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A68093 The practise of preaching, otherwise called the Pathway to the pulpet conteyning an excellent method how to frame diuine sermons, & to interpret the holy Scriptures according to the capacitie of the vulgar people. First written in Latin by the learned pastor of Christes Church, D. Andreas Hyperius: and now lately (to the profit of the same Church) Englished by Iohn Ludham, vicar of Wethersfeld. 1577.; De formandis concionibus sacris. English Hyperius, Andreas, 1511-1564.; Ludham, John, d. 1613.; Orth, Wigand, 1537-1566. 1577 (1577) STC 11758.5; ESTC S122044 265,657 396

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the Corinthes and homilie 5. vppon the first to the Thessalonians Now let vs distinguish and sorte out the kindes of men to the intent it maye appere and become euident vppon whom chiefely the dartes and dint of rebukes ought of right most frequently to be throwne XVI As it is apparaunt that there is no state or degrée of men voide of lustes or frée from sinne so the Preacher shall in no wise let to blame and accuse the enormities of all men without exception To which effecte it perteineth that the apostle writinge as well vnto Timothy as to Titus so prouidently teacheath them how and after what sort they should behaue themselues in oxhorting reproouing of al sortes of men And againe the same hath generally cōmaunded that those which offend should openly be reprooued to the terrour also of others That in like maner is vniuersally to be taken which long before to the prophet Ezechiell cap. 3. god him selfe said If thou shalt not warne the vngodly nor speake vnto him to disswade him from his wicked way that he might liue I will require his bloude at thy hande But if thou doest admonishe him thē hast thou delyuered thine owne soule Wherefore to come to that which I was about to say the Teacher of the people shall iudge all his hearers indifferently in this behalfe to be accompted in the selfe same order and that ther is none amonge them all whiche ought not to be subiecte to Ecclestasticall discipline XVII But in the meane time there appéereth to bée some difference made of holy Teachers in reproouinge comptrollinge of persons The prophetes doe in their wordes both more often and also more bitingely stinge the Iewes vnto whom had shined plentifully the knowledge of gods will then the Gentiles drowned in the diepe gulfe of ignoraunce Againe the apostle Paule more seuerely chideth the Galathians then he doth the Corinthians or any other beside The same admonisheth Titus that he shoule sharpely reproue the Cretensians And this he doth truely not as though they should thincke it méete to haue regarde onely of the crimes themselues but also of their qualities and kindes Moreouer wee sée the Prophetes Apostles and CHRIST chiefe Capteyn of the preaching schole to be accustomed as most cōmonly so also most grieuously to assault the vngodly priestes Doctors Scribes Pharyseis the authors of false opinions and that for this cause inespecially in that settinge out their externall and counterfet rightuousnesse they sought meanes to haue the internall and true rightuousnes in déede to be vtterly buryed vnder foote and agayne for the they preferred mens traditiōs before the law of god With lyke lyberty of speach doe the prophets oft times shake vp the corrupt Iudges terming them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and oppressors of the poore againste all righte and equitie And peraduenture for this cause doe they assayle both the sortes that is to saye one while the priestes an other while the Iudges for the of these two kindes of men depēd the safety of the whole citie séeinge that from them sins and vices are soone deriued into all the people and againe these being brought into order it is an easy matter to reduce all the rest of their subiectes to the obedience of lawes What néede many wordes we may gather out of these things that how much the more fowlely any are fallen or be of more obstinate dispositions or hurt more through their offences then others so much the more studiously and seuerely are they to be corrected xviii But in noting and reproouinge the vices of maiestrates there is néede of singular iudgement For some potentates there be which wyll suffer themselues to be rebuked of some men but not of euery man some againe will admit no teacher or instructer at all Sainct Ambrose as it is recorded in the Tripartite history lib. 9. cap 30 trusting to the goodnes of his cause which he had in hand vnbashfully reprooued the Emperour Theodosius and he so worthy a prince tooke wel at worth the reprehension of so worthy a doctor although it were bytter publique For vnto Ambrose was known right wel the notable towardnes of the Emperour and the feru●t zeale of his minde enclyned to equitie againe Theodosius had perfect trial experience of the wisdom integrytie of Ambrose And certes where the preacher himselfe leadeth a pure and vnspotted lyfe the maiestrate for his part vnfeignedly imbraceth iustice there doe the holsome endeuours of the minister of the Gospell aspire to most happy successe Iohn Baptist doubted not openly to rep●oue the wicked kinge Herod he againe as the Euangelist witnesseth feared and reuerenced Iohn Christ Luk. 12 ouerthwartly pinched Herode calling him fox Nathan séemed to vse as it were a certaine stratageme or fine poleey when intending to reprooue kinge Dauide he sodeinly deuised a parable of two men the one riche the other poore Neither is it a straunge thing to obserue other parables also put foorth of the prophets in hard and difficult matters as Esay 5. Iere. 24 c. To be short it is plaine and euident that maiestrates are to be reprooued in time and place as ofte as they depart from the path of rightuousnesse but with what foresight and prouision that is expedient to be done no man canne certeinly demonstrate by rules but it is necessarye that euery man according to his owne discretion doe partely out of the sermons of the prophets and of Christ partely out of the kinde causes circumstaunces of matters incident gather and deuise with him selfe Neither truely doe I knowe very well how it commeth to passe that in the Sermons of the Apostles wee finde not any thing ouer hardly spokē against any maiestrates but rather there occurre many thinges whereby subiects are admonished to obey them yea though they be euyll and wicked But I suppose two causes may be rendred of that matter One for the al gouerners of cōmon weales at the time were euery where ethnicks vnbeléeuers and therfore not as yet receiued into the societie of the church whervnto the Apostles knew right wel that their authorytie only stretched For those that were without they left vnto GOD alone to be iudged The other that forasmuch as the doctrine of the gospell was euery where euill spoken off of a great nūber also flaundered as seditious and tending to the decay of common weales the Apostles iudged it very vntimely to exasperate them with the ouer sharp controlment of their priuate vices whō being stirred vnto wrath they knewe would forthwith séeke by all meanes possible to hinder and stop the course of the gospell Where I might adde that the apostles peraduenture enstructed by the holy ghost saw before that in reproouing the princes of that age whō God as yet vouched not safe to call they shoulde loose all their labour and trauaile But the processe of our talke groweth further then wee think for XIX Certes that we
that is to say My Father my father the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof so we also may not without good cause complaine of our master Hyperius thus taken from vs Although in very déede when I wey more déepely the whole matter with my selfe most worthy Senatours I scarcely sée what sparke of hope to be accounted off is left not onely to vs but also to all Germanye Pure religion was in the time of our fathers sore oppressed through the tiranny of the Bishops none otherwise then was a great while agoe the Common wealth of the Hebrues thorugh the violence and oppressions of the bordering Nations As the Lorde in olde time had mercy vpon the Hebrues so hath he had now also compassion vppon vs that like as then he stirred vp valiaunt Capytaynes and godly Iudges that did set the people in their former libertie so now in these dayes had be raysed vp many notable Doctors that might and did restore religion to hi● former puritie and deliuer vs from that pontificall tyranny Which either Capitaynes or Doctors of the Church séeing the Lorde doth now by littel and littel call awaye to himselfe as in the yeares past Luther Bucer Melanchthon and many other and in these last xv monethes Martyr Musculus our Hyperius wée are truly to be afrayed least these so many and great lightes of the churche beinge extinct considering that very few men or none remayne of like dignitie of like learning and experience there succéede other which not as the former will defend and maynteyne our liberty restored but will hamper vs againe in ● newe seruitude and bondage Yea verily when as those Capytaines being taken away euery man may séeme to doe and say what he list it is greatly to be feared least for our offences all our religion be againe enwrapped in most vgsom darkenes and so vtterly obscured and defaced For vndoubtedly as for the light of the trueth which after those dolfull times of darkenes wherein our forefathers were entangeled by the great benefit of God hath shined vnto vs our people can now in these dayes so ill away with all that they doe not onely openly and manifestly contemne the cléere light but euen couet also most gréedely to returne backe againe to their former darknes as it were to the flesh pottes of Aegipt Furthermore what the life of our Countrimen is what the maners of them are that glory of the profession of pure religion we sée I speake not onely of the c̄omon people basest sort of men but I speake of those whom wée all haue in admiration whom wée reuerence whom wée prayse and highly estéeme off So great is the contempt of religion amongest a great number so great the neglecting of godlines so great the suppression of vertue that they may well séeme to be no Christians at all but very saluage and barbarous people Which thinges séeing they are true there is no man verily that can imagine this our dread and feare to be vainely or without cause conceiued God winketh for a time at our sinnes and enormities as he is a longe suffering GOD and slowe to wrath But neuerthelesse when he séeth there is no hope lefte of amendement of lyfe and that our sinnes doe proclame nowe euen open warre agaynst heauen it selfe then sodenly prouoked to anger he prepareth himselfe to take vengeaunce Which when he intendeth to doe he oftetimes taketh good men from vs least they should the good with the bad the godly with the vngodly be enwrapped togither in these plages But nowe I maye séeme peraduentūre to giue an ouer vnlucky ghesse as touching the state of our Scholes and Churches wherefore then doe I not rather turne my talke vnto you most graue and prudent fathers Whom I praye and beséech most hartily that you would euery one of you so far foorth as ye are able bend all your trauayle and dilignce to the mayntenaunce and preseruation of godly studies And you especially I call vppon most excellent Companions thée I say most reuerend Rector Lonicerus thée most vigilant pastor Rodingus and you al furthermore that teach the holy Scriptures either in the Schole with vs or in the Church herevnto I beséech you bend all your co●itations and all your endeuours namely that our sacred and diuine studies may prosper and florish Procéede to teach as you doo diligently and faithfully study for the maintenaunce of peace and tranquilitie Let vs propound vnto our hearers not idle questions as touching vaine and friuolous matters but as our Hyperius alwaies did those principles most chiefely of the doctrine of religion which shall be necessary to the conseruation of the puritie of faith and most profitable to the information of lyfe and maners Let vs haue no dealing w●th vnlucky contentions whereby we sée now some Scholes to be most grieuously battered and shaken Let this our Schole rest as by Gods grace it hath already many yeares rested from importunate striuings and brablementes Let vs follow alonely in teaching the chiefe points of religion the holy Scripturesithe writinges I meane of the Prophetes and Apostles Let no mans authoritie so preuaile with vs let no Counsell be of such credite no patched writing of such force that wée shoulde depart so much as a heares breadth either from the authoritie of the Scripture or from the phrase of Thapostles or from the formes of speaking vsed by the holy GHOST himselfe These markes let vs prescribe vnto our selues as it were to ame at Let vs kéepe vs with in the compasse of these boūds For so yea so it will com to passe that we shall not be caried about hither thither with the winde vanitie of euery doctrine but shall ramayne constant in our profession and shall alwaies frō time to time kéepe a certaine forme of s●ūd doctrine And you also most diligent hearers you I say that are studious of the holy Scriptures I doe not onely exhorte but also pray and beséech you wey with your selues the state of Religion and the state of our Churches consider what perills hange ouer our heades in these dayes by reason of the wickednes of our liues and maners beholde how many famous Doctors and notable lights of the Church our almighty father hath in a short space-taken frō vs All the most excellent Teachers our heauenly father calleth out of this life by littell and littell home to himselfe many other neither so well learned neither such louers of peace concord he leaueth stil aliue which are not so carefull as touching the safetie and preseruation of the Churches as they be for their owne priuate authoritie and gaines which séeke not so much the peace left vnto vs of Christ as they doe their owne prayse and glory though it be by fetting the Lordes Sanctuary on fyre and which if thy were not brideled by thautoritie of godly maiestrates would confounde heauen and earth togither Consider I say and seriously ponder all these thinges
as it were certayne steppes and degrées whereby the godly are brought vnto true and perfect knowlege Which thinge how it may with ease be accomplyshed I will in few words rehearce and as ye would saye with certayne poyntes added declare They talked together I The first degrée to come to an absolute knowledge of the trueth as touching Christ and the will of God is constituted in holy and godly meditations and in a feruente desyre of perceiuing the trueth Whiche desyre or study GOD hymselfe other whiles graffeth in the mindes of men ministringe of hys owne accord occasion of godly meditations like as those thinges that were done at Hierusalem gaue cause to the disciples to talk and common of Christ And Iesus himselfe drew neere II Assoone as any doe earnestly begin to applye theyr minde to thatteynement of diuine knowledge God hymselfe vouchsafeth to be present with them and to fauour their godly desyres Wherefore they easely perceyue their mindes to be wonderfully and in a certaine secrete maner inflamed their counsayls to vs directed and a meane wherby they may profyt to be opened By meanes whereof we may learne that the second step or degrée whereby the way is laide open to the knowledge of thinges diuine consisteth in the sincere callinge vppon the name of GOD and in the present aide and helpe of the same There is no cause why any mā should perswade himself that he can happily attempte the study of holy thinges if he first implore not humbly the diuine ayde and féele the same to be present with hym And for this cause doth Iames cap 1. grauely admonish vs that we should aske spirituall wisdom of him that giueth it namely god c. One of them aunswered whose name was Cleopas III The third degrée of profyting in thinges spiritual is the diligent conferrence with others especiallye with the learneder sorte And God is wont alwayes to those that with all their harte long after the knowledge of heauenlye thinges to minister apt helps and instruments of all sortes For the holy ghoste commaundeth Phillip to approche more néere to the chariot wherin the Eunuche quéene Candaces chief gouernour was caryed to the intent he might cléerely interpret the scriptures read but not vnderstanded God by an angell willeth Cornelius the Centurion to send spéedily to Ioppa for Simō Peter of whom he mighte be instructed in the doctrine of true religyon And héere in this place Christ himselfe commeth forth in this owne person rather then those his disciples shoulde be destitute of a faithfull instructor What that a place very profytable to the commendation of the heauenly doctrine falleth in where it is sayde That Iesus of Nazreth was a prophete mightye in deede and in worde before God and all the people Truely very notable effects of the celestiall doctrine are héere set forth before our eyes Yea and certaine women amonge vs. IIII They that couet to profyt in sound holy doctrine what time they haue diligently conferred as touchinge the trueth with other godly menne of all sortes and degrees in the forrth place they shal exactly weigh and perpende all mens opinions sayings interpretations disputations yea they shall marke also visions reuelations dreames of whiche the Prophete Ioell speaketh capi 2. signes and wonders and of al these thinges so farre forth as in them lyeth they shall prudently shewe their iudgement Finally they shall trie all thinges as the Apostle sayth 1. thess. 5. and holde that which is good But that all sorts of men ought worthily to employ their endeuor to the doctrine of piety it is plaine and euident forasmuche as we sée the care and dutie euen of women also toward Christ crucifyed dead and buryed to be héere vehemently praysed and set forth They found it euen so as the women had saide There is good hope that the godlye may there verye well profyt and goe forwarde where as consent and agréement is founde in sounde doctrine which alone is of great importance to the establishing of Gods church and to the amplyfying therof And he saide vnto them O yee fooles V Ater the opinions of other men heard and prudently weighed there remayneth an other marke or fyft step whiche the disciples must climbe That is that the iudgement of the Scriptures themselues which is most perfect and aboue all other may alwayes be harkened vnto For vnto these must of necessitie be referred whatsoeuer is at any time produced as touchinge the doctryne of trueth We sée how Christ and the Apostles doe fortyfye all their assertions with the testimonies of the lawe the prophets how much more méete is it therefore that we stick fast for the authorytie of the lawe 〈◊〉 thee 〈◊〉 be set Christ and Apostles vpon this foundation whatsoeuer is builts that shal be certaine sound and stable in the churh and he shall be iudged to haue more profyted others whosoeuer shal build in this sort Againe it can nothe chosen but that it muste néedefull whatsoeuer is taken from any at 〈◊〉 and obtruded for sound 〈◊〉 And they drew 〈◊〉 to the towne VI 〈…〉 all times the thankfulnes their 〈…〉 God that distributeth to euery 〈◊〉 hys gift● 〈◊〉 measure as pleaseth hym as also to 〈…〉 by which they know and confesse themselues to be holpen for 〈…〉 For to those that are thankfull and doe rightlye vse the gifts graunted vnto them ▪ God willinglye 〈◊〉 more and committeth vnto them as it were new tallents But from the vnthankfull and those that either knowe not or wyll not vse them aright are taken a waye agayne such those that they haue already gotten And their eyes were opened Truely they that are thankfull do féel● in themselues manifest increasements of knowledge God vndoubtedly augmenting and be w●ifying his gifts in them And in this behalfe we sée the Apostle Paule praying with great effect to God the father that the loue of all his heaters might yet more and more abounde in knowledge and in all spirituall vnderstanding c. And they rose vp the same howre and returned VII Moreouer when a man is come to the exact knowledge iudge of the 〈…〉 shall 〈…〉 ●●ught to 〈◊〉 but shall inde●●● 〈…〉 all 〈◊〉 possible to bring others also to 〈…〉 Therfore we shall fréely and ▪ but a 〈…〉 confesse the knowen trueth he shall labour to 〈…〉 other both priuate and publickly 〈…〉 forth as oportunitie will serue 〈…〉 and friendly confer with other learned men moued not so much with desyr of teaching as of learning and fynally in al his actions hee shall set before his eyes both the edyfying of his hearers and increasement of the church For to thèse ●●des most thief 〈…〉 God giueth to the faithful the 〈…〉 of thinges spirituall with these ●●tion the 〈…〉 good will towardes God and men by this 〈…〉 concorde and agréement in doctrine in nourished in all Churches and to be shorte by such diligence is the Church of God confirmed encreased
to vse and enioye the laboures and trauiles of other men ¶ Of the kinde Redargutiue or Reprehensiue Cap. XI IN this kinde which is ordayned to reproue false assertions Sermons cōmonly are in such sort digested and disposed as that one while the whole discourse is occupied alonely in the reprehension of a false opinion an other while in one part of the Sermon is confuted and subuerted a false assertion in an other is affirmed and with as great industry as may be vrged a true assertion Where if in case the matter so requireth many Sermons also are appointed to this busines But as touching affirmation or application how and after what sort it should be vsed it is playnely shewed in the preceading Chapter wherfore now the order of confuting or reprouinge is onely of vs to be declared To the furtheraunce therfore of this matter auayleth very much whatsoeuer is of the Logicians or Orators profitably put forth to confute and to assoyle reasons or argumentes with all For those that obtrude false assertions to the simple and vnlearned or sowe them in the Church are perceyued oft times to bring in for the mayntenaunce of thier quarell proofes very subtill and sophisticall and to defend themselues most chiefely by the healpes and sleightes of mannes wisdome Wherfore whosoeuer he be that will valiauntly ioyne battayle with them must be indifferently well furnished with all kinde of weapons and pollecy of fightinge which they doe vse False assertions be reproued many waies and weake and féeble argumentes are diuersly subuerted I. The first way and maner therfore is this to the intent thou mayst finde what truth and falsehod the troublesome to wit the fower fold fiue folde and such like curious and peynted proofes of the aduersaries doe conteine in them it shall be very requisit to reduce them into the forme of sillogismes or apt reasons such I meane as are taught and set foorth of the Logicians For by this briefe and compēdious meane if there be any default lurking either in the forme or in the matter of the argument it may both quickly and certainly be perceyued And how the forme of a reasō is to be sifted and iudged off may out of those things which are put foorth touching the making of sillogismes enthimemes oher kinds of argumentations againe how the matter is to be tryed and examined may out of the places of inuention and the rules adioyned therevnto which they call consequencies be aboundauntly knowen Where therfore if the preacher shall in any of the prooues made by the aduersaries perceyue defaulte either in fourme or in matter he shall not doubt publykely to denounce and disclose it so notwithstanding as that hée may purposely kéepe backe all arte and cunninge so far as in him lyeth keuered as ye would saye with a veyle For in cace thou shouldest exhibit the craft and workemanship of Logick openly of all men to be séene which commeth chiefely to passe by producing the very wordes of art out of the schole into the Church it is to be feared doubtles least thy solutions become as greatly suspected as the obiections of thine aduersary II. The second way and meane to discerne and ponder according to there importaunce the reasons of those that teache false thinges dependeth vppon the diligent enserchment of the Paralogismes if there be any peraduenture entermedled with them Therfore it is to be considered whither the Paralogisme be committed within the compasse of the worde namely by equiuocation amphibologia composition diuision accent phrase of speche or whither the Paralogisme happeneth to be without the compasse of the worde as when there is brought in a fallacion of the antecedent a fallaciō of the consequent a thing so after a sort spokē as though it were simply so the not cause of a thing as the cause petitio principij many interrogations ignoraunce of the elenche III. Moreouer it profiteth much to obserue the captious and subtill argumentes such as are antistrephon ceratine crocodelites vtis pseudomenos cacosistata asystata For these are accustomed somtime to fall into doubtfull and perplexed disputations And all these thinges verily pertaine to the solution called of the Logicians of our time reall as it is in their bookes to be séene Further the preacher oft times also taketh aduice of those thinges that belonge to the solution called personall and of the Orators very much vsed IIII. Somtimes againe we refell obiections by regestion that is to saye by shewinge that it becommeth not the aduersaries to bring forth any such cauilling obiections or by setting against them other questions alike crabbed to sée to Which two maners of regestiō we may perceyue in the holy Scriptures The former we haue to the Romaynes cap. 9. Thou wilt say then vnto me why doth he yet complayne For who can resist his will Thapostle aunswereth But O man who art thou that pleadest the matter against god Albeit he addeth straight wayes also an other apt and directe solution Example of the later is extant Math. 21. The Pristes and elders of the people sayd vnto Christ By what authoritie dost thou these thinges and who gaue thee this power Christ aunswered them And I wil demaūd of you one thing which if ye shall shew me I will also tell you by what authoritye I doe these thinges The baptisme of Iohn was it from heauen or was it of men V. Nowe and then also the sayinges of that aduersaries are subuerted by eleuation And this is brought to passe two maner of wayes first by reiection to witte when the obiection of an other is reiected as a thing light and very slender with a certayne signification of contempt or indignation as Rom. 3. whē some sayd Let vs doe euill that good may come thereof the apostle reproueth thē saying nothing els then that their damnation is iust Which wordes doe procéede from a troubled minde by reason of the vnworthines of the thing Secondly it commeth to passe by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby through expressing the wordes gesture of the aduersaries or by like meanes we deride them and laugh them to scorne This maner the Apostle vseth Coless 2. where against those that sought meanes to drawe them that were newe borne in Christ to the obseruation of Iewishe ceremonies hée sayth Touch not tast not handle not which all doe perishe with the abuse thereof VI. The aduersaries may in like maner be met withall by digression whereby an excursion is made from the purpose Albeit the Preacher shall scarcely vse this any other where then where the solution of the obiection propounded is easie apparaunt to euery man or where peraduenture some inconuenience might redounde to the hearers through a more plentifull tractation of that matter VII Furthermore those thinges that are put forth of the Orators profitable to confute and solute withall the preacher shall duely challendge to himselfe as common both to him and them Cicero in his booke 1. de