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
of whom is this spoken or whereof is it meant or how is it to be accorded with this or that Text which seem to say the contrary And by this practice if we use it accordingly we shall every day gaine somewhat for our furtherance in grace Wee shall either increase our knowledge or amend our lifes or prevent some objections or one thing or other wee shall gaine by it that may do us good towards salvation Vse 1. This first of all confuteth the practice of the Roman Church who when they reade the Scriptures do it in such a sort as frustrateth the end that God aimed at in the reading of them and depriveth the people of that profit which they should reape by their hearing For they reade it in unknowen tongue and a language not understood by the hearers is not for edification Gen. 11.7 8. no not of Babel it selfe For I pray how can it possibly be that men should learn by that writing whose words they understand not when Moses commanded the Priests to reade the Law to the people Deut. 31.9 c. as in the place of Deuter. before mentioned he did suppose he had spoken in this manner unto them which is the resultance of the Romish practice and doctrine Yee shall reade all this Law in a strange language in Latin or Arabick or some such other tongue unknowen to the Jews that they may heare it and by it learne to feare God and keepe his commandements how ridiculous and foolish would the speech have been Surely S. Paul did think that if an unbeleever should come into a Christian Church and heare the Doctors speaking in a tongue unknowen to the people hee would think them no better then madd men 1 Cor. 14.23 Nor would any of us think him to be well in his witts that should reade unto a plaine Englishman a Latin Greek or Hebrew book and in a serious sort bid him to hearken and attend what that booke did speake for his instruction and comfort Yea and they of the Church of Rome themselves when they reade to the people such things as they care for and would have men to know and observe then they speake to them in their mother tongue Their Festivall and their Legend they have beene accustomed to reade in the Church in the knowen language of our countrey Yea and at this time though they administer the Sacrament of Baptisme in the Latin tongue as all their other Service is yet when they give order to bring back the Chrisome to the Church and to keepe the child from bodily harm they breake off their sacred language and speake to the people in their own mother tongue Godfathers and Godmothers of this childe * Manna Sacerd. de Baptis pag. 38. say they wee charge you that ye charge the father and mother to keepe it from fire and water and other perills to the age of seven yeares c. and that the mother bring againe the Chrisome at her purification Now I would gladly heare from any learned Papist why Latin should not as well teach them to bring againe the Chrisome as it can teach them to serve God in the duties of pietie or to help their neighbours by the duties of mutuall love and charitie Or if they think it behoovefull for the people to have these rules of theirs propounded to them in the English and knowen tongue why they should not think it better and more availeable for them to deliver the rules of Gods word unto them in the like intelligible sort then in a foreine language Surely if a peevish humour to maintaine all abuses of their Church were layed aside the point would neede no long disputing Vse 2. This also confuteth the follie of Separatists and phantastick zelots among us who vilifie and contemne the reading of Scriptures in the Church and by consequence the hearing of them read The Admonit in B. White-gifts booke pag. 579. Autors of the Admonition to the Parliament who were the fathers of our English Schismatiks say of reading of the Scriptures Reading is not feeding of Gods flock but it is as evill as playing upon a stage and worse too Foule mouths was the act of Moses no better then playing upon a stage when he read all the words of the Law to the people Exod. 24.7 and was Joshua as bad as a stage-player when he did the like Iosh 8.34 And was Baruch as bad or worse then a stage-player when hee read the words of Ieremie out of a written roll by Gods owne appointment Ier. 36.2 3. c. Nay but such was the spirit of these vipers that they had rather crosse Gods knowen ordinance then not oppose the orders of the Church in whose womb they were bred And of some such like temper are some others of later times c M. Jo. Downe in a Treatise of the Efficacie of Reading A learned Preacher in a booke now lately published telleth of some in the West country where himselfe dwelt that their maner was neglecting the publik service and reading to send their servants or children to know when the Preacher was ready to go into the pulpit For till then they list not to come And so saith hee according to the French jest they turne all Gods worship into a meere preachment And some have I knowen who following a preacher of their owne to a strange place have staied without the walls of the Church till the Sermon did begin And would God none of our better minded people were tainted with a tang of this leaven But when there are some and they not a few who never appeare in the Church save when the Bell giveth warning to a Sermon would not a man think that they nothing esteeme either the Liturgie of our Church or the hearing of Gods word read in the publik assemblie I say no more of such but only pray God to give them a better minde And for the rest who have learned better I beseech them by the mercies of God that they will not countenance these fantastik mens errour by their negligent needlesse absence from the Church when on holy daies and weeke daies the Scriptures are read to the people and the prayers and praises of the Church are with joint consent presented unto God And so I leave to refute them and come in the next place to exhort our selves And the summe of my Exhortation is that Vse 3. Seeing the hearing of Gods word read is so usefull to a godly and an happy life therefore as wee love our soules we would not neglect the opportunitie of such a blessing when it is offered It was Gods commandement to his people that at such times as men came together in greatest multitudes then all of them should be called to the hearing of his word read And the learned say that when the time of reading was come a Trumpet was sounded through the City that all might have warning and might bee present to heare
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
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
soules is all one I conclude then that there is a like good use both of reading the word of hearing it read which is my first assertion 2. Prop. When we read the Scriptures by our selves we have this benefit by it that if wee meete with a matter of difficulty of speciall moment we may pause upon it and reade it over againe and consider of it in silence And by this meanes we may in the end understād what at the first we understood not may also imprint in our memories that which after once hearing or reading would have slipped away from us And herein reading by our selves is better then hearing things read by others For when an other readeth unto us our mindes and memories are tied to go along with his tongue nor can wee command any time of pausing and considering when the occasion doth require it 3. Prop. When we heare the Scriptures read by Gods Minister who hath beene brought up in the rules of Grammar and Rhetorik we shall gaine this benefit by hearing him that the sentences being distinguished by their rests pauses and the words being pronounced with the right accents and tone and every clause so modulated by the voice as is agreable to the matter expressed by them the speech so uttered will delight the senses and cary along the affections and perswade the understanding and sway the whole man much more then the same sentences could do if they were onely looked upon with the eye or read without the right accent modulation of the voice Aeschines Quintil. lib. 11. cap. 3. pag. 666. Plin. l 2. epist 3. Valer. Maxim l. 8. c. 10. when hee pronounced an Oration of Demosthenes and perceived that the people were much affected with it Yea said he but quid si ipsam bestiam audiissetis What if yee heard Demosthenes himselfe meaning that if hee had pronounced his owne Oration it would have affected them much more And so if any shall reade the Scriptures either in silence without any voice or with that cariage of the voice as is not agreable to art and reason and so ignorant people many times do reade them the word of God would lose a great part of that life and vigour which otherwise is contained in it and by right modulation of the voice would appeare to the hearer For example when the Apostle saith what have yee not houses to eate and to drink in if a man as those that be illiterate some times do should read the word what without a note of interrogation hee should much weaken the power of that sentence And so when the Prophet saith The righteousnesse of the righteous shall be upon Him and the wickednesse of the wicked shall bee upon Him if any should reade the words without putting the accent upon the word Him he would lose the grace that belongeth to the Prophets words And in this respect hearing of the word read by the Minister who knoweth the rules of pronunciation and deliverie is better then the reading of it by our selves who either speake not to the eare or keep not the right accent or put not that vigour and life in the words which is agreable to the matter The summe of all is reading the word and hearing it read ech of them hath a peculia vertue of his owne which the other hath not yet both of them for the substance of the duty are alike profitable and usefull for a Christian And therefore it is best when both are joyned together and used in their fitt places and times And this may suffice for answeare to the first question 2. Quest The second is Whether reading in privat may excuse us from hearing it read in publick To this my answere is No. And my reasons be these 1. It may be a question whether they who alledge their privat reading to excuse them from publik hearing do alwayes spend the houres of hearing in the Church in their reading at home Surely the best of us are negligent inough in holy duties and doe quickly forget the times of devotion and our purposes of well doing unlesse we have some monitor that may put us in mind Now for the services of the Church the sett houre of the day and the sound of the bell accompanying it doe summon us to work But what summons ech one hath at home to call him into his closet and warne him to his task of reading I know not I leave every mans conscience to be his owne Judge Onely I will say thus much that if men can dispense with themselves for publik hearing when the time is appointed by the authority of the Church it is no breach of charity to think that they will dispense with themselves for their privat reading the time thereof being limited onely by their own discretion 2. Say that men and women be so exact and diligent that they doe consecrate the times of publik service unto privat devotions and reade at home as much the more for their able sence from the Church as they could heare if they were present there Yet I dare say they will not nor cannot make such choise of profitable chapters and usefull lessons in their privat devotions as the Church hath done for them in her publik Service For here we have chapters and Gospells and Epistles fitted to the season and the present occasion For example when we celebrat the Feast of Christs Birth those Scritures are read unto us which relate the maner of this mistery and the occurrences that then happened And these two the time and the Scriptures being fitted ech to other do helpe to support one an other The Scriptures teach us how to celebrate the time to Gods glory and our owne good and the time stirreth us up to attend apply and make use of the Scriptures read And the like may be said of our Lords Conception and of the presenting of him in the Temple and of his Passion Resurrection and Ascension into heaven And so it is also on the festivail dayes of the Apostles and Evangelists other Saints On their memoriall dayes those Scriptures are read which tell us what gifts God bestowed upon them and what services they performed to him and what good the Church hath received by their meanes And hence we may learne to honour God in his Saints and to take example from their vertues for our imitation and to celebrate their festivities with heavenly meditations agreable to the time And by such helps as these are wee may gaine knowledge in the articles of our faith and direction in the duties of a good life 3. Let it bee supposed which yet I can not beleeve to bee true that a man or woman constantly spendeth in his privat reading the whole time that is appointed for publik hearing and that he and she can make as good choise or Scriptures for their reading as the Church hath done for their hearing Yet all this notwithstanding their privat exercise
will come short of the publik because in the Church men may joyne both reading and hearing together When they heare the Ministers voice they may look upon the Text in their booke and so at once they shall have the use both of eare and of eye the one of which will stirre up the affection and the other will confirme the memorie and at every pause may reflect back upon that sentence that importeth them most And consequently at one time and in the same exercise they shall in good part reape the benefits both of reading and of hearing 4. Lastly suppose a man reapeth as much good by his privat reading as in reason such an exercice well ordered can produce Yet he cannot promise to his privat devotions the like blessing that God hath promised to the publik serviâ—es of his Church For of the Tabernacle hee hath said There will I meete with thee and I will commune with thee from above the mercie seate Exod. 25.22 And of the Temple he hath said I have chosen this place to my selfe for an house of sacrifice 2 Chro. 7.12 and vers 15 16. Mine eyes shall bee open and mine eares attent to the prayer that is made in this place For now have I chosen and sanctified this house that my name may be there forever and mine eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually And so of the Assemblies of Christian people CHRIT hath promised Where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them Matt. 18.20 By all which we may learne that when we pray heare in publik God hath promised a blessing not onely to the exercises themselves but to the place also where they are performed even because it is Gods house But if wee performe the same duties at home though he hath promised a blessing to the services if they be performed in due sort yet hee hath promised no blessing to the place because it is any mans dwelling or his privat closet And now according to this rule and observation a man may expect a further blessing upon his reading and hearing in the Church then he can expect upon the like performances in his owne house All these things concerning the two questions layed together the summe is this Reading of Gods word and hearing of it read are both of them good exercises which God hath coupled together and man must not put them a sunder Againe the performance of these duties at home and in privat is good in its season and may be a help that the word of Christ may dwell richly in us but it must not in any case justle out the publike service of the Temple where God more especially doth dwell And therefore as our Lord said of the duties of mercie and justice compared with the duties of tithing anise and mint and cumine these things ought ye to have done and not to leave the other undone Matt. 23.23 so may I say of publik and privat both reading and hearing These wee should do and not leave the other undone My conclusion shall bee an Exhortation consisting of two parts 1. That as occasion and opportunitie will serve wee be carefull to read the Scriptures in our privat houses When I say as occasion and opportunitie will serve I meane that I do not desire much lesse require that servants should steale from their masters the houres that be due to their service or that masters themselves should neglect the businesses of their calling in which God hath set them but I meane that both master and servant and all other Christians should redeeme the time as the Apostle speaketh that is should take the occasion and make their best advantage of it while the time serveth And he or she who besides the time allotted for such exercises on Sundayes and holy dayes shall take those shreds of time on the other dayes which each mans businesse will permit him without either wronging of others or neglecting of his own estate I doubt not but within a few yeares he may be well read in the booke of God It is reported of Alphonsus King of Arragon Serar in Josh l. 2. pag. 289. c. that notwithstanding his great affaires of government and the daily businesses of a Kingdome yet he gained so much time for this use as that he read over the Bible fourteen times with Glosses Commentaries upon the Text. And by this wee may gather that no mans place who is his owne master is so full of businesse but if he will husband his time well not drown himselfe in worldly cares or lavish away his time in eating and drinking and sporting he may gaine sufficient time for reading without neglecting of the works of his place and calling Yea and servants and labouring men who have the fewest houres to spare yet if they be provident for their soules may now and then finde some leisurable times for this exercise without either wronging of others whose work they do or defrauding of themselves of needfull times of refreshing 2. My exhortation also is that wee do not suffer our selves to bee kept at home without urgent cause when God by the ordinance of his Church doth call us into his house There are not a few in the world who partly through idlenesse and partly through fansifulnesse and contempt of government despise the good orders of our Church and neglect the publik service to the offence of God and wronging of their owne soules But they who are sober minded though they live in the midst of such a froward generation yet will consider and I beseech them so to do with heedfulnes care that God hath promised to meete with his people in the Tabernacle and that his eyes will be open his eares attent to the prayer that is made in the Temple and that where two or three are gathered together in his name he will bee in the midst of them And they may further be remembred that David when he heard that his child was dead went into the house of the Lord and worshipped 2 Sam. 12.20 And not onely the Pharisee who delighted to shew his devotions in publik places but the humble-minded Publican too went up into the Temple to pray Luk. 18.10 And Peter Iohn the blessed Apostles of our Saviour after they had beene filled with the holy Ghost went up together into the Temple at the houre of prayer being the ninth houre Act. 3.1 Now there were none of these men but might have found an house or a closet or a chamber to performe their devotions in but they knew nor did any man in those dayes make question of it but that the house of God was the fittest place to serve God in and that the houre appointed for publik prayer was the best season for them to present their prayers to God They had not learned that subtill distinction which some phantastiks use now a dayes that a privat prayer must not bee
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
ad proficiendum so as thou majest profit by it or as the vulgar readeth it more plainely though not so literally docens te utilia which teacheth thee profitable things or as Piscator paraphraseth it apta ad prodessendum such things as are apt or fit to profit them in goodnesse And this as a * Corn. Ã Lapides Learned Writer enlargeth the sense is as if he should say non curiosa non vana non pomposa plausum captantia I teach thee not curiosities not vanities not florishes and such things as may gain praises and applause but I teach thee saith the Lord Almighty such things as may bee for thy safety here and thy salvation hereafter Thus the wise Lord the great Pastor and shepheard of our soules hath left us an example that we who are Pastors in his Church should follow his steps And in these steps did the blessed Apostle tread who in discharge of his duty could say to his Scholars I have kept back nothing that was profitable unto you Act. 20.20 v. 27. I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsell of God In which sentences put together it is worth the noting that first he saith he kept back nothing that was profitable then saying the same thing over again that he declared unto them all the counsell of God And hence the collection is easie that therefore the whole counsell of God which is to be declared preached unto the people is onely of such things as are profitable to happinesse and a blessed life And now if any desire to know what these profitable things were which he used to preach to Gods people himselfe hath tould us elswhere that the summe of his Sermons was that men should repent and turne to God and do works meete for repentance Act. 26.20 And Tit. 2.12 That denying ungodlines and worldly lusts they should live soberly and righteously and godlily in this present world Soberly by moderation in the use of temporall comforts and righteously by just and faire dealing among men and godlily by serving God in the holy duties of religion These were the profitable things which God taught the people of Israel and the Apostle preached in the Christian Church And we that be the preachers of Gods word and dispensers of his mysteries ought both to imitate God as dear children Ephes 5.1 and to be followers of the Apostle as hee is of CHRIST 1 Cor. 11.1 And more particularly as God himselfe taught his people profitable things and as S. Paul taught his Auditors to repent and turne unto God and do works meet for repentance and that they should live soberly and righteously and godlily in this present world So our Sermons both for the matter and the maner of them should be such as that the Hearers may profit in piety and a godly life and by serving God in holinesse and righteousnesse may be brought to heaven eternall glory And therefore when wee are at our Studies framing our Sermons in privat and when we are about to utter them in publik wee should reflect our thoughts upon every part or passage of our meditations questioning with our hearts God and our owne consciences being the Judges of our thoughts whether such a point in the Sermon or such a sentence in our discourse be apt to minister grace to the hearts of the hearers and such as may further them in the duties of a good life and in one kinde or other help forward their salvation and happinesse And if we finde any thing more then this or otherwise then thus wee may and ought to blot out that and cast it away as being either pernicious or at the best but superfluous and idle This course if wee hold both in penning of our Sermons and in delivering of them we shall approve our selves as good Ministers of JESUS CHRIST and may in so doing both save our selves and them that heare us God direct both our hearts tongues so to preach CHRIST that we prove our selves to bee the servants of our people for JESUS sake 2. Rule The second rule is for the Hearers and that is that because a Sermon is no more worth then so farre as it furthereth men to an holy life therefore they should desire to heare such Sermons and ever judge them best by which themselves may be made better This rule is to be the more regarded because in all ages it hath beene so much neglected For first looke into the olde Testament and consider the times before our Lords Incarnation and there ye shall finde that the people of those times were rebellious lying children that would not heare the Law of the Lord. They said to the Seers See not and to the Prophets Prophecie not unto us right things Speake unto us smooth things Prophecie deceits Is 30.10 And if a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie saying I will prophecie unto thee of wine of strong drink hee shall even bee the Prophet of this people So saith the Prophet Mic. 2.11 and he meaneth that if a man should pretend to be sent of God and take upon him the office of a preacher and should withall preach libertie for their lusts and a freedome to follow their owne wills this would be the onely man in their esteeme and reckoning They would praise him and paie him and follow him from towne to towne and from one parish to an other Againe looke into the new Testament and there yee shall heare our Lord telling the men of his time I am come in my Fathers name and ye receive me not if an other shall come in his own name him ye will receive Ioh. 5.43 And S. Paul telleth us of after-times that men would not endure sound doctrine but after their own lusts would heap to themselves teachers having itching eares and would turn away their ears from the truth would be turned unto fables 2 Tim. 4.3 4. Where 1. when he saith Having itching eares he meaneth that they delight to have their eares tickled with such speeches as may please the fansie as on the contratie the Poet saith of unpleasing speeches Quid opus est teneras mordaci radere vero Auriculas that they bite and grate the eares of men 2. When hee saith that they desire Teachers after their owne lusts he meaneth they desire such as will preach what they please and will say that is truth which themselves fansie to be so or at least which they wish were so 3. When he saith of these men that they heape such Teachers he intimateth that they are not contented with one or two such as God and the Church hath appointed to bee their Pastors but they runne from place to place and single out such men for their masters as is agreable to their owne humors This the Apostle did fortell of the later times and into these times are we now fallen For first same there bee who delight in fine
while hee was in prosperity The young men did see me and hid themselves the aged rose and stood up The Princes refrained talking and laid their hands on their mouth The Nobles held their peace and their tongue cleaved to the roofe of their mouth Iob. 29.8 9. And each man of discretion if hee bee before them whom he honoureth will bee sparing of his speech unlesse either the command of his Superiour or the present occasion do require it And still in the presence of his Betters he is carefull lest by hard treading or lowd speaking or any noise making he should breed disturbance or seeme to neglect them This reason instructeth men to do in their conversing among men and much more to do the like in holy Assemblies where they have to deale with God The Turks out of the common notions of reason (a) Summo silentio verba praeeuntis Sacerdotis excipiunt Sic verò stabant immobiles ut in illo solo defixi aut ibidem succrevisse viderentur Nulla tussis nullus screatus nulla vox nulla circâ—acti capitis aut respicientis motus Sacerdote Mahumetis nomen pronuÌ„ciante pariter unà omnes capita ad genua usque summittebant c. are very observaÌ„t of this rule Busbequius a learned and wise Statesman who was Ambassadour in Turkie for divers yeeres telleth of the Turks that they heard the priest reading their service with great silence that they stood so unmooveable in their place as if they had beene fastened in the ground there was no coughing nor no spitting nor no voice nor any either turning of the head or looking back When the priest pronounced the name of Mahomet all of them at once bowed down their heads to their knees When the name of God was spoken they fell upon their faces and kissed the ground And in a word they passe their service with great ceremony and attention Busbeq ep Ture 3. pa. 266. For if they do but scratch the head with a finger they think all their devotion is lost And that no man may think that this was a curiosity in those that beleeve not Cassian an ancient and learned Writer of the Church doth relate the like rites and ceremonies of reverend behaviour to have beene used by religious Monks in his time For speaking of a certaine Covent wherein were diverse thousands together he saith that when they met at their solemne praiers (b) TantuÌ„ a cunctis silentium praebetur ut quuÌ„ in unuÌ„ tam innumerosa fratruÌ„ multitudo conveniat praeter illum qui coÌ„surgeÌ„s Psalmum decaÌ„tatin medio nullus hominuÌ„ penitus adesse credatur ac precipuè quuÌ„ coÌ„summa tur oratio in qua non sputuÌ„ emittitur non exscreatio obstrepit non tussis intersonaâ— non oscitatio somnolenta dissutis malis hiantibus trahitur c. Cass Inst li. 1. cap. 10. pag. 31. such was their sileÌ„ce and still behaviour that in so innumerable a multitude beside him who said the Service no man seemed to bee present and more especially in the concluding prayer in which no man did spit or hawk or cough or gape or yawne as one that were ready to sleepe And if any man did chance to transgresse this rule of quietnesse and silence they held him guilty two wayes 1. quòd orationis suae reus sit quòd eam videlicet negligenter offerat Deo that hee forfeited the fruit of his prayer because hee offered it up to God in a negligent manner and 2. quòd indisciplinato strepitu alterius quoque qui forsitan intentiùs orare potuit intercipit sensum because by a rude and unmannerly noise he did disturb the devotion of his fellow who might have prayed with more fervour This was the silent reverence that was used in those dayes But Lord how unlike are our dayes to the former times Men are now so farr from shewing such reverence to their God in his Service that they forget all civilitie and good manners to their neighbours Men and women I meane who by clapping their Pew-doores and sometimes by redoubling the knock do so disturb the Assembly that neither the Minister can be heard nor the people proceed in their devotion Beside the maner of such uncivill people is to come to Church when service is halfe ended for they have more devotion to their beds then to their prayers and indisciplinato strepitu with this rude knocking they tell all the Congregation that they come to serve GOD when a great part of his service is ended It is pitie but some discipline were presently exercised on such men and women If a child trouble the Congregation with crying the Nurse carieth him out of doores if a dog disturb them with barking the Sexton lasheth him with a whipp and if men and women who ought to have more both discretion and religion do in as rude a maner disturb Gods service I see not why they should go away without correction But those which are well minded toward God and his service will I hope upon this intimation amend it III. The third and last duty to be performed in the time of our hearing is to use wisedome for fitting that which is said to our owne advantage And for that purpose three rules are to be observed 1. Rule We must care for nothing in a Sermon but that which may do us good to salvation The proofes hereof are these 1. Proof The end of all preaching is the profiting of our soules in grace and furthering them by grace towards eternall glory For first God himselfe who is the Law-giver professeth of himselfe I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit which leadeth thee by the way that thou shalt go Is 48.17 Hee meaneth that the things which hee teacheth in his word are profitable and if men would follow his direction he would lead them in a way that would bee for their good 2. CHRIST our LORD who is the great Prophet of the Church he saith of himselfe also The Spirit of the Lord is upon mee because hee hath anointed mee to preach good tidings to the meek hee hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted to proclaime libertie to the captives c. that they may bee called trees of righteousnesse the planting of the Lord. Isa 61.1 c. I note two things 1. the matter of Christs Preaching and that was good tidings the binding up of the broken hearted c. all which are things belonging to our redemption and salvation and 2. the end of his Preaching and that was that men might become trees of righteousnesse c. He meaneth that like good trees they might bee fruitfull in good works of holinesse and upright living All which implie a profiting in grace and obedience 3. Solomon the wise preacher of Israel saith the summe and end of all his Preaching and of mens hearing is this Feare God and keepe his Commandements Eccles 12.13 4. Paul the Apostle of the Gentiles saith
experienced in things of this kinde hath long since observed that among Orators and they were of like condition in the Common-wealth among them that Preachers are now in the Church among us the unlearned were many times best esteemed and he spendeth a whole (a) Lib. 2. cap. 12. pag. 108. Chapter in discovering and setting downe the reasons of this erroneous opinion in the vulgar S. Hierome also hath observed the like of Preachers in the Church (b) Verba volvere celeritate dicendi apud imperitum vulgus admirationem sui facere in doctorum hominum est Attrita froÌ„s interpretatur saepe quod nescâ—t quum aliis persuaserit sibi quo que usurpat scientiam c. Nâ—hil tam facile quam vilem plebeculam indoctam Concionem linguae volubilitate descipere quae quic quid non intelligit plus miratur Hieron Epist 2. ad Nepotian pag. 16. Vide etiam Jul. Nigronum in Regulam 2. commun num 67. c. pag. 175. It is the fashion of unlearned men saith hee by volubilitie of tongue and celeritie in speaking to raise an admiration of themselves amongst the rude multitude A bolde face will oftentimes teach that which himselfe doth not know and when he hath perswaded others hee usurpeth to himselfe the praise of learning Nor saith hee is there any thing more easie then to deceive the baser sort and unlearned multitude with volubility of tongue They when they understand not any point do so much the more admire it Nor is it any marvell if the rude multitude do mistake in judging of a Preacher they do so in matters that are more plain and more neare to their capacitie and apprehension Wee see it every day that an horne-pipe or a morrice dance and such countrey musick doth please the common sort more then any exact and artificial musick can do that those strokes tunes make them to leap frisk which would make a sober and skilfull man to laugh and deride them And so in this case If a Preacher be furious in his action and fluent in his words and vehement in exclamations and do mouthe it out with a throng of words which are as unable to beget notions of true religion as they are contrary to all rules of art and right reason yet the multitude do greedily embrace this musick dance after this pipe By all this I meane not to disable the gifts of any nor to censure their forme of teaching that may do good to Gods people Onely I advise every wise Christian not to esteem of a Sermon by the delight that himselfe or others of the vulgar sort do take in the utterance of it And I desire that insteed thereof they will rather consider what increase of godlinesse they have gained by it or wherein they have been profited either for understanding of the Scriptures and for conceving of some point of religion or for amending of their sinful life If they give an account of such spirituall profit to their soules I hinder not but with great reason they may esteem such a forme of teaching But if they can give no account of their profiting in godlinesse I can give no approbation of their vaine censures 2. Rule The second rule which wisedome requireth to be observed in the time of our hearing is that wee select and single out such instructions as do more especially concerne our owne practice and take more speciall notice of them then of others that coÌ„cern us not so nearly For the mind of man is of a finite nature cannot observe all things with like exactnesse and attention and our memories are feeble and fraile and cannot treasure up every thing that is spoken And therefore whatsoever ability and strength of minde and memory we have wee should husband them in the best manner and for our best advantage And so wee shall do if passing by things that bee impertinent and sliding through points of lesser moment wee fasten our minds upon such lessons and observations as do more nearely concerne our selves In the use of this rule the Prophet hath gone before us and shewed us the way Hee being to instruct the Priests in things of their duty beginneth with this Preface And now O yee priests this commandement is for you Mal. 2.1 And so if the Preacher tell Householders of their dutie to their sonnes and servants he that is a master of a family presently should say with himselfe This commandement is for mee And if the Preacher speake of the duty of servants to their masters hee that is a servant should say This commandement is for me And if hee insist on the duties of maried Couples the husband should say This commandement is for me and the wife should say That commandement is for me And if hee preach of true dealing in bargaining and contracts the merchant and the shop-keeper and the Artificer and the Customer and every man almost may say That commandement is for mee and to me it belongeth And in a word every one that heareth any rule that concerneth himselfe should make application of it to himselfe that that which is his for the duty may be his for the practice also Thus wee see all sorts of men that have care of their owne state do use to do in things of this life without any teaching If they heare of any medicine that is proper for an infirmity of their owne that they mark and either imprint it in their memories or write it up in a book of remembrance for their after-use when in the mean while they passe over many other better rules in their kinde onely because they are not so proper for their case and condition And againe if a man reade the book of Statutes and finde a Law which concerneth his owne Lands or his owne dealings he will either fold downe a leafe or mark the place in the margin or transcribe the words in a note-book that it may be in readinesse when the time serveth And so if in our hearing of the word either preached or read we meet with any lesson or rule of life that concerneth our selves in speciall we should consider wherein and how it may stead us and this consideration will bee as a mark set upon it to keep it in remembrance For if we should forget the rule it selfe yet the very application of it to our selves will put us in minde of it But as for other things which are not usefull and proper for us wee may passe them over with lesse care and attention For example if we heare some instruction which wee had learned as fully before wee may let that passe as having no need of it And if we heare somewhat not usefull for sanctification and a godly life wee may let that go as not worth the noting when better things are in place And if we heare good instructions that are usefull for others but concerne not our selves wee may dismisse them also as not