wittie disturber of the Churches peace And yet this is the onely praise that many doe affect who hauing once fastened vpon some Assertion though neuer so absurd think it their glory to defend it Conceiting all that they see or heare or reade Antiphorus Orietes makes for it Like him in Aristotle who where euer he went he thought he saw the picture of himselfe Thus wee reade of Adrian the Pope who when the Contentions were betwixt the seruices of Saint Ambrose and Saint Gregory Iacob de Vorag in vita Greg. which should take place by common consent both the masse-bookes were laid vpon Saint Peters Altar expecting the decision of that doubt by Reuelation The Church dores being opened in the morning Saint Gregories masse-booke was rent and torne in many pieces and lay scattered about the Church but Saint Ambrose's lay whole and open vpon the Altar which euent one would haue thought should haue signified thus much that the Masse of Gregory should be Cancelled and abolished and that of Ambrose authenticall and allowed But now Pope Adrian who was for Gregory expounds it thus that the renting and scattering of Gregories missal intended the dispersing of it ouer all the Christian world and that it should bee onely receiued as Canonicall Such another was that Fryar who finding out Maria in the Scripture vsed plurally for Seas cryed out that hee had found in the Old Testament the name of Maria for the Virgin Mary What is this but with the wicked sonnes of Eli to strike our flesh-hooke with yron teeth into the pot of Gods Sacrifice and to account all ours that it brings vp And if in case the Scripture hath not for vs so soone as wee desire to take by force as they did from the Sacrificers Yea what is this any other then with the Harlot in the Kings to lay the dead childe of our owne heads and braines in the bosome of the true mother the Holy Scriptures and say it is hers A sinne in the iudgement of some of the Antient so fowle as that in their esteeme it deserued to be ranged in the same ranke with the sin against the Holy Ghost Other sinnes seeme to be of weakenesse but this of wit and strength Besides he that seekes to fasten a new sense on Scripture indites another Scripture as it were and so after a sort makes himselfe a God A rule of speciall vse forget it not And yet while I speake of holding our Pen directly vpon the Full mistake me not For it is requisite sometimes as in the fetching of a Compasse that it should beare a little on the left side that it may the better giue full where it should and small also where it is required Thus did Nathan in propounding of the Parable of the poore man with his little Ewe Our Sauiour often by things feyned did set forth and expresse vnfeined truths Thus Saint Paul likewise fetch a compasse the better to take his keeper holding his pen a little on the left side as it were Beleeuest thou Agrippa I know that thou beleeuest If euer any knew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to change his voice and to attemper his stile that he might profit hee was the man Yet many esteeme this practise no better then flatterie and lying but I hasten We haue done with those Rules which Concerne the Ordering of our Pen Now for those which respect the Cariage of the Body which if it be seemely is a great grace to writing The Particulars are these 1. The Head must be held vpright and looke strait forward 2. The Arme laid right forth vpon the Paper 3. The Paper lie as neere to the midst of the Body as the strait holding forth of the Arme will permit and suffer For the First Be thou an ensample saith Saint Paul to Timothie in life in doctrine in holy Conuersation 1 Tim. 4.12 Exemplaris vita est concio optima It is the Example wherein the force of the Rule doth lie This our people especially looke vpon and accordingly conceiue as Labans Cattell did among the Rods that Iacob laid in the Gutters before their eyes Gen. 30. In which respect it was that God thus complained From the Prophets of Ierusalem wickednesse is gone forth into all the land Ier. 23.15 The sinnes of Teachers are the Teachers of sinnes and therefore no maruell if they be more odious vnto God then the sins of any of the people which appeares by this in that the Lord required in the old Law Leuit. 4.3.14 as much sacrifice for the Priests sin alone as he did for the sins of all the Congregation besides The best Schooleman seemes to giue the reason for when we sinne we doe peccare in quid essentialiter but others in quale accidentaliter therefore ours greater Be yee holy therefore Isay 52.11 you that doe beare the vessels of the Lord haue Feete to walke withall Psal 115.7 as well as Mouthes to speake withall least you bee found in the end Idols as well as dumbe ones You are here present with the ensignes of grauity vpon your backes Seeing these bushes hung forth see there be good wine within In a word let vs so liue as that we be Walking Sermons Epistles and Gospels to those amongst whom we liue Secondly the Arme must be laid right-forth vpon the Paper on which we write We may not haue respect of persons in the deliuering of our message The Preacher sought to finde out acceptable words and that which was written was vpright euen words of truth Eccles 12.10 For Manner it would doe well to take vp such words as may giue lawfull content and be best accepted But for Matter let them be words of truth that which is written let it be vpright without fauouring of any mans Corruptions or Vices The Poore may not be neglected seeing Christ's blood was shed as well for the Belfry as for the Chancell Nor may the Great be spared much lesse poysoned by Flatterie It was said of old Few great mens Confessors will get to heauen For how great soeuer the sins of great men are still they goe away with Absolution and it would doe well now if we would be faithfull and if at any time A Lord should aske his Chaplaine as Christ did his whom doe men say that I am Matth. 16.13 let the answer be according to the truth Some say you are thus my Lord and some say thus c. that if in Case they heare ill they may labour to cut off all iust occasions of such report If well endeauour to preserue and deserue the same to Gods and his Gospels honour But this I must tell you withall that Good manners must be obserued in speaking to our Betters 1 Tim. 5.1 2. Acts 26. notwithstanding that ciuill and well nurtured language be esteemed by some that are ouer-sowre and rigid to bee a daubing with vntempered morter and nothing thought to bee zealously spoken but what
A SERMON PREACHED AT THE SECOND TRIENniall Visitation of the RIGHT HONOVRABLE AND RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD WILLIAM Lord Bishop of London holden at Keluedon in ESSEX September 3. 1631. By NEHEMIAH ROGERS Pastor of Messing in Essex O Vtinam omnes qui alacres currunt ad Cathedram tam vigiles reperirentur ad curam Bern. Ser. 77. in Cant. LONDON Printed by George Miller for Edward Brewster and are to be sold at his Shop at the Signe of the Bible at the great North doore of Pauls 1632. Recensui hunc librum cui titulus est A Sermon Preached at the second Trienniall Visitation of the R.H. R.R. Father in God William L.B. of London holden at Keluedon c. vnâ cum Epistolâ Dedicatoriâ ad Venerabilem virum Arthurum Duck Legum D. c. qui quidem liber continet quatuordecim folia in quibus nihil reperio bonis moribus aut sanae doctrinae contrarium quò minus cum vtilitate imprimatur modo intra tres menses proximè sequentes typis mandetur GVLIELM BRAY Episcopo Londinensi Capellanus Domesticus Ex aedibus Londinens Decemb. 17. 1631. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL ARTHVR DVCKE Dr. of the Ciuill Lawes Chancellour to the Right Honourable and Reuerend Father in God WILLIAM Lord Bishop of London and one of the Masters of his Majesties high Court of Chancery Right Worshipfull and most worthy Sir I Make no other Apologie for my selfe in respect of the Publication and Dedication of the ensuing Sermon then that which Dauid made to his brother Eliab who rashly iudged his forwardnesse in comming to the battle to proceed from the pride and naughtinesse of his heart Is there not a cause 1 Sam. 17.29 Might it haue dyed the common death of other Sermons it had beene dead and buried out of sight but loath I was that it should suffer a violent and an ignominious death through the false calumnies and ignorant censures of some ill affected spirits and therefore I haue sought life for it that it may liue to the world and speake for it selfe I present it to your Worship Protection I desire not if it be truth deliuered it is Gods and able to defend it selfe if error it were an insufferable wrong to abase so worthie a Patronage for the Defence of it Acceptation I craue and this your wonted and natiue courtesie together with the great respect you beare to the meanest of our Tribe assures me of In which confident expectation I binde my selfe Your Worships in my best Obseruance NEHEMIAH ROGERS A SERMON PREACHED At the second Trienniall Visitation of THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE AND RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD WILLIAM Lord Bishop of London holden at Keluedon in ESSEX September 3. 1631. TEXT NEH. 8.4 And Ezra the Scribe stood vpon a Pulpit of Wood which they had made for the purpose THere needeth not a Seer to discouer the mystery and meaning of a Text so plaine especially to such an Auditorie where are so many Iob 39.29 whose eyes like those of Eagles see things a farre off The Sum and Substance with the Connexion and Coherence are so obuious that who so runs may reade Worthy Nehemiah hauing repaired the walls and broken buildings of Ierusalem begins the Repaire of Religion which was much decayed and of Manners which was much corrupted amongst that people This he sets vpon in this Chapter Matth. 7. First like a wise builder laying a good foundation and after building thereupon He begins this worke with reading and expounding of the Law the better to conuince the Iewes of their aberrations and failings which he doth effectually Take we notice of Particulars First the Meeting of the Congregation and assembling of the people i. e. simul vel concorditer Lanat in loc both men and women and all that could heare with vnderstanding euen as one man verse 1. They were no Schismatickes Secondly the Place in the street before the water gate verse 3. openly and publikely not in a secret corner It was no Conuenticle Thirdly the Priest who he was together with his behauiour and carriage verse 4. which well became himselfe and place 1. He Opened his booke in the sight of all the people being fitly seated to be seene vpon the opening whereof the people shew much reuerence verse 5. 2. He makes a Prayer before the Sermon and begins with blessing the great God of heauen whereat the people are zealously deuout with lifted-vp hands and bowed heads and bodies answering thereto Amen Amen verse 6. 3. He Reades his Text giues the sense of the words and causeth the people to vnderstand the meaning verse 7 8. The like method with this vnder the Law is obserued by vs the Preachers of the Gospell and may hence haue warrant One of these branches as you see I haue chose for my Text which sets forth vnto vs the Preacher with some principall Circumstantialls The Preacher is described by his Name and by his Office His Name Ezra His Office the Scribe The Circumstantialls are two Situs Locus His Site Or the Gesture vsed hee stood The Vbi or Place Where Vpon a Pulpit which is set forth or described further by the Materiale the Matter whereof it was made of wood and by the Finale the End why it was made for the purpose Thus you haue the Priest in his proper Predicaments As you haue heard the Logicall Resolution be pleased with like patience to attend to the Theologicall Exposition Ezra the Scribe Who this Ezra was Text. of what Kindred he came what was his Learning what his Religion c. wee reade Ezra 7. at large here onely hee is described by his name Ezra and by his Learning the Scribe Of Scribes there were two sorts some Laicks Others Clergie men Of the first sort there were two rankes Some attended the King as his Secretaries these were termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Kings Scribes 2 Kings 12.10 2 Chro. 24 11. Such were Sheia 2 Sam. 20.25 and Shaphan 2 King 22.3 Others attended Publike Courts and Consistories and were like our Publike Notaries or our Clerkes of Assizes These were termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Scribes of the People Matth. 2.4 The second sort of Scribes were Gods and belonged to the Clergie they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scribes of the Law These were Doctors and Expositors of the Law being by Office to write reade and expound the Law vnto the people Luke 7.30 5.17 Ezra 7.6 Such a one was this Ezra called elsewhere Sophir Mahir a prompt Scribe and here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Scribe by way of excellencie the Hebrew article Πlike the Greeke Ο noting alwaies some eminencie or specialtie in the partie spoken of Stood A Gesture noting Subiection and Seruice vsed by the Priests and Leuits in all their ministration Deut. 10.8 17.12 18.5.7 Iudg. 20.28 And by the Prophets who are in this respect said to stand before the Lord 1 King 17.1
Cutting Riuing or Nibbing of the Penn that it may write hard or soft as Occasion requires Thus if we would write Well and Faire let vs not affect to be dealing with those Scriptures that are Obscure and Darke Of Ambiguous and Doubtfull meaning 2 Pet. 3.16 Of which kinde there are not a few in holy Writ and none more subiect to bee wrested and peruerted Wits making such places the Palaestra to proue masteries in You know the Antient Fathers did scarce touch the Booke of the Reuelation in all their writings thinking it farre safer with silence to admire then to aduenture to expound it Such then as fasten to choose vpon such darke Texts except they haue the better parts and helps seeme to write with the Ganders quill and while men seeke to get the praise of a nimble head and sharpe wit by tying knots to vntie againe they doe with the dog leaue soft meate to knawe vpon the bones But say in our ordinary lot and course Quest. we meete with such a Scripture what must then be done In such a Case Resp to keepe me still vnto the Metaphor doe as good Penmen doe with such a Quill scrape it and pare it till you get away the Teeth what may be I meane that you would Distinguish aptly that which is Confused And Illustrate plainely that which is Obscure You know the Helps the Vse of Tongues and Authors c. And Prayer in such a Case is the Best Booke in the Studie Enquire of him who is both the Author and Interpreter of Scripture The noise of Axe and Hammer would not bee heard ouer-loud within the Temple the worke would be framed in Lebanon To reckon vp all that wee haue read with their seuerall opinions vpon such a Text is in my poore conceit with Dauid A spice of Pride in numbering of the people As on the other side at no time to Quote an Author may be thought with Rhehoboam to despise the iudgement of the wise To bee briefe if after all our paines such places remaine to vs ambiguous and doubtfull it is enough if we acknowledge confesse and religiously admire Not peremptorily determining on either part shutting vp our discourse as the Iewes were wont euery doubtfull place they met withall with this Elias cum venerit soluet dubia Or if in Case we doe determine it shall bee our wisedome to walke in the beaten roade of the Church and not to run out into any single Paradoxes of our owne to trouble the common peace Better is it to bee last in the droue of good Expositors saith our Reuerend Arch-bishop in his Exposition vpon Ionah then to bee formost inventing our owne Conceits This is not all for after wee haue Chose our Quill With the good Pen-man we must be Carefull in Cutting of our Pen. This requires Skill that it may be neither too Soft nor ouer Hard Therefore the Apostle speaketh thus to Timothy Shew thy selfe approued vnto God a workeman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly diuiding the Word of truth 2 Tim. 2.15 Gods Minister must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diuide and cut A speech borrowed from the Cutting vp of the Sacrifice in which there was great skill required the Liuer must be left hanging on the Right side the Heart and Lungs vpon the Channell bone the Milt vpon the left side and the Kidneys vpon the Rump Each Bungler can Chop a Text into Gobbets but so to Cut the word as to giue euery one their Portion and therein approue ones selfe to God is the propertie Of a Workeman that needeth not to bee ashamed Of this there are two parts Resolution and Application The Former is as the Slitting or Riuing of the Pen the Latter as the Nibbing of it Si Logica absit rationalis homo praeter rationem in linguae sono versatur Our Text must be vntwisted and vnloosed or as it were vnbowelled which cannot bee done without the helpe of Logicke the hand of Philosophie This would not bee Ouer-slight nor Ouer-curious for Aequè confusa est diuisio nimia nulla saith Fulgentius To make a long Analysis to a Short Text is with the Citizens of Mindus to build Great Gates to a Little Citie who were well flouted for their paines Or like the Boasting Traueller who comming to his Inne plucks out great store of coine and spends but two-pence And on the other side not to obserue Parts and Order is as bad A Burden well wrapped and pack't vp together wee carry with greater ease both Minister and Hearer is much help'd by Method As for the Applying part respect must bee had vnto the Auditory as the good Pen-man hath in nibbing of his Pen vnto the kinde of Paper he writes vpon that it agree with it Some hath a hard and crosse graine which soone takes off the edge of a Tender Penn here too much of the nib would not be left The Penn would bee Hard and Dry. Some paper againe hath a more fine and tender graine with which the Smaller Penn doth best agree Your Ordinarie Paper is Pot-paper of a middle nature and requires that the nib be neither too soft nor too hard but brought vnto a meane Gods Prophets must fit themselues to the Persons they haue to deale withall becomming all to all that they may saue some A Nathans tongue suits well with a Dauid's heart A Huldahs with Iosiah's And an Elijah's and Michajah's with Ahab's A Iohn Baptist with Herod's doth best of all It is worth our taking notice of how God in all ages hath proportioned men to the occasions A Mild Moses was for the low estate of Afflicted Jsrael mild in spirit saith one but mighty in wonders mild because hee had to do with a persecuted and yet a techie people mighty because he had to doe with a Pharaoh A Graue and a holy Samuel was for the quiet consistence of Israel And a fierie-spirited Elijah for the desperatest declinations of it If in later times of the depraued Condition of his Church God hath raised vp some spirits which haue beene more warme and stirring then those of common mould wee cannot censure the choise when we see the seruice As a Reuerend Prelate of our Church speakes worthily One thing more before I passe this be pleased to take notice of that how-euer you may seeme in the Nibbing of your Penn through the sloape holding of your knife in cutting it halfe way to make it thinne and then strait ouer-thwart to make Two-cuttings yet if it be not done at once it will not write Faire and Currantly So in all our Vses and Applications deriued and deducted from our Doctrines how euer they may seeme yet let them not be Two but One Syllogisme and ordinarily a Connexe Looke how many Vses we deduce from the Doctrine deliuered if they will make a Syllogisme the Doctrine being the Argument we misse not our Rule And then will our Application be more effectuall Nothing else
is vnciuill and rude Dauid as Bernard obserues could brooke it well enough that Nathan should tell him of his sin but he could not endure Shemei's rebukes though it was for the same offence And he saw God in it too The Reason he renders to be this Nathan did doe it with reuerence and respect vnto the person of the King But Shemei behaued himselfe vnreuerently and fell to downe right railing Thirdly the Paper we write vpon must be laid as nigh the breast as may be Those we Admonish Reproue Instruct c. must be neare our hearts All we doe must bee done in Loue. Thus Saint Paul with the same breath calleth the Galatians foolish and yet Brethren Gal. 4. and little children giuing signes of the greatest loue vnto them that could bee the like was his manner of dealing with the Corinthians 1 Cor. 3.2 A good conceit of the Physitian wee say is halfe the cure When our people are perswaded of our Affection towards them then it is likely our paines will be auaileable I perceiue I must hasten I come now to those Rules which concerne the worke it selfe And here three things are obserued by good Pen-men Ratio Modus Species the former doth concerne the Speculatiue part And the two later the Practique parts of Writing The Reason must bee found out and rendered why the letter is made thus not thus and being made this way is more gracefull then being made that way or that And so for the Coniunction knitting and ioyning together of them without the vnderstanding whereof hardly shall a man euer write well Thus must Gods Scribes bee able to shew Grounds for what they doe and teach 1. Ratio I do not meane that a Minister should be strictly tyed to render the Reason of euery Doctrine he doth deliuer A Course though Profitable and Vsefull yet not euer Necessary True it is there is Reason for all Gods Commandements if we could see it but we cannot alwaies conceiue that Reason And if wee should beleeue no more then we can giue Reason for wee shall not beleeue halfe that which a Christian is bound to beleeue to his soules saluation The Councell that Saint Austin giues to his Scholler Licentius concerning those things he heard of him would be remembred Nolo te causas rationesque rimari quae etiamsi reddi possint fidej tamen qua mihi credis non eas debeo If thus concerning those things he taught him then much more concerning those things which God teacheth vs. The Reasons and Grounds of them though they might be giuen which yet as I say concerning diuers Articles of our Faith cannot yet it suits not well with that credit and trust which we owe vnto God too curiously to search into or call into question But my meaning is we should be Grounded and Iudicious Textmen And be able to say as Iohn 3.11 we speake that we know And with Saint Paul 1 Thes 1.5 Our Gospell comes vnto you not in word onely but in power and in much assurance We are first exactly to know the truth and then deliuer it vnto Gods people The Sermons of the Prophet Nahum are called Nah. 1.1 Prooem in Nahū the booke of Visions the Reason Hierome giues and me thinkes it is a passing good one because saith he he well vnderstood and saw whatsoeuer he said Hence it is that Saint Paul cries Shame on them who desire to bee Teachers of the Law vnderstanding neither what they say nor whereof they affirme 1 Tim. 1.7 A great fault therefore it is in young Diuines to scorne the Catechisme affecting a profounder kinde of learning as they conceiue plodding in Postills and Controuersies and raw in Principles Taking the greatest mysteries of Religion fittest Arguments for the exercising of their wits In his Chryso passus As Eckius who discussing the question of Predestination in the very enterance of his discourse giues his Reason why he vndertooke that Argument for that he thought it to be the fittest question in which he might Iuueniles calores exercere When we know a wise man will choose to deale with Woodden wasters before he plaies at Sharpe An error in the Foundation puts the whole building in apparent hazard Therefore it shall be your wisedome who are sons of the Prophets first to aske Councell of Caluins or some others learned Institutions to peruse well the booke of the Articles of our Religion and the Bookes of Homilies as our Church enioyneth that what you deliuer for Doctrine may be comprehended in Essence Substance Effect or Naturall inference with some one of them But of all the Sheaues let the Bible haue preheminence and let the rest of the Shocke doe obeisance vnto it Nor let young Cockerills which newly begin to Crowe be setting vpon the great Cocks of Game billing at that Sophisticall Bellarmine or at that Iudicious Interpreter Caluin audaciously controuling him foolishly despising their great skill and learning Nor run rashly vpon the point of Discipline before they know it may bee what the name meaneth Better by many degrees it is to let these things alone till they be growne in Iudgement and able to speake of them to purpose 2. Modus without wronging either themselues or the Cause The Manner of making euery letter would be knowne as well as the Ground or Reason Let a Scribe begin to frame his letters after a Corrupt and Contrary way as to begin at the heele when hee should begin at the head will hee euer proue good Pen-man Would we be the Ornaments of our Pulpets and haue the praise of being good Ezra's apt and readie Scribes begin we then methodically The wise Preacher taught the people knowledge yea he gaue good heed and sought out and set in order many Prouerbs Eccles 12.9 God hath deuided his Word into fit parts and ordered it to our Capacitie and Vnderstanding It belongeth therefore vnto Gods Ministers to gather out of this treasure things both New and Old and like good Stewards set them forth before Gods family in the best order that they can beginning first with milke and spoone-meate after the Apostles practise 1 Cor. 3.2 Heb. 5.13 It is a preposterous course for any be they themselues neuer so learned comming to an ignorant people and superstitious for they are seldome seuered to begin with Controuersie Let vs first teach the Principles plainely and diligently and after a familiar manner by Question and Answer and spend one part of the Lords-day Commonly called Sunday in this Course for as much as there is still need New-commers on You know it was the practise of the Primitiue times the Apostles had their Catechisme Heb. 6. Where you haue the Name how it was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prima Christianismi principia as Beza renders it The Principles of the Doctrine of Christ as our Translation truly hath it And the Heads or Principles themselues therein contained and handled In number sixe after the