A WORKEMAN That NEEDETH NOT TO BE ASHAMED OR The faithfull Steward of Gods house A Sermon describing the duety of a godly MINISTER both in his DOCTRINE and in his LIFE By CHARLES RICHARDSON Preacher at S. KATHARINES neere the Tower of LONDON LVKE 12.42 Who is a faithfull and wise Steward whom his Lord shall make ruler ouer his houshold to giue them their portion of meate in due season LONDON Printed by W. Stansby for William Barret and are to be sold at his shop in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the three Pigeons 1616. TO MY REVEREND GOOD FRIEND MR. D. SPARKE MINISTER OF GODS WORD AT BLETCHLEY IN BVCKINGHAMSHIRE Grace and Peace SIr I present vnto you here a Sermon penned by mee concerning the duety of a Godly Minister I confesse it may be thought great presumption that I who am the least of many thousands of my brethren should take vpon me to teach others * Magis mihi discendum quam docendum Macrob. Saturn l. 1. c. 4. who stand more need to learne my selfe But I may truly say as a Sui magis admonendi quam aliorum docendi gratia lib. 16. c. 5. A. Gellius said of a certaine booke of Laelius That I writ it rather for mine owne admonition then for the instruction of others Whatsoeuer it is I am bold to publish it to the view of the world in your name both in regard of that desire I haue to testifie my thankefulnesse vnto you for the great and vndeserued kindnesse I haue many waies found at your hands especially for that as I doe willingly acknowledge you were the first that perswaded and encouraged me to enter into the Ministery and the first place which I had in the Church I had of your free gift and also in respect of that reuerence which I beare vnto your graue and venerable old Age b Venerabilis non annorum sed virtutum numero Bern. de amore Dei part 2. Venerable I say not so much in number of yeeres though they bee very many as in aboundance of vertue It is not with you as it is with too many who being decrepit with age and ready to be laid on the Beere c Senec. de breuit vitae haue no other argument to proue that they haue liued long but their gray haires and their wrinckles But you haue verified that speech of SALOMON Age is a crowne of glory Prou. 16.31 when it is found in the way of righteousnesse The paines that you haue taken in the Church 2. Tim. 4.2 in preaching the word in season and out of season as the Apostle commandeth will no doubt make you famous to posterity especially considering that euen now when your strength is spent and your body worne so as you might iustly with * Veianius armis Herculis ad postem fixis latet abditus agro Horat. Veianius long agoe haue hanged vp your armour and betaken your selfe to rest yet still you continue your wonted labour as though you desired to end your life your preaching both at once And when you shall be gathered hence as a ricke of Corne you shall suruiue in those three worthy Sonnes of yours M. Thomas Sparke of New Colledge in Oxford M. Andrew Sparke of Peter-house in Cambridge M. William Sparke of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford whom you haue beene carefull to traine vp in the Schooles of the Prophets two of them being already profitable Ministers in the Church and the third as he hath attayned to a great measure of learning so I doubt not but he will imploy it to the edification of the body of Christ. But I am not willing to detayne you with any further mention of these things I beseech you to accept of these weake meditations with the same minde and affection wherewith I offer them And howsoeuer I confesse Cypr. in Symbolum Apostolorum they be not worthy the exercise of great Diuines yet if hereby I may excite some yong beginners to the more conscionable discharge of their dueties I shall thinke my labour well bestowed I pray God still to blesse your godly labours that when you shall haue finished your course you may receiue that Crowne of righteousnesse which is laid vp for you in the Kingdome of heauen Your W. in all Christian affection CHARLES RICHARDSON Errata Page 15. lin 8. for happines reade hearers p. 21. l. 27. for and r. c. p. 23. l. 32. after find r. them p. 26. l. 14. for Trade r. flaile p. 42. l. 5. for with r. to p. 45. l. 23. put out these words and the worke is an establishment to the life p. 46. l. 27. after filthinesse r. might p 47. l. 31. for heal r. heart p. 55. l. 34. for they r. he p. 67. l. 27. for filleth r. fitteth A SERMON DESCRIBING THE DVTY OF A GODLY MINISTER 2. TIM 2.15 Study to shew thy selfe approued vnto God a Worke-man that needeth not to be ashamed diuiding the Word of truth aright THis Timotheus to whom both these Epistles are written hauing beene brought vp in the knowledge of the holy Scriptures from his cradle 2. Tim. 3.15 and hauing alwaies been faithfull in the profession of Christian Religion was therefore in very great estimation with the Apostle Paul Act. 16.3.4 20.4 Rom. 16.21 and was either one of his Companions in his peregrinations or else when the Apostle himselfe was kept in prison he imployed him as a Minister and sent him to confirme the Churches which he had planted Thus was he sent to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 4.17 1. Thes 3.2 To put them in remembrance of that which the Apostle had taught Thus was he also sent to the Thessalonians To establish them and to comfort them touching their faith For this cause 1. Cor. 4.17 16.10 Phil. 2.22 1. Thes 3.2 Act. 16.9.10.1 Tim. 1.3 wheresoeuer the Apostle maketh mention of him he doth alwayes giue him very great commendation Now when the Apostle was himselfe to depart into Macedonia where the Lord had called him by a vision to preach the Gospell he left Timotheus at Ephesus to resist the false Teachers which were crept into the Church and began to corrupt sound doctrine thereby to draw men from the sinceritie of faith And because there was not yet a sufficient number of Ministers in the Church of Ephesus to preach the Gospell therefore the Apostle giueth him authority to ordayne as many as should be needfull And for his better direction in so waighty a businesse 1. Tim. 3.15 hee writeth the former Epistle vnto him teaching him what hee is chiefly to respect in the imposition of hands and shewing who are to be admitted vnto that great and high calling and who are to be reiected And because Timotheus 2. Tim. 1.4 as a louing Schollar was much grieued and shed many teares at the departure of so kind a Master 1. Tim. 3.14 therefore to comfort him
the Apostle promised in the former Epistle if it were possible to come vnto him againe very shortly But being in the meane while carried as a prisoner to Rome and hauing now no hope euer to returne againe to Ephesus 2. Tim 4.6 but rather looking euery day for present death hee writeth this second Epistle vnto Timotheus both to confirme and arme him against the feare of persecution which in regard of his youth might trouble and dismay him and also to direct him further how to behaue himselfe in the gouernement of Gods Church But not to spend time in vn-folding the whole Epistle but to come neere the wordes that are to bee handled in this second Chapter the Apostle first of all exhorteth Timotheus vnto cheerefulnesse and diligence in preaching of the Gospell and to appoint meet and sufficient Ministers for the propagating of sound doctrine vnto posteritie which exhortation with the reasons of it is continued vnto the 9. verse Secondly hee comforteth him by many arguments both against that offence he might take at his bonds and imprisonment and also against the feare of persecution which might befall himselfe likewise and that vnto the 14. verse Thirdly because euen then the Church began to be troubled with contentions disputations and strife about words in the 14. verse he exhorteth him to restraine them to the vttermost of his power And first the more to terrifie those that delighted in such peeuish oppositions he bids him vse great vehemency of speech in reprouing them euen to protest vnto them before the Lord thereby insinuating how dangerous a thing this litigious and wrangling knowledge is Then he setteth downe two arguments to disswade from them taken from the vnprofitable effects of them First that they are to no profit Altercando veritas amittitur Caluin in locum neither to the Teachers themselues who thereby come to lose the truth nor yet to their Hearers who by such courses are not at all built vp in Faith and Charitie which is the true vse of Christian doctrine 2. Tim. 1.13 Secondly that such contentions are so farre from profiting as that rather they tend to the peruerting of the hearers turning them away from true Faith and so consequently from euerlasting saluation Now because as Caluin obserueth all this stirre and strife in doctrine ariseth from this Fountayne that men of good but vnsanctified wits desire in a vaine ostentation to vaunt and set forth themselues and their gifts before men therefore the Apostle in this verse prescribeth a most excellent remedie for that disease exhorting Timotheus and all other in his place to cast their eyes vpon God making it their chiefe studie to approue themselues to him in the faithfull execution of their ministerie and in the sincere performance of those dueties which God requireth of them As if he should say Let others that delight in it seeke to win the applause of men but doe thou studie to approue thy selfe and thy ministerie vnto God And thus doe these wordes depend on that which went before In the handling whereof for our more orderly proceeding let vs consider these two things first the duetie whereunto the Apostle exhorteth Timotheus and secondly the meanes prescribed for the better performance thereof The duetie is this that he studie to approue him selfe to God The meanes whereby this may be effected are two first if he be a worke-man and such a one as needeth not to be ashamed Secondly if he diuide the Word of truth aright And thus much for the opening and resoluing of the wordes Let vs now proceede to the doctrines and instructions that arise from them Studie to shew thy selfe approued to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 festinatio The word that is rendred studie is of great force in the originall and signifieth to endeuour to the vttermost of ones power to vse al diligence and euen to inforce a mans selfe to doe a thing and so it is vsed and translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Solicitè stude ante omnia hoc labora c. Hieron in loc 2. Pet. 1.10 Giue diligence to make your calling and election sure And Hebr. 6.11 Shew the same diligence And therefore S. Ierome readeth it study carefully or diligently and labour for this aboue all things c. This then may bee our first instruction Doct. 1 That it ought to be the chiefe and principall care of a Minister of the Word to approue himselfe vnto God This was the endeuour of the Apostle Paul as himselfe testifieth 1. Cor. 4 3.4 As touching me saith he I passe very little to be iudged of you or of mans iudgement no I iudge not mine owne selfe For I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified but he that iudgeth me is the Lord. Vpon which place Musculus giueth this good note The faithfulnesse of a Minister of Christ is not commended in that that hee hee appeare faithfull to men but that hee bee found faithfull of Christ the Lord. And therefore saith he this hee studieth most that from his heart hee may serue Christ seeking nothing else but to aduance his Kingdome And in another place the Apostle saith 2. Cor. 4.2 In declaration of the truth we approue our selues to euery mans conscience in the sight of God And againe In all things we approue our selues as the Ministers of God 6.4 The same care ought to bee in all other godly Ministers The reason is because euery good Minister is the seruant of God and that after a speciall manner as the Apostle saith God is my witnesse whom I serue in my Spirit Rom. 1.9 in the Gospell of his Sonne and in another place 1. Tim. 1.12 Hee counted me faithfull saith he and put me in his seruice Now as euery good seruant is carefull to approue himselfe to his owne Master aboue all other so should euery godly Minister desire most of all to approue himselfe to God Yea it is required of earthly seruants that in the seruice they performe to their bodily masters they should seeke the approbation of God and therefore they are commanded Ephes 6.7 Cel. 3.23 With good will to serue the Lord and not men And Whatsoeuer they doe to doe it heartily as to the Lord and not vnto men Much more should Ministers who doe immediately serue the Lord in the worke of the ministerie seeke to approue themselues vnto him In the beginning of this Chapter 2. Tim. 2.3 the Apostle calleth Timotheus and so all the Ministers of the Word a good Souldier of Iesus Christ Now a Souldier hauing by oath bound himselfe to his Captayne or Generall endeuoureth so to carry himselfe in the warres as he may please him that hath chosen him to be a Souldier as the Apostle saith In like manner a Minister hauing giuen vp his name and bound himselfe to fight vnder the Banner not of some earthly Captayne as
the storie and also to prepare them and fit them the better to the hearing of Sermons and therefore God forbid that any man should derogate from it But yet I must say withall that in an ordinarie time reading is not sufficient to bring the people to saluation without preaching And this the Apostle prooueth plaincly 2. Tim. 3.16 17. and 4.1 2. where hee saith that the whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to improoue to correct and to instruct in righteousues that the man of Godmay be absolute being made perfect vnto all good workes And then immediately he addeth that charge which we heard before I charge thee therefore 〈◊〉 preach the Word Whereupon Caluin giueth this note The inference that the Apostle maketh is diligently to be obserued because he doth plainely ioyne the Scriptures with preaching For hauing intreated of the profit of the Scriptures he doth not onely inferre that all men must therfore read them but that teachers must administer the same 1. Tim. 4.13 And the Apostle commandeth Timotheus to giue attendance not to reading onely but also to exhortation and doctrine And the Apostle Peter hauing taught vs 1. Pet. 1.23 25. that the Word of God is that immortall seede of our new birth he addeth and this is the Word which is preached among you Plainely giuing vs to vnderstand that for the effecting of this blessed work of regeneration it is necessarie that the Word of God be preached And therefore this was obserued in the Church of the Iewes from time to time In the time of Nehemiab before the comming of our Sauiour Christ it is said of Ezra Nebem 3.4 5 8. that hee stood vpon a Pulpit of wood which hee had made for the preaching and being aboue all the people hee opened the booke of the Law before them and hee and his assistants read in it distinctly and gaue the sense and caused them to vnderstand the reading What can be spoken more plainely then this It is euident then that as reading was by no meanes excluded so it was neuer vsed alone in the Church but was ioyned with preaching And this our Sauiour Christ practised Luke 4.16 17 18 19 20 21. who comming to Nazaret and entring into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day he stood vp to reade and hauing read a portion of Scripture he closed the booke and sate downe and preached vnto them out of that which hee had read Act. 15.21 Onus ipsis Angelis formidandum And the Apostle IAMES affirmeth that Moses was not onely read in their synagogues in euerie citie but also preached euery Sabbath day Furthermore the worke of a Minister is a worke of great difficultie Bernard calleth it a burden dreadfull to the very Angels And Caluin saith it is a businesse of rare and excellent vertue farre aboue the abilitie of man Yea the Apostle PAVL himselfe though he were extraordinarily furnished with gifts from heauen yet considering the waightinesse of the dutie hee cryeth out Who is sufficient for these things 2. Cor. 2.16 And where the Apostle calleth the worke of a Bishop a worthy worke 1. Tim. 3.1 Caluin vpon that place obserueth well that hee putteth vs in minde that it is no common or ordinarie worke For saith he when hee calleth it a worthy worke hee alludeth to that old prouerbe so often repeated of PLATO that excellent things are hard And so concludeth that it is a laborious and a difficult charge Now I hope it will easily bee granted that there can be no such difficulty in the bare reading of the Word But for further euidence of this point let vs see a little wherein this difficultie consisteth First then the very framing and compiling of a Sermon is a matter of no small labour It requireth great skill for a man to draw out of the bottomlesse Ocean of the holy Scriptures such instructions as may serue to the edification of the hearers then to dispose them in an apt and fit methode and last of all to vtter and deliuer the same in such manner as the people may vnderstand them wee may more truely say of this then the Heathen Orator said of his facultie in pleading It is a greater matter then men imaginc Againe that which the Minister must labour to effect and performe by his Ministery doth plainely prooue how hard and difficult a thing it is The Apostle deseribing the properties of a good Minister Tit. 1.9 he saith De doct Chr. lib. 4. he must bee able both to exhort with wholesome doctrine and to improoue them that say against it Whereunto agreeth that speech of S. Augustine where he calleth a Minister a maintainer of the truth and a subduer of falshood a defender of the right faith and a vanquisher of errour And Bernard De consider lib. 3. writing to Eugenius telleth him that it is his dutie to do his vttermost endeauour that the vnbeleeuers may bee conuerted to the faith that they that are conuerted may not bee turned away that they that are turned away may returne againe that they that are peruerted may be disposed to vertue and honesty and that they that are subuerted may bee called againe to the truth Now hee that shall goe about to doe any of these things shall finde to bee workes of greater difficultie then can be effected by bare reading Last of al if reading were sufficient and if there were no more required in a Minister to what purpose did our religious and deuoute forefathers found and erect so many famous Vniuersities to be nurseries of learning what vse is there of the knowledge of arts and tongues which cannot be attained without great paines and industrie and to what end serue the learned writings of so many worthy ancient fathers A man without any of these helpes may be sufficiently furnished Jsa 50.4 and inabled to reade the Word He needeth not the tongue of the learned which yet is requisite in him that would know to minister a word in time to him that is wearie that is would comfort an afflicted conscience which Luther saith is harder to do then to raise the dead if bare reading will serue the turne To conclude therefore let vs acknowledge that the Word preached and applied to the conscience is that ordinance of God which he hath sanctified for the conuersion and saluation of men As the Apostle saith It pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching as profane men esteeme of it to saue them that beleeue 1. Cor. 1.21 And yet more plainely Rom. 10. 14 15. How shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued and how shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard and how shall they heare without a Preacher And how shall they preach except they be sent The vse of this is first for vs that be Ministers Secondly for the people For vs that be Ministers it serueth first for the reproofe of
in the end Let them beware that the cry of the Lords labourers James 5.4 whose hire they haue kept back by fraud do not enter into the eares of the Lord of hosts We should know that Gods ministers ought to be maintained though the Law had appointed them no tithes at al for their maintenance And we see that the most vnworthie Ministers that are will haue their tithes to the vttermost yea with greater rigour then they that toile and take most paines for them And therefore let all the people of God be exhorted conscionably to giue the portion that is due to their Ministers lest they bee driuen for want thereof to forsake the house of God as they did in the time of Nehemiah chap. 13. vers 10 11. and as they doe at this day in many places of the land In a word let them be carefull to performe this and all other their duties with such alacrity and chearefulnesse as that their Ministers may be incouraged to doe their duties backe againe with ioy Heb. 13.17 and not with griefe as the Apostle saith For doubtlesse the griefe which a Minister shall conceiue from the way-ward and peruerse disposition of his people cannot chuse but greatly daunt his spirits and make him altogether listlesse to preach vnto them And indeed what heart can a man haue to take paines with such a people as neither regard him nor his Ministery if that necessitie which God hath laid vpon him 1. Cor. 9.16 as S. Paul saith did not compell him Last of all it may serue to admonish all true Christians to mourne in their soules and with bitternesse of heart to bewaile the miserie of so many thousands of their poore brethren who are like to perish in many places because there is none to teach them knowledge Hos 4.6 Is it not a lamentable thing to see so many townes for want of preaching Ministers Isaiah 9.2 who are the Candlesticks to hold foorth the light of the Word vnto them sitting in darknesse and in the shaddow of death Our Sauiour Christ when he saw the people of his time Matth. 9.36 that they were dispersed and scattered abroad as sheepe hauing no shepheard his very bowels were moued with compassion towards them And if we be led by the Spirit of Christ we cannot but be affected with commiseration in regard of the like miserie of the people of our times that haue no guides but blind guides to leade them into the ditch Mat. 15.14 Would it not grieue any mans heart in the world to see a goodly haruest of croppe like to rot vpon the earth for want of Reapers to gather it into the barnes Mat. 9.37 Iohn 4.35 Euen so the Lord hath a great haruest and the regions are white alreadie as Christ saith What a griefe then ought it to bee to euery good heart to consider that there are so few labourers to thrust in the Sickle The people of God in many places begin to feele the want of the Word and as new-borne babes 1. Pet. 2.2 they desire the sincere milk of it that they may grow by it But alas what a pittifull thing is it that their Ministers are either drie nurses and haue no milke at all in their brests to giue them sucke Lam. 4.3 4. or if they haue they are become through idlenesse more hard-hearted then the Dragons and more cruell then the Ostriches in the Wildernesse they will not draw out their brests to feede them but euen suffer the tongue of Gods poore sucklings to cleaue to the roofe of their mouth for thirst And therefore to conclude this point let euery one of vs bee stirred vp in a fellow-feeling of this great miserie to pray to God in the behalfe of our brethren and euen to importune him and giue him no rest vntill hee bee pleased to set ouer euerie Congregation such a Minister as may bee apt and able to teach and instruct them in the way of godlinesse That needeth not to bee ashamed The word properly signifieth that needeth not to blush 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 6.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And so the Apostle vseth it an another place where hee saith What fruite had yee then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed Heere then hee exhorteth TIMOTHEVS to keepe a good conscience in the whole course of his life that when hee shall come to giue account vnto God his face may not becouered with shame for where shame is there is guiltinesse And thus doth Saint Hierome expound it Liue so saith hee lest thy wordes wanting deedes bee confounded for the doctrine is an ornament to the life and the worke is an ostablishment to the life and the worke is an establishment of the doctrine And Aquinas The doctrine saith hee which he preacheth with his mouth let him confirme with his work which if he do not he is worthy of shame and confusion And Gorrā interpreteth it one that needeth not blush to consesse the Gospel for his euil life Anselmus readeth it vnreproueable For saith he from a reproof riseth confusion to him that is reproued and he that cannot be reproued is not confounded As if he should say Shew thy selfe such a one in al thy works as in none of them thou maist sustaine the confusion of shame Frō hence thē our instruction may be this That it is not enough for a minister to preach sound doctrine vnlesse he be blamelesse in his life And therefore our Sauior Christ in that excellent prayer of his for his Disciples because they were to bee Ministers of the Word prayeth for them to his Father Iohn 17.17 Sanctifie them with thy truth thy Word is the truth And indeede how can they cleanse others that are vncleane themselues how can they free others from pollution that are polluted themselues according to that saying of Cyprian Lib. 1. Epist 1 2. who can giue that which himselfe hath not And the Apostle exhorteth Timotheus 1. Tim. 4.16 to take heede to himselfe and to doctrine Attend first to thy selfe and then to the teaching of other whereupon the ordinary Glosse saith He doth not say Attend to doctrine and to thy self but Attend to thy selfe and vnto doctrine first take heed how thou liuest and then how thou teachest for as Caluin well noteth doctrine will doe little good if holinesse of life bee not answerable And great reason is there that Ministers of all other men should bee holy For first they administer the holy things of God Alex. ab Alex. genial dier ◠4 cap. 17. as the Apostle saith they are disposers of the secrets of God They beare the vessels of the Lord as the Prophet saith and that after a more peculiar manner and therefore it behooueth them especially to bee cleane Isay 52.11 And this the poore Heathen people in their blind and superstitious seruice of their Idols had a very
be vnprofitable to his owne soule And a little after he addeth They may be heard with profit to others which doe vnprofitably themselues Diuiding the Word of truth aright 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caictanus in locum Beza Piscator c. Leu. 1.6 7 8 12 c. The word here vsed is a borrowed speech taken as some expound it from Carpenters that cut their timber by a right line or as others interpret it from that cutting and diuiding of the sacrifices which the Priests vsed in the Law wherein the Aposile expresseth the chiefe and principall office of a Minister For seeing a Minister is implied in the most excellent profession of al others namely in propounding and deliuering the Word of truth vnto Gods people then which there is nothing greater nor more precious in all the world the Apostle here instructeth him how hee is rightly to handle the same Now this right diuiding of the Word consisteth first in the right interpreting of the Scripture Secondly in the right disposing of it in an apt and fit methode Thirdly in propounding and deliuering it in such plaine words and easie stile as the hearers may vnderstand it Fourthly in applying the same vnto the hearers as their capacity is able to beare and as their necessity doth require For the first of these the Minister must be carefull to interpret the place of Scripture which he handleth and to lay open the meaning of it especially if there bee any thing in it that is hard to be vnderstood Thus did Ezra that learned Seribe who was prompt in the Law of God Ezra 7.6 when he stood vp in the Pulpit which was made for the preaching Nebem 8.4 8. he read in the booke of the Law of God distinctly and gaue the sense Now the Scripture is best interpreted when it is interpreted according to the meaning of the author of it that is the Lord. 1. Cor. 2.16 And if any shall obiect who hath knowne the minde of the Lord I answere that if in interpreting the Scripture we follow the analogie of faith we cannot faile of the mind of the Lord. Rom. 12.6 As the Apostle saith If we prophesie that is if we expound the Scripture let vs prophesie according to the proportion of faith Where he sets downe the true Canon of discerning a true interpretation from a false Beza in Rom. 12 namely if it be examined according to the infallible maximes and principles of Christian faith contained in the Apostles Creede as it is commonly called which from the beginning of the preaching of the Gospell was written as an epitome and abridgement therof and was therfore worthily called the rule and square of faith Whereunto agreeth that saying of S. Augustine De Doct. Chr. lib. 3. When diligence applied shall perceiue it vncertaine how a thing must be distinguished or how it must be pronounced let a man consult with the rule of faith which he hath receiued from plainer places of Scripture and from the authoritie of the Church And indeede for the most part we shall find that the harder places of the Scripture are interpreted by some other that are plainer Nehem. 8.8 Exponendo sensum dabant intelligentiam per scripturam ipsam And therefore it is said of Ezra in the place before alleaged as Tremelius readeth it that when hee read the Law to the people he opened the sense and gaue the vnderstanding by the Scripture it selfe But I will dwell no longer in the amplifying of this point he that desireth to reade more hereof let him peruse the learned Treatise of that worthy and reuerend man Master Doctor Whittakers wherein hee disputeth the same at large against Bellarmine The vse of it in a word is to reprooue first all those who being sworne vassals to the Pope make him the onely interpreter of the Scriptures For howsoeuer they talke of the Fathers and of generall Councels to bee consulted withall in this case yet in the ende they bring all to the Pope and make him the vmpire in the whole businesse But the Apostle Paul hath taught vs 1. Cor. 2.11 that as no man knoweth the things of man but the spirit of man that is within him euen so no man knoweth the things of God but the Spirit of God 2. Tim. 3.16 That same Spirit by whose inspiration the whole Scripture was giuen 2. Pet. 1.21 and by whom the holy men that penned the Scripture were mooued he must needes bee the best Interpreter of the Scripture Secondly it reprooueth those who when they come to handle the Scripture in the hearing of Gods people doe dwell onely in the rind or outward barke and leaue the marrow and inward life and soule of the Scripture vntouched For euen as the fruit of light metals Seneca epist 23. is aboue in the top of the earth but those are richest whose veine is hidden deepe and will euery day more fully satissie him that diggeth so there are many excellent things hid as it were in the bowels of the holy Scriptures which with a superficiall and ouerly kind of studie cannot be attained vnto And therefore if it bee the dutie of all that studie the Scriptures John 5.39 Prou. 2.4 to search them diligently as our Sauiour saith yea to seeke for the knowledge thereof as for siluer and digge for it as for hid treasure Much more is it the Ministers dutie who must open and explaine the same vnto the people In cap. 3 ad Ephes And the rather because as Saint Hierom saith There is no word no syllable no tittle or accent no little pricke in the holy Scriptures but it is full of knowledge Thirdly it reprooueth yet another sort who search too farre into the Scriptures and not contenting themselues with the naturall fense and meaning of the place draw all to Allegories and mysticall expositions Concerning whom I will onely set downe what Saint Augustine saith in this case De Ciu. Dei lib. 17. cap. 3. As saith he they seeme to be much deceiued which thinke there is nothing at all in the Scriptures that signifieth any thing else but that it was done after that manner so they seeme to bee very bold which auouch that all things there are wrapped vp and infolded in Allegories The second thing wherein the right diuiding of the Word consisteth is the right disposing of the things to be deliuered in an apt and fit method This is most necessary For hereby euery thing commeth to haue his due place that it may bee orderly and methodically vttered It is a true saying that Seneca hath to this purpose Epist 89. It is a profitable thing and very necessarie for him that would attaine to wisedome to haue Philosophy diuided and that great body to bee disposed into his members For we are more easily brought by the parts vnto the knowledge of the whole And a little after Whatsoeuer is growne somewhat great it