promise protestation accusing of our selues weeping for our sinnes examination of our consciences admiration and such like actions are all of them certaine kindes of prayer and so to meditate contemplate giue thankes examine the conscience and the rest are nothing else but to pray yea to reade godly bookes to stirre vp our deuotions in this sense is nothing else but to pray For when to this end any doe reade godly bookes then God speakes to them euen as man speakes vnto God when hee prayes Bern. lib. de scala Claustr And this moued that deuoute Father to place the reading of godly bookes amongst the parts of prayer That therefore in this sense we may know what those things are which seeme to bee all one with prayer first it must be vnderstood that to meditate is nothing else but diligently and attentiuely to weigh and ponder the thing proposed to the end to pray vnto God or talke with him And this I doe therefore adde because the diligent consideration of the Mysteries of faith and other things as they are taught in the Church or as any other end of them is proposed is not to bee named prayer But this meditation or consideration is an act of the vnderstanding from which doth the act of the will immediately arise For man plainely knowing what is good and what is euill is most easily moued to the loue of the one and the detestation of the other Hence the Kingly Prophet saith that in his meditation the fire kindled Psal 38. And for this cause is prayer and meditation so coupled together that hardly can they bee handled asunder Secondly contemplation is a certaine excellent and full meditation of affections flowing out without any discourse or labour whilst the soule by knowledge and perfect loue is ioyned vnto God and delighted in him no otherwise then a man beholding a most elegant image with fixed eyes without turning his eyes this way or that for the singular delight that hee takes therein Thirdly the praise of God is to magnifie him for his excellent vertues and perfections inhaering in him Fourthly Thankes-giuing is to approue himselfe thankefull to him for his benefites receiued Fifthly Petition is to aske something of God without any obsecration Sixthly Obsecration is to aske something of God with some interposition of a sacred thing most acceptable vnto him by the power and sight whereof hee may bee moued to giue what we demand as when we aske him for the bloud and wounds of his most deerely beloued Sonne to grant our requests Seuenthly Oblation is to offer vnto him our soules bodies all our actions and whatsoeuer belongs to vs or is in vs. Eighthly the examination of our consciences is to remember our sinnes before God to aske pardon for them and promise from the heart an amendment of them Ninthly Admiration is an excellent act of prayer when the soule in contemplation doth vehemently admire and is astonished at the wisedome goodnesse power and other workes of God which for the most part is accompanied with inflamed affections and exclamations and very often with extasies and rauishments of the soule Luther was therefore wont to say that prayer bringeth more profite then many labours of learning and that therefore hee came to the knowledge of heauenly doctrine which hee had by these three instruments prayer meditation and temptation For prayer brings those sentences of Scripture which in reading wee conceiue into vse 2 But if you take prayer in the second signification then there are three sorts or kindes of prayer mentall or of the minde vocall or of the tongue and mixt of both and the reason heereof is for that man doth negotiate and speake with God three manner of waies namely in heart mouth and in both together and therefore there must needs bee three sorts of prayer First wee may call that mentall prayer when the soule speaks to God inwardly without speaking of any words or mouing of the lips This is true prayer and before all others most acceptable to the Maiesty of God of which our Sauiour speakes thus God is a Spirit and those that worship him Iohn 4. must worship him in Spirit and truth Secondly vocall prayer is that when the words of prayer are cōceiued vttered with the mouth Where yet we must obserue that it ought to proceed frō the heart first that the words which are recited ought to be reuolued pondred in the mind for if any with the tongue onely pray without any attention or consideratiō not labouring to anoide all distractions and wandrings of the minde hee is not to bee accounted to pray vocally but contrarily casts himselfe into a grieuous sinne with which the Prophet vpbraids his people This people honour mee with their lippes Esay 29. but their hearts are farre from mee Ergo this kinde of prayer is not therefore called vocall because onely vttered by the mouth but that it might bee distinguished from the mentall which being onely made in the minde the vocall also addes to the intention of the minde words besides Thirdly the mixt kinde of prayer composed of both these kindes is when hee that prayes doth partly with heart and partly with his tongue pray vnto God therefore it is not to bee called a mixt prayer when any shall at one and the same time pray with the Spirit and wordes conceiued reuoluing with himselfe the things which hee speaketh for that is vocall prayer but that is a mixt prayer when after the prayer conceiued onely in spirit and minde hee that prayes doth ioyne vnto it a vocall prayer of the mouth 3 It followeth then that wee discourse of the things required in prayer that wee may pray aright where as we shall finde diuerse things that may prouoke that duety so shall wee meete with many incumbrances and lets and therefore our industry must bee to gaine the one and shunne the other with might and maine But because I haue in the former tract of meditation spoken both of these helps and impediments I will onely heere name them referring the Reader to that place for a fuller satisfaction First then there is to this holy exercise required a fit time which euery day is to bee allotted vnto it Where wee may fitly obserue first that so much time euery day is to bee assigned to this exercise as the condition and state of the party may well spare secondly for no cause nor vpon any occasion to omit this time or put it off vnto another season but to perswade himselfe that this exercise is farre more worthy then any other though neuer so beneficiall thirdly if vrgent necessity enforce the interruption of this time to repaire that losse some other houre of the day if it possible fourthly that the best houre for prayer is mid-night in respect of the quietnesse thereof next to that is the morning timely before wee set hand to any businesse for that will season the labours of the whole day
and breaketh into fitters all the yong trees and litle shrubs that grow vnder it or as a great and massie stone which salling from an high place bursts it selfe into many small gobbets dissipating also all the things which it lighteth on and as a blemish in the face doth more deface the visage then any other deformity can doe any other part of the bodie so it is a greater shame and dishonour when men of power and gouernement are impious impure irreligious and profane then to haue many others so that are of a lower ranke euery vice of the minde being so much the more conspicuous notorious by how much as he that sinneth is of greater account and esteem 6 But this must not bee forgotten that to the end both the gouerner and the gouerned the magistrate and the people may haue a speciall care of holinesse they both stand in neede of an other more potent and holy Leader to set forwards that worke and that is the holy spirit of God without whose light and might nothing is in man to perfect so great and holy a worke as is sanctification 3 The parts and principall members of sanctification In ordering the chiefe parts of sanctification we must duly consider not onely what things a good Hearer is both outwardly inwardly to eschue before the hearing of Sermons but also on the contrary what things he is to imbrace and follow For the better vnderstanding whereof I will diuide the preparation and sanctification of the Hearer into two kindes the first is priuate the second is publike For albeit sundry of those things belonging to this preparation whereof we shal hereafter speak are also publikely to be continued yet because the beginning of them is priuately to bee made therefore may they more fitly bee placed vnder priuate sanctification 1 Of the priuate sanctification of the Hearer before Sermons That this kinde of preparation may be the more clearely described to the meanest capacitie of Hearers I will ranke the consideration both of such things as are to bee auoyded and also of such as are to be imbraced in this sanctification in a paralell and proportion of contraries reducing them into seauen seuerall heads 1 The Leauen to be anoyded is that we cast off all our sinnes and errours whatsoeuer without which all the labour of preaching and hearing is but vaine for as if a vessell be replenished eyther with water or any other noisome poisonous substance it can not admit good wine or wholesome liquor into it so that hearer whose heart is taken vp and wholely possessed with the poyson of his sinnes vnrepented of can digest no part of the sweet and comfortable doctrine of the Gospel Luk. 16.14 What befell our Sauiour Christ in this kinde is verie well discouered in the historie of the Gospell For why did the Pharises who were couerous mocke at Christs parabolicall admonition of making friends with the riches of iniquitie but that their hearts were set vpon riches and possessed with auarice who may not reade a long catalogue of such impurities and vicious humours both in the Epistle to the Corinthians and the Hebrews 1. Cor. 5.10 11 Hebr. 12. 13. chap. And what is the cause that at this day in most places there is so litle fruit of preaching the Word as well in faith as in life but this that men doe not purge out the olde Leauen of their inbred corruptions and also the Leauen of maliciousnes and wickednes before they presume to come to heare the Word preached therefore by the merite and efficacie of Christs passion and earnest and zealous prayer bathed in the teares of a truely penitent hearâ— let these bee purged out that place and entertainement may bee giuen to the sauing word of grace On the other side let euerie hearer labour for the vnleauened bread of sincerity and truth that by the grace of the holy Spirit he may bring with him to the hearing of the Word the study and care of truth and all vertues And heere may hee apply to himselfe those generall obseruations spoken of before Such a mind as this which is desirous of grace is very apt to receiue the Word with fruit for there is a most excellent consent and agreement betwixt them Beholde the same most sweetly expressed I stand saith God at the doore Apoc. 3.2 and knocke if any heare my voice and open vnto mee I will goe in vnto him and suppe with him and he with me O what admirable fruit of heaueÌ„ly Sermons would there be if wee had such hearers What other thing is this lumpe of Euangelicall doctrine but that sacred Leauen which being hid in the meale leaueneth euery whit of it Mat. 13.33 We see that if the Leauen bee hid in the meale or floure it wil leauen the whole lumpe but if it lie in the branne neuer so long it neuer worketh in it so is the precious Word if it meete with a soule that is boulted sisted with due repentance and holy preparation vntill it be made pure floure there it leaueneth seasoneth the whole man But albeit wee can not heere relate all the seueral sorts of vices and vertues yet in few wordes we will marke out some of them and those chiefly that seeme most necessary for our purpose 2 We must haue great regard that no secular and worldly affaires which are otherwise at other times both lawfull and commaunded be at that time managed and handled lest it befall vs as it did those which were inuited to the great Supper Luke 14.16 whose oxen farmes and wiues so forestalled them that they neuer tasted of that soueraigne supper for then the Hearers that are so prepossessed are first eyther hindred as they come not at all secondly or so fetterd that they come not in time to the Sermons thirdly or else so busied with carnall cogitatious that they goe out before the time that the Sermon is ended or fourthly if they tarrie their thoughts doe plunge them into a thousand distractions or fistly sluggishnesse heauâ—nesse and sleepe steales vpon them and robbes them of the very fâ—uits of their soules And what are these worldly affaires 1 The care and thought of their fields farmes oxen merchaâ—dise and the like 2 Labour and employment in their vocations vntill the midnight before the Saboath whereby they become so drowsie on the Saboath that it must bee a shrill Trumpet can keepe them waking 3 Suffering and drunkennesse which often chanceth on the Sabboath before Sermons wherby they become sleepie and vnapt to heare and conceiue what is spoken 4. Marriages Christning feasts merchandizing commessations and drinkings and all kind of seastings 5 Roasting baking boyling and dressing of many sorts of meates which restraineth it not the mother of the family yet some of them from comming to the house of God Heere then on the contrary the soule that would be well and fitly prepared for hearing must onely be intent
Hallowed bee thy Name where wee may meditate first that the name of God is nothing else but his knowledge honour renowne celebration and inuocation Secondly that to sanctifie this Name is to celebrate praise magnifie and glorifie him and that Hee and his Honour and Knowledge may bee such as all the world may acknowledge it Thirdly that wee first begge this of him because wee call him Father and our selues his sonnes and it is the part of sonnes to desire their Fathers honour as nothing doth more reioyce the sons heart then the glory of their fathers so wee being the sonnes of God ought to wish nothing more then that hee may bee acknowledged and honoured for this is the first and chiefe good of which the first and second Commandements and all the first Table chiefly treates This is the first worke of a Christian to wish that Gods name may bee sanctified and his owne name may bee condemned and obscured namely that God may bee knowne such as hee is in heauen and in earth that hee may haue all honour and glory that there bee no creature in which hee bee dishonoured polluted and blasphemed but as hee is holy in himselfe so hee may be taken by all his creatures Fourthly that in doing that hee commands and forsaking that hee forbids wee sanctifie and glorifie his name for wee cannot commit any act whatsoeuer against the Law of God and chiefly against the first Table but wee speake against this demand and hinder the fulfilling of it 2 Thy Kingdome come In which meditate first that the Kingdome of God is nothing else but the Preaching of the Gospel by which the Church is gathered which God rules with his holy Spirit and the abolishing of the Kingdome of sinne and Satan as also all the meanes that conduct thereunto as on the one side the word of God the Ministery of the Gospell the holy Ghost Faith Loue Vnity c. and on the other errours abuses false doctrine heresies schismes and the like Secondly that wee begge this in the second place because sonnes desire nothing more then that their fathers Kingdome may be inlarged that they may dwell in the more safety and honour For if the fathers be aduanced vnto high honours vnder their shadow their sonnes do raigne and what dignity soeuer their fathers haue they think it their owne so the sonnes of God desire nothing more then the amplenesse of his Kingdome that they may bee safe vnder his shadow Thirdly that of all others the Christians dignity is the greatest for hee comes from Gods House hee is a King of his Kingdome Ergo when wee put our selues into the seruice of the deuill and become instruments of his wrath how much worse are wee then the prodigall sonne that kept Swine When wee commit idolatry whooredome couetousnesse gluttony drunkennesse enuy hatred rancor and malice is it not worse then to be in Sampsons case ouercome by a harlot Fourthly that those doe oppose the comming of this Kingdome which are not lead with the Spirit of God by the Word which defend the impious Traditions of men and labour to extinguish the truth of God which defend with tooth and naile Idolatry by which Satan raignes which make of this Kingdome a temporall Kingdome to serue their lusts and ambition as all wicked Magistrates and Ministers doe 3 Thy will bee done in earth as it is in heauen In this meditate first that the will of God is to know and beleeue in his Sonne Ioh. 6. 1. Thess 4. also our sanctification and that all sorts of men may rightly and faithfully doe their duety and obey God that all the contumacy of all men and creatures being tamed their wils may bee to his so subiect that the same thing which hee willeth hee will effect that wee also may will and doe the same Secondly that wee aske this fulfilling of his will after the comming of his Kingdome because heerein is the felicity of the Kingdome and Family that all bee obedient to the authority of the King and Father and that all things may depend vpon his will For God raignes not in vs except we obey him and so our felicity in the House of GOD consists heerein that wee are obedient vnto him Thirdly that we beg of him that hee will frustrate all our desires that are contrary to his will that hee will frame in vs new mindes and new hearts that wee aske nothing of our selues but rather that his Spirit may gouerne our desires to haue a ful consent with God that wee may haue obedience patience perseuerance in the crosse and all this so perfectly as the Angels in heauen doe performe his Will Fourthly that all free-will and power to doe any good of our selues is quite extinguished That who beleeue not in the Sonne obey not the word of God pray not for the Spirit of God are impatient vnder the Crosse doe oppose this will of God 4 Giue vs this day our dayly bread meditate herein first that this bread is nothing else but all things appertayning to the bodie and soule meat drinke clothing health defence peace good successe and all spirituall blessings secondly that we first begge this bread of God for that as sonnes doe aske bread of their fathers so doe wee the sonnes of God aske necessaries of God And the will of God cannot be done in vs except wee be nourished with the bread of God thirdly that albeit wee are commaunded to get our bread with the sweate of our browes yet wee must begge it of him because we must not ascribe it to our labour and industry that wee are nourished but to the onely blessing of God who prospers our labors which other wise would be in vaine Besides it is not by the substance of the meate that we are fedde but by the only power of God for they haue no such naturall power from heauen but God administers it from heauen as to the instrumēts of his bounty fourthly that it is our bread albeit wee begge it of God first ours because by the bounty of GOD it is made ours albeit not due vnto vs secondly ours that we might learne to temper our selues from desiring other mens bread and to be content with that which by lawfull means doth come vnto vs as out of the hand of God thirdly because albeit that it bee the blessing of God yet it is destinated vnto vs for our conseruation as necessary for vs fourthly because as the corporall food so the bread of Life the word of God is ours fiftly because we ought so to aske this bread of God that wee may haue to breake vnto others sixtly for that not for our selues but also for others we must aske it seuenthly that it is so our daily bread that without by both sorts of it daily receiued we be nourished wee come to ruine Whence consider mans misery for except nourished with foode wee cannot continue eightly that it is giuen vs for onely God can
Eare and Audition Mynde and Meditation Hart and Affection Hand and Action THE HEAUENLY PROGRESSE By Rich Middleton LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes. 1617. ⧠TO THE truely Great and grace-full Prince CHARLES Prince of WALES SIR I Well fore-see not only how vn worthy I may be esteemed to present your Highnesse with any furtherances of piety being already so richly adorned with plenty of al rare and diuine habiliments of the soule but with all how vn-welcome I shall be to such as doate on their owne shadowes in the meane while dis-liking defacing and dis commending euen the straightest statures and beautifullest parts in others who are not of their owne hue constitution and complexion Seâ— For nunquam desunt qui etiam per ornamenta ferient There will neuer want some to wound a man euen through the sides of his best ornaments and graces But albeit I presume not of that happinesse of learning and iudgement Plin sccun either to act things worth the writing or write things worth the reading which is I confesse a shred of outward and temporall happinesse yet I hold it no presumption to affirme seeing herein I seek not mine owne Phil. 2.21 but that which is Iesus Christs that to goe this Heauenly Progresse and to take delight in it is the true and onely way to eteruizer he soule in blisse 1 Sa. 2.30 hauing Gods hand and seale to warrant that he will honor them that thus honor him Ioh. 17.3 For if it be life eternall to know God and whom hee hath sent Iesus Christ and consequently to know a mans selfe then this Progresse leading directly vnto both must needs be worth the going and if it be true herein as it is most true which that wise Historian spake in another case Dinothi aduers histor absurdissimum est soris multum sâ—ire domi prorsus ignarum esse that it is most absurd to know many forraine affaires in the meane while being ignoraÌ„t of home businesse then whosoeuer will taste the ioyes of heauen must goe this Progresse on earth for this onely teacheth him to know wel both the things at home in his owne soule and the things from home in heauen where he would haue his soule Happy is that kingdome family and soule where wisedome and youth are so one that they are neuer sundered but sweetly kisse each other age and wisedome in the meane time not sequestred from the same condition For that makes kingdomes families and soules eternal and euen this happinesse is onely acquired by timely beginning and constantly perseuering to serue God in spirit and truth and walke in this Progresse Therefore it is well obserued that in buildings God and man do hold a different course man beginning euer at the foundation but God at the roofe he stretched out the heauens before he laid the foundation of the world by his naturall workes giuing vs spirituall instruction to follow his order euer begin with care of heauenly things Seeke first the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof Mat. 6.33 is our Sauiours direction to as many as will build mansions in heauen For as the building rests on the columns and the columns on the bases so the eternall wel-being of the soule is sustained by faith whose foundation is in heauen accompanied with the glorious fruits of the spirit as the roofe at which all true Christians must begin their spirituall building For as we serue God so he serues vs if we begin late or neuer or for fashion or for carthly rewards and respects or faintly or out of his place to serue him hee keepes the same corâ—â—espondency with vs giues vs our hearts desire but with-all sends leannesse into our soules a false comfort for a false worship Psal 106. â—5 a false saith for a false religion a false saluation for a false profession For he that giues God his lips in stead of his heart teacheth God to giue him stones in stead of bread and he that rankes him last and reckons him least in the duties of his life teacheth God to set him at the lower end of the table of his earthly blessings and to reiect him from the enioyment of his heauenly One example for all as a glasse to behold the truth hereof Whilst Adam serued God God serued him he consulted for a mansion for him for meat for him for a sweet companion for him vntill he rebelled against him we reade of nothing but his works for Adam as if he had been hired to worke for him but when hee once lost his innocency then God tooke from him whatsoeuer he had giuen him he lost his wisdome his peace his liberty his glory his dwelling like that man that betwixt Iericho and Ierusalem fâ—ll among theâ—ues Mat. 25.29 For from him that hath not shall bee taken away euen that hee hath God is as a father deliuering a stocke to his sonne to trade with-all if he husband it ill at first he with-draws his hands froÌ„â—error blessings And as they that try vessels first put water into them and then wine when they find them staunch so doth God with vs he that is faithfull in a little shall be made ruler ouer much and he that begins to lay his foundation in heauen shall end with a glorious crown in heauen Now your highnesse hauing most happily taken your patterne from God and begun for many yeeres to build from heauen down-wards making that the corner stone my labour in this little Pro-gresse is to bring some materials to this worke and shew a method how to bring this goodly building to perfection that seeing it is not my happinesse as Paul to plant I may bee allowed as Apollos to water those rare and admirable seeds of religion and piety already sowen in your Princely heart For nihil in te mediocre esse contentus sum Ier. to tum summu totum perfectum esse desidero Lesse then exquisite perfection in all things is lesse then I desire may be found in you Therefore as the Gardiner waters his seeds and plants till they spring and waters them againe till they be aboue ground and lastly till they bring foorth fruit on the earth the seed the water the stalke the fruit and all being from the Lord of the haâ—uest so must this and such like godly books and sweet sermons be suffered to water the garden of your heart seeing they are not onely as the sweet dew of heauen dropping downe grace into the soule but also as so many little chinkes by which the heart is kept open that the beames of heauenly knowledge may enter And so much the rather is this worke now to be entred vpon because as the foundation is laid so is the building raised either soone to ruine or for euer to remaine For as the arrow is directed at the first so doth it flie all the way either home ouer short or besides the marke so that whosoeuer shall
conceite reacheth not let him obserue it and after conferre with others and with the Preacher about it 17. That hee may the more soundly teach others and if need bee make confession of his faith to the edification of others Let him first giue all diligence soundly to learne not onely in the Schooles Catechisings administration of the Sacraments prayers singing of Psalmes conferences and reading of Scriptures but also in the Sermons bee shall heare in what things the substance of the matter of saluation consists 3 The third necessary duty to come to the right scope and drift of hearing Sermons is that the hearer haue a right and holy affection of heart towards the things vnderstood for many do heare and vnderstand Sermons who are yet nothing affected with them nor truely and rightly affected towards them There is no man liuing hath so sound a knowledge of truth and falshood good and euill as hath the deuill his knowledge heerein is farre more perfect and full then any mans in the world yet there is no man doth hate truth and goodnesse nor reioyce more at falshood and mischiefe then he doth which is the cause that makes his sins and punishments the more grieuous Therefore seeing it neither sufficeth to heare and vnderstand Sermons but withall that the affections of the heart must bee placed vpon them wee will heere as in the former duties discourse first of the nature of the duty secondly remoue the impediments thirdly shew the aduancements and helpes conducting to it 1 The right affection of the heart towards the things in Sermons perceiued and vnderstood is the third duety of the Hearers at the Sermon whereby he doth cheerefully entertaine true and good things present certainely beleeues them to come and hopes and heartily desires them but for things wicked and false in the present hee sorrowfully shewes himselfe auerse from them and feares and forsakes wicked and false things to come And this duty appertaines to the information of the will affections and conscience of the hearer And surely not without great cause ought our hearts to bee rightly and holily affected towards the things vnderstood in regard of the sundry sorts of men who heare and vnderstand Sermons but yet stand nothing well affected towards them First there are some men who euen at the Sermon doe giue very euident argument either by their words or behauiours that they are the manifest enemies of truth and vertue and the friends of falshood and vices These mens affections towards the Word are nothing right Secondly there are certaine hypocrites who albeit by their words and gestures make a faire shew of the loue of truth and goodnesse and the hatred of falshood and wickednesse yet their heart is not vpright Thirdly others do thinke that if they carry the truth and vertue hid in their hearts albeit in word and deed they carry themselues otherwise that they cannot bee accused of the vn-vprightnesse and prauity of their hearts but these haue not a right hart Fourthly there are some that albeit they vnderstand not soundly and fully the things heard yet are angry with the true and good things and are delighted with the false and wicked thing nor yet haue these men any right affection Fifthly some on the other side albeit they do soundly know the things they heare insomuch that they can say nothing against it yet haue things false and euill taken such deepe roote in them and so preuailed by the long custome they haue had with them that they had rather quite forsake that which is true and good then cast away their inueterate and ancient errours and manners and who can say that these men haue a right affection Sixthly but others are so taken vp with the care of the belly and worldly things and are so much estranged from suffering persecution for the profession of the truth and vertue that they will in no wise entertaine either vertue or truth and these mens affections are much lesse right then the rest And therefore a right affection and good heart towards the things which are heard is a most necessary duty of hearing 2 There are some impediments and hinderances of this right affection vnto things knowne which of necessity must bee remoued Now wee must know that whatsoeuer things do hinder the attentiue hearing and sound vnderstanding of the Word those also are blockes and lets to the right affection of the heart therefore I leaue the Reader to looke backe vnto those impediments which are described in handling the said two former duties of attentiue hearing and sound vnderstanding And heere in two obseruations I will onely point at the summe of those impediments before handled for it greatly hinders a right and holy affection First if the Preacher bee cold or luke-warme if hee do not labour by all meanes diligently prudently to moue inflame and direct the affections to that which is true and good and on the other-side to withdraw them from things false and euill Secondly say hee doe his duety yet if the hearer either by naturall corruption and malice of the will be auerse from the present truth and good of vertue and doe gladly embrace that which is false and euill and fall into doubting of that which is true and good to come and doth not desire it nor is troubled with that which is false and euill Either if that the hearer be infected with inueterate and euill manners which are pleasing to our corrupt nature and are easily conceiued but not so easily cast off Or with the outward glosse of good things as of riches pleasures and honours and of euill things as of calumnies condemnations and persecutions and so to bee with-drawne from a right affection towards truth and vertue and inclined to an affection towards lies and vices or to hypocriticall dissimulation then is the affection of the heart much blurred and dis-ordered and so are the things they heare not rightly affected 3 The aduancements and helpes of this duety are no other but such as are prescribed in the helpes of the two former duties of attentiue hearing and sound vnderstanding where the reader may bee furnished with meanes sufficient to promote this duety Yet to helpe the right affection of the heart towards vertues and the truth knowne and also falshood and vices we shall vnderstand that these haue great force namely first if the Preacher doe not onely put on the sense and right affection by the grace and operation of the Spirit according to the quality and quantity of the things spoken but also giue all diligence in mouing the hearers affections thereunto inflaming and directing them to the loue of truth and vertue by most weighty impulsiue causes chiefly by the couenants and promises of God by the examples of the godly and the singular and manifold benefite and vse And also by stirring them vp and stinging them to the hatred and detestation of falshood and vices by the seuere interdicts and comminations of God
by the examples of wicked men and the horrible discommodites ensuing adding heereunto most penetrating and mouing words Rhetoricall figures pronunciation and gestures the more to moue the affections Secondly if the hearer by the motion of the same Spirit doe follow the conduct of the Teacher by a spirituall kinde of transmutation putting on the same affections and that in respect of the couenants and promises of God and for the most excellent benefites that follow As also mortifying and casting off the naturall malice of his will and inclination to vanity and euill not regarding the false apparance and shadow of things good and euill shaking off all hypocrisie and dissimulation being driuen thereunto by the consideration of the most grieuous interdicts comminations and iudgements of God thirdly seeing that aswell to the opening of our eares to attentiue hearing and illumination of the vnderstanding as to aduance the hearts both of the Preachers and hearers to stand rightly affected the good hand and worke of God the Father the Sonne and the holy Spirit is chiefly necessary therefore in this respect that the hearers heart may bee well affected God is to bee called vpon with prayers and sighes in the beginning midst and end of Sermons to giue them this right affection of heart towards the loue of the knowne truth and vertues and the hatred of known falshood and vices 4 The last duety required in a hearer that hee may come to the full scope and drift of hearing Sermons which is the glory of God good of his Church and his owne eternall saluation is a resolued purpose of the practise of such things as hee hath heard vnderstood and is affected withall and that in the course of his whole life And surely it is a most weighty exhortation which the holy Spirit vseth to stirre vp men to the hearing of the Word Iam. 1.22.23.24.25.26 Bee yee doers of the Word and not hearers onely deceiuing your owne selues c. Where he admonisheth that it is not sufficient to heare and vnderstand Sermons and to be affected towards them with a changeable and temporary affection except there bee added withall a firme and fast purpose of the practise of them in our whole liues therefore as wee haue in the former dueties so heere wee will briefly shew first the nature of this setled purpose of practise secondly the impediments of it thirdly the aduancements and helpes of it 1 This serious purpose of the practise of good things heard knowne and approued is a grace giuen whereby the hearer doth not onely resolue with a faithfull heart that hee will apply vnto himselfe and the vse and edification of others in euery Sermon and in the whole course of his life euery profitable doctrine heard knowne and approued in euery state as well prosperity as aduersity before in and after all his actions but chiefly in perplexed and intricate questions and obiections most of all in the stratagems and temptations of Satan so that it appeareth this part of the hearers duty belongs to the information of life and practise and hath his originall from the other three duties And not without cause is it called a serious and resolute purpose of practise seeing so many vices do mainely oppose it As first our inbred hypocrisie secondly transitory and temporary application in time of prosperity thirdly vaine boasting of our Christian profession without amendment of life fourthly too much loue of our corrupt nature fiftly rash breaking into the handling of businesse sixthly carnall security and such other euils as doe controll our purpose of holinesse whereof there will follow a plentifull remembrance heereafter when wee shall discourse of the hinderances of application 2. 3. The impediments and aduancements of the holy practise of things heard vnderstood and approued are the same which hinder or aduance the attentiue hearing sound knowing and affectionate approuing of Sermons and may fitly bee referred to either But because this resolute purpose of practise and care of application in the whole life of man as it is of all others the difficultest part of the hearers duty so it is the chiefest and most proper vnto a Christian therefore the greater care is to bee had about them both for which cause it will bee very fitting to set the same before our eyes more particularly that euery hearer may know what is the necessity of this application and wherein it consists It is a thing most vndoubted that the vse and application of the doctrines wee heere deliuer are of singular benefite to the hearer For without due vse and application the best Sermons that euer were are but dead bodies Seeing these two Vse and Application are the very life and motion of Sermons for more full declaration thereof let vs briefly obserue that Doctrines Vses and Application are as the tree the fruite and the gathering of the fruite as the medicine the vertue of it and the application as money the value of it and the vse as Christ his benefites and faith by which they are applyed Now as there is no benefite comes by the Tree without fruit no benefite of fruit if not gathered as no good comes by Physick if it haue no power nor vertue nor helpe comes by the vertue of a medicine if not applyed as there is no good comes by money if wee know not the value of it nor doth the value of it auaile vs if wee vse it not as Christ profites vs not without his benefites nor his benefites without faith to apply them So Doctrine profites nothing except wee know the vse of it and the Vse is to small purpose if wee doe not apply it All that can be heard if a man bee neuer so wise without application is but a dead letter and the very letter of death That therefore this most necessary point of application of Sermōs without which there is no practise of holines may the better bee knowne vnto the hearers these points are to bee considered First of whom this application is to bee made and when it is to be made Secondly by what meanes and how it is to bee made Thirdly the impediments of application Fourthly the aduancements of it 1 Who they are that make this application of doctrines where we shall finde a three-fold hand employed in this great and difficult worke 1 The hand of God himselfe without whom it is most certaine that as there can bee no knowledge of any wholesome doctrine so neither can there bee any application and vse of it without him for to vnderstand to will and to performe is from him Ioh. 6.44 and him alone No man can come to mee except the Father draw him saith our Sauiour and of himselfe hee saith Without mee you can doe nothing Ioh. 15.5 Nay the Apostle saith concerning the holy Ghost No man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost 1. Cor. 1.2.3 From all which places it is euident that it is