bloud of all men and that no man who liueth vnder our ministery may haue cause in the day of the Lord to impute his slownes in repenting to our too cold too mild and couert maner of reproouing Nymph But what say you now sir to the third accusation which is that you make your preaching too common and so by that means draw it into contempt make it to be the lesse esteemed among men I can tell you there be many that are preachers themselues be of that opinion Epaph. I am the more sorie and to tell you what I thinke plainly I am of that mind that those which blame often preaching as a fault what colour soeuer they may set vpon it yet they do it chiefly for the couering of their own shame that their negligence may not be taken notice of I remember the old fable of the Foxe who hauing had a mischance lost his taile coming into the assembly of the beasts of the same kind fell to perswade them euery one to cut off his taile pleading the cumbersomnesse and waightinesse of it with many the like circumstances but the matter coming to further scanning it was found that the wily foxe did it onely to couer his owne deformitie which if to be without tailes had once bene a fashion should neuer haue bene espied I leaue you to apply it Only I wold wish all such so minded to follow Hieromes counsell in which he admonisheth one Calphurnius vpon some such occasiō as this that if he wanted téeth himselfe he should not be enuious against those with were able to eate When one counselled Moses to silence Eldad Medad imagining that their Prophecying in the hoast might haue eclipsed Moses his credite Moses liked not the aduice but wished that all the Lords people were Prophets But lest I should seeme too tart against this kind of mē of whō yet there is some hope I wil be cōtent to examin their reasons because as I gather by your spéech they séeke as the Prouerbe is to be mad with reason They say the ouer-commonnesse of preaching will breed contempt of preaching First of all suppose it fareth with some in respect of preaching as it did with the vnthankfull Israelites which loathed the Manna wherwith the Lord so miraculously fed them in the wildernesse so they also seeme to be as it were glutted with the continuall vse of the word preached yet this can be no reason why a diligent and frequent Preacher should remit any thing of his former industrie and speak more sparingly drawing his Sermons into a smaller number then he was wont It is truly said that there are thrée very good mothers which haue three very bad daughters and they are these 1. Truth which yet in the world bréedeth hatred 2. Peace a great blessing of God and yet through our corruption it causeth Idlenesse 3. Familiarity and the cōmon vse of a good thing which is notwithstanding mostly recompenced with Contempt And yet this is not in the nature of these things but onely in our corruption For as the nature of God is so perfectly good that he doth turn euen very euill things into very good things as he made the malice of the Iewes in putting his Sonne to death to be a meane of our saluation so our nature is so absolutely euill that it turneth very good things into euill as sometimes the grace of God into wantonnesse and Christian libertie into an occasion vnto the flesh so in these particulars which I haue named Now because truth is generally hated shall men therefore banish it from their speeches and frame their toungs to flatterie Because many abuse the blessing of peace shall we therefore voluntarily raise tumults or desire God to put an end to our happie dayes of quietnesse There is in the world no reason for it Neither is there any iust cause why we should go about to make our preaching as it were something more dainty because it may séeme to some raw and ill disposed stomackes to breed a kind of fulnesse and satietie Secondly if we looke better into it we shall see that the true cause of mens contempt of preaching is not so much the common vse of it as the ignorance of the worth and excellencie of it The Sun the water the fire what things more common and yet what things lesse despised and the reason is because we all know we cannot liue without them Let men be once perswaded of this that neither the Sunne nor water nor fire are more necessary for the outward man then preaching is for the soule and spirit and that where it is wanting there the people decay thē they will neuer be cloyed or at least if satietie through the in-bred corruption of our nature créepe vpon them by the remembrance hereof it will quickly be recouered Thirdly do but marke what course of preaching it is which pleaseth some to call ouer-common namely a setled course for euery Sabboth and it may be some wéeke day Lecture as it is called vsually Now I would faine sée how any man can say with reason that this is ouer often Paule commaundeth to preach in season If this charge carie any waight what better season can there be then the Sabboth a day of leasure a day in which men if not for conscience yet for custome and because of the lawes assemble themselues in one place for the performance of one common dutie and seruice vnto God I remember it is premitted as a circūstance to the historicall relation of some of Christs sermons that when he saw the multitude and great troupes resorted to him then he spake many things to them and in another place it is said that beholding the swarmes of people and considering their spirituall wants euen his very bowels did worke within him and he began to teach them So no doubt it is ought to be with euery good Minister he cannot as we say find in his heart to dismisse a multitude assembled to worship God without some word of exhortation Me thinketh that when a Pastor of a parish is comen into the church vpon the Sabboth day beholdeth his whole flocke gathered together as one man he should euen imagine that the very presence of the people doth cal to him as the Rulers of the synagogue did to Paul and Barnabas that if he haue any word of exhortation for them he should say on So that if to preach in season be a Minister his dutie and the fulnesse of an assembly vpon the sabboth be a seasonable occasiō as no man can deny it I cannot see how so seasonable an exercise can be charged with ouer-commonnesse or blamed as a meanes to make the word of God lesse precious amongst men God requireth that we should call the Sabboth a delight to consecrate it now how can that day be hallowed and consecrated as it ought if so speciall a
part of Gods spirituall worship as preaching is be left out how must not the whole other seruice of the day be euen as a lame and maymed sacrifice before God I know indéed it pleaseth some to say that the méeting of the people together to the hearing of the word preached a phrase scoffed at as though it were not the language of the Scripture is not the chiefe institution of the Lords day But whatsoeuer mens idle conceipts be yet the truth is that the most excellent part of Gods seruice consisteth in the exercise of his word the faithfull dispensing whereof is the beautie of the Lords house and the very life of the Sabboth The other parts of Gods publike worship do but as it were waite and giue attendance vpon this For wherefore is prayer but to prepare vs to the word and to begge of God to bestow those blessings which are promised in the word And if we will credite the Scripture men cannot pray till by preaching they are taught to pray How shall they call on him vpon whom they haue not beleeued c. The place is knowne well inough Againe what is the vse of the Sacraments but to be seales to the word The preaching of the word is the tenor of the couenant betwixt God and vs the Sacraments are seales to assure vs of the performance of the gracious promises made vnto vs in the word So that indéed the other specialties of Gods worship are of no vse but onely so farforth as they haue reference to the word In the second of Isaiah his prophecie where the state of the Church of the Gospell is described the people are brought in prouoking one another to ascend vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob to encourage themselues and other hereunto they vse this reason he will teach vs his wayes no doubt in their méetings they were to vse both prayer and the Sacraments But yet that there they shold be taught was vsed as the principall motiue because as to be taught the wayes of the Lord is the principall blessing so obediently to heare is the principall seruice Wherein hath the Lord so great pleasure as in this when his voyce is obeyed and how can his voyce be obeyed till it is known and what other ordinarie meanes of knowledge shall we trust vnto besides preaching Séeing then the Sabboth day is a fit time in regard of peoples assombling together and seeing also the preaching and hearing of the word is a main part of the worship of God and by consequence especially intended in the first institution of the Sabboth he that indeuoureth to entertaine his people euery Lords day with the opening and applying the Scriptures cannot iustly be accused to be one who by too much familiaritie draweth the ordinance of God into contempt Nymph Well suppose it be yeelded vnto that it be good to continue the exercise of Preaching euery Sabbath day yet it may seeme superfluous to draw the people to hearing vpon the weeke dayes when men are otherwise in their worldly affaires to be employed Epaph. That is it which I was now next about to speake of I cannot say it is a matter of necessity for a Minister to ty himselfe or his auditors to a wéeke-day sermō yet if a Preacher be willing so to bestow his paines and the people in respect of their dwelling together as in cities and greater townes be ready to redeeme some time for so good a purpose I hold it very commendable When Paul and Barnabas preached at Antioch we reade that the Gentiles besought them that they would preach those words to them in the space betwixt that and the Sabbaoth day Now though I will not say that that example is a law yet I must needs say it is an allowance to such a course and that which was commendable in them cannot deserue blame in others of Gods childrē who are willing to diuert some of their time allowed for outward businesses to spirituall occasions as namely for the increasing of their knowledge and for the edifying themselues in their most holy faith Neither can such a course be more an occasion of bringing preaching into contempt then the established order for méeting on wednesdayes and fridaies to praier reading of the scriptures can be or is an occasion to make these good exercises to be despised Nymph I haue heard some say that it is sound and learned preaching which we that are the people must wish for and not often and continuall preaching and that the word of God is compared to raine which though it be in measure profitable yet in abundance maketh the seede rotten vnder the clods In like maner they say that preaching in moderation may do much good but if it exceed may be an occasion of barrennesse among the hearers Epaph. It is a wofull thing that men should so far stretch their wits to deceiue their own soules to beguile others also I would we had all learned the Apostles rule not to do any thing against the truth but for the truth To satisfie you touching this that you haue named hauing obserued it as you say out of the spéeches of some it is worthy the marking how Satan in his subtlety vnder the color of allowing vrging sound preaching would ouerthrow diligent preaching therein building vpon a false ground namely that a man cānot preach often preach soundly too which how false it is the vnreprouable labors of many industrious ministers in this land are a sufficient witnes It is a wise holy spéech of Salomon may be wel applyed to this purpose A slouthfull hand maketh poore but the hand of the diligent maketh rich and againe There is that scattereth is more increased but he that spareth more thē is right surely cometh to pouerty Men of excellent gifts many times whilest either in nicenesse fearing to hurt their bodies or in pride being as it were vnwilling to make thēselues too common they are more sparing in this exercise of preaching which is the glory of a Minister through the iust iudgment of God loose their former perfection as through disuse they grow lesse willing getting a kind of habite of negligence so also they become lesse able to do good in the Church of God then they were before Now when preaching through defalt of oftē inuring thēselues vnto it becometh more irksom they being to seek in many things when they fal to make preparatiō for it then straite because of their owne vnaptnes the iust punishment of idlenes they conclude that those who preach so oftē as they call it preach carelesly without study and without learning On the other side men it may be of meaner yet commendable gifts who remembring the necessitie which is layed vpon them and the woe which shall follow if they preach not the Gospell do euen deuote themselues
to our further comfort Nymp. Amen Well then because I do euē long to acquaint you with that which hath when I haue bene by my selfe much disquieted me you shall vnderstand that the occasion mouing me at this time to craue your aduice is this Since it pleased God to let the light of the glorious Gospel of his Sonne by preaching to shine in these parts more clearely then in former yeares it hath happened that I haue fallen into the companie sometime of common men sometime of men of better fashion which in the world we call wise men sometime also of men of learning and by profession Ministers some of whom to my griefe I haue heard speake very disgracefully some very scornefully all of them to the lessening of that reuerent estimation which we ought to haue of the preaching of the word and of the ordinary course thereof which is amongst vs. Epaph. It is not vnlike neither yet indeed is it to be maruelled at as though some strange thing were come vnto vs. The diuell knoweth by long experience that the preaching of the word is the ruine of his kingdom that therby he is made like lightning to fall downe from heauen And therefore it hath euer bene his practise at the very first entrance of sincere preaching to raise vp some men of corrupt minds to resist the truth and to stop the happie proceedings of the Gospell The first Preacher mentioned in the Scripture is Enoch the seuenth from Adam together with the relation of whose doctrine the text mentioneth also the cruell speakings and violent curses of wicked sinners against him The next after him was Noah which was a Preacher of righteousnesse and howsoeuer the storie mentioneth expresly no tumults raised vp against him yet it may easily be gathered in that he preaching so many yeares before the comming of the floud yet all that while we do not find any one to haue bene reclaimed but they all continued in their accustomed securitie and knew nothing till the floud came and tooke them all away Passe from him to Moses of whose resistance the storie relateth many particulars at his first vndertaking any authoritie among the people in séeking to end a strife betwixt them he was taken vp short with the common spéech VVho made thee a man of authoritie and a iudge ouer vs After when he was sent backe into Egypt to deliuer the people from the bondage of Pharaoh the story is a witnes how often and openly he was gainsaid sometimes by the people they murmuring at him sometimes by Iannes and Iambre two Egyptians somtimes by Korah and his complices so that though the Lord wrought mightily by Moses yet he had daily experience of the malice of the wicked against the truth Now for the times of the Prophets one Ieremie may be a sufficient witnesse he saith he heard the railing of many and the word of the Lord which he preached was a reproach vnto him and in derision daily If you examine the times after Christ at the first spreading of the Gospell this wil be more apparant Run through the book of the Acts the preaching of Peter and Iohn was entertained first with mocking afterwards more open violence was vsed the men in authoritie tooke it grieuously that they taught the people and by cōmon consent put them to silence Steuen was a man ful of faith and of the holy Ghost and they were not able to resist the wisedome and the spirit by which he spake yet certaine arose euen of the synagogue and moued the people against him Paul was mightily withstood sometimes by Elimas the sorcerer sometimes by the Iewes sometimes by Demetrius and those of that faction somtime by Phygellus and Hermogenes otherwhiles by Hymeneus and Philetus Thus we haue euen a cloud of witnesses to confirme this that it hath euer bin the diuels course by all meanes to withstand the preaching of the truth And therefore maruell not good neighbor at it when you see the like in these times these are Satans old pranks and he will thus bestirre himselfe to the end Nymp. Blessed be God you haue well satisfied me in this so that I now see that those which loue the truth haue cause to reioyce at it rather then to be dismayed when they shall see the outrage of the world and the fury of carnall men against the publishing of the Gospell Epaph. You are not deceiued for the diuel his strugling on this wise sheweth that there is a stronger then he come to bind him and to take his armor frō him And though the oppositions of men are at the first assault somthing troublesome yet we haue euer cause to reioyce when wee can say iustly After this maner did they to the Prophets Nymp. Yet sir by your leaue I cannot but maruell that seeing the preaching of the word is so excellent a thing as it is euē the power of God vnto saluation men should notwithstanding so eagerly resist it and shew themselues so great enemies vnto it Epaph. You wil cease to wonder when you shal truly vnderstand the causes mouing worldly and vnregenerate men to malice and maligne that which indeed as you say if the worth thereof were knowne they ought rather with al reuerence to embrace and if you thinke that it may be helpfull vnto you in that wherein you desire to be resolued I will open the same vnto you somthing more at large Nymp. You cannot content me better then if you shall vndertake to discourse therof for as I suppose when I haue once learned the true cause why preaching is so much misliked I shall the losse feare the pretenced reasons which I dayly heare to be alleaged against it Epaph. The true causes why the course of preaching when it is performed so as it ought is so much repined at are these three especially The first is this As men loue nothing more then their sinnes so they loath nothing more then the discouery thereof they can by no meanes endure to haue their secret coruptions ript vp it is a death vnto them to be thoroughly directly dealt withal Wicked Ahab hated the sincere Prophet of the Lord Michaiah because he neuer prophesied good vnto him but euill that is he neuer spared him but deliuered the truth of God vnto him plainly without flattery Now the preaching of the word it is as the prouerb is The finger in the bile it is euer rubbing vppon the gall and being light it maketh all things manifest and discloseth euery mans close and secret vngodlines In the dayes of blindnesse that is in times and places where there is not a setled course of preaching many a man seemeth to himselfe and to others also to be vnreproueable who when the light of the word by powerful application breaketh out is discouered both to others especially to his
is of all other cities and incorporations the most glorious so it is the greatest priuiledge that any man can attaine to be of a stranger and a forreiner admitted to be a citizen and free denizen of that societie Thus at your request I haue giuen you a taste of the doctrine of Christian Libertie the obedient Christian is the true free-man euen the Lords free-man Nymph Doubtlesse this is a most excellent point and to the soule of a Christian exceeding comfortable how much therefore are we bound to giue thankes to our heauenly Father who hath deliuered vs from the power of darknesse and hath translated vs into the kingdom of his deare Sonne And I beseech God giue vs the grace that being thus made free from sinne we may become the seruants of righteousnesse that so hauing our fruite in holinesse the end may be euerlasting life But now if it please you I long to heare the third cause of the small regard of Preaching Epaph. The third cause of contemptuous resistance is the iudging of that which is taught by the outward semblance of the teacher as for example Some great man in the world that happily is a Magistrate or a man of note and special reckoning in the place where he liueth comming to the Church and hearing his sinne reproued and such and such duties perswaded straite he casteth his eye vpon the person of the speaker and him he seeth to be but some ordinary man one that if he should come in place where he is should be serued as the poore man in the torne coate of whom S. Iames speaketh that should bee bidden to stand there aloofe off or sit here at my footstoole eftsoone he beginneth to thinke with himselfe that it would be a shame for him to suffer the words of such a one so far below him in the world to cary so great authority with him as that he should by and by conforme himselfe to his perswasions Another perhaps that hath had some good education and thereby hath gotten some tast of learning or is otherwise by obseruation experience growne to be a man of some reach and capacitie he when he compareth himself with the teacher seemeth to sée as much if not more learning iudgement reading and vnderstanding in himselfe as in him and therfore he sayth with himself Why should I yeeld to his instruction why should his opinion sway so far with me as to draw me from mine owne courses why should not I be as wel able to iudge what is méete as he A third that is it may be some gallant a man of spirit that thinketh it a part of his courage to be without feare euen of God himselfe he hearing at a sermon threatnings denounced against sin and against those very sins wherof his life is a continuall practise in the greatnesse of his stomacke and in the prophanesse of his heart beginneth to set all at nought imagining that it cānot stand with that hardinesse and vndaunted resolution which he professeth to be strikē with the words of a silly man or to haue his heart terrified with a few idle spéeches In a word the people generally do not consider how well a thing is spoken how sufficiently proued how soundly seconded and made good by the word this neuer entereth into their thought but they see that he which preacheth what is he but a man of their owne sort one neither armed with authority to punish them nor endued with power to constraine them neither yet furnished with wealth to contend with them and that al his force lyeth in his tongue the exercise whereof when it is once past there is all that he can do and therefore they make a Tush at his doctrine and say of the Preacher as they did of old He is but wind and what is he that he should command vs Thus this also is one cause of resistance to the holy doctrine taught men looke no higher then the man and they value all that is sayd by the quality of the speaker Nymph This discourse of yours so fully discouering the proud conceits of an vnreformed heart calleth to my mind the commendation which Paul giueth of the Thessalonians When ye receiued of vs saith he the word of the preaching of God ye receiued it not as the word of men but as it is indeed the word of God for so long as men haue no higher a conceipt of that which they heare then that it is but a mans doctrine the respect vnto it cannot choose but be very small so that I must needs yeeld vnto you in this that this also may well go among the number of the causes why preaching is of so slender estimation here amongst vs. Yet sir men that are enemies in this case do pretend other reasons and will not be knowne of any of these to be the occasion or cause of their dislike Epaph. That is most true for sinne doeth euer seeke shades and it is a tricke which we haue learned of our grandfather Adam to sew figge-leaues together to couer our nakednesse For shame men will not say that they are hereby moued to dislike yet notwithstanding these be the true grounds and men in their consciences know it to be so If a man had asked of Pashur why he smote Ieremie the Prophet and put him in the stockes no doubt but he would tell you a very formall tale as that He prophesied against the citie he hath not sought the wealth of the people but the hurt and that he discouraged the hands of the men of warre in speaking such wordes vnto them This would be Pashurs pretence thus he wold pleade for his straite courses against the poore Prophet yet this is but a colour for the very matter is Ieremie was a little too bold he spake too plaine his sermons were like a fire and like a hammer that breaketh the stone he kept not a word backe of al that the Lord commanded him Nymph Indeede I haue heard much spoken by many and diuers exceptions made against preaching but I neuer heard any man acknowledge his dislike to proceede from any of these causes which you haue named I wish therefore that you would instruct me how to stop the mouths of gaine-sayers when I light into the companie of such They will not perhaps say much to your faces that are Preachers but such as I am shall often heare them talke at libertie and vtter the very bottom of their stomackes and spend all their powder and shot to the beating downe of that which I hope they shall neuer be able to ouerthrow Epaph. Assure your selfe of that for we may be bold to say in the comfort of a good conscience They that be with vs are moe then they that be with them And when we come on the same errand with Ieremie why may we not hope vpon the same promise They shal fight against thee
common in many mens mouthes let them say they preach and we will pray they hope their deuotion in praying will do them more good then all your preaching Epaph. It is a world to sée the cunning of the diuell who goeth about to ouerthrow one holy dutie by another and to oppose those things which ought to go as it were hand in hand together But what thing is there so senslesse whereto ignorance in the Scripture may not be perswaded It is our English prouerbe The blind eateth many a flie and so indeede the ignorant in the booke of God embrace many grosse and ridiculous absurdities for if men knew what the Scripture saith in this case they would neuer cast out such an idle speech Salomon saith He that turneth away his eare from hearing the law euen his prayer shall be abominable What thinke you shall become of their prayers then who resolue not to affoord the vse of their eares vnto Gods word Do they not make a faire hand when by their contempt of preaching they bring a curse vpon their praying Adde hitherto that Paul sayth expresly that as men cannot call on him in whom they haue not beleeued so neither can they beleeue without hearing nor heare without a Preacher Can men credite Paul in this and yet thinke to pray well without the helpe of preaching Surely no. How can men pray aright without knowledge of their owne wants without the apprehension of the promises of God vpon which to build their assurance to be heard and how can they attaine to either of these ordinarily but by the preaching expounding opening applying of Gods word That which men commonly call praying is but a lip-labor consisting in the recitall of a few words the sense meaning whereof is not vnderstood and it is méere babling in the eares of God it may be well called the sacrifice of fooles and it may truly be said of such blind deuotions and tongue-prayers which the heart doeth not conceiue as it was sayd of the hypocriticall ceremoniousnesse of the Iewes The soule of the Lord hateth them they are a burden vnto him he is wearie to beare them I thinke I haue sufficiently discouered the weaknesse of this silly obiection Nymph I praise God I do also see the vanitie of it and I hope I for my part shall learne so to esteeme of preaching as that I shall also reuerence that good meanes which God hath in his wisdome ordained for my help in the performance of that holy dutie that so by often hearing I may learne to pray and by praying I may make good vse of the things I heare Well sir now that you haue armed me against the common pretences of the ignorant sort whereby they make themselues beleeue or rather are made beleeue by the diuell that it is no daunger to contemne preaching I must challenge your promise and craue your helpe also touching another sort of men who as they are ignorant in the matters of God so are they come to a higher degree of hardnesse and haue euen almost taken vp their seate in the chaire of scorners and do not onely not regard preaching which is the fault of those of whom I haue spoken hitherto but scoffe at it and endeuour by lading it with sundry reproaches altogether to disgrace it Epaph. I am as willing to performe my promise as I was to make it and yet I know that in regard of these prophane ones themselues this will be but a thanklesse peece of seruice for a scorner loueth not him that rebuketh him neither will he go vnto the wise Therefore I wil do it rather in desire to satisfie you then in any great hope I haue to reclaime them Nymph Indeed I haue sometimes cast in a word according to my skill when I haue bene in the companie of such and they haue for the most part still shewed themselues like the foole who maketh a mocke of sin to whom it is euen a pastime to do wickedly yet it is good to be able sometimes to answer them according to their foolishnesse least they should be wise in their owne conceit Wel then to come to the matter without circumstance the exceptions of profane men against preaching are diuers some against the persons of the preachers some against the hearers some otherwise as you shal vnderstand in seueral First touching you that are the preachers it is common in their mouthes Who be worse then they If there be any couetousnes or pride or ambition the like where shal you find it but in the Clergie When they are in the pulpit they must needs say somewhat and therfore though when they be there they be very hote and eager against vice yet in their owne courses they are as bad or worse then other men This is one exception Epaph. The answer to this wretched exceptiō not for the waight of argument that it carieth but for the variety of leudnes error which is in it wil diuide it self into many particulars First of all therefore touching them that obiect this they are very properly by a learned man of our times compared to foule gamesters who when they haue lost all at the cards and haue the last dealing in their hands and perceiue that not likely to proue to their mind rise vp in a chafe and fling downe all and say there hath bene foule play playd when indéed the fault is chiefly in themselues so many being naught them selues being as the Apostle speaketh damned by their owne consciences when they haue no other shift crie out vpon Preachers thereby to cloke their owne iniquity therein not much vnlike to him that in a throng at a fair or market bids men beware of the Cut-purse that he in the meane time being a man of the trade may practise his diuing into mens pockets with the lesse suspicion And marke it when you will you shall neuer find them any other then méere sensual men yea and for the most part openly noted for some one bad course or other of drunkennesse oppression vsury couetousnes adultery or the like that make this obiection Secondly because there may be truth in an obiection though there be little truth or honestie in him that maketh it know this therefore for the substance of this cauill that put case it were so which thankes be to God is not so that all Preachers did confute their owne sermons with their euill life and had Esaus hands with Iacobs voice and were like a file which smootheth other thinges it selfe remayning rough yet this could make nothing against preaching For is Physicke naught because many Physitians perhappes liue contrary to their owne rules of phisicke Or is law damnable because some professors thereof do liue lawlesse giuing rules of equity to others themselues keeping none but ill rule No man wil be so without sense to affirme it why thē shal the course of preaching be
secondly cauillers and lastly iudiciall and carefull hearers The ignorant are as vncertaine touching that which we call the scripture whether it be be the word of God as they be touching our preaching they haue no assurance of it but tradition and report which is a poore certainty they haue as good an opinion of the Apocripha books as of the other which we call canonical Besides that it is buzzed into many of our common peoples eares by whispering Papists it is thereby become ordinary in many mouthes here in the country that our Bible is no true Bible and that our translation is iustly to be doubted of Secondly those that are possessed with a humor of cauilling may as wel demand how they know the scripture to be scripture those things to be true which are writtē in it as how they may be resolued that our preaching is the truth Thirdly your best hearers which heare as Christ sayth with a good and an honest heart to them the certainety of the truth in the written text and in the sermon is both alike for as they haue a certaine secret teaching by the spirit of God which S. Iohn calleth by the name of an ointment from him that is holy whereby they are perswaded of the truth of the scripture and do account it the oracle of God in respect whereof they are said to be taught by God and Austine sayth God speaketh to our hearts so also they are enabled by the same spirit to iudge of that doctrin which they heare by the scripture and equally to embrace points confirmed by it and those which are expresly and in so many words reuealed in it So thē there is no more certainty of the text then of the doctrine preached out of the text Those which are ignorant or dispose to cauill are doubtful of both alike for the one are blockish know nothing the other are humorous and will be satisfied with nothing Again those which are Gods children are alike assured of both of the text by the secret perswasion of Gods spirit of the doctrine by triall taken of it by the text I remember a saying of S. Hieromes I know sayth he that I otherwise esteem of the Apostles then of other treatisers the Apostles I know spake alwayes the truth the other as men in many things were deceiued The spéech may well be applied to this purpose the books of holy Scripture we must yeeld consent vnto them without refusall because it is certaine that they are all giuen by inspiration of God so that there is nothing in them of any priuate motion but as for the writings and preachings of men they are not to be credited before they be tried whether they are of God Thus much willingly is acknowledged but yet after this triall made and by the dayly searching of the scriptures those things which in preaching are deliuered are found to be so then the doctrines though drawne out of the text by the art and wit of man and otherwise amplified enlarged and vrged by the helps of learning are not to be called the opinions of a man but the words of God It is a good rule of the learned that those points which are collected out of the scripture are of like authority with those which are directly writtē in it Whē Paul being at Thessalonica went into the synagogue of the Iewes and disputed with them by the scriptures I hope no man wil say but that those things which he by argument discourse drew out of the writtē word were of equal authority with points expresly mentioned Paul pleading before Agrippa stood stiffely to the iustifying of his doctrine because he had said no other things but those which the Prophets Moses did say shold come His doctrine was the same with the doctrine of Moses and the Prophets yet not in words but in sense and substance And the same Apostle is not afraid to call his preaching The counsell of God though it were in regard of the tenor and course of speech differing from the expresse letter of the text If it shall be said vnto me that there is a difference betwixt our sermons and Pauls I willingly confesse it but yet I say that euen Pauls sermons were subiect to the like triall that ours be as appeareth by the practise of the Noblemen of Beraea And therefore as his preaching was not to be estéemed as the word of God till triall and being tried was equally to be reuerenced as the written word it selfe so neither are our sermons to be by and by credited vpon our bare word but to be thoroughly examined but being once found to hold at the touch-stone then they are so to be reputed Gods word that it may be safely said He that despiseth them despiseth not man but God And indéed vnlesse we shall giue equall credit and respect to matters soundly proued by scripture and to points expressed in it we shall hazard the truth of many and the same no pettie principles of Religion which I know are substantially confirmed by the scripture but yet are not word for word so to be found in the sacred text as we maintaine them And this I think may be a sufficient answer to this obiection Tell me I pray you how you do conceiue it Nymph As far as I can coniecture your answer is this that when that course of due triall which is meete is taken touching things taught by preaching then the scripture being found to giue allowance to thē there is as great assurance of the authoritie of the one as of the other and that is as much to be accounted the word of God which the scripture warranteth as that which by name in so many words it expresseth Epaph. That is indéede the summe of the answer to which if you will you may adde this that by preaching men come to be better assured of the authoritie of the scripture for the better they vnderstand it the more comfort they find in it and the more they feele the power and working of it all which by the blessing of God are the effects of preaching the more are they assured that the scripture is the very thing which it is said to be euen a perfect pure and sweete doctrine conuerting the soule reioycing the heart and able to make a man wise vnto saluation It is truly said that the Scripture standeth not in reading but in vnderstanding What shall it auaile men to cary a kind of conceipt of some diuine authoritie to be in the Scripture so long as they are ignorant of the mysterie of it and without any apprehension or tast of the comfort which is intended in it Nymph I am sory that I am constrained to make you tary so long in this matter and that so much the rather because there are many other things yet behind wherein I am as desirous of your
helpe as in these already handled yet because I haue this good oportunitie and do find you also so willing to instruct me I will yet further acquaint you with one other allegatiō which being answered I shall I thinke be well prouided both to satisfie those of my acquaintance which shall perhaps seeke help from me and also to say something to those who with their quirkes and shewes of reasons thinke to put downe such plaine men as I am when we come into their companie I named it to you before though happely by length of communication it is slipped from you and it is this That euen reading it selfe is preaching and that they seeke to proue by those reasons first they say to preach is nothing but to publish the Gospell and that is done by reading secondly in hearing the scriptures read we heare the sermons of the Prophets of Christ and of his Apostles which passe all other sermons which any man now can make Thirdly there is they say euen in reading that which we so much commend preaching for namely expounding and applying for the new Testament is the expounder of the old and the Epistles of Paul and Peter and the rest do apply both vnto mens consciences Thus though in our common speech we account reading to be one thing and preaching to be another yet by these deuises we are many times shrewdly puzled and know not sodainly what to answer Epap These reasons what shew soeuer they may make at the first view yet are they neuer able to proue that for which they are alleaged as shall God willing appeare in the seuerall examination of them First for that which is said that preaching is nothing but a publishing of the Gospell I yéeld vnto it if it be well and rightly vnderstood and when it is so vnderstood as it ought to be then it will appeare that the reading of the bare context cannot properly be tearmed preaching I find in the new Testament foure words especially to be vsed when preaching so farre forth as it is incident to the office of an ordinary Pastor in Gods Church is mentioned The first signifieth to deliuer good tidings because the Gospel is as it was by the Angels to the shepheards tidings of great ioy to all Gods people The second third words signifie to make manifest to discouer to make knowne to set forth to open view and so to handle a matter as the Prophet was commaunded to deale with a visiō which God had shewed him namely to make it plaine vpon Tables that he which runneth may reade it This shall appeare to be true to any man that shal take the paines to examin and duely to ponder those places of the new Testament in which these words are vsed in the Gréeke which being applyed to the Minister his office are translated by the word Preach And these kinds of words do fitly set forth the duty of a Preacher which is especially that which Paul exhorteth the Ephesians to begge of God on his behalfe to wit To make knowne the secret of the Gospell which seeing it must be sought for as siluer and searched for as for treasure is not ordinarily to be looked for in the vpper face as it were but to be with paines and industrie digged out of the very bowels and heart of the Scripture The fourth word signifieth to publish and as an herald or a crier to deliuer a matter in open place in the hearing of a multitude that many may take notice of it For this cause the Prophet Isaiah was willed to Crie aloude and to Lift vp his voice like a trumpet and Ieremiah was commaunded to stand in the gate of the Lords house and to crie the word there And hence also it is that the wisdome of God is said to stand in the top of the high places and to make as it were a publike proclamation O men ô ye foolish who so is simple let him come hither Ho euery one that thirsteth come vnto me al ye that are wearie c. By this it may appeare what it is to Preach and in what sense Preaching may be tolerably defined to be a publishing of the Gospell namely it is an open and comfortable discouerie by word of mouth making plaine vnto the people of God the mysterie of godlinesse euen the secret of the Gospell Now as no man duly considering the nature and vse of the forenamed words can denie Preaching by a Minister lawfully called to be euen such a kind of publishing the Gospell as is now set downe so neither can he with any face or colour affirme the action of reading the Scripture to be answerable to this description So that though it be granted that the text of Scripture is the Gospell and the very word of God and withall that reading is after a sort a publishing thereof because thereby the letter of the Text is recited with a lowd voice from an eminent and conspicuous place in the audience of a multitude yet when we shall enter into a more exact examination of things it will then appeare that Reading simply cannot be called a publishing of the Gospell in that sense as it is required of Ministers and Teachers to be spreaders abroad and proclaimers of Gods truth Adde hereto that that which is the principall thing looked for of a Preacher in the publishing of the word the bare Reader in the act of Reading neither can nor doth performe and that is the deuiding the word of truth aright and to apply Christs words in a case not much vnlike a giuing to them of the houshold which is the Church 1. Tim. 3.15 their portion of meate in season A Minister is one to whō the dispensation or stewardship is committed in the familie of God and his office is out of the store-house of the Scripture to share out to euery one that which he shall find by his caring to know the state of his flocke to be best fitting and agréeing to him As for as example Milke that is the first principles of the word of God to those which are inexpert in the word of righteousnesse Strong meate that is doctrine of greater depth for them who are able to beare it Meeknesse of instructing for those which are contrarie minded a rodde and sharpe rebuke of slow bellies that they may be found in the faith Improuing or conuincing of Gainesayers that their mouths may be stopped admonition for them that are vnruly comfort for the feeble minded a discréet and respectiue framing of exhortation to seuerall ages and degrées to the Elders as to fathers to the younger men as to brethren to the elder women as to mothers to the yonger as to sisters After this sort euery mans portion must be allotted out vnto him and this ordering of that prouision which the Lord as a carefull housholder hath left for his spirituall
familie is committed vnto the Minister The Scripture I confesse is profitable for these purposes and able to make the man of God absolute and perfect vnto all the good works of his calling and it is no wholesome foode vnles it be deliuered out of that Garner but yet vnlesse there be more performed theÌ„ is done by naked reading to wit a propounding to the houshold the whole store as it were in grosse it cannot be but whilst euery one is left to be his own caruer the young ones will be starued and the riotous and misgouerned surfet themselues with greedie and vnbeséeming taking that vnto them which they are neither fit nor able to receiue And this I thinke may serue to shew how litle reason there is in this first Reason why reading of the Scripture shold deserue the honorable name of Preaching when as both our common speech and which is more the language of the holy Ghost hath put an apparant difference betwixt them Nymph Indeed I acknowledge that to be true out of my owne experience for though by priuate Reading the Scripture as also by hearing it read I haue receiued much comfort the memorie of things taught thereby renewed and the truth of them confirmed yet I haue often bene quite set often bene altogether mistaken and still affraid of my owne iudgement euen in plainer places vntill I haue found the publike exposition giuen by the Minister to iumpe and accord with my opinion But what say you to the second reason namely that in the Scriptures read we heare the worthie sermons of Christ of the Prophets and of his Apostles and therefore Reading is Preaching Epaph. I say it is a very weake argument That the sermons of Christ the Prophets and Apostles were excellent sermons and that the summe abridgement of them is to be found in Scripture no man goeth about to denie yet this being granted will neuer prooue a Reader to be a Preacher For he is not a Preacher who reciteth publikely things of another mans inditing but he which deliuereth matters though not inuented yet in respect of art and industrie compiled and framed by himself If it be said that the sermons of Christ c. though they be not of his framing that readeth them yet being read may turne to the profite of the people I answer that the question is not whether they may be profitable but whether the reading of them may be called preaching God forbid any man should denie the publike reading of them to be for the behoofe of Gods people I hope you haue not forgotten what I told you as my iudgment in this case but how it may be said that he which hath read them to the people hath performed that office of a Minister which we call preaching neither can I conceiue neither as I thinke is any man able to set downe Besides if the word Sermon shall be precisely vrged that which was the sermon of Christ or Ieremiah or Paul when they liued and the same vttered by them cannot be now being recorded in the Bible and read out by another so properly called a Sermon because in our common speech a Sermon requireth the tongue and voice of him that framed it And therefore to say as some do that Christ or some one of the ancient Prophets or Apostles preacheth to vs when we heare the summe of their sermons read vnto vs is but a borrowed kind of spéech vsuall amongst scholers Such as that is that the bloud of Abel speaketh and that he being dead yet speaketh or which is said of the heauens and firmament that there is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard and the like common in the Scripture Againe let the nature and estate of those which are called the Sermons of the Prophets of Christ and his Apostles be a litle considered First in generall this is to be knowne that we haue but the briefe and summe and as it were the heades of their sermons related in the Scripture for if al that euery one of these spake publikely by way of teaching had bene written we might well say as S. Iohn said touching the â—as and sayings of our Sauiour Christ the world could not containe the bookes and therefore if profite be desired there must necessarily be some course taken by which the things abridged by the penmen of the holy Ghost in their writings may be enlarged Secondly the sermons of Moses are so interlaced with iudiciall ordinances and ceremoniall rites appertaining onely to the pollicie of those times that for the peoples behoofe it is more then conuenient that they should enioy the benefite of an able Minister who may informe them herin what things be morall and what be temporarie what is the substance of euery ceremoniall shadow and what the perpetuall and vnchangeable equitie of euery iudiciall constitution Thirdly touching the preachings of the Prophets though they be full of comfort and abounding with sweet coÌ„solation because the maine scope and drift of them all is to foreshew the renewing and restoring of the Church by Christ and though they do also notably make knowne the iust iudgement of God against sinne yet they are so intermixed with mysticall prophecies with hidden parables with historicall narrations and descriptions of countries with borowed spéeches and proprieties of that holy language in which they were deliuered that howsoeuer sometimes a lambe as the prouerbe is may find a foord easily to be waded through yet vnlesse there be added the helpe and guidance of some learned Ezra some Messenger or Interpreter as Elihu fitly calleth him and the same no ordinarie man but as the text speaketh one of a thousand the people cannot possibly reape that good which God hath intended in the reuealing of those things Fourthly for the sermons of our Sauiour as we haue but the very short summe of many of them according as I said before so for those which are reported more largely by the Euangelists I perswade my selfe there is no man but if he will speake the truth out of his owne conscience he will confesse that he learneth more by them when by preaching they are explaned then when they are onely read vnto him Fiftly we haue in the Bible very few copies of the Apostles sermons those that be are in the booke of the Acts and yet many times this is all which is said of them they preached in Iesus the resurrection from the dead they went to and fro preaching the word preached Christ preached the things that concerne the kingdome of God and many the like spéeches all which are like vnto the litle cloud which the seruant of Elias saw which though at the first it was but like a mans hand yet at last it couered the face of heauen so these being clauses of very few words yet minister iust matter of many large discourses the same also very néedfull for the well vnderstanding of