spilt as is sowen in that time and if besides occasions of the world do keep us from hearing or hinder us in preparing for it what in this case is bestowed on the world is stollen from God and our owne soules And therefore in the Decalogue where God commanded the Jews to sanctifie the seventh day as a day of rest for Gods service hee telleth them that they had six daies allowed theÌ„ to do their own works in but the seventh was a Sabbath of rest in which being freed from the world they should bee at leasure for God For better keeping of which day Moses commanded them that the day before the Sabbath they should (a) Exod. 16.23 bake what they had to bake and seeth what they had to seeth that so they might have no businesse of their own to do when they were to keepe Gods holy day And from hence it was that the Jews called the sixth day of the week (b) Matt. 27 6â— Luk. 23.54 the preparation of the Sabbath Some have thought that this was a peculiar title of the day going before the Passeover and sure there is reason to think that it was in an especiall maner used before that day because as that (c) Joh. 19.31 Sabbath day was an high day so this preparation day should be observed with more solennitie and care that it might usher in that great day with the more honour But yet I take it every Sabbath day had his preparation day going before according to that rule of Moses mentioned before And so (d) Parasceve Graeca vox est Latinè dicas praeparationem Eo nomine Judaei vocabant sextam Sabbathi seu sextam Hebdomadae diem eò quòd illo die pararent necessaria omnia ad vivendum die subsequenti ne qua re otium Sabbathi violare cogerentur Brugens in Matt 27.62 Vox Parasceve qua Romani hanc solam feriam sextam compellant communis est omnibus totius anni feriis sextis Parasceve verò praeparatio interpretatur quo nomine Judaei qui inter Graecos conversabantur sextam Sabbathi quae nunc à nobis sexta feria nominatur appellabaâ—â— c. Antiq. Liturg. tom 2. de feria sexta pag. 925. Vide Ca aeuÌ„ in Cassian Instit lib. 5. cap. 24 pag. 12. learned men generally do affirm Answerably whereunto and as I take it in imitation thereof the Christian Church hath beene accustomed to keepe Saterday half holy day that in the afternoon they might ridd by-businesses out of the way and by the evening service might prepare their mindes for the Lords day then ensuing Which custome and usage of Gods people as I will not presse it upon any mans conscience as a necessary dutie so every man will grant mee that Gods people as well Christian as Jewish have thought a time of preparation most fit for the well observing of Gods holy day And upon this ground I may be bolde to advise every good Christian that before the exercises of the LORDS day he will take care to lay aside worldly occasions and to cleare his minde from the thought of them that so he may have nothing to do with the world while hee is to converse with God nor bee distracted with earthly thoughts when hee is to bee busied about heavenly things In regard whereof I cannot but blame their loosenesse who follow the businesses of their trade in the morning of the Lords day or spend other parts thereof in talking with their servants about the disposing of the next weeks work as if they meant to make the Lords day a preparation day for the week following By which meanes it falleth out not seldome that such people come tardy to Church and heare without attention when they are come and go away without profit when all is done I like not their rigour who allow no word nor thought on a Sabbath day but such as is spirituall nor can I approve their loosenes who take so much libertie for themselves as hindereth any substantiall dutie of Gods service More I say not at this time grant mee but thus much and then ye will not denie but so much preparation is necessary as may make us fit for the duties of Gods service and may make the exercises of an holy day profitable for our soules II. A second preparative duty for right hearing is that wee refresh the body with seasonable moderat comforts that the senses spirits being refreshed the minde may bee made more chearefull in Gods service For our soules work as our bodies are fitted for them and the reason is because the senses of the body are the servants of the soule the spirits are the instrumeÌ„ts by which it worketh Now if a master-workman doe want servants to assist him he will do but a little work and if hee want tooles or have none but blunt ones he can do no work or none to any pupose And so if the bodily senses bee decaied and the spirits wasted the minde cannot be free or forward in good duties And consequently if we desire that our soules may be fresh lively in hearing or praying or praising God it will be necessary that the body bee kept in vigour by its usuall refreshings And these refreshings are two especially moderat diet and seasonable sleepe In these I require two things 1. that there bee a competent use of them allowed to the body and 2. that this use be moderat and seasonable And this the Apostle meant when hee said Make not provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof Rom. 13.14 for by these words (a) Cassian Inst Ib. 5 c. 8. pag. 116. saith a good writer non curam ejus omnimodis interdixit sed ut in desideriis fieret denegavit He did not forbid all care but denied the fulfilling of its lusts Voluptuosam ademit diligentiam carnis gubernationem vitae necessariam non exclusit hee tooke away the sensuall care of the flesh but not the right ordering of it according to the course of nature 1. It is necessary that there bee allowed a reasonable use of them that the senses may bee lively and active for their work For wee read of the Egyptian yong man that by long fasting hee was ready to die but when he had eaten some food then saith the Text his spirit came againe to him 1 Sam. 30.12 And so Ionathans eies were enlightened by eating a little honey in his hunger 1 Sam. 14.27 And againe if the people had beene suffered to eate of the spoile of their enemies there had beene a farre greater slaughter among the Philistines ver 30. (b) Efficaciùs semper corde concipitur quicquid sensim absque nimio labor corporis intimatur Cassian Collat. 14 cap. 19. pag. 651. And so in this case sleepe and food are necessary refreshings that wee may bee chearefull in Gods service And the reason is cleare in experience For we see that the famished body is unfit for worke
of right hearing Gods word HEARING AND DOING the ready way to blessednesse CAP. I. The scope of this discourse and the intention of the Author Cap. 1 BLessednesse is the end for which man was made and to which the frame of the world doth direct and whereunto himselfe in his daily thoughts doth aspire For though most men are much corrupted in their judgement concerning good and evill yet there was never any man but did desire his owne happinesse as the soveraign and most desirable good This being so he that could and would point out the ready way by which a man may become blessed I suppose might deserve great thankes at every mans hands And this our Lord hath done as elsewhere in sundry places of the Gospell so more especially in that Text of S. Luk But he said Luke 11.28 Yea rather blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it For herein he instructeth us in the way to blessednesse and that partly by his example and more fully by his doctrine And first by his example for when hee heard one of the company proclaiming with a loud voice the blessednesse of that woman who had bred and brought up such a sonne he taketh occasion hereby to discourse of the true blessednesse indeed which farre exceedeth all such blessings as the breeding and bearing of a good sonne is teaching us by this practice of his how to make that use of ordinary occurrences in the world which may stirre up our hearts to think on and to seeke after the things that are above which is a good step toward the blessednesse of heaven and eternall life And secondly our Lord teacheth us the way to happinesse more fully by his doctrine here delivered in which wee finde him telling us that the true blessednesse ariseth out of piety and Gods service that it is contained and set out in Gods word and may be communicated unto us by our hearing and keeping of that word All which points briefely and summarily set downe in our Saviours words I intend by Gods grace to enlarge and amplifie still laying the ground of my discourse in the sacred Text hoping by my poore labours in this argument I may somewhat further both my selfe and others to the obtaining of that blessednesse which wee all doe so much seeke after That God which hath put this thought into my heart put that vertue into my words that they may guide some soule or other to eternall life But before I enter upon the proposed points it will be necessary first to unfold the Text that so both our Lords doctrines my comment upon them may appeare the more plainely The occasion of this speech was this Our Lord had beene preaching the Kingdome of God to the people and a woman of the company ravished with the gratious words that proceeded from him brake out into his praises in these words Blessed is the wombe that bare thee and the paps that thou hast sucked but this commēdation given by the woman our Lord correcteth in this manner Yea rather blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it Which correction of our Saviour that it may the better be conceived wee must enquire what there was amisse in this womans speech that deserved a correction and how our Lord did amend it And my answere thereto I set downe in two propositions 1. Proposition There was not any thing so amisse in this womans speech as that she may be said either to have committed a sin or to have uttered an untruth For by this word blessed this woman meant not that perfect blessednesse which consisteth in the fruition of all good such as our Saviour meant when he said Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of heaven Mat. 5.3 but using the word in a vulgar sort shee meant by it a great blessing of God bestowed on Christs mother in the same sense that S. Paul said I think my selfe happy King Agrippa because I shall answer for my selfe this day before thee touching all these things whereof I am accused of the Iews Act. 26.2 For as Paul by these words meant that he thought it a great blessing to himselfe that he had such a Judge so this woman by her words meant that she thought it a great blessing to Christs mother that she had such a son And thus to call her a blessed woman was neither a sinne nor an untruth First it was not an untruth for Solomon saith The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoyce and he that begetteth a wise childe shall have joy of him Thy father and thy mother shall bee glad and she that bare thee shall rejoyce Prov. 23.24 25. Where by saying that they shall be glad and shall have joy of such a sonne hee implyeth that he thought this to be a great blessing But David speaketh more plainly and in the very dialect or phrase of this woman Children saith he are an heritage of the Lord the fruit of the womb is his reward He meaneth it of good children onely and of them hee addeth further Blessed is the man that hath his quiver full of them Psal 127.3 5. Secondly it was no sinne neither in this woman that shee did thus magnifie the happinesse of Christs mother in regard of such a son for Solomon and David in the places now cited did the like in the same case or in a case not so just as this was And upon these grounds I say in the first place that there was nothing so farre amisse in this speech of the woman as that we can say she either committed a sinne or spoke an untruth 2. Propos There was a defect in this speech which might bee bettered and amended for else our Lord would not have corrected it with a Yea rather And to speake particularly the defect herein was twofold 1. That shee did minde a lesser blessednesse and fixed her thoughts upon that when shee might but did not think on a farre greater blessednesse then that was and which concerned her in an higher degree For it is a kinde of blessednesse indeed to have a good and vertuous childe that may comfort us in the world but it is a farre greater blessednesse to enjoy a father in heaven in whose presence is fulnesse of joy for evermore And if this woman did not so esteeme of this blessednesse but with neglect of it did magnifie the other this was a fault that deserved reprehension Or if she did upon the present occasion as I suppose she did magnifie the happinesse of having a gratious sonne reserving notwithstanding her best affections for the happinesse of heaven then though shee could not bee blamed yet her speech might be amended He that calleth them blessed who have godly children saith well but hee that calleth them blessed who keepe Gods commandements saith better And therefore our Lord did amend the womans speech by turning it on that blessednesse which she had
made in a publik place For then the Publican whose prayer was well accepted with God would not in so publik a place as the Temple in Jerusalem have made so pivat a prayer as this God be mercifull unto me a sinner Nor did they then beleeve that there was any superstition in observing the Canonicall houres of the Church for then Peter and Iohn would not have chosen the ninth houre which was one of the Churches houres in those dayes for their time of resorting to the Temple Those that are wise sober minded will consider these things and will not doubt but that praying and hearing and every exercise of devotion will the sooner receive a blessing if it bee performed in the place of Gods presence CAP. VII Hearing of Gods word preached is a meanes of blessednesse Cap. 7 HItherto I have spoken of hearing the word read it followeth now to speake of hearing the word preached and to shew how that also may conduce to blessednes or an happy life For clearing of which point three things are to be declared 1. what we are to understand by this word preaching 2. how it may be proved by Scriptures that the hearing of the word preached is availeable to a blessed life And thirdly what speciall helps towards happinesse we may reape by hearing the word preached over and beside the profite that we have by hearing it read I. Quest What we meane by Preaching For answere hereto these short notes may suffice 1. Note The word preach in English as also the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereto it answereth is sometimes taken in a common and generall acception for any kinde of publishing or proclaiming by what meanes soever it be done Thus in the 12. of S. Luke our Lord disswading men from hypocrisie and double dealing useth this reason vers 3. because how cunningly and secretly soever men carie their contrivances for the present yet there will a time come when all their jugling and double dealing shall be disclosed and layed open in the cleare Sun The words of the Text in the originall are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Geneva Translators turne it thus in English That which yee have spoken in the eare in secret places shall be preached on the houses Our late authorized Translation hath it thus That which ye have spoken in the eare in closets shall bee proclaimed on the house tops Nor are either of these translations any whit amisse or any thing different in the substance Only that which saith shall be preached on the houses cometh nearer to the word and the other which saith shall be proclaimed doth more plainely expresse the meaning and both layed together do teach us thus much that to Preach sometimes is nothing else but to proclaime or publish a thing that all may heare and take notice of it And in this sense reading of the Scriptures whereof I spoke before may be called preaching without any incongruity or error Yea and so it is called Act. 15.21 Moses saith the Text hath in every citie them that preach him being read in their Synagogues every Sabbath day Note here 1. what is said to be done and that is Moses is preached in every citie 2. how this is said to bee done that is by reading of his Law Moses hath them that preach him being read or seeing he is read in their Synagogues Thus it appeareth that preaching is sometime used in such a generall signification as that reading may be called preaching But this is not that preaching which I meane in this place When I say that hearing of the word preached is a meanes of blessednesse I understand the word in a more strict or restrained sense as preaching is distinguished from reading and as we commonly use the word in our ordinarie speech and that is when Gods Minister doth by an audible voice teach the doctrine of salvation in such maner as himselfe hath contrived and ordered it for the instruction of the people 2. Note This kinde of preaching in the stricter and more proper sense is of two sorts For sometimes men preach being directed by inspiration or immediat revelation from God Thus Moses and the Prophets did preach in the old Testamēt and Christ and his Apostles in the New Saint Peter saith of the Prophets that they spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 And our Saviour saith of his disciples It is not ye that speake but the spirit of your father which speaketh in you Matt. 10.20 Sometimes againe men preach Gods word as they are enabled by the rules of art and their owne industrie and studie Thus the Priests and Levits did preach when after the reading of the book of the Law they gave the sense and caused the people to understand the reading Nehem. 8.8 And thus the Scribes and Pharises did preach when sitting in Moses his chaire they taught men to keepe and observe the things written in the Law Matt. 23.2 3. And this is the preaching which the Doctors and Pastors of the Church after the Apostles times have used and which Gods Ministers do use at this day Of both these kindes of preaching my note is to be understood that the hearing of Gods word preached whether it bee performed by divine inspiration or by humane studie is still a meanes to make men happy that make the right use of it 3. Note These kindes of preaching whether by inspiration or studie may be performed two wayes For sometimes the preacher taketh a Text of Scripture for the ground of his Sermon He explaineth the words and out of them draweth instructions and then applieth all to the use of his hearers This course our Saviour tooke Luk. 4. Luk. 4.16 17 18 19 20 21. He came to Nazareth where he had beene brought up and as his custome was he went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up for to reade And there was delivered unto him the booke of the Prophet Esaias when he had opened the booke he found the place where it was written The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath annointed mee to preach the Gospell to the poore hee hath sent me to heale the broken-hearted to preach deliverance to the captives and recovering of sight to the blinde to set at libertie them that are bruised to preach the acceptable yeare of the Lord c. In which passage wee may observe two things 1. that our Lord chose a Text of Scripture to discourse upon When hee had opened the booke he found the place where it was written The spirit c. Isai 61.1 2. that hee unfolded and applied this Text to the present occasion This day saith hee is this Scripture fulfilled in your eares meaning that which the Prophet had foretold in those words was now fulfilled in himselfe who preached unto them as was prophecied of him aforetime In the like maner Philip also preached Act. 8.32 c. The Eunuch had read
do and that is he may not preach any more at Bethel in that maner and 3. why hee might not preach in Bethel in this rough maner and that is because it was the Kings Chappell and the Kings Court. As if hee should say that elswhere hee might take leave and be welcome but the King and his Courtiers would not endure so much boldnesse And just so is it now a dayes among us We may tell an Artificer or a Labourer or an husbandman or a servant or any such kinde of man we may tell them of their faults freely and without danger but if wee touch a Nobleman or a Gentle-man or an Alderman or a Great moneyed man we do it at our perill and shall bee sure to raise hornets about our eares Thus worldly men if they bee in higher place think themselves priviledged from reproof 2. The second example is in Balak the King of Moab Of him we read that he sent for Balaam to curse the people of God But Balaam refused to curse because God did forbid and restrain him hereupon the Text saith that Balaks anger was kindled against Balaam and he smote his hands together and said I called thee to curse mine enemies and behold thou hast altogether blessed them these three times Therefore now flee thou to thy place I thought to promote thee to great honor but lo the Lord hath kept thee back from honour Num. 24.10 11. Note here 1. what Balak intended for Balaam if hee would curse where he bade him that was great preferment I thought to promote thee to great honour 2. Why he withdrew his hand and sent him away emptie and that was because he did that which GOD had charged him to do and did not what Balak required of him And therefore saith he God hath kept thee from honour And just so is it now a dayes They that give benevolence to the Preacher looke that he should curse where they would have him curse and blesse where they would have him blesse or which is all one praise and defend that which they would have praised and disgrace and condemne those and that which they cannot abide and if at any time hee fall upon that sin which pleaseth them then as David said of Absalom Deale gently with the young man for my sake 2 Sam. 18.5 so they expect that the Preacher should deale gently with that sin for their sake All these men are partiall hearers who will heare nothing with submission but what pleaseth themselves men who come not to learne of the Preacher what they should do but to teach the Preacher what he shall speak Which is all one as if the Scholar shou'd tell his master what lessons he should teach him Thus some for their greatnes others for their bountie exempt themselves from just reproofe which is one task that the Preacher hath to performe in Gods name These then are all of them partiall hearers and therefor bad hearers because they refuse to learne what God doth cōmand the Preacher to teach them And consequently when our Saviour said Take heede how ye heare hee meant among other things that we should beware of partiality in our hearing and that wee should submit to every word of God how crosse soever it bee either to our opinions or to our practice III. The third sort are forgetfull hearers such as through negligence and carelessenesse let slip out of their memories what they have learned or heard like Nebuchadnezzar who forgate his owne dreame For God had sent him a dreame to instruct him in things belonging to his state Kingdome but before the morning came he had forgotten what his dreame was Dan. 2.5 8. And so it is with these men God teacheth them by his word the mysteries of his Kingdom the meanes of their salvation and they immediatly forget what was said as if they had been in a dreame all the while Thus farre they are like Nebuchadnezzar but unlike him in this that he used all diligence to finde out the dreame but these men heare and forget and never think of it after S. Iames saith of fruitlesse hearers that they are like to a man who beholdeth his naturall face in a glasse and goeth his way and straight way forgetteth what maner of man he was Iam. 1.23 24. He meaneth that as such a man forgetteth what he saw so these men forget what they heare For defect in practice and neglect of remembrance usually go together For if any man have no care to do Gods will hee will have no mind to remember his word and if any man do forget the word he hath left himselfe no meanes to performe it And therefore in Scripture phrase to forget God and his commandements is as much as to neglect both him and them as Psal 119.139 when David saith My Zele hath consumed me because mine enemies have forgetten thy words he meaneth that they did not think on them much lesse did they keepe and performe them And many such wee have now a dayes even among them who professe religion They go from the Church to their houses and from Sermon to dinner and from hearing of Gods word to talking of the things of the world but never call to mind what they have heard nor consider what use it may serve them for Such men do quickly forget all and practice nothing Our lesson in this case is delivered us by the Apostle where he saith We ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which wee have heard lest at any time wee should let them slipp Heb. 2.1 The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as Beza translateth it ne quando perfluamus that wee do not at any time runne out In which speech the Apostle compareth forgetfull hearers to leaking vessels because as those vessels let out by the chincks what they received by the mouth so these hearers let out at one eare what they received at the other And because they keepe not what they heare they lose the profit of their hearing like men who eate and cast up what they have eaten without receiving nourishment by it These then are a third sort of bad hearers therefore when our Lord said Take heed how ye heare he meant we should bee ware that wee bee not carelesse and forgetfull hearers IIII. A fourth sort of bad hearers are wanton or sensuall hearers such as desire to have their eares tickled with fine phrases rather then their soules setled with holesome doctrine Such hearers were the Athenians of whom it is said Act. 17.21 that they spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to heare some newes And some such like were they of whom God speaketh to the Prophet Sonne of man the children of thy people speake one to another saying Come I pray you and heare what is the word that commeth forth from the LORD And they come to thee as the people cometh c. And lo
incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away 1. Pet. 1.4 And the reason is because God hath appointed this life to be a passage to the other but the life to come to be the permanent and fixed state in which all men receive their reward Therefore when Dives being in hell desired that Lazarus might come out of Abrahams bosome to refresh him No saith Abraham that cannot be for betwixt us and you is a great gulfe fixed so that they which would passe from hence to you cannot neither can they passe to us that would come from thence Luke 16.26 Implying that there is no removing nor no changing in the life to come but those that are once in hell shall be in hell for ever and those that be in heaven neither can nor will depart thence The blessednesse then of heaven which is the onely true blessednesse is eternall and unchangeable But it is not so with the happinesse of this world they are changeable nay changing every day and that two waies or in two respects Either because they are of a fading nature and may leave us when wee have most need of them or because we are of a mortall constitution subject to dissolution and death and then we must leave them if they leave not us before 1. Riches are of a fading nature still ebbing and flowing like the sea and oftentimes dryed uplike the summer brookes Riches faith Solomon make themselves wings and flye away as an Eagle towards heaven Prov. 23.25 Meaning by this expression to tell us how hastily they leave us (a) Job 1. Iob was a happy man in all worldly respects happy in his children and happy in his authority and happy in his possessions so that there was none like him in all the land but in one day thieves came and caried away his oxen and his asses and murdered his servants and a fire from heaven came and burnt up his sheep and the servants that kept them and a winde from the wildernesse came and cast downe the house where his children were and destroyed them all Nor was this all with the losse of children and goods and possessions hee lost his authority and command also For whereas he was before (b) Job 29.21 c. honored of the best now (c) Job 30.1 9 10. the very boyes had him in derision and the abjects of the world made him their song And thus it is with us now also Be a man never so rich and so plentifull in all things yet either thieves may rob him or false servants may beguile him or bad creditors may faile him or fire may consume him or some misfortune or other may befall him and sweep all away in a moment And if his goods be once gone then farewell his honour and his credit and his power hee that sate before on the bench like a Judge may with Iob fit upon the dunghill without any man that will care for him Secondly say that worldly preferments abide with us still Yet if they leave not us we are sure to leave them nor can we say how soone it may be The rich man in the Gospell had laid up much wealth which hee supposed should serve him for many yeares and possible they might so saving that he himselfe wanted dayes to enjoy them Hee said Soule thou hast much goods laid up for many yeares eate drink and be merie But God said and his word must stand Thou foole this night thy soule shall be required of thee and then whose shall those things be that thou hast provided Luke 12.19 20. And so now we that are in health this day are not sure that we can live till the next day If now wee blesse our selves in our fortunes and think our selves happy in our children in our friends in our preferments in our possessions and houses and make an account that wee are now setled to our mind yet how can we be sure that it may not bee said to us from heaven Thou foole this night or this day will they take away thy soule from thee And then whose shall those dwellings and those preferments and those friends and those offices and those bags and chests whose shall they be when thou goest to thy grave and they cannot follow thee This point is of use divers wayes it serveth for comfort to the poore for admonition to the Rich and for instruction to us all Vse 1. It is for comfort to the poore For if the things of this life have so little matter of happinesse in them why should any man grieve to want that which can do him no more good And if there be such perfection of happinesse in enjoying God and a good conscience why should any man be discōtēted for want of other things while hee enjoyeth these Mephibosheth was so well contented with the favour of the King that when Zibah his servant had cousened him of the one halfe of his lands he answered Nay let him take all forasmuch as my Lord the King is come againe in peace to his own house 2 Sam. 19.29 30. meaning that he cared not for lands livings so he might enjoy the favour of the King And much rather may every poore Christian say It mattereth not though I bee robbed of my goods and turned out of my possessions and left destitute of all things so that I may enjoy Christ and his merits and live with God in glory Let the world take all seeing I have God to be my father and Christ to be my Saviour and the holy Spirit to be my Comforter This comfort and contentment the poorest man that serveth God aright may gather from this doctrine Vse 2. It is for admonition to the rich and great men of the world it teacheth them not to place happinesse in these outward things S. Pauls direction to Timothie is Charge them that be rich in this world that they be not high-minded nor trust in uncertaine riches but in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy 1 Tim. 6.17 In these words I note two things 1. What rich men are charged with and that is that they trust not in their riches as if they were safe because they were great or happy because they were wealthy and 2. Why they should observe this charge and that is implyed in the condition ascribed to their riches uncertain riches For it were a folly to trust in that which may faile us when we have most need of it And as rich men may not trust in their riches so honourable men must not trust in their honors and learned men must not trust in their learning and popular men must not trust in their credit with the multitude nor may any man trust in man or humane things But as our Saviour when one shewed him the goodly buildings of the Temple Seest thou these great buildings said he there shall not be left one stone upon another that shal not be thrown down So when we
and such like abominations are the cause that ye and we for your sakes doe suffer at Gods hands as they did in the case before us But as for such as know and serve God better and acknowledge Gods word to teach the right way if any dorrell shall tell them of cheapnesse of victualls and example of forefathers and their owne idle customes as rules to guide their faith by let them answer them in the wise mans words Say not thou what is the cause that the former daies were better then these for thou doest not enquire wisely concerning this Eccl. 7.10 Or else let them return such men an answere out of the Prophet To the Law and to the Testimony if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Isa 8.20 And so I leave their errour and come to say some thing of our owne failings Vse 2. Secondly then if Gods word have such vertue in it both to perswade and enable us to Gods service we may hence take notice of our great negligence who having had so long use of this word have profited so little by it For if a childe have good and holesome meate yet do not thrive nor grow by it ye will say and ye have great cause to say that he is out of temper and somewhat is amisse with him And if a sick man have good and soveraigne medicines given him and yet is not purged nor eased by them ye will say that either nature is much decayed in her strength or much oppressed by bad humours And so seeing Gods word hath in it such vertue towards godlinesse and a happy life if we after long use of it are not bettered in our knowledge of God and increased in our obedience to his Laws and some way or other furthered toward heaven and happinesse it is an evident signe that grace is decayed in us and sinne hath gotten the upper hand And yet so it falleth out many times among Christians The Hebrews were dull of hearing and when for the time they might have beene teachers yet they had neede that one should teach them againe which were the first principles of the oracles of God Heb. 5.11 12. And is it not so with a great many of us Are there not men and women who after many years teaching have gained no great measure of true learning If by the Catechismes they have been taught and by the Sermons that they have heard and by the Scriptures and other bookes which they have read they had learned but every week nay every moneth one only good lesson appertaining to godlinesse they might by this time have proved skilfull Casuists in matters of conscience But this is not so great a defect as that which followeth Our knowledge is much more better then our practice God complained of his vineyard and that vineyard was the house of Israel that after much care and paines bestowed in the dressing in steede of good grapes which were rightly expected from it it brought forth wilde grapes Isa 5.4 The meaning is as the Prophet expoundeth it v. 7. He looked for judgement and behold oppression and for righteousnesse but behold a cry even a cry for wrongs and oppressions injuries done to their neighbours And now a dayes may not God complaine of us in like maner There was never more dressing of Gods Vineyard then now there is more instructions to teach the way of blessednesse more exhortations to laye hold upon eternall life or more threatenings to deterre men from sinne But may not God say now after all this I looked for grapes fruits of righteousnesse and holinesse and of a sober life but I finde wilde grapes of lying and of cousening of oppressing and of slandering and of surfetting and drunkennesse and of new fantastick fashions And if these be the fruits of our hearing and reading and professing we may feare lest that threatning may be ours also This will I doe to my vineyard I will take away the hedge thereof and it shall bee eaten up and breake downe the wall thereof and it shall be troden downe And I will lay it waste it shall not bee pruned nor digged but there shall come up briars and thornes I will also command the clouds that they raine no raine upon it ver 5. and 6. He meaneth that after so much labour lost hee would take away the meanes of grace and leave them to themselves which is a fearefull judgement not to be thought on without trembling It will bee our wisdome then to look every one into his owne garden see what fruits he findeth there If we finde there any grapes of gall or vine-sets of Sodom or if our wine prove the poison of dragons or the venom of aspes it will be high time to take the pruning knife and cutt off these wilde branches that beare such bad fruits or rather to take the pick axe and the mattock and to grub up the plants on whose rootes they grow that wee may bee trees of righteousnes bringing forth fruits answerable to the labour bestowed upon us Vse 3. If there bee such vertue in Gods word to make a man blessed we should learne to esteeme it as our happinesse when wee doe enjoy it So David did I rejoyce for thy word saith he as one that findeth great spoiles Psal 119.162 On which words a good writer giveth us this note that David compareth the enjoying of Gods word to the getting of great spoiles rather then to the having of any other riches because spoiles taken from enemies do not onely enable men with wealth but honour them also with triumphs of victorie And so wee should esteeme of the word of Gods grace as a treasure that doth farre exceede both riches and whatsoever else that cannot bring us to heaven and happinesse And from this esteeme we may learne three duties 1. To praise God that hath given us such a treasure So David did In a Psalme of his which was framed for a forme of thanksgiving to God and therefore he both beginneth it and endeth it with Praise ye the Lord in this Psal he reckoneth this as a chiefe mercy for which he giveth God thanks that he shewed his word unto Iacob his statutes and his judgments unto Israel Ps 147.19 And so we should reckon it as one of Gods rich mercies towards us that wee have such plentie of his word that may bring us to blessednesse eternall life and in remembrance hereof both begin our morning and shut up our evening as David began and ended his Psalme with Praise wee the Lord. 2. We may learn to use all good meanes to get this treasure into our owne possession that the word of Christ may dwell in us richly in all wisdome as the Apostle speaketh Coloss 3.16 Solomons counsell for attaining this wisdome is that wee seeke for it as for silver and search for it as for hid treasure Prov. 2.4 Hee intimateth in this
speech that if any of us did know that there were a mine of gold to be found by seeking wee would be glad it were in our own ground wee would moreover digge the earth hew the rocks and draine the marishes that nothing might hinder our obtaining of that treasure And in such maner would Solomon have us to labour for the knowledge of God that lyeth hid in his word Young people should desire to be catechised old people to be further instructed and all both yong and olde should willingly undergoe that paines what ever it bee that may open the Mine and bring us to the sight and possession of this treasure 3. If there bee any of us who have children whose happinesse wee doe desire we learne from hence to lay the foundation thereof in the knowledge of Gods word Moses commanded parents that they should teach their children upon every occasion and acquaint them with Gods word and his commandements promising them that then their dayes and the dayes of their children should be multiplied in the land as the dayes of heaven Deut. 11.19 21. And so if ye would leave a good portion indeede for your children and provide that they may live long upon earth and eternally in heaven catechise them in the principles of Gods word sow the seedes of godlinesse in their tender mindes and teach them how to follow the directions of Gods Law and this will give them instructions to know the right way and will follow them with exhortations to goe on in the way and will never leave them till it give them possession of heaven and eternall glory CAP. VI. Hearing of Gods word Read is a meanes of blessednesse Cap. 6 HItherto hath beene declared how the word of God containeth vertue in it to make a man blessed Our Lord goeth on to tell us how this vertue may bee conveyed and communicated unto us to wit by Hearing and Keeping of it Blessed saith he are they that heare the word of God keep it I begin with hearing and hereof there are two kinds mentioned in Scripture an hearing of the word read as it is delivered in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles and an hearing of the word preached as it is unfolded and applied by the ordinarie Minister sent of God for that purpose Of both these it is true that they are meanes by which the blessednes of Gods word may bee conveyed unto us and therefore both are necessary to bee considered in their place and order First then I say that hearing of the word read out of the Scriptures is a meanes to make a man blessed or to communicate blessednesse unto him I. This is proved first by Testimonies of Scriptures I will insist onely upon two 1. The first is that of Moses Deut. 31.9 10 11 12 13. The words are Moses wrote this Law and delivered it to the Priests the sonnes of Levi And commanded them saying At the end of every seven yeares in the solemnitie of the yeare of Release in the feast of Tabernacles When all Israel is come to appeare before the Lord thy God in the place which hee shall choose Thou shalt reade this Law before all Israel in their hearing Gather the people together men and women and children and the stranger that it within thy gates that they may heare and that they may learne and feare the Lord your God and observe to doe all the words of this Law and that their children which have not knowen any thing may heare and learn to feare the Lord your God as long as ye live in the land whither ye goe over Iordan to possesse it In these words we may note for this purpose these things 1. what Moses did that is 1. he wrote this Law to wit that which God had delivered unto him for the instruction of his people 2. he delivered it to the Priests that it might be for the use of the Church And this sheweth that the law whereof Moses speaketh was the written word of God committed to the Church 2. Wee may consider what Moses commanded the Priests to doe and that is that they should reade this Law to the people And this is illustrated and amplified by 3. things 1. by the solemnity of the time when it should bee read to wit in the great feast of Tabernacles when all Israel were to bee present 2. By the universality of the persons in whose hearing it should bee read and they are specified to bee men women and children as well strāgers as natives 3. Why or for what end the Law was to bee read to all these sorts of men gathered in such multitudes And the ends are diverse one subordinat to an other ech former serving as a meanes for that which commeth after and all of them tending and conducing to an happie life the first is that they might heare it the next that by hearing they might learn it the last that by hearing and learning they might bee brought to feare God and observe and doe all the words of that Law Now laie these together that Moses wrote this Law and the Priests read this Law and the people all of them heard this Law written and read unto them by Gods appointment and all this for this end and purpose that the people might feare God and keepe his commandements and they plainely prove that the hearing of the word written and read is an approved meanes to an holy and consequently to an happy life also For hee that so heareth the word that he is a doer of the worke is blessed in his deede Iam. 1.25 2. The second testimony is that of the Prophet Ier. 36.5 6 7. Ierem. commanded Baruch saying I am shutt up I cannot goe into the house of the Lord. Therefore goe thou and reade in the Roll which thou hast written from my mouth the words of the Lord in the eares of the people in the Lords house upon the fasting day and also thou shalt reade them in the eares of all Iudah that come out of their cities It may be they will present their supplication before the Lord and will returne every one from his evill way In this passage when it is said that Ieremie being restrained that himselfe could not preach did therefore command Baruch and that by Gods appointment as appeareth vers 2 3. to reade Ieremies words in a written Roll this sheweth both that the people did heare the word written and that it was a duty of consequence and moment And secondly when he saith It may bee they will present their supplication returne this implieth that though there might be some doubt of the successe because of the obstinacy of the people Yet this was a likely way and God made choise of it for that purpose that they might relent and repent and amend their evill waies and obtaine pardon as is more plainely signified v. 3. And this againe proveth that the hearing of the word is a meanes to reclaime
men from sinne and to procure their pardon and consequently to make them blessed For blessed is he saith David whose transgression is forgiven and whose sinne is covered Psal 32.1 And thus much for Testimonies II. Secondly the same truth is proved by the constant practice and custome of Gods Church who from time to time have still caused the Scriptures to be read to the people according as was prescribed by Moses in the Law So for example Moses who wrote that Law for others did observe it himselfe He tooke the booke of the covenant and read in the audience of the people as himselfe saith Exod. 24.7 Ioshua did the like He read all the words of the Law the blessings and the cursings according to all that is written in the booke of the Law There was not a word of all that Moses commanded which Ioshua read not before all the Congregation of Israel with the women the little ones and the strangers that were conversant among them Iosh 8.34 35. And in the new Testament it is further said that Moses was read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day Act. 15.21 and chap. 13.27 the like is said of the Prophets that they were read every Sabbath day and v. 15. there is mention made of reading both of them together After the reading of the Law and the Prophets the Rulers of the Synagogue sent unto them to wit to Paul and his fellows being now present at their service in the Synagogue as it is vers 14. and invited them to use some exhortation unto the people By which passage it appeareth to have been the usuall custome of that Church that both that Law of Moses and the writings of the Prophets were read to the people for their instruction Which custome the a Buxtorf de Abbrev. Hebr. tit de Paraschis pag. 249. Jo. Gerhard Epist dedic praefixaÌ„ homiliis dominical Seraâ— in Maccab. pag. 613 614. Lorâ—n in Deuter. 31.10 11 12 13. learned tell us was observed in this maner The Law that is the five books of Moses they divided into 53. Sections and every week they read one of them for the first lesson that so once a yeare they might reade it all over And out of the Prophets they gathered as many Sections which were of like argument to those of the Law and those they read as second lessons answerable in matter to the former These Sections and lessons both in the Law and the Prophets are distinguished and noted out in the Hebrew Bible by which every one may see what portions of the Bible were read every Sabbath to the people The like custome hath beene observed in the Christian Churches also b Cassian Institut li. 2. c. 6. Gaz. ibid. Cassian telleth us that in those ancient times the Religious Fathers after the reading of the Psalmes did add geminas Lectiones unam veteris aliam novi Testamenti 2. Lessons one out of the old an other out of the new Testament By which words wee may learne that the custome now used in our Churâ—hes was begun in the time of the primitive Church onely with this difference that whereas we now a daies do constantly reade our lessons one out of the olde and an other out of the new they on the Saterdaies and Sundaies for in those olde times they kept both of them as holy dayes appointed and read both the lessons out of the new Testament By all which it appeareth that the Church of God in all ages have still beene accustomed to reade the Text of the Scriptures to the people the reason cannot bee imagined to be any other then this that the people by hearing the Scriptures read might learne to serve God aright and by his service might obtaine eternall life And this proveth that in all ages the hearing of the Scriptures read hath been esteemed as an ordinary way to blessednes immortal life III. Thirdly this point may further bee proved and made more cleare by considering the benefits and helps that a good Christian may reape by hearing the word read And they bee these and such like 1. It serveth to acquaint the people of God with the history of the Chuch and Gods dealing with it For example they may heare in the olde Testament how God created the world punished Adam and Eve for their disobedience drowned the whole world for their overflowing sins excepting Noah and his househould whom he had found upright in that wicked generation how hee destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah with fire and brimstone from heaven delivered the people of Israel out of the hand of the Egyptians led them through a vaste wildernes into a fruitfull land dryed up the river Jordan and the red Sea to make a passage for his chosen ones with many mo such occurrences which ech one may learne by the hearing of the Text read and by them may understand the goodnesse of God the ingratitude of most men and the dutie of all with many others points of instructions conducing towards a blessed life Againe in the new Testament if men heare the first chapters of S. Matthew read they will learne that CHRIST our LORD was borne of a Virgin persecuted by Herod honored by the wise men and miraculously preserved against those that sought his life If they proceede further to the following chapters there they will heare what miracles our Lord wrought what doctrines of religion he taught what tentations he endured and how hee lived from the Cradle to the Crosse And if they continue their hearing till the end of the Gospell bee finished they may acquaint themselves with the maner of his Passion and his Buriall and his Resurrection and his Ascension into heaven all maine points of the Christian Faith and such as every one ought to beleeve for the saving of his soule And yet further by hearing the history of the Acts and the Epistles of the Apostles they may see how the Apostles preached to the Gentiles planted the Churches healed the sick converted the Nations and suffered great wrongs for their masters sake The knowledge of all which will both guide us in the way to heaven and spurre us forward to go on towards eternall life For as David after hee had rehearsed Gods dealings with the ancient Fathers concludeth in the end of all Whoso is wise and will observe these things they shall understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord. Ps 107.43 So may I say of these and the like passages in Gods word that whoso is wise and when hee hath heard them will consider them they shall understand the wisedome and power and goodnesse and providence of God in the ordering of his Church together with his justice severitie against all them that would not be reclaimed and amended and hereby receive instruction for their owne soules 2. Secondly the hearing of the Scriptures read may serve to teach us many necessary duties of piety and an holy life Every one of us may learne
somewhat hereby that may direct us how to serve God how to honor our Superiours how to governe our inferiours and how to behave our selves towards all men For though the full distinct unfolding of these points bee left to the learned preacher who is therefore brought up in Scholasticall studies that he may be able to instruct the people in the sense of Scriptures and in the duties of their calling more perfectly then they could possibly learne by their owne industrie Yet even of them selves by hearing the word read with attention they may understand a good part of their dutie both towards GOD and men For who is there even among the meanest Christians but if he heare the 20. chapter of Exodus read will presently resolve with himselfe that hee is bound to reverence his parents not to kill or strike his neighbour not to wrong him in his wife in his goods or in his good name Or who that shall heare the 13. chapter to the Romans read but will presently conceive that it is his duty to obey the Magistrate Or if he heare the 5. and 6. chapters to the Ephesians but will know by the very words that he is bound to do faithfull service to his master if he bee a servant to be kinde to his wife if he bee a maried man and dutiful to his parents if he be a childe that is under government and carefull for the education of his children if he bee a father of sonnes or daughters And the like may be said of other the like cases All which shew that the hearing of Scriptures read may availe a man much to the leading of an holy life The further illustration whereof may be had out of some few examples First then Athanasius an ancient Doctor of the Church Athanas in vita S. Antonii pag. 445. telleth of S. Antonie that having first revolved in his minde how the Apostles forsooke all and followed CHRIST he came into the Church and in the Gospell which was then read he heard the saying of our Saviour to the yong rich man If thou wilt be perfect sell all that thou hast and give to the poore and come and follow me and thou shalt have treasure in heaven Matt. 1921. And as soone as hee had heard that sentence hee went home and sould his possessions and gave them to the poore and leaving all further care of the world he betooke himselfe wholly to a devout life Secondly August Confess lib. 8 cap. 12. pag. 37. S. Augustin telleth of himselfe that having heard of this storie of saint Antonie how he by hearing the Gospell read was converted to God hee in imitation of this holy man tooke up the booke that lay by to reade for hearing of Gods word read and reading of it do not much differ in this respect and opening the booke at all adventure he read what first came to hand and that was the saying of the Apostle Let us walke honestly as in the day not in rioting and drunkennes not in chambering and wantonnesse not in strife and envying c. Rom. 13.13 Part of which words did so strike his heart that he presently forsook his loose life and betooke himselfe to Gods service Thirdly the booke of God it selfe telleth us that Iosias having heard the words of the Law read which threatened judgment against such sinnes as were then too common among them He humbled himselfe rent his clothes and wept before the Lord and caused the booke to be read in the audience of the people and both hee and they moved by the hearing of the booke read made a covenant with the Lord for conversion and amendment of life as is recorded in the 2. booke of Kings in the end of the 22. and in the beginning of the 23. chapter By these examples wee learne that if men come to the hearing of the word read with honest teacheable hearts as these good men d d they may heare that by the sole reading of the text by which they may be brought to repentance for their sins and a carefull and devout service of the Lord their God as these holy men were before them 3. Thirdly the hearing of the word read if it bee heard with attention and reverence as it alwaies should will prepare and fitt peoples mindes for a profitable hearing of Sermons For when the Preacher in handling any point shall alledge the Text he that hath beene an attentive hearer of the word read and hath imprinted the sayings of Scripture in his minde will remember and acknowledge the words as they are cited explained and hereby hee will gaine these helps towards a godly life 1. Hee will learne the sense and meaning of hard places if any be expounded unfolded by the Preacher which himselfe understood not before 2. he will be able as his minde goeth along with the preachers words in part to judge of the truth soundnesse of his allegations and afterward more fully and exactly to examine the things that were spoken as the Bereans examined S. Pauls doctrine whether those things were so as hee had said And lastly he will be enabled to remember every thing that is said the better a good part of the Sermon being setled in his memory by his former reading and the rest having neare coherence with it and dependance on it And he that is furnished with these abilities will easily profit by all that the preacher teacheth But contrariewise he that heareth Texts alledged in a Sermon which he had never heard of before can neither judge of the sense that is put upon them nor understand the sequels that are deduced from them nor remember to any purpose what hath beene alledged out of them I conclude then that he who will profit by the word preached must not neglect to heare the word read that hee may imprint the sentences of the Scripture in his minde 4. Fourthly by hearing the word read though sometimes we understand not the meaning yet we may at least fasten the words in our memories if we carie away but the words and phrases onely we may thereby bee occasioned to ask direction from others who understād them better The Eunuch when he read the Prophecie of Isai understood it not but was hereby moved to enquire of the meaning of the Text. I pray thee saith he of whom speaketh the Prophet this of himselfe or of some other man Act. 8.34 And upon this occasion Philip explained him the text preached unto him the Gospell of Christ and converted him unto the faith brought him by baptisme into the bosome of the Church And so it will bee with us If when we heare the Text read wee meete with some thing which we understand not yet even that if we do but cary away the words onely will lie by us till we meete with some more skilful then our selves and of whom we may ask as the Eunuch did of Philip I pray you Sir
what God did say unto them for the good of their soules By which things wee may see what great care God and his Church had that this dutie might be performed And the like care they have of us at this day For God hath sent his word home unto us into our owne Parishes and to many of us even hard at our doores so that wee neede not to make long journeys as the people of the Jews did who came out of all the parts of the Land to Jerusalem to worship And our Church hath assigned us the times of hearing and the Bells give us warning when the time is come And nothing is wanting that can bee desired in this kinde if we be not wanting to our selves And if after all this wee shall neglect to heare God when he speaketh unto us for our instruction what can we expect but that he should refuse to heare us when we speake to him for help and assistance Surely he threatned to deale so with his people of old Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded I will also laugh at your calamitie and mock when your feare cometh And Then shall they call upon mee but I will not answere they shall seeke mee earely but they shall not finde mee Prov. 1.24 26 28. He meaneth that because they refused to heare him when he taught them their duty out of his word therefore hee would refuse to heare them when they made their prayers for his help in their neede And so if we turn the deafe eare to God when he speaketh unto us in his word it will be just with God to turne a deafe eare to us when wee speake to him in our prayers Nay the Apostle goeth further and aggravateth our sinne above the sinne of the Jews by the circumstance of the time and persons If the word spoken by Angels saith he was stedfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward how shall wee escape if we neglect so great salvation which at fist began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him Hebr. 2.2 3. Where we have 2. things worth our noting 1. that the contempt of the Gospel spoken by Christ and his Apostles is a greater sinne then the contempt of the Law delivered by Moses and the Prophets And 2. that every contempt of Gods word whether a contempt of obeying it or which is more a contempt of hearing of it is a neglecting of our owne salvation because the hearing of the word and the obtaining of salvation are by Gods ordinance lincked together By the hearing of this word read Iosias and Antonie and Augustin were converted to God and furthered toward salvation what knoweth any of us but if we come to Church when we are invited thither we may heare that chapter or that part of the Gospell read which may turne us from some sinne or direct us to some necessary duty and in conclusion help to save our soules Ob. But some perhaps will say Nay but I can reade the Bible at home and what neede I then to come to Church to heare it read there This Objection involveth in it two questions both which are worthy of our consideration 1. Whether reading of Gods word may be a sufficient excuse to free us from hearing it read 2. Whether reading or hearing it read in privat may excuse us from hearing it read in the publick assembly Of these severally And first for the former question that I may speake more clearely and distinctly I will part mine answere into three assertions or propositions 1. Prop. There is good use of both the one and the other For hearing the word read I have delivered my reasons already and the very same reasons may serve to prove the use of our reading it also For first it hath the testimony of Scriptures The King is commanded to reade the booke of the Law that thereby he may learn to do his duty Deut. 17.18 19. And when one asked of our Lord what he should do to be saved our Lord answered him by asking an other question What is written in the Law how readest thou Luk. 10.25 26. implying that by reading the Scriptures he might have learned an answere to his question and thereby have beene directed how to be saved And Matt. 12.3 Have ye not read saith our Saviour what David did c. And that implyeth that by reading that passage of Scripture they might have been better informed then to have condemned the guiltlesse Thus Reading of Scriptures by our selves is confirmed by Testimonies of Scripture as well as the hearing of it read by the Minister 2. Secondly it may be proved by examples of holy men who have used this practise to their great profit for example Daniel by reading the Prophecie of Ieremie understood Gods will for delivering Israel out of their captivity Dan. 9.2 The Eunuch by reading of Isay the Prophet was brought in the end to the knowledge of the Messias and Saviour of the world Act. 8.32 And S. Augustin by reading Rom. 13.13 was converted from a vitious to a godly life And so if we reade Gods word with attention and care wee may understand Gods will for our Redemption from Satan and sinne and we may learn that which may direct us to Christ the Saviour of the world and may meete with some motives that may worke in us remorse and repentance These uses of reading Gods word may be learned by the examples produced 3. Reading of Scriptures hath the like benefits and helps of grace as were observed to arise from hearing of them read For 1. reading as well as hearing may acquaint us with the history of the Church and the providence that God hath used in the governing and ordering of it 2. It may instruct us in the duties of our callings and places for therefore the King was commanded to reade the Law that hee might learne to feare the Lord his God and keepe all the words of the Law c. Deut. 17.19 20. 3. It will acquaint us with the words and phrases and sentences of Gods word and these being layed up in our memories will prepare us for a profitable hearing of Sermons And 4 it will occasion us and enable us when wee doubt of any thing to desire direction from the learned and by their directions to learne what we could not understand by our selves These helps of reading I onely name and do but point at them because the former proofes used in the point of hearing are as applicable to this of reading For these two reading the word by our selves and hearing it read by others do alike represent to our minds the meaning of the holy Ghost in Scriptures the difference in this respect only is that the one doth it by the eye and the other by the eare which in respect of the maine end the instruction and salvation of our
By vertue of Gods promise I grant it to be due For God hath promised heaven to good works as hath beene shewed already and promise is due debt as wee use to speake and all men do acknowledge Even a mans word tieth him to performance Gods word must needes tie him much more From hence it is that the Apostle speaking of the crown of glorie laied up in heaven for theÌ„ that serve God aright stileth God by the name of a righteous or just judge in bestowing of that reward 2 Tim. 4.8 And in an other place God saith hee is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love Heb. 6.10 Where 1. when hee saith that God doth not forget their good works hee meaneth that he leaveth them not unrewarded And 2. when he saith that God is not unjust to forget them he implieth that God should bee unjust if he did not reward their labour in his service But he speaketh more directly to the same purpose 2 Thes 1.6 7. It is a just thing with God saith he to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you and to you which are troubled rest with us Where wee may note that it is a point of justice in God as well to reward the patient suffering of Martyrs and Confessors as the wrong oppressures of persecutors and evill doers Be it granted then that a reward is due to well-doing by vertue of Gods promise who for our encouragement hath tied himselfe by this bond But yet notwithstanding there is no merit or worth in our best works by which wee may laie claime to such a reward This is cleare by the words of a S. Paul who speaking of Martyrdome and patience in persecution for CHRISTS sake which is one of the most glorious works to which CHRIST hath promised his reward yet even of this hee saith I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to bee compared with the glory that shall be reveiled Ro. 8.18 And 2 Cor. 4.17 Our light affliction saith hee worketh for us a more exceeding and eternall weight of glory Where by elevating our service in suffering for CHRIST and amplifying the reward that is given unto us for it he plainely sheweth that there is no equality or proportion betweene the work and the reward Our Saviour also when we have done all things that are commanded us And yet who is there that doth so but upon supposition that we have done all yet he teacheth us to say unto God Wee are unprofitable servants wee doe that which is our duty to doe Luk. 17.10 Hee meaneth that because it is no more then our duty doth binde us to therefore we cannot plead merit or desert God oweth us no thanks for it no more then a master oweth thanks to his servant when he hath done what he is bound by his place to do I conclude then that the reward of blessednesse promised to well-doing is due by Gods promise and not for the worth of any works And now out of all these things laied together the conclusion followeth which I propounded in the beginning that the keeping of Gods word is availeable to happinesse as a service to which eternall life is promised for a reward And hence we have these deductions for our further use 1. Seeing holinesse is a necessary condition required unto blessednesse this may be for an Admonition to all evill doers who live in any sin against conscience They may hence take notice how fearfull their state is for the present and how needfull it will be for them to begin a better life For I suppose there is no man living so desperatly madd but desireth that he may be happy nor is there any man among Christians but knoweth that happinesse is no where to be had but with God in heaven and now it appeareth by the declaration of this point that no evill doers shall ever enter into that place Take a view if ye please of all the ungodly men in the world and ye will not finde that ever any one of them hath been heretofore or shall hereafter bee received in at heaven gates In heaven I confesse there are a great multitude which no man can number of all nations and kinreds and peoples and languages but among all these there is not one drunkard nor one adulterer nor one slanderer nor one oppressor nor one deceiver nor one lier nor any one evill doer Again in heaven there is no defect or want of roome In my Fathers house said our Lord there are many mansions Ioh. 14.2 There is a mansion for the Prophets they are in the Kingdome of God Luk. 13.28 And there is a mansion for the Apostles They shall eate and drink with CHRIST in his Kingdome and sitt on thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Luk. 22.30 And there is a mansion for the Martyrs they follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth Apo. 14.4 There is a mansion for the penitent thiefe this day saith our Saviour shalt thou bee with mee in Paradise Luk. 23.43 And in a word there is a mansion for every righteous man they shall shine forth as the sun in the Kingdome of their father Matt. 13.43 And in these mansions are lodged all nations and countries in the world They shall come from the East and from the West from the North and from the South and shall sit downe with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of God Luk. 13.29 But now on the contrary side search the book of God throughout from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the Revelation and see whether ye can find any mansion any roome any hole reserved for drunkards or harlots or whoremasters or deceivers or slanderers or any other such wicked and ungodly mâ—n Oh then think upon this all ye that forget God turne unto him betime wash yee make you cleane put away the evill of your doings cease to do evill learne to do well that your sins may be made as white as snow and your soules deare in Gods sight and your selves my abecome citizens of the holy City which is above with God 2. Seeing Gods rewards in heaven are squared and proportioned according to our services good works this may be for the comfort and encouragement of all well minded people They may bee comforted in that good which they have done already as Ezekiah coÌ„forted himselfe with the remembrance of his upright life When he was in his greatest sorow and sicknesse he cheared himselfe by saying unto God Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight Is 38.3 And so Nehemiah Remember me O my God saith he concerning this and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God and for the offices thereof Nehem. 13.14 And so may every good Christian pray and expect a blessing from God for the
there he requireth the more duty and will inflict the greater judgement if it bee neglected 2. From those judgments which GOD denounceth against them which do not profit by his word other meanes of grace Such as these are He that rejecteth me receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him the word that I have spoken the same shall judge him at the last day Ioh. 12.48 And this is condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darknes rather then light Ioh. 3.16 And If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sinne but now have they no cloke for their sinne Ioh. 15.22 But it is a cutting sentence to this purpose which wee reade Hebr. 6.7 The earth which drinketh-in the raine that cometh oft upon it and bringeth forth herbs meete for them by whom it is dressed receiveth blessing from God But that which beareth thornes and briers is rejected and is nigh unto cursing whose end is to bee burned The sentence is allegoricall the plaine sense is that the men upon whom GOD bestoweth much meanes of grace if they be not fruitfull in good works are lyable to the greater curse by how much they have had the better meanes The like is intended also by that parable of the vineyard Is 5.1 c. The summe that riseth out of all this is that the more meanes we have the more duty we owe and the more punishment wee shall suffer if wee neglect that duty Whence againe it followeth that Hearing and learning of Gods word if they do not further our obedience they increase our judgement It followeth from hence also that all the goodnesse which is in Hearing is relative only so farre forth as it furthereth our obedience and our keeping of Gods word But now on the contrary the doing of Gods will is good in and of it selfe it both pleaseth GOD and maketh us an immediat entrance into the Kingdome of heaven So S. Iohn saith Blessed are they that do his commandements that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the City Apoc. 22.14 And S. Peter If yee do these things saith he ye shall never fall for so an entrance shall bee ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord Saviour JESUS CHRIST 2 Pet. 1.10 11. These be the three conclusions which serve for the explaining of the point Lay them together and ye have a full answere to the question The question is how and with what difference Hearing keeping of Gods word do concurre to the procuring of our blessednesse and happy being and the answer arising from the premisses is that they do concurre as joint causes or helps to happinesse but in a much different maner They be not causae coordinatae causes of equall and even respect like two oxen that draw in the same yoke or like two men that carie one burden betweene them But they bee causae subordinatae causes whereof one is subordinat and serviceable to the other like the needle and the threed both which concurre to the sewing of a garment together but the needle maketh the entrance and the threed knitteth and conjoyneth the parts in one Or they be like the preparative and the medicine both which are joint meanes for recoverie of health but the preparative maketh way for the medicine and the medicine it worketh the cure The substance of my speech is this Hearing and Doing concurre as joint helps of happinesse but hearing maketh way for doing and doing maketh entrance into glory And thus much may suffice for the explication and proofe of the point propounded The uses are Vse 1. Seeing hearing is of no use further then it helpeth us to the doing of Gods will by this we may see the great follie of those men who think highly of themselves and preferre their owne zele before their neighbours because they are frequent hearers and skilfull talkers of Scriptures and religion though in the meane while their practice be not answerable And such there have beene in all ages and such there are too many in our age also This is made good by some examples out of Scripture by their application to our own times 1. Ex. The first is that which we finde Ezek. 33.30 31 32. They speake one to an other every man to his brother saying Come I pray you and heare what is the word that cometh forth from the Lord. And they come unto thee saith God to the Prophet as the people cometh and they sit before thee as my people and they heare thy words but they will not do them For with their mouth the shew much love but their heart goeth after their coveteousnesse And lo thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument For they heare thy words but they do them not Note here 1. their forwardnesse in hearing declared three wayes 1. They invite and exhort ech other to goe and heare the Prophet when hee preached Gods word Come say they and heare what is the word c. just as if men should now say one to an other Come and let us go to such a Lecture or let us go and heare such a Sermon 2. they flock to the Prophet in multitudes They come saith the Text as the people cometh that is not dropping in one by one but they throng-in by troupes 3. They listen to that which is delivered They sit saith God as my people that is devoutly and attentively waiting what God will say unto them And thus farre all is well if it were as sincere in deede as in shew it seemeth to bee This was the forwardnesse of this people 2. Note their backwardnesse to do what they were taught They heare thy words but do them not and with their mouths they shew much love but their heart goeth after their covetousnesse 3. Note Gods censure of this dealing Thou art to them as a lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can play well upon an instrument Hee meaneth that they made the like use of the Prophet that a man would do of a minstrell and they heard his sermons as a man would heare a plaie Thus the Lord censured those hot professors among the Jews and the like censure agreeth well to the speculative and talking hearers of our dayes They that frequent Lectures and flock after sermons and gape after the preachers words and yet when they are gone home are as ready to slander their neighbours and as forward to speake evill of Government and as watchfull to deceive Customers c. as ever they were before these bee the hypocriticall Hearers that Ezekiell speaketh of who shew much love with their mouths but their hearts go after their unlawfull lusts and these be the deceitfull hearers of whom S. Iames saith that they deceive themselves And of these I may say They make
the Almighty And hereof we should make this application to our selves that as S. Paul said of himself and his fellow-workmen in the Gospell Wee preach not our selves but CHRIST JESUS the LORD and our selves your servants for JESUS sake 2 Cor. 4.5 So wee should shew the like faithfulnesse in all our good works that wee seeke not our owne ends but Gods glory in them And if thus wee performe our holy services it will bee said of us and of them as it was of Abel and his sacrifice The Lord had respect to Abel and his offering Gen. 4.4 The LORD will accept both of our persons and our performances so that nothing which wee doe for Gods glory but will prove to be also for our own profit God give us the grace that wee may bee fruitfull in good workes and faithfull in the right doing of them to Gods glory that in all things GOD may bee gloried through JESUS CHRIST CAP. XI A man may heare amisse and by this errour lose the benefit of his labour Cap. 11 OUR LORD in saying Take heed how yee heare giveth us a caveat to beware of misse-hearing and that implieth that a man may heare amisse and so misse of his purpose This may bee further confirmed by the parable of the Sower the scope whereof is to shew us the diversitie that is found among hearers the issue thereof is that of foure sorts there recited 3. are like bad ground which bringeth forth no fruit to perfection And that proveth that the greatest part of hearers do heare amisse without profit It may bee confirmed also by that of S. Paul Not the hearers of the Law are just before God But the doers of it shall be justified Rom. 2.13 For all hearers are not doers and by that which hee saith of the preachers of the Gospel to some sort of hearers they are the savour of death unto death 2 Cor. 2.16 and by that which our Saviour saith of some of his hearers Yee shall say wee have eaten and drunk in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streetes But he shall say I tell you I know you not whence ye are depart from me all ye workers of iniquity Luk. 13.26 27 and by that which elswhere hee saith of them who despised his doctrine The word that I have spoken the same shall judge them at the last day Iohn 12.48 By these sayings it appeareth that there are some which received not profit by their hearing no not of the gratious words that proceeded out of our Saviours mouth thence I conclude that therefore they heard amisse for the word of God if the fault be not in the hearer is the power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 But I only name these proofes because I choose rather to insist on such testimonies as do both shew us that there may be a fault in our hearing and do also tell us what that fault is that by the one wee may see how necessary it is to bee heedfull lest we heare amisse and by the other how to avoid the errour that doth procure the danger For this purpose I observe five sorts of bad hearers condemned in Scriptures 1. Heedlesse hearers 2. Partiall hearers 3. Forgetfull hearers 4. Sensuall hearers and 5. Fruitlesse hearers or such as do not obey the word delivered unto them I. The first are heedlesse and negligent hearers and they be such as heare but do not marke or attend to that which is spoken Such as these they were of whom Isai complaineth Heare yee deaf and looke ye blinde that yee may see Hee goeth on Seeing many things but thou observest not opening the eares but hee heareth not Isa 42.18 20. Note here 1. the fault with which they are charged they are said to be deaf and blinde 2 the explication or declaration shewing wherein this fault consisted Seeing many things but thou observest not c. hee meaneth that they heard and saw but they did not mark and observe what they heard And for this cause he calleth them blinde and deaf because no man is so blinde and deaf as he that will not see and heare 3. Wee may consider the meanes by which this errour may be amended and that is in these words Heare and looke by which he meaneth that they should attend and mark what they heard Laie these together and the fault will appeare to be this that while they heard and came to learne they did not observe what was said And the like to this was their fault of whom the Apostle saith Yee are dull of hearing For when for the time ye ought to be Teachers ye have need that one teach you againe which be the first principles of the Oracles of God Heb. 5.11 Here the Apostle chargeth them with two things 1. that they were dull of hearing By which word hee meaneth not any naturall imperfection for then he would rather have pitied them then have reproved them but hee meaneth their wilfull carelessenesse and negligence by reason whereof scarse could any thing bee beaten into their heads 2. Hee blameth them that they profited not by the word preached as they might and should have done For considering the meanes that was afforded them and the time that they enjoyed it they might become Teachers if they had beene attentive hearers Whereas now by reason of their negligence they had need to bee catechized in the first principles The summe is They were negligent in hearing and therefore continued dullards in Christs schoole And the like will be our fault if when we come to heare Gods word either read or preached we suffer our mindes to gadd abroad by musing on our merchandizing or our bargaining or our husbandrie or our businesse at home or which is not much better if we give our selves over to sleepiness or deadnesse of spirit as I have noted some to laie their heads upon their desk as if they meant that should be their pillow to sleep on and to pull their hat about their eyes as if they meant to draw the curtaines about the bed and bid good night to the Preacher They that heare in this sort out of doubt doe heare amisse if they heare at all And therefore when our Saviour said Take heed how ye heare he meant among other things that wee should beware of negligence in our hearing II. The next is of such as bee partiall hearers men who will hearken to Gods word while it accordeth with their lusts but will none of it when it crosseth their desires And these are of two sorts 1. such as will abide no doctrin which agreeth not with their own fansie and those lessons which they have received from their owne Masters and 2. such as will endure no admonitions that strike at the sins in which they delight 1. They that will not abide any doctrine which twharteth their received opinions Such were the Jews of whom wee reade that when Paul spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue
thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument For they heare thy words but they do them not Ezek. 33.30 31 32. Where wee may note that though this people shewed great zele in flocking to the Prophets Sermons Yet all that they cared for was to please themselves in his words not unlike them who heare a piper or a fidler because they delight in the musick This fault was in (a) Aug. confess l. 5. c. 13 14 pag. 43. S. Aug. before his conversion he went to hear S. Ambrose not for any care of his doctrine but for love to his eloquence and rhetorike And such also was the fault of those Monks of whom (b) Qâ—â—m fratribus quibusdam de rebus necessariis ac spiritualibus disputaâ—et eosque videret lethaeo quodam sopore demergi otiosam repente faâ—ulam introduxit c. Cassian de Instit li 5 c. 31. See Eras Chiliad p. 325. de Asin umâ—ra Cassian reporteth that while the Abbot was discoursing about points of faith and religion fell into a dead sleepe but when the old father meaning to correct their drowsines began to tell them a merie tale of some idle fiction then they rubbed their eies and lifted up their eares and heard him with great attention And not much unlike is the fault of many in our daies For some like no Sermons but such as are stuffed with fine words and abound with wittie turnings which make musick to the eares like the gallants of our time who like no clothes but those which are cut and jagged and according to the new fashion Others if they heare a Preacher that hath both eloquence and good matter they single out the rhetorick for their use and passe over the matter as unworthy of their noting These kind of hearers * Plutarch de audit p. 41. Plutarch compareth to women who gather out of their gardens such flowers as may make a nosegay or adorne the windows of their house and I may not unfitly compare them to some Gentlemen among us who with great cost and care plant Tulips and strange flowers which delight the eie with varietie of colours but respect not either pott herbs that may serve for meate or physicall flowers that are fit for medicine But good hearers saith Plutarch are more like to Bees For as they sit upon thyme and such other herbs whence they may gather most honey though they be bitter and unpleasant to the taste so good hearers delight in such Teachers from whom they may gather best caveats against sinne and best rules for a godly life and out of every Sermon they will pick that which is most for their soules health though it have some bitternesse and unpleasant relish with it If men then in hearing of Sermons respect the tickling of the eare with fine words rather then the stablishing of the soule with holesome doctrine these are a sort of bad hearers And therefore when our Saviour said Take heede how ye heare he meant that among other faults in our hearing we should beware of itching eares which love vain delight more then solid doctrine V. The fifth and last sort of bad hearers are those that bee fruitlesse which heare but do not like the fruitlesse figge tree which made a faire shew by its greene leaves but had no fruit that might refresh nature And these hearers are of two sorts proud profane men 1. Proud men I call such who when they know what God commandeth and are in conscience convinced of the truth yet will not submit to Gods Law but break through all without feare Such were the Iewes of whom Ieremy writeth that when hee had told them of their idolatrie with Gods expresse command to the contrary they answered As for the word which thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord we will not hearken unto thee but wee will doe whatsoever goeth out of our owne mouth c. Ier. 44.16 And not much unlike unto these though somewhat more shamefast then they are those other mentioned by the same Prophet Ieremie had told them from God that they should not goe into Egypt Chap. 42. and then it followeth Chap. 43. Then spake Azariah and Iohanan and all the proud men saying to Ieremiah Thou speakest falsely the Lord our God hath not sent thee to say Goe not into Egypt to sojourne there But Baruch the sonne of Neriah setteth thee on against us for to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans c. So they obeyed not the voice of the Lord to dwell in the land of Iudah Ier. 43.2 3 4. In these passages of the Prophet note 1. the difference betweene these two sorts of men the first are peremptory and plaine We will not hearken say they but the latter maketh an excuse though an unjust one Thou speakest falsely say they to the Prophet and The Lord hath not sent thee c. 2. Consider their agreement in the like sinne they both refused to hearken and obey Gods word 3. See the censure that God passeth on them which is that they are proud men For so it is expressely said of the more manerly sort and therefore must necessarily be meant of the more peremptory if he bee a proud man that obeyeth not because he saith the Lord had not said so hee is much more proud that saith I will not hearken to the word of the Lord. And proud men the Prophet calleth theÌ„ because they durst withstand Gods word when it is evidently declared unto them And so in our dayes wee have some that are peremptory and say they will do it the rather because the Preacher prateth so much against them Others are more manerly in making of excuses sometimes they alledge danger and sometimes their care for wife and children and sometimes occurrences of necessary businesses and such other reasons like the guests in the Gospel who thought themselves excused because they had maried a wife and bought a yoke of oxen and purchased a piece of Land But of all it is true that they may rightly be called proud men if they presume to disobey when Gods will is made manifest to their consciences And therefore it is that David calleth the sinnes of such men * Substantive positum significat peccata quae quis sciens ac volens-perpetrat Schâ—ndl Pentagl in verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is word for word Prides or proud sinnes which for perspicuity sake is rendred in our Bibles presumptuous sins and they in the Text are opposed to secret sinnes or sins of ignorance and inadvertencie Who can understand his errours saith David cleanse thou mee from secret faults Keepe back thy servant also from presumptuous sinnes let them not have dominion over me then shall I be upright and I shall be innocent from the great transgression Psal 19.12 13. By this appeareth that some sort of
care to expell For every such lust is a superfluitie of naughtinesse which hindreth our growing by the word For example if there bee a lust of adultery and uncleannesse that is a superfluity of naughtinesse purge out this or else it will hinder your growth in grace And if there be a lust of pride and vaineglory that is a superfluity which must bee purged out or else the word will not enter in And so I may say of covetousnesse and of malice and of revenge and of every evill lust they be superfluities of naughtinesse and if they be suffered to harbour in the soule they will shut the doore against all good instructions Vse 3. There is hence encouragement and comfort for all true hearted Christians because having purged out their lusts and resolving to do what God shall command they are rightly qualified for hearing of Gods word If any thing be necessary to be knowen which is too hard for their understanding Gods promise is that he will reveile it unto them and leade them in the right way Our Saviour hath said If any man will do Gods will hee shall know of the doctrine whether it bee of God or no. Ioh. 7.17 Where 1. when he saith If any man will do Gods will he meaneth if hee be resolved to performe whatsoever God shall cōmand him And 2. when hee saith of such a man that he shall know of the doctrine whether it bee of God he meaneth he shall bee guided to know and understand the maine points of faith even so much as may serve to save his soule For first the eie of his soule is cleare from mists and foggs of passion by reason whereof hee will discerne those truths which are proportionable to his understanding And secondly if any thing be too high for his apprehension God will reveile that unto him by one meanes or other rather then so faithfull a servant of his should erre from the right way that leadeth to eternall life And consequently he that doth settle his heart in a sincere purpose to do what God shall enjoyne him in his word may bee confident in this hope that he shall not erre with danger to his soule A great comfort this may bee to a true Christian in these wrangling times and dayes of contention wherein variety of questions doth much distract the minds of many men My conclusion is this when we go to heare Gods word preached or take a Bible into our hands to reade let us abandon every knowen sinne and resolve to serve God in every knowen duty and then our comfort is we shall know the truth and the truth shall make us free CAP. XIII Duties to be performed in the time of our hearing Cap. 13 HItherto of preparative duties which go before our hearing now wee are to consider of duties required in the time of hearing And they as I conceive of them at this time are three 1. Attention to the things which are spoken 2. Reverence to the person that speaketh and 3. wisdome in fitting all to our owne use I. The first is Attention And that as * Nigron de exhor domest cap. 5. nu 15. p. 89. one defineth it not unfitly is seria diligens animi applicatio ad ea quae dicuntur a serious applying of the minde to the things that are said or it is when we bend the mind and understanding to observe and mark that which is spoken Concerning this dutie there are two things to bee declared 1. What use and necessitie there is of it in our hearing and 2. what meanes wee may use for attaining to it I. What use there is of it And the answere is the uses of it are three especially 1. Attention is that which doth enlive our hearing and maketh it effectuall and profitable For if we heare and attend not we do not learn by the instructions that should teach us we are not moved by the exhortations that should perswade us to well-doing nor are we feared by the threatnings that should deterre us from sin In summe whatsoever is said to do us good is as water spilt upon the ground that cannot be taken up for any use But Attention in hearing is like the plough that goeth before the Sower For as the plough openeth the ground that the seed may enter in and take root under the furrows so attention setteth open the heart that it may receive the word in when it is spoken by the Preacher And therefore when the Scriptures do describe diligent zelous Hearers they set them out by their attentivenes to the word spoken Thus it is said of the people in Nehe. time that the eares of all the people were attentive unto the booke of the Law when it was read unto them Nehem. 8.3 And so of the people in our Saviours time it is said that they were very attentive to heare him or as the other Translation hath it they hanged upon him when they heard him Luk. 19.48 The meaning is Mark 6. their mindes did hang upon his lips to suck-in his doctrine as the childe hangeth upon the dugs that hee may suck in his mothers milk Whence wee are further advertised that as children who follow the dug do thrive and grow by the milk so the hearer that is attētive to the word doth grow and thrive by it But without attention as our prayers are a lip-labour which God respecteth not and for which he reproveth the Jews This people draweth neere unto mee with their mouth and honoreth mee with their lips but their hearts are farre from me Matt. 15.8 so without attention our hearing is an ear-labour of which God may say by the same reason This people draw neere unto mee with their eares but their heart is farre from mee Attention then is therefore necessary because it maketh our hearing profitable availeable 2. Attention to GODS word maketh God willing and ready to instruct us and lead us by his grace For as we use to say of wise men that they strike while the yron is hot because then it will yeeld to the hammer and may easily be facioned as the workman will so God dealeth with his people when they are ready rightly disposed for his blessings then hee useth to bestow them Open thy mouth wide said God and I will fill it Psal 81.10 So if men open their hearts bee ready to receive then God openeth his hand and powreth in his blessings But if men shut their mouths when they should receive God will shut his hand when hee should give And there is great reason for it For a wise householder because he will not have his wine spilt therefore will not powre it upon the vessel when the mouth is stopped And so our wise God be-because hee would not have his graces lost will not bestow them when men are not fit to receive them This point is clearly manifested in the example of Samuel When God called Samuel Samuel once and again
appeared to Ioshua supposed to be Christ the second person in the Trinitie commanded him Loose thy shooe from off thy foot for the place whereon thou standest is holy Iosh 5.15 Consider in these passages 1 what was required And that was it was required of Moses that he should not come neare the place where God appeared but keep distance Calceos exuere jubens admiratione metu ad humilitatē ipsum crudit format Calvin in Exod. 3.5 Jos 5.15 like the Publican who stood afarre off in the lowest part of the Temple And secondly both Moses and Ioshua are commanded to put off their shooes The meaning whereof saith Calvin is to instruct and frame them to humilitie and an awfull feare For as wee pull off the glove when we salute our friends and take them by the hand in token of our observance toward them and as countrey people and servants who go in pattons in the street do in good maners put them off when they come into a Citizens house of any note so in those easterne countreys where Moses Ioshua dwelt they were used to put off their shooes in token of reverence and respect when they came into place where their betters were And therfore when GOD said to Moses Put off thy shooes he meant to teach him his duty towards his LORD as we when we bid a Child put off his hat make a legg do meane to teach him good maners towards his betters 2. We may consider in the Text what the reason was why this outward cariage was required at this time and in this place and that was because the place was holy ground But why were these places where Moses and Ioshua stood more holy then any other places in the countrey especially seeing the one of them was in the desert an untilled and ill ordered ground and the other a place by Jericho at that time a profane city of heathenish and idolatrous people To this question the answer is that the onely reason hereof was because God appeared there and shewed tokens of his presence And hence wee have this observation that wheresoever God is in any peculiar sort present there the place is made holy by his presence and where God doth so sanctifie a place there we ought to declare our humilitie and dutifull respect by externall gestures of reverence and by decent behaviour and carriage Secondly I finde that when God was to appeare on mount Sina there to deliver the Law to his people he first commanded to sanctifie them and that they should wash their clothes Exod. 19.10 The meaning of which ceremonie was partly to admonish them of the purity of heart required when wee come into Gods presence partly to teach them that they ought to come decently in a comely maner lest they might shew neglect of his presence if they came in a sluttish or unsemely sort And therefore as Ioseph when he was to go before Pharaoh shaved himselfe and put on other apparell so wee ought to come into Gods presence in grave and comely attire which may beseeme godlinesse neither rudely like clownes nor finically like wantons A note not unfit to bee thought on by our sober maidens who come both into Gods house and unto Gods board with bare breasts and naked armes and long locks and such loose behaviour as either beseemeth Ruffians alone or no Christian at all Thirdly I read of Constantin the Emperour Euseb de vita Constant l. 4. cap. 33. pag. 400. that being present in the Church when Eusebius preached he stood up all the while and though hee were once and again intreated to sit down he still refused it The reason whereof was because as himselfe said Nefas est institutis de Deo disputationibus negligentes aures praebere It is not lawfull when things concerning GOD are in handling to be negligent in hearing And the like custom do I finde to have beene used by many others in ancient time but neither was it observed generally by all nor do I require it as necessary of any Onely thus much I observe that holy and devout men have been zelous to shew reverence in Gods service by every behaviour that fitted the purpose Fourthly I finde in some of the Learned who prescribe rules of decency in the time of divine service that they will not permit men when they are hearing of Gods word to smile in secret or to looke about or to laie one legg over an other or to whisper in their fellows eare or to look sowre as if somewhat displeased them or to leane and lie on one side Nigron in Reg. commun 2. nu 57. pag. 167. c. And surely even in these lesser things there is a decencie to be used in our outward carriage at lest so farre as that nothing appeare which may bewray either dislike of the Preacher or disesteeme of God and his word And hence we have two lessons 1. A reproof for them who allow no outward ceremonies or religious gestures in Gods service lest they should be superstitious and Popish There be men that dare not kneele when they receive the holy Sacrament nor put off the hat when they passe through a Church nor kneele downe and make a privat prayer in a publik place so that as the ancient worthies upon all occasions expressed their inward devotion by outward gestures of reverence so these men take care to shew how they detest superstition by avoyding all helps and expressions of religion 2. Wee have hence a ground of exhortation for our selves it is this that according to the rules of Scripture which require reverēce in the outward man after the example of holy godly men who have observed those rules with diligence and zele we also as occasion shall bee offered would shew our esteeme of God and his word by seemly behaviour and gestures of reverence and humility Where notwithstanding I will presse no mans conscience with a necessity of every expression used by the Ancients because for the most part they are not simply necessary but to be used with a kinde of freedome and as occasion and reason shall require Onely thus much I may boldly say and as I suppose with the good leave of all that are well in their wits that looke what modestie and signes of reverence we would use before a temporall Lord or Prince so much at least is due to him who is King of Kings Lord of Lords And if any will shew but a like reverence to God that he would shew to his Prince I will think him more devout then most men among us are at this day 3. The third and last duty by which wee ought to shew reverence is an awfull quietnesse and silence which is when neither by words nor deeds we either trouble the presence or hinder the work in hand For by such behaviour as this men use to shew their respect to their Betters Iob saith of himselfe