Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
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A17044
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Concerning publike-prayer, and the fasts of the Church Six sermons, or tractates. By Io. Br. B.D. Their severall contents are set downe in the next page.
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Browning, John, d. 1648.
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1636
(1636)
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STC 3919; ESTC S105933
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161,719
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248
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of preaching and the ministration of the Word I acknowledge the dignity and the necessity thereof in its due place and order I know it is a meanes to ingender faith where it is not begun and to increase it where it is already I confesse it not onely to be Gods good Ordinance and our peculiar office and duty most needfull as I have shewed on our part but also as the word of exhortation needfull also even in the best times in respect of the people both to comfort and strengthen the weake to encourage the strong to excite the negligent to reprove the flothfull to admonish the forgetfull to inflame and kindle the remisse and cold affections of the far greater part of Christians Yet I know also with Saint Augustine that Aliud est ministratio verbi aliud ministratio verborum that The ministration of the Word is one thing the ministration of our words especially as it is for the most part carried in our ordinary preaching is another I know also with S. Chrysostome that The ministration of the Word containes much more than that which we call Preaching For in the ministration of the word are contained many things even too much also I feare neglected amongst us Such are visiting and comforting the sick and afflicted by the Word the counselling setling and resolving the perplexed and unsetled conscience in reall doubts of practice by the same Word the instruction of Catechisme which the Apostle calls the * 2 Tim. 1.13 forme of wholesome words the * Heb. 6.1 principles of the doctrine of Christ according to the same word The more frequent use of Church Homilies confessions and publike workes of Churches and other writings of Fathers and the most learned men the more safe and most recieved expositions as are judged of the same word and to omit many more even the very same word Ipsissimum verbum The very word it selfe I meane the sacred and holy Scriptures the Rule and Ground of all Truth the measure of al our preaching even it selfe in the publike readings in the Church too much undervalued by the most amongst us The Word is wronged in these and many more particulars Not at all in giving Prayer it 's due place and worth For tell me I pray you Are guests such as are these two any whit wronged by being sorted at the same table according to their due worth and ranke Are Domesticks such as are these two in the same House of Prayer any way injured by their master by being designed each to his own place and office I hope nothing lesse Mary and Martha were sisters yet our SAVIOUR is not afraid to passe His judgment and in it to prefer Mary that she hath chosen the better part Simeon and Iudah were brethren yet Iudah was made Simeons head Simeon indeed signifieth Hearing Iudah Prayer and Praising So the Mother of them both Leah Gen. 29.35 Gen. 29.35 Now will I praise the LORD saith she As here so there Iudah hath the Scepter the preheminence And howsoever Simeon be the Elder brother as also Hearing Rom. 10.14 Rom. 10.14 before Prayer though Simeon bee excellent amongst the Princes and chiefe amongst the Tribes yet to Iudah that is to Prayer is the Scepter given And as of Iudah came CHRIST the promised seede so to Iudah that is to Prayer is the promise made Whosoever shall call on the Name of the LORD shall bee saved Rom. 10.13 Rom. 10. ve 13. Beloved the Word is not wronged in yeelding Prayer its due place and worth For as I sayd most truly Prayer is the principall and maine The Ministration of the Word but the meanes This is the End the other but the Way conducing and leading to this End This is the proper Service of GOD necessary for all men and times the other but the Service of His Word peculiar to us and chiefly necessary for those first times It hath every way the first place In this place first For GODS House this place is the House of Prayer In this Text first To Prayer say they and then to the Ministration of the Word Divers Reasons of Prayers Preheminence And very good reason for it For first The ministration of the Word is most properly Ours of Reason 1 the Clergy Woe to us if wee preach not the Gospell Ours it is The ministration of the Word a particular Duty But Prayer the generall Duty of all Christians to be Instant in season and out of season c. But Prayer is the publike common and generall Duty of all Christians And were it not then fit to be made of all in common It is necessary not onely for all men but also for all times and places Therefore we are bidden Aske Seeke and Knocke Matth. 7.7 Matth. 7.7 to teach us we should do it * Luke 18.1.21.36 Marke 13.37 1 Thes 5.17 Rom. 12.12 Colloss 4.2 alwaies Watch and Pray saith our SAVIOUR And What I say unto you I say unto all Watch and againe Pray alwayes and continually Without ceasing saith this Apostle 1 Thes 5.17 Continuing instant in Prayer Rom. 12.12 Continue in Prayer Colloss 4.2 Thus even with them whos 's the words ministration is Prayer hath the first place as most worthy most necessary So with Moses and the Prophets GOD forbid saith Samuel that I should sinne against GOD in ceasing to pray for you That first But I will teach you the good and the right way 1 Sam. 12.23 1 Sam. 12.23 So is it with the Apostles With the Apostle Saint Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First of all let Prayers and Supplications c. be made for all men 1 Tim. 2.1 1 Tim. 2.1 And thus is it with all the Apostles here by this their publike sanction and Decree To Prayer say they here Reason 2 in the first place Prayer necessary for al times 2 The Ministration of the Word was chiefly necessary for those first times for the first founding and establishing the Church when having converted any S. Chrysost in Colloss cap. 3. Hom. 9. passing them over saith S. Chrysostome they presently betooke them to teach others that all being converted and giving themselves to Prayer they might being thus edifyed and built up become a Spirituall Temple unto the LORD Thus you saith the Apostle to the Hebrewes ought to bee teachers of others Heb. 5.12 Heb. 5.12 Thus did Apollos but newly and as it seemes but meanely Catechised Asts 18. Acts 18.24 25 26. The things saith Saint Paul to Timothy that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses that was in the Congregation the same commit thou to faithfull men who shall be able to teach others 2 Tim. 2.2 2 Tim. 2.2 By this meanes within the space of a few yeares not preaching the Gospell where it had beene preached by others nor staying long any where S. Paul was able to preach the Gospell from Hierusalem round about unto Illyricum
called in the Old and New Testament having in the Old a double difference of the first or second Canon or bookes Canonicall and Apocryphall received also as were the rest from the Iewes to whom were committed the Oracles of God Rom. 3.2 Rom. 2.5 And therefore the Christian Church durst not reject them though because they received them not alike from all they had them not in the like reverence These bookes though distinguished from the other and valued under them yet were farre preferred before all Ecclesiasticall writings whether of particular men or Churches they were read in the Church next the Scriptures for manners and instructions in lesser points the other being received onely for the undoubted Canon and rule of faith So you see the first degree wherby we come nearest to heare and wherein we are safest in hearing is in Hearing God Himselfe The second degree 2 Degree whereby we come neare to heare though not so neare as before nor so sure as the other is the hearing the Word of GOD applyed either by generall or particular Churches in their 1 Catechismes their 2 Councels 3 Confessions their 4 Ritualls their 5 Homilies which next the Word of GOD are most worthily preferred before all other private works or Preachings being the workes of 1 many and those most learned and holy men 2 discussed with the clearest judgement 3 penned with the maturest study 4 delivered in the shortest manner 5 applyed in the most familiar phrase 6 ordered with the plainest method 7 shewing the most needfull points Lastly 8 comprehending most fully the summe substance and body of Christian Religion This degree though not so neare as the former yet by these eight steps if not many more it comes nearer up to heare then the latter Which is 3 Degree The third kinde of hearing the Word of GOD from particular and private men in their Sermons or Homilies which being the workes of one man alone are therefore most subject to errour large discourses and therefore more apt to be mistaken more hardly understood ofttimes not so applyed to the meanest capacities many times conversant as the Text leadeth us about unnecessary truths and high disputes confused and intricate in their order manner and method partaking of many imperfections weaknesses and ignorances in respect of those many wants even in the best of any of us all For we are though sent from God but men subject to infirmities failing I say many times for want of study want of time want of bookes want of meanes want of learning want of judgement c. and these and many more even in the best of ours Not to speake of the greater part of Sermons for the most part the worse in all perchance not penned at all delivered with little or no studie oft-times with little judgement by men of small knowledge learning or reading without any scanning discussing or clearing following their owne private fancies rather then the Word of GOD in the received Tenets of the Christian Church Not to speake of those Sermons of turbulent factious and seditious men worthy of no name memory or mention but the mention of Pilate who as hee out of a desire of pleasing others or profiting themselves by gaine lucre or vaine glory dare doe that which I dare not speake of nay which I tremble to thinke of opposing God and His Church Christ and His Spouse rending tearing and dividing CHRISTS seamelesse Coate nay dismembring and renting His most glorious body So you see that Sermons are the least and last degree of hearing whereby we least come neare to heare in which greatest danger of hearing And surely give me leave to tell you where Sermons and private expositions have prevailed and the Word of God it selfe either neglected or despised or any way thrust out in publique there follies have beene multiplied fooles have abounded not knowing that they doe evill This experience shewes us and because my Text is Historicall I will briefly shew you in the Iewish Easterne Westerne and Muscovy Churches 1 In the Iewish the Iewes neglecting the more publike authority of the Word of God and leaning to the doctrines of men in their traditions they fell at last to build the Law of Moses upon their Talmud Misnah with their Gemarahs by doing evill they became fooles that knew not that they did evill their Religion now being nought else but a masse of fooles and a packe of extreame follies 2 In the Church of Greece one siding with Cephas another with Apollos even in those earely dayes men getting them an heape of Teachers having itching eares hating sound Doctrine and multiplying foolish errours Sermons were restrained to some few to Bishops onely in their severall Diocesses or some from them and now as it seemeth they little venter beyond their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3 In the Church of Rome the Scriptures once read constantly as with us through the whole yeare whereas being after hid in an unknowne tongue and Legends obtruded for them their Sermons began to bee frought with follies the Truth of GOD began manifestly to bee corrupted 4 Lastly the Church of Mosco and Russia neglecting the truth of God's Word and giving eare promiscuslouy to private interpretations and Sermons of men unlearned in the Scriptures and GODS Divine truth were at last faine to have private Sermons and Preaching as wee properly call it supprest and publique penned Homelies read in their places I cannot stand now with any more reasons which I might produce to shew you that howsoever these other bee excellent degrees of hearing yet in them there must bee caution as before for entring Take heede to thy foote So now for hearing Take heede how you heare whom you heare and what you heare As for the Word of GOD it is the touchstone the rule it selfe that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sincere milke that sure word of prophecy 1 Pet. 2.2 2 Pet. 1.19 whereunto yee doe well that yee take heede as to a light that shineth in a darke place Our Sermons howsoever in respect of this light are but as candles to the Sunne This is the way whereby we may and do God be praised come nearest to heare Certainly howsoever we doe as I hope we all do reade the Scriptures at home yet the Word of God as it hath most right to the House of God so then most of all hath it God's blessing when in God's House it is delivered by God's Minister in the person and presence of God Where two or three are met together in my name much more if in His owne house Matth. 18.20 to His owne Word there am I in the midst of them Thus you see how wee must come neare to heare But we must not only heare It is at this day the Proposition III folly of the Iewes that they thinke they may turne their Temples into Schooles but they may not change their Schooles into Temples And is not the same folly found