuine and Apostolicall approbation for supposing the 23. 24. 25. verses to be as his text out of Matth. 26. 26. 27. 28. the 26. containeth the scope the 27. is a doctrine 28. an vse 29. a reason to enforce it 30. and 31. the application of that which went before to the present state of the Corinthians 32. a preuention of an obiection which must follow application as I haue declared in this treatise 33. 34. a louing exhortation for the conclusion with a briefe repetition of somewhat before reprehended with a prescribed remedie for the same This place gaue me the first and chiefest occasion to write this treatise of preaching and method therein Fourthly and lastly for that I hauing laboured for all such both old and new which haue writen of this matter to further me I perswaded my selfe that this my labour
Pulpit fitly placed for the benefit Luk. 4. of all or most that thou maiest behold all and they may haue their eies fastened vpon thee Begin with Praier before thou read the text after the Begin with Praier August lib. 4. cap. 1. de doct Christiana Eph. 6. 19. Ioh. 16. custome of ancient Fathers as S. Augustine testifieth and as religious reuerence bindeth vs. Praier must bee the Proeme it is the Lord that both giues wisedome to vnderstand and words of vtterance it is the spirit that strengtheneth their hearts in speaking that guides them in the trueth calles things to their remembrance makes them able Ministers of the Gospell The Matth. 10. 2. Cor. 3. 5. 6. Luk. 24. Act. 1. Act. 2. 47. 13. 48. 2. Cor. 3. 6. Deut. 29. 4. Esai 63. 17. What is required in a Minister to be able to pray well Disciples might not goe out before they had receiued the spirit neither may wee goe vp and speake without it It is not by the instrument that men are conuerted neither in the words lieth the power to saue But it is the Lords blessing thereupon who thereby addeth to the Church such as are ordained to be saued Paul plants Appollo waters but God giues the increase els is al in vaine though woonders were shewed from heauen with the preaching of the Word Heere for the Minister to doe his worke Faith is required to goe to the throne of grace boldly the seeling of wants and need of Gods blessing to pray ardently a loue and commiseration of his hearers to crie to God compassionately and a consideration of Gods glorious Maiestie there present to speake vnto him reuerently It must bee with vnderstanding and affection the matter well digested into order and vttered in few words briefly It is not conuenient to be long in Praier vsually except Long and tedious Praiers not commendable vpon extraordinarie occasion sometime Remember that one may more easily continue praying with deuotion than others hearing in silence can religiously giue an assent with good attention Halfe houre Praiers are too tedious vsuall with some men which is their indiscretion wearisome to all liked of none but such as vse them who seeme to striue to win God by words or to waste time It may bee thought that such weigh not other mens weaknesse or that Praier is not held feruent that is not stretched out to such a length when experience shewes to euerie mans feeling that feruencie of spirit in Praier is not so during but euen in a short space is interrupted with wauering thoughts and by fantasies the edge of godlie feruencie of affection is soone blunted Let euery one in praying consider what he is in hearing and so measure his time as also by the liking or dislike of the Christianly disposed whose mindes must in these things be our measure The voice must be audible continued with one sound Of the voice in Praier the words vttered deliberatelie not huddled vp in a hastie maner too irreuerently The gesture is with bended knees with the eies and Gesture 2. Chro. 6. 13. A set forme of Praier in the beginning hands lifted vp towards heauen It is not amisse except vpon some not common occasion to obserue in the beginning one set forme of Praier as many godly men doe In our Praier wee are the peoples mouth vnto God and therefore such as in the Pulpit pray for themselues in the singular number as thus I pray thee open my mouth c. doe therein breake off the course of their publike function and make it a priuate action vntuneable without concord to the rest as a iarring string CHAP. V. Of the Preface after the Praier and of the text of the Scripture PRaier finished hee may either stand vp or sit downe as the order of the Church is it is indifferent The Doctors Matt. 23. 2. 5. 1. Act. 13. 16. When to vse a Preface in Ierusalem it seemes sat our Sauiour Christ sat but the Apostles stood vp It is not necessarie euer to vse a Preface but men may if they please and it is sometime conuenient vpon extraordinary occasions in more solemne assemblies when one speakes to a strange auditorie or to a Congregation not his owne the first time or in taking charge of a flocke hee may beginne as hee holds it meet to stirre vp the auditorie to attention From the end of their comming the matter in hand profitable Whence to fetch it and necessarie from the consideration of Gods presence from their professing Religion their comming at that present the hope giuen from their former endeuor and the gifts of God in them from some examples of good hearers the commendation of hearing and commandement thereof in Scripture from some sentence of Scripture conteining the drift of the Sermon to bee deliuered and from what he thinkes meet and as hee is able Our Luk. 4. 20. 21. Esa 1. 2. Act. 2. 14. 10. 34. 13. 16. Of giuing of titles but beware of flatterie Sauiour vsed a Preface before his Sermon so did the Prophets before him and the Apostles after him sometimes Heerein we may also vse reuerend titles and louing appellations as saying Men and Brethren Fathers You that feare God yea Luke can write Most noble Theophilus And S. Paul can say Most noble Festus If herein we giue but due as we know and are Christianly perswaded we offend not But yet let vs not be heerein too much in many nor often nor too far keepe a wise moderation of the toong in what we may easily slip and in heart beware of flatterie It were better to come a little short on the right hand heerein Iob 32. 21. 22. than goe to farre on the left Flatterie is pernitious euerie where but chiefly a thing pestilent in the Pulpit where the verie apperance must be forborne which we will easilie do before the basest but manie can hardly do before Princes Nobles and their bountifull Patrons especially such as Preach for praise or to get a Benefice of which sort too manie After the Preface declare with an audible voice what Of the Text of Scripture portion of Scripture is the text you will intreat of whether a booke or chapter or some one or moe verses in a chapter and reade the same once on the booke and if it be but a Nehem. 8. 8. short text pronounce it againe without the booke distinctly both times if it be long reade but once and vtter onely some part of the beginning againe with a So foorth Reade it in the translation to vulgar people and in that which is Read the Text out of the best and commonly approoued Translation and be not easily a controller thereof most commonly receiued and best approoued and euen as it is there set downe without addition detraction or change of any thing therein It is not fit that euerie one be a publike controller of a
the words or sentences is true or so to be in either but not both as the place intendeth VII From the seuerall words for God puts not onely From the seuerall words one by one and this is diuersly done matter into the mindes of the writers and directs them in the maner but also guides them in setting it downe with words Ierem. 1. 9. 2 Samuel 23. 2. Our Sauiour extends the trueth of the Word to an iota or a tittle Matth. 5. 18. so substantiall is euerie thing which therein is set downe Now this collecting of lessons from the words is diuersly How many waies obseruations may bee gathered from the words done First from the naturall and most proper signification and emphasis of the word Secondly from the figuratiue vse thereof conteining some metaphor or other trope Thirdly from the Grammaticall adsignification of the number as the Apostle doth to the Galath 3. 16. So of the Case Gender and Tense speaking in the Present Perfect or Future tense This is Musculus course obseruing that he saith not thus and thus but so and so and thence collecteth lessons Fourthly from a Logicall affection of a word to an other thing as a cause effect subiect adiunct and so forth Fiftly by making a question out of the words and answering the same which answer being prooued must stand for a doctrine and may be deliuered in a proposition This way was practised by the reuerend man Master Perkins VIII From the circumstances of the time quando From circumstances Day night winter summer present past or future fit inconuenient aduerse or prosperous quandiu how long or short once or often Hebr. 12. 26. 27. 2. From the person God Angels Men Diuell and ill Angels and Men publike and generall as Adam and Abraham or priuate ordinary or extraordinarie Sex man woman age birth countrie estate place or calling in Church or Common-weale qualities of minde or bodie good or bad elect or reprobate 3. From the place heauen earth or hell sea land holie prophane large or strait common or proper and so foorth But heere note in gathering lessons from examples to make a difference betweene the person of Christ and men Our Sauiours example euer good for instruction yet not in all things imitable as what he did and spake as God and what appertained to his proper office and Mediatourship So men may be good as yet often they doe ill wee must therefore consider the act or speech of the person and then the person himselfe with all the circumstances of the same before noted and so gather the doctrine els may we erre and collect that which by iudiciall examination will not stand nor be found sound and approoueable IX From the matter conteined in the words Ecclesiasticall From the diuersitie of matter contained in the words Politicall Domesticall and so from the Ethicks Naturall Philosophie Mathematicks and Arts or Science therein conteined As for example Psal 72. 1. Giue iudgements to the King ◠God Heere to take occasion to speake of politicke gouernment ô God from this to handle that point of Diuinitie concerning God Righteousnesse from this to speake of Diuine Morall and Christian Righteousnesse Sonne from this to speake of Oeconomicks somewhat Whence to begin and what it is to handle a cōmon place And so likewise out of any text to fall into a Common place which is to handle a thing by the definition distribution cause effect by the agreeablenesse with or disagreeing from other things all which are to be proued by Scripture reason and testimonies and so must be in stead of doctrines whereof vses must be made as of collected lessons to conuince the false definitions and distributions to instruct for practise and correct vice by the same and to comfort as the matter shall serue The common maner of proceeding into a Common place is by these formes as heere let vs see what this is or we haue occasion hence to speake of such a matter When to common place and so foorth But yet it is not conuenient to take euerie where occasion to Common place vpon anie word but vpon such as the text may well affoord when the people need to be enformed thereof as yet ignorant being an vncatechised Congregation or when some notable vice is commonly committed and necessarily to be corrected or some godlie dutie to bee commended happelie made then no account of or contemned as is the preaching of the Word and so foorth X. From a thing by proportion and resemblance to an For a thing by similitude and proportion other as Hebr. 11. 1. as Abraham left his naturall country at Gods bidding to enioy Canaan so must we this world to inherit heauen And such lessons may be followed and vrged where good reason may be giuen of a true proportion betweene things compared as Abraham fitly heere may be for euerie Christian and Canaan was a true type of heauen Thus wee see how wee may make an Allegorie which is How to Allogorize lawfully not simplie vnlawfull for the Apostle doth allegorize 1. Cor. 9. 9. And it is but an argument drawen from a similitude when the words are expounded mystically otherwise then the litterall sense doth affoord But in gathering allegories First gather them after the true and naturall sense be deliuered and not before Secondly let them not be too farre fetched strained obscure or foolish but agreeing with the Analogie of Faith and other manifest Scriptures The best Allegorizing is when the parts of the allegorie may be referred to other Scriptures speaking of the same properly as Matt. 26. 36. and so forth Where Christ may resemble euery pastor Peter Iames and Iohn Christian professours Gethsamine the Congregation their sleepe sinne Iudas the diuell The proportion then is this As the Disciples in Gethsamene though warned to watch and pray till Christs comming to them againe yet fell soone asleepe and had not Christ returned and awaked them Iudas and his traine suddenly had seazed vpon them Euen so though a Pastor teach his flocke and forewarne them and leaue them but a while to themselues they will soone fall to sinne and bee suddenly ouertaken of the diuell and his instruments if hee come not eftsoones againe to call them and stirre them vp to godlinesse This allegorie is true and apt for Christ is called a Pastour the three Disciples were Christians sinne is called sleepe Rom. 13. and Iudas a diuell men are apt to sinne as to sleepe and the absence of a Pastor very perilous Prou. 29. 18. so as this agreeth with other Scriptures and the Analogie of faith Thirdly handle an allegorie briefly and vse them not too often Fourthly let the vse and end be for instruction of life but not for any proofe of doctrine Fiftly let the ancient graue and wise collect them It is not a safe way for yoong beginners not well exercised in the Scriptures and grounded in the trueth Allegories are