fruitlesse hearers are proud men and out of their pride disobey the knowen will of God 2. The second sort are prophane men and so in this place I call them who heare Gods word out of custome but minde not nor care not what the Preacher saith Hee may talk what he pleaseth but as it is said of Gallio in another case so it is true of these men they care for none of these things These hearers are herein like the unthankefull guests who when they were invited made light of it and went away about their other occasions Matth. 22.5 Nor are they much unlike to those profane men of Ephraim and Manasses who when Hezekiah sent messengers to invite them to Ierusalem that there they might keep the Passeover according to the Law and serve God according to his will they mocked the messengers and laughed them to scorne 2. Chr. 30.10 And so if any make light of the word preached and scorne or despise Gods messengers who shew them the waies of salvation such I call profane men who make no reckoning of Religion And of these and all others who disobey the Gospel and do not bring forth fruits of obedience I say they bee bad and ungodly hearers For if any man heare my words saith our Saviour and doth them not he is like a man who without a foundation built an house upon the earth against which the streame did beat vehemently and immediatly it fell and the ruine of that house was great Luk 6.48 49. And therefore I may conclude of these as I did of the rest when our Lord said Take heed how yee heare he meant that among other vices in hearers wee should take heed of fruitlesse hearing when men heare and doe not Thus I have gone through the severall sorts of bad hearers I now desire every Christian that shall vouchsafe to reade these lines that after his reading hee will examine himselfe by these notes I suppose hee hath beene an hearer of Gods word for some space of time and doth still continue in that practice for the salvation of his soule And pitty it were that hee should lose all that labour in hearing the Preacher his labor in instructing of him in Gods will and much more pitie that God should lose his labour in providing him so much good meanes of grace without use And sure the labour is all lost which is bestowed upon such as bee bad hearers of whom hitherto I have spoken Let every Christian then in the feare of God examine his owne heart whether hee have beene either a negligent or a partiall or a sensuall or a forgetfull or an unfruitfull Hearer and if he finde himselfe guilty let him now at least amend his error and make better use of the meanes of grace For direction wherein I have in this place no more to say but that hee would remember the words of the Text Take heed how yee heare CAP. XII Preparative duties to bee observed for right hearing Cap. 12 VVHen our Lord saith Take heede how yee heare he doth not onely signifie that there is danger in hearing amisse but also doth implie that by heedfulnesse we may avoid the danger and so heare that wee may reape benefit by it And that is the point which after the danger discovered commeth now to be spoken of For better proceeding wherein wee are in the first place to consider that this heedfulnesse includeth two things Consideration and Execution Consideration searcheth out what bee the things that are available for the purpose and Execution putteth them in practice when once they are found to be good The former of these two is included in the meaning of the word for so much this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See looke or take heed doth naturally import And the later of them is implied in the intention of the speaker For searching after availeable meanes is vaine without making use of them after they are found And therefore when our Lord said Take heed how yee heare hee meant that wee should consider how wee may heare with profit that wee lose not the fruit of our labour and that what rules we find to be good for the purpose we make use of them accordingly that our speculation may be seconded by our practice For our better direction wherein we are to consider of foure sorts of duties necessary for this purpose The first are duties going before our hearing the second are duties or rules to bee observed in the time of our hearing the third are such as are to bee practiced after the end of our hearing the last are common do diffuse thēselves through all these differēces of time I begin with the first of these I. First then before we come to heare there are certaine preparative duties that may fit and prepare us for the work For Gods word is like seede sowen by the Preacher and the Hearers are like the ground in which this seed is sowen as our Saviour hath taught us in the parable of the Sower immediatly preceding this caveat of heed-taking how we heare Now no wise man will sow his seed till he have manured his ground He will first plough dung and gather out the stones the rubbish and then cast in his seed with hope of a plentifull harvest and so we before the seed of Gods word bee sowen in our hearts we must take care that they bee prepared and made fit soile to receive such seed in This is meant by that of Ieremie Break up your fallow ground and sow not among thornes Ieremie 4.3 He meaneth that as no man doth sow his seed before he have ploughed the ground pulled up the weeds and thornes for else all both labour and seed would bee lost so every wise servant of God should prepare his heart before the seeds of grace and good instructions be sowen in it For else if the heart of a man bee hard and without feeling like the high way side that is hardened by often treading upon it it will not open or unclose it selfe to receive the seed And if it be filled with the cares of the world the love of riches and pleasures like the thornie ground that is overspread with rubbish though it receive the seed yet it choketh it in the springing It is then a point of necessary observation that if we will heare with profit we prepare our hearts aforehand that like good ground they may bring forth fruit to perfection Now for the ploughing up of the heart and preparing of it for the seed diverse duties are first to be performed which for that cause I call preparative duties and those are as followeth I. The first preparative dutie is that wee put off Worldly businesses and emptie our soules of earthly thoughts which either might take up our time due to this worke or distract our mindes in the performance of it For looke how long the minde roveth and so much of the good seed is
and such like abominations are the cause that ye and we for your sakes doe suffer at Gods hands as they did in the case before us But as for such as know and serve God better and acknowledge Gods word to teach the right way if any dorrell shall tell them of cheapnesse of victualls and example of forefathers and their owne idle customes as rules to guide their faith by let them answer them in the wise mans words Say not thou what is the cause that the former daies were better then these for thou doest not enquire wisely concerning this Eccl. 7.10 Or else let them return such men an answere out of the Prophet To the Law and to the Testimony if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Isa 8.20 And so I leave their errour and come to say some thing of our owne failings Vse 2. Secondly then if Gods word have such vertue in it both to perswade and enable us to Gods service we may hence take notice of our great negligence who having had so long use of this word have profited so little by it For if a childe have good and holesome meate yet do not thrive nor grow by it ye will say and ye have great cause to say that he is out of temper and somewhat is amisse with him And if a sick man have good and soveraigne medicines given him and yet is not purged nor eased by them ye will say that either nature is much decayed in her strength or much oppressed by bad humours And so seeing Gods word hath in it such vertue towards godlinesse and a happy life if we after long use of it are not bettered in our knowledge of God and increased in our obedience to his Laws and some way or other furthered toward heaven and happinesse it is an evident signe that grace is decayed in us and sinne hath gotten the upper hand And yet so it falleth out many times among Christians The Hebrews were dull of hearing and when for the time they might have beene teachers yet they had neede that one should teach them againe which were the first principles of the oracles of God Heb. 5.11 12. And is it not so with a great many of us Are there not men and women who after many years teaching have gained no great measure of true learning If by the Catechismes they have been taught and by the Sermons that they have heard and by the Scriptures and other bookes which they have read they had learned but every week nay every moneth one only good lesson appertaining to godlinesse they might by this time have proved skilfull Casuists in matters of conscience But this is not so great a defect as that which followeth Our knowledge is much more better then our practice God complained of his vineyard and that vineyard was the house of Israel that after much care and paines bestowed in the dressing in steede of good grapes which were rightly expected from it it brought forth wilde grapes Isa 5.4 The meaning is as the Prophet expoundeth it v. 7. He looked for judgement and behold oppression and for righteousnesse but behold a cry even a cry for wrongs and oppressions injuries done to their neighbours And now a dayes may not God complaine of us in like maner There was never more dressing of Gods Vineyard then now there is more instructions to teach the way of blessednesse more exhortations to laye hold upon eternall life or more threatenings to deterre men from sinne But may not God say now after all this I looked for grapes fruits of righteousnesse and holinesse and of a sober life but I finde wilde grapes of lying and of cousening of oppressing and of slandering and of surfetting and drunkennesse and of new fantastick fashions And if these be the fruits of our hearing and reading and professing we may feare lest that threatning may be ours also This will I doe to my vineyard I will take away the hedge thereof and it shall bee eaten up and breake downe the wall thereof and it shall be troden downe And I will lay it waste it shall not bee pruned nor digged but there shall come up briars and thornes I will also command the clouds that they raine no raine upon it ver 5. and 6. He meaneth that after so much labour lost hee would take away the meanes of grace and leave them to themselves which is a fearefull judgement not to be thought on without trembling It will bee our wisdome then to look every one into his owne garden see what fruits he findeth there If we finde there any grapes of gall or vine-sets of Sodom or if our wine prove the poison of dragons or the venom of aspes it will be high time to take the pruning knife and cutt off these wilde branches that beare such bad fruits or rather to take the pick axe and the mattock and to grub up the plants on whose rootes they grow that wee may bee trees of righteousnes bringing forth fruits answerable to the labour bestowed upon us Vse 3. If there bee such vertue in Gods word to make a man blessed we should learne to esteeme it as our happinesse when wee doe enjoy it So David did I rejoyce for thy word saith he as one that findeth great spoiles Psal 119.162 On which words a good writer giveth us this note that David compareth the enjoying of Gods word to the getting of great spoiles rather then to the having of any other riches because spoiles taken from enemies do not onely enable men with wealth but honour them also with triumphs of victorie And so wee should esteeme of the word of Gods grace as a treasure that doth farre exceede both riches and whatsoever else that cannot bring us to heaven and happinesse And from this esteeme we may learne three duties 1. To praise God that hath given us such a treasure So David did In a Psalme of his which was framed for a forme of thanksgiving to God and therefore he both beginneth it and endeth it with Praise ye the Lord in this Psal he reckoneth this as a chiefe mercy for which he giveth God thanks that he shewed his word unto Iacob his statutes and his judgments unto Israel Ps 147.19 And so we should reckon it as one of Gods rich mercies towards us that wee have such plentie of his word that may bring us to blessednesse eternall life and in remembrance hereof both begin our morning and shut up our evening as David began and ended his Psalme with Praise wee the Lord. 2. We may learn to use all good meanes to get this treasure into our owne possession that the word of Christ may dwell in us richly in all wisdome as the Apostle speaketh Coloss 3.16 Solomons counsell for attaining this wisdome is that wee seeke for it as for silver and search for it as for hid treasure Prov. 2.4 Hee intimateth in this
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
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
overreach or defraud his brother in any matter because the LORD is the avenger of all such 1 Thes 4.6 they if guilty should say I am the man and mine is that judgement And if He preach against drunkennesse and good fellowship and tell of that threatening of the Prophet Wo to them that rise up early in the morning that they may follow strong drink that cōtinue untill night till the wine enflame thē Isa 5.11 they should say each man for himselfe I am the man I have made the fault and I deserve that wo. And so should wee do in all other the like cases still help the Preacher by bringing that home to our selves which hee setteth before all his Hearers that they may pick out that which they have need of Thus I have gone through the rules every wise man may make use of them as occasion serveth and either adde more of his own unto them or place others that are better in their roome God grant us of his grace that wee may conscionably use all such helps as he doth prescribe us for our spiritual good that by them his grace accompanying them we may in the end attaine to his glory Amen CAP. XIV Duties to bee performed after our hearing Cap. 14 HAving hitherto spoken of the two first sorts of duties I come now to the third namely duties required after our hearing is ended And for this purpose I have not many rules to insist upon this one shall suffice Hee that will profit by a Sermon shall do well after the Sermon is ended to call to mind what he hath heard then to consider of things more distinctly and with more leasure For in the time of our hearing because our mindes must go along with the Preachers tongue wee want time to pause and consider and weigh what wee heare the most that we can do is but to think and consider which of the things delivered may bee fit for our use The hammering and the fitting of them is left for afterward when we may have more time to sift and examine them more exactly This course wise men use to observe in other the like cases When they read things in haste they folde down a leaf or make a mark in the margin of the book that they may read the place over againe at more leisure when the time occasion serveth they consider of those remarkable passages And so after we have heard the word preached or read and have marked out for our selves those which seemed the most usefull sayings it will bee profitable to take a time to think on them againe in our privat houses This the Learned think was resembled by that of Moses his Law where those beasts are onely allowed for cleane beasts which did chew the cudd Levit. 11.3 So (a) Auditor verbi fimilis esse debet animalibus quae ob hoc quia rumināt munda esse dicuntur Prosper senten ex August nu 193. Prosper The Hearer of GODS word ought to be like to those beasts which because they chew the cudd are therefore said to bee cleane And like unto such beasts good Hearers are in two things 1. Because (b) Quū audit fit similis edenti quum verò audita in memoriam revocat fit similis ruminanti Prosp ibid. and In ipsa ruminatione in qua significat Deus munda animalia hoc voluit insinuare quia omnis homo qui audit sic debet in cor mittere ut nō piger sit ea cogitare ut quando audit similis sit manducanti quum autem audita in memoriam revocat cogitatione dulcissimâ recolit fiat similis ruminanti Ruffin in Psal 45. in fine pag. 107. Vide Chrys hom 21. ad populum Antioch in principio pag. 263. as those beasts while they eate do let downe into the maw the meat half chewed and after they have done eating do draw it up againe into the mouth and grinde and chew it better so men must first heare and afterward recall and consider what they have heard the first whereof is like the first eating of the meat and the later is like the chewing of the cudd Secondly good Hearers are like such beasts because as the beasts which ruminate or chew the cudd are reckoned for cleane beasts so GOD doth approve and allow those men which first heare and then ruminate and consider what they have heard This practice is further proved to be good 1. from grounds of Scripture and 2. from the benefit which we may reap by it I. From grounds of Scripture For in them we finde that after S. Paul had given instructions to Timothy concerning his duty he addeth for conclusion Meditate on these things 1. Tim. 4.15 Consider what I say and the Lord give thee understanding in all things 2. Tim 2.7 And so David often professeth of himselfe that his practice was to meditate on Gods word Psalm 119.15 23 48 78 148 and setteth it down as a note of a blessed man that hee doth meditate in the Law of the Lord. In like sort it is said of the blessed Virgin that shee kept all the things that were spoken to her by the Shepherds and pondered them in her heart Luk. 2.19 and ver 51. after our Saviours disputing with the Doctors and his answer concerning the doing of his Fathers businesse it is said that she kept all these sayings in her heart Meaning that shee noted and marked them when they were spoken and afterward laid all together considered the purpose of God in them for mans salvation By all this wee see that holy men of God have not contented themselves with bare hearing reading of Gods word but have meditated and considered of it afterward with more leisure Now of all the times that may be imployed about this service none is more fit then within a little while after our hearing And this time is therefore most usefull partly because the memory is then most fresh and best able to give an account of what hath beene heard and partly because present meditation and consideration will both confirme the memory and prepare the heart for performance in the time to come II. There is much benefit to bee reaped by this practice For 1. It will better our knowledge and make us to understand things more fully and perfectly For in hearing many things escape us through haste which afterward may bee observed and understood in our second and more serious thoughts For example in our hearing while we mind the particulars in severall the dependance and connexion of the parts do many times overslip us which upon a second review especially time of consideration being allowed thereto we may easily discerne and thereby understand the whole discourse more distinctly and fully 2. In the Sermon or in the Chapter read there may happen some hard words and dark sentences and deepe reasons which on the sudden wee cannot but with a little labour and meditation we may
neglected or at least omitted to speake of The summe of which correction is as if hee had said Thou sayest Blessed is the womb c. Which though I deny not to be true yet I will tell thee of a farre greater blessednes then that is Blessed are they that heare the word of God and keep it 2. This woman made not so good an use of our Saviours doctrine as shee might have done When she heard him preach with great wisdome and evidence of the Spirit she brake out into the praises of the preacher which were justly deserved by him but she said nothing perhaps she thought nothing of amending her life or of performing what she was taught And herein our Lord amendeth her speech by telling her what better use shee might make of his Sermon Shee commended him for his good Sermon when she had done better if shee had amended her selfe by his instruction She said Blessed is the mother that bred such a Preacher but he said Nay rather blessed is the hearer that maketh use of his doctrine The Text being thus explained I now proceed to speake of the points that I propounded omitting other by-notes which though they bee profitable in their season yet are not pertinent to my purpose CAP. II. By earthly things a wise Christian may bee occasioned to seeke after heavenly blessings Cap. 2 OUr Lord from this womans speech concerning the happinesse of his mother for breeding such a childe taketh occasion to discourse of the true happinesse that accompanieth Gods service And hence I observe that it is a point of holy wisdome to take occasion for heavenly meditations by the mention or sight of earthly things My proofes for this are two the constant practice of our Saviour and the helpes that it yeeldeth us to a godly and an happy life I. The constant practice of our Saviour related and commended to us in Scriptures for there wee reade that when he saw Peter and Andrew busied in fishing he tooke occasion by the trade that then they did use to tell them of an heavenly trade of fishing for the souls of men He saw them casting a net into the Sea for they were fishers and he said unto them follow mee and I will make you fishers of men Mat. 4.18 19. Againe when some told him of his mother and his brethren desiring to speake with him he tooke occasion from the mention of his earthly kindred to instruct us in the spirituall kindred that is betweene him and every good Christian It was told him by certain which said Thy mother and thy brethren stand without desiring to see thee And hee answered and said unto them My mother and my brethren are these which heare the word of God and doe it Luke 8.20 21. And againe when the woman of Samaria came to draw water out of Iacobs Well out of this accident he fetcheth occasion to instruct her in the living water that would refresh her soule unto eternall life There commeth a woman of Samaria to draw water Iesus saith unto her give me to drinke Then said the woman how is it that thou being a Iew askest drink of me which am a woman of Samaria Iesus answered and said unto her If thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith to thee Give me to drinke thou wouldest have asked of him and he would have given thee living water Of which water whosoever drinketh shal never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall bee in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life Ioh. 4.7 9 14. And yet againe when the people followed after him that they might eate of his bread he taketh occasion from their desire of earthly meate to instruct them concerning the bread of life When the people came to Capernaum seeking for Jesus Iesus answered them and said verily verily I say vnto you Ye seeke mee not because you saw the miracles but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled Labour not for the meate which perisheth but for that meate which endureth to everlasting life Iohn 6.26 27. Thus our Saviour by a constant custome taketh occasion by the words that are spoken and occurrences that happen in the world to raise mens thoughts from earth to heaven and from things that concerne this life to teach them spirituall lessons for obtaining of eternal life By which practice of his hee lifteth up men to heaven while they remaine upon earth and breedeth in them heavenly mindednesse while they are occupied about their worldly businesse And this being his constant practice who is the wisdome of his father it proveth the truth of my conclusion that it is a point of holy wisdome to take occasion for heavenly meditations by the mention or sight of earthly things II. The same point is further proved by the helps that we may receive from it towards holinesse and an happy life In which kinde I may reckon these that follow 1. It will make every creature that we see and every occurrence that wee meet with in the world to serve us as Schoolemasters to lead us unto Christ and as a Monitor to remember us of some duty The meat on our tables will teach us the necessity of the meate that never perisheth and our hungring after that will admonish us how wee should desire the food of Gods word that we may grow and bee strengthned in grace by it The clothes we put on will remember us of putting on the Lord Iesus and of the glorious robes of righteousnesse with which Gods children are adorned The tender affection which we shew to our children will bring to remembrance the great love of our heavenly father towards his sons and daughters The duty and service that wee require of our servants will tell us what greater duty we owe to our Lord in heaven and their failings towards us will remember us of many defects of our owne in Gods service and of our rebellions against his commandments And the like may be said of all other the like occasions and occurrences so that not a crumme of bread nor a corne of salt nor a drop of drinke but as they serve to refresh nature so they may serve also to increase and confirme grace in us And all the creatures will have not onely a naturall use for this life but also a spirituall use towards eternall life and the happinesse of the world to come 2. This practice of gathering holy meditations from worldly occurrences will help to preserve us from abusing the creatures in a sinfull sort Hee that when he eateth his meate for refreshing of his body shall think withall Yea but how much more necessary and comfortable is the food of Gods word to the famished soule will not likely abuse the creatures to surfetting and excesse And hee that when he putteth on his best clothes shall think Yea but how much more glorious are the garments of righteousnesse and the fine linnen and silkes with
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
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
saying of Isai cap. 53. v. 7. He was led as a Sheepe to the slaughter and like a Lambe dumb before his shearer so opened hee not his mouth c. Act. 8.32 but when Philip came and expounded the Text and preached unto him JESUS out of that Text then he understood the words and beleeved in CHRIST to salvation And so among us there is no ordinary Christian but may stick at the meaning of som Scriptures which if a learned preacher have them in handling hee may see unfolded and explained 2. By hearing the word preached a man may learne how this or that Scripture doth prove and confirme a point of divinity or doth confute a contrary errour or doth commend unto us some profitable dutie belonging to our calling which a common Christian of and by himself would not have marked and observed For example the Sadduces and common people of that time did not see nor could not conceive how the Resurrection of the dead might be proved out of that saying of Moses Exod. 3.6 I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob But our Saviour sheweth it by a plaine reason that that Scripture proveth the truth of that point because that God is not the God of the dead but of the living Whence it foloweth that because God saith that he is the God of Abraham and Isaac and Iacob therefore Abraham Isaac Iacob are living still and consequently their soules were not perished or vanished into nothing as the Sadduces fondly imagined and therefore said that there was no Resurrection Againe the people did not know that that place of David Thou shalt not leave my soule in hell nor suffer thine holy one to see corruption Psal 16.10 did include any proofe of Christs Resurrection from the dead But S. Paul sheweth and that from the Text it selfe that this saying must needes bee meant of Christ who upon the third day after his death rose againe from the dead without any tincture of corruption because of David that Text could not bee meant who had beene a long time dead and now was consumed into ashes but never rose againe from the place of corruption as Act. 13.36 Act. 2.29 And so in like sort there are many passages of holy writ which yeeld plaine proofe for confirming of some truth or for confuting of some error or for instructing us in some duty which an unlearned man among us cannot understand by himselfe but may learne it from a skilfull preacher 3. By hearing the word preached we may learn how to applie the sayings of Scripture to our owne use more then by hearing it read we could ever be able to do of our selves For Scriptures teach us generall duties and give us generall rules without declaring how they agree to each age or place or person For that were an infinit labour and not to be performed at once Now these rules and these sayings the unlearned do not know how to apply so well as the preacher can teach and instruct them Nor will the learned bee ready to make application to themselves till some monitor remember them of their dutie An example hereof wee have in our blessed Saviour who having read that place of the Prophet The Spirit of the Lord is upon me c. Is 61.1 presently applieth it in such a manner as the hearers would never have thought of This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your eares Luk. 4.21 An other example to the same purpose we have in S. Paul who having alledged that saying of the Prophet I have heard thee in an acceptable time c he presently teacheth the Corinthians which before they knew not how to apply it to the present time and occasion Behold now saith hee is that accepted time now is the day of salvation 2 Cor. 6.2 To these we may add the example of David He no doubt had oftentimes read of the judgment of God against adultery and murder nor could he be ignorant how necessary repentance was for preventing of that judgment but hee neglected to apply these rules to himselfe to whom they properly belonged till Nathan came to him and applied them to his conscience and tould him in plaine words Thou art the man 2. Sam. 12.7 By all this wee may see that there is great benefit in hearing the word preached besides that which may bee gotten by the word read And hereof there is plaine reason also 1. Because the preacher is supposed to bee bred and brought up in learning and thereby hath gained skill to understand those things which belong to his profession For even in ordinary trades he that hath been an Apprentice for seven years may bee supposed to have gained skill both to manage his trade and to traine up others in the knowledge of the same art which they will not be able to doe who were never bred up in that profession And so it is in this case If a man have spent sundrie years perhaps twise seven or upward in the study of Divinity as many of our preachers have in all probability and likelihood that man will be able to understand teach points much better then men whose breeding hath beene in an other kinde But if any shall stepp into the Pulpit before he have passed through the Schooles and take upon him to teach Divinity before hee ever learned it I speake not of such a one nor do I think him fitt to teach men the mysteries of Religion Such a man may perhaps please the rude multitude who esteeme more of a glibb tongue then a solid braine are swayed more with sound of words then with weight of reasons but will never either satisfie the judgment of the learned or direct any mans conscience in the wayes of salvation Understand mee then to speake of such a one as hath beene bred in the study of good arts and is as the Apostle calleth him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apt to teach and then yee will confesse it to bee true that such a preacher will bee able to teach his hearers the meaning of Gods word better then they of themselves could learne and understand it 2. Because the preacher besides his former studies doth or should bestow his time on the weeke dayes to provide for his labours on the Lords day or other festivals Other men spend the weeke on their worldly businesse the merchant on his traffick the husbandman on his tillage the handicrafts man on his workmanship the Lawyer on his Clients the Physician on his patients and reserve only the Lords day for learning of Religion But the imployment of the preacher even on the week day is to turne his bookes examine his Text and studie for matter of instruction that may do his people good that when the Lords day is come he may speake pertinently to the purpose and profitably for the furthering of his peoples soules And such a man will bee more able to expound Scriptures to
phrases and wittie turnings and if they heare such a one they entertaine him with Hems of applause But when Leosthenes made such a like wordie speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch Apoph to the Athenians Phocion said his words were like the Cypresse tree which is goodly and faire to see to but beareth no fruit And so I think the men who most admire such florishes of witt can hardly say what fruit of godlines they finde in them Others delight in men that do glance at autoritie and in a canting kinde of language which their followers know whereto it tendeth do nible at the orders of our Church and the Government of the present State Such a man if he bee once heard speake in a pulpit is followed all the town over Nor is it any marvell for it hath beene found true in all ages that nothing is more pleasing to the multitude then to heare themselves flattered their superiours traduced and slandered See an exāple in Absalom the people of that time Absalom saith the Text rose up earely and stood by the side of the gate And it was so that when any man that had a controversie came to the King for judgment then Absalom called unto him and said See thy matters are good and right but there is no man deputed of the King to heare thee Absalom said moreover Oh that I were made a Iudge in the land that every man that hath any suite or cause might come to mee and I would do him justice c. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel 2 Sam. 15 2 3 4 5 6. In this Scripture wee may note two things 1. the practice that Absalom used and 2. the successe that it found His practice was in three things 1. Hee flattered the Commons See thy matters are right and ver 5. he gave them his hand 2. Hee accused the Government There is no man saith hee deputed of the King to heare thee Hee meaneth there was no man to decide his cause and to do him justice He did not nor could not for shame say that the King did them any injustice but by accusing his officers and complaining of those that were about him he brought the Kings Government into dislike with the people 3. Hee wished for better Counsellors and Judges that would right the poore Commons Oh that I were made Iudge in the land that men might come to me and I would do them justice Such like was the practice of Absalom 2. But how succeeded it why he stole away the hearts of the people made them ill affected to the State and the conspiracie was strong for the people increased continually with Absalom as it is ver 12. Thus it was in times past we cannot expect any other thing in our dayes but that if men of place especially if preachers shall shew themselves popular humoring the people and slandering the State this will bee a pleasing way to the multitude and if a King were as good as David and Bishops as good as the Apostles this course would steale away the hearts of the people from the obedience of King and State And it is the great iniquitie of the common sort that they delight in such perverse Teachers Such men are here to be admonished that when they come from such Sermons they think with themselves how they have thereby profited in grace and goodnesse what good duty they have learned to performe what sin they have learned to subdue or what rule they have learned to better their life 's by I onely add this more that if they or if any man be not edified by our Sermons and made more holy and more just and more sober then is our preaching in vaine and their hearing is in vaine in vaine it is to them that God reveiled his will to the world and better it were that Preachers were dumb and people were deafe then that they should abuse Gods word in such a vaine manner Vse 3. Seeing hearing and learning and knowing of Gods word is only so farre good as it helpeth us to do what God doth command but Doing of Gods word is acceptable in it selfe and by it selfe profitable as an immediat condition for entrance into Gods Kingdom hence wee learne how necessary the keeping of Gods word and commandements is The young man in the Gospell asked of our Saviour Good master what good thing shall I do that I may have eternall life and our Lord answered him If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commandements Matt. 19.16 17. David asked of God Lord who shall abide in thy Tabernacle who shall dwell in thy holy hill and the Lord answered him Hee that walketh uprightly and worketh righteousnesse and speaketh the truth in his heart He that backbiteth not with his tongue nor doth evil to his neighbour c. Ps 15.1 2 c. And so ask of Isai how yee may fast to please God and hee will answere It is to loose the bands of wickednesse to undoe the heavie burdens and to let the oppressed go free to deale thy bread to the hungrie to bring the poore that are cast out to thy house when thou seest a naked man to cover him c. Is 58.6 7. Ask of Micah Wherewith thou shalt come before God to please him and he will answere What doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love mercie c. Micah 6.6 8. Ask of S. Peter who it is that is accepted of God he will answere It is he that feareth God and worketh righteousnesse Act. 10.34 Ask of an Angell from heaven who is a blessed man and he will answere Blessed are they which do his commandements that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the Citie Apoc. 22.14 And whatsoever other like question ye shall ask the Scriptures will still give you the like answere It is not inough to heare the word for hearers if they be not doers also deceive themselves Iam. 1.22 It is not inough to know Gods will for the servant that knoweth his masters will and doeth it not shall be beaten with many stripes Luk. 12.47 It is not inough to professe CHRIST with great zele for not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of heaven but hee that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven saith our Saviour Matt. 7.21 It is not inough to fast for sin for to them who fasted to strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickednesse it was said from heaven yee shall not fast as ye do this day to make your voice to be heard on high Is 58.4 It is not inough to preach the Gospel for if a man do not keep under his body and bring it in subjection after he hath preached unto others himself may prove a cast-away 1 Cor. 9.27 Finally it is not inough to prophecie and work miracles and cast
out divels for unto many such Christ will say at the last day I never knew you depart from mee yee workers of iniquitie Matt. 7.22 23. In all which speeches and sayings there is still walking and working and doing and without doing of good there is no obtaining of life Therefore deare Christians what ever yee do else be sure yee do Gods will and keepe his commandements do your duty to God by performing his services of religion do your duty to men by observing justice and true dealing do your dutie to your selfes by watching over your owne soules that yee may take all opportunities of well-doing This do and your soules shall live And so I end these Meditations with the words of the Text Blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it AN APPENDIX TO THE FORMER TREATISE Containing RULES OF RIGHT Hearing Gods word By HENRY MASON Pastor of S. Andrew Vndershaft London LONDON Printed for Iohn Clark and are to be sold at his shop under S. Peters Church in Corne-hill M. DC XXXV RULES OF RIGHT HEARING Gods word HAVING already spoken of the use and necessity of Hearing it will be seasonable to say somewhat of the right maner of hearing For the best work that is may bee marred by the misdoing of it For avoiding of which error in this duty of hearing our Lord hath given us a short caveat Luk. 8.18 where he saith Take heede how ye heare And this caveat being propounded in brief by our Saviour I purpose Gods Spirit assisting me to enlarge with some few notes agreeable to the Text intending thereby so to regulat our hearing that wee may profit by it in the duties of Gods service 1. First then when our Saviour saith Take heede how ye heare hee implieth in this word how that we must regard as well the maner as the matter of the duty the good work is not inough unlesse it bee done well 2. When he saith Take heede how c. this word Take heede implieth two things 1. that there is dāger of erring in this duty and that unlesse we be warie wee may doe it amisse and 2. that by heedfulnesse the danger may bee prevented For caveats are needlesse where there is no danger and fruitlesse where they do not help to avoid the danger And these 3. the maner of doing the danger of mis-doing and the profit of warinesse in the doing are the points on which I meane by Gods grace to insist CAP. X. In the doing of good works the maner is to bee respected as well as the matter Cap. 10 OUR Saviour here giveth us a Caveat concerning our manner of hearing this caveat will appeare to bee the more full of reason if we finde that the like rule is to bee observed in other the duties of Gods service And that so it is may be proved thus I. In Scriptures as God commandeth the dutie so he commandeth the due maner of doing it also For example hee doth not onely command us to pray but requireth also that wee pray in faith without wavering Iam. 1.6 And with fervencie and without fainting Iam. 5.16 and Luk. 18.1 Againe he doth not onely command us to reade but that in reading wee mark and consider Matt. 24.15 And so hee doth not onely command us to heare but that we hearken to his words and let them sink downe into our eares Luk. 9.44 and Act. 2.14 Nor doth he only command us to give almes but besides that we do it cherefully not grudgingly nor of necessitie nor for the praise and applause of men 2 Cor. 9.7 and Matt. 6.2 3 4. And so againe if any man speake let him speake as the Oracles of God 1 Pet. 4.11 that is let him so speake Gods word as beseemeth the word of the Almighty And if any man prophecie let him prophecie according to the proportion of faith hee that giveth let him do it with simplicity he that ruleth let him do it with diligence and he that sheweth mercy let him do it with cherefulnesse Ro. 12.6 Moreover when the Apostle saith The Law is good if it be used lawfully 1 Tim. 1.8 he implieth that a man may but ought not to use Gods Law in an unlawfull maner And when speaking of the course of godlinesse he saith So runne that ye may obtaine 1 Cor. 9.24 Hee intimateth two things 1. that we should not onely runne the waies of Gods commandements but runne them in a right maner And 2. that if a man do not runne in a right maner he may lose his labour misse of his reward By all this it appeareth that God doth not onely command the matter of good duties but the right maner of doing them also It followeth if we do the thing that is commanded yet we sin if wee do it not in the maner that is required II. Good duties if they be not done in a due maner and with their due circumstances are rejected of God as no parts of his service To this purpose is that which wee reade in the Prophet To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me saith the Lord I am full of the burnt offerings of rams the fat of fed beasts and I delight not in the blood of bullocks or of lambs or of hee goats When ye come to appeare before me who hath required this at your hand to tread my courts Bring no more vaine oblations incense is an abomination unto me the new Moones and Sabbaths the calling of assemblies I cannot away with it is iniquitie even the solemne meeting Your new Moones and your appointed feasts my soule hateth they are a trouble unto me I am weary to beare them And when ye spread forth your hands I will hide my eies from you yet when ye make many prayers I will not heare your hands are full of blood Is 1.11 12 13 14 15. In this passage wee may note these particulars 1. the works and services which these men performed and they were multitude of sacrifices burnt offerings of rams fat of fed beasts c. They were also keeping of new Moones and Sabbaths solemn assemblies c. All which were services commanded in Gods Law and directed and serving to his glorie 2. Consider the acceptation and entertainment that God gave to these services of pietie and religion and that is 1. he renounceth them as none of his services Who saith he required these things at your hands 2. He complaineth of them as of heavie burdens that oppressed him I am full of the burnt offerings of rams c they are a trouble unto me I am weary to beare them 3. Hee sheweth his dislike and detestation of them I delight not in the blood of bulls c. incense is an abomination unto me the new Moones and Sabbaths I cannot away with 4. Hee threatneth the doers of these services with his high displeasure When ye spread forth your hands I will hide mine eyes from you
c. This is the welcome that these duties found at Gods hands 3. Consider the reason why God accepted no better of the services of his owne appointment and that is set downe in the last words Your hands are full of blood The meaning and intendment of the whole speech is this that this people dealt unjustly and tooke bribes and oppressed their poore neighbours for this the Prophet meaneth when he saith your hands are full of blood And because they brought Gods sacrifices and did the works of his service with polluted hands and defiled hearts therefore he rejected both them and their devotions though otherwise they were works of his owne prescribing And what here is said of sacrifices and Sabbaths Festivall assemblies the like is elswhere said of fasting and humiliation and mourning Isa 58.3 4 5 6 and Zach. 7.5 6. And hence the conclusion is that the best services of God in every kinde if they be not performed in an holy maner and with their due circumstances and conditions are of no account in Gods sight It followeth Therefore not onely the matter of good duties but the maner of doing them is required at our hands Vse 1. This confuteth their error who think they have served God well when they have done the outward works contained in his Law though void of all true devotion in the heart and without the circumstances due to such workes Such were the Jews of olde time They said unto God Wherefore have wee fasted and thou seest not Wherefore have we afflicted our soule and thou takest no knowledge Behold in the day of your fast you finde pleasure and exact all your labours Behold ye fast for strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickednesse ye shall not fast as yee do this day to make your voice to be heard on high Is it such a fast that I have chosen A day for a man to afflict his soule c. Isa 58.3 4 5 6 7. Note here 1. the good opinion that this people had of their fasting they thought so well of it that they durst chalenge God as if hee had done them wrong because he did not reward their service according to its worth Wherefore have we fasted and thou seest not c. 2. Consider the fault that God found with this service and that is In the day of your fast yee finde pleasure c. Where wee may see that God doth neither denie them to have fasted nor blame them because they fasted he onely chalengeth them for doing it amisse For whereas a fasting day should bee spent in humiliation and sorow they on their fasting day found pleasure followed their delights and whereas on the fasting day men should exercise themselves in charity and good works they fasted for strife and debate and to strike with the fist of wickednesse It was not then the matter that was blame-worthy in them but their maner of performing They did a good work but they did not do it well 3. Consider wee the Censure that God passed on this service 1. Hee saith it will not availe them or do them any good Ye shall not fast as yee do this day to make your voice to bee heard on high Which is as if he should say It is a speciall vertue of an holy fast that it carieth our prayers through the clouds and presenteth them before the Throne of grace but this fast of yours hath no such vertue it gaineth no audience to your prayers 2. God denieth this fast to bee any part of his service or any duty that he required or will accept of Is this the fast that I have chosen c And so in conclusion though they tooke great paines as they thought had highly merited Gods favour Yet all was to no purpose because though they performed a good work yet they did not do it in a right maner Thus Isai speakerh of a religious fast joyned with an irreligious life Ieremy saith the like of other holy duties in the like case The place is Ier. 7.8 9 10 11. The words are Behold yee trust in lying words that can not profit Will ye steale murder and commit adultery and sweare falsly and burne incense to Baal and walk after other gods whom yee know not and come and stand before me in this house which is called by my name and say Wee are delivered to do all these abominations Is this house which is called by my name become a den of Robbers in your eyes Behold even I have seene it saith the Lord. In these words these things are considerable 1. what the works were that this people performed and they were these they praied and praised God and did all such services as were usuall in the Temple for that is meant by this phrase ye come and stand before mee in this house 2. What confidence they had in these performances They trusted in lying words saying Wee are delivered c. 3. What the defect of these services was and that was that together with these good works they joyned their owne sinnes murder and stealing and lying for advantage 4 What censure God passed on these devotions thus performed and that was in these two things 1. that they trusted in lying words and 2. that by them they profaned Gods house and made it no better then a den of thieves therein to hide their wicked deeds This was the errour of the ancient Jews in the daies of the Prophets And the like was the error of the Scribes and Pharises in our Saviours time and therefore hee saith of them yee make cleane the outside of the cup and the platter but your inward part is full of ravening and wickednesse Luk. 11.39 And the like hath beene the errour of some seduced Papists in our owne time who think they have served God well when they have gone over their beads mumbled over a taile of Latin prayers which they understand not Nor is the errour of some loose livers amōg our selves any thing lesse or more excusable who detesting the superstitions of the Papists do but change theirs for an other superstition of their own such I meane as measure their religion by the number of the Sermons which they heare as the other measured theirs by the number of prayers which they counted on their beads or on their finger ends These if they heare often pray much repeate Sermons at home they think they are highly in Gods favour though withall they slander their neighbours and revile their Governours and condemne all for reprobats that dance not after their pipe I speake not this to cast any aspersion on those holy duties of hearing and praying and recounting of what wee have heard but to detect their follie and iniquitie who make these holy exercises a cloke for their sin and a ground of their censorious pride Isai and Ieremy did not speake against fasting and sacrifices when they reproved the hypocrits of their time for abusing those
spilt as is sowen in that time and if besides occasions of the world do keep us from hearing or hinder us in preparing for it what in this case is bestowed on the world is stollen from God and our owne soules And therefore in the Decalogue where God commanded the Jews to sanctifie the seventh day as a day of rest for Gods service hee telleth them that they had six daies allowed theÌ„ to do their own works in but the seventh was a Sabbath of rest in which being freed from the world they should bee at leasure for God For better keeping of which day Moses commanded them that the day before the Sabbath they should (a) Exod. 16.23 bake what they had to bake and seeth what they had to seeth that so they might have no businesse of their own to do when they were to keepe Gods holy day And from hence it was that the Jews called the sixth day of the week (b) Matt. 27 6â— Luk. 23.54 the preparation of the Sabbath Some have thought that this was a peculiar title of the day going before the Passeover and sure there is reason to think that it was in an especiall maner used before that day because as that (c) Joh. 19.31 Sabbath day was an high day so this preparation day should be observed with more solennitie and care that it might usher in that great day with the more honour But yet I take it every Sabbath day had his preparation day going before according to that rule of Moses mentioned before And so (d) Parasceve Graeca vox est Latinè dicas praeparationem Eo nomine Judaei vocabant sextam Sabbathi seu sextam Hebdomadae diem eò quòd illo die pararent necessaria omnia ad vivendum die subsequenti ne qua re otium Sabbathi violare cogerentur Brugens in Matt 27.62 Vox Parasceve qua Romani hanc solam feriam sextam compellant communis est omnibus totius anni feriis sextis Parasceve verò praeparatio interpretatur quo nomine Judaei qui inter Graecos conversabantur sextam Sabbathi quae nunc à nobis sexta feria nominatur appellabaâ—â— c. Antiq. Liturg. tom 2. de feria sexta pag. 925. Vide Ca aeuÌ„ in Cassian Instit lib. 5. cap. 24 pag. 12. learned men generally do affirm Answerably whereunto and as I take it in imitation thereof the Christian Church hath beene accustomed to keepe Saterday half holy day that in the afternoon they might ridd by-businesses out of the way and by the evening service might prepare their mindes for the Lords day then ensuing Which custome and usage of Gods people as I will not presse it upon any mans conscience as a necessary dutie so every man will grant mee that Gods people as well Christian as Jewish have thought a time of preparation most fit for the well observing of Gods holy day And upon this ground I may be bolde to advise every good Christian that before the exercises of the LORDS day he will take care to lay aside worldly occasions and to cleare his minde from the thought of them that so he may have nothing to do with the world while hee is to converse with God nor bee distracted with earthly thoughts when hee is to bee busied about heavenly things In regard whereof I cannot but blame their loosenesse who follow the businesses of their trade in the morning of the Lords day or spend other parts thereof in talking with their servants about the disposing of the next weeks work as if they meant to make the Lords day a preparation day for the week following By which meanes it falleth out not seldome that such people come tardy to Church and heare without attention when they are come and go away without profit when all is done I like not their rigour who allow no word nor thought on a Sabbath day but such as is spirituall nor can I approve their loosenes who take so much libertie for themselves as hindereth any substantiall dutie of Gods service More I say not at this time grant mee but thus much and then ye will not denie but so much preparation is necessary as may make us fit for the duties of Gods service and may make the exercises of an holy day profitable for our soules II. A second preparative duty for right hearing is that wee refresh the body with seasonable moderat comforts that the senses spirits being refreshed the minde may bee made more chearefull in Gods service For our soules work as our bodies are fitted for them and the reason is because the senses of the body are the servants of the soule the spirits are the instrumeÌ„ts by which it worketh Now if a master-workman doe want servants to assist him he will do but a little work and if hee want tooles or have none but blunt ones he can do no work or none to any pupose And so if the bodily senses bee decaied and the spirits wasted the minde cannot be free or forward in good duties And consequently if we desire that our soules may be fresh lively in hearing or praying or praising God it will be necessary that the body bee kept in vigour by its usuall refreshings And these refreshings are two especially moderat diet and seasonable sleepe In these I require two things 1. that there bee a competent use of them allowed to the body and 2. that this use be moderat and seasonable And this the Apostle meant when hee said Make not provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof Rom. 13.14 for by these words (a) Cassian Inst Ib. 5 c. 8. pag. 116. saith a good writer non curam ejus omnimodis interdixit sed ut in desideriis fieret denegavit He did not forbid all care but denied the fulfilling of its lusts Voluptuosam ademit diligentiam carnis gubernationem vitae necessariam non exclusit hee tooke away the sensuall care of the flesh but not the right ordering of it according to the course of nature 1. It is necessary that there bee allowed a reasonable use of them that the senses may bee lively and active for their work For wee read of the Egyptian yong man that by long fasting hee was ready to die but when he had eaten some food then saith the Text his spirit came againe to him 1 Sam. 30.12 And so Ionathans eies were enlightened by eating a little honey in his hunger 1 Sam. 14.27 And againe if the people had beene suffered to eate of the spoile of their enemies there had beene a farre greater slaughter among the Philistines ver 30. (b) Efficaciùs semper corde concipitur quicquid sensim absque nimio labor corporis intimatur Cassian Collat. 14 cap. 19. pag. 651. And so in this case sleepe and food are necessary refreshings that wee may bee chearefull in Gods service And the reason is cleare in experience For we see that the famished body is unfit for worke
worthy of reproofe because by comming late to Gods service they may come short of his blessing Esau staied so long in hunting for his Venison that the blessing was gone before he came to receive it Gene. 27. And afterward he found no place for repentance or to revoke the former grant though hee sought it with teares Heb. 12.17 Let this example scare sluggards out of their beds and make our halfe-hearers who come when a good part of the Service is past to bethink themselves and beware lest the blessing bee past before they come to receive it The summe is Hee that will heare with profit must grant sufficient refreshing to nature but not excessive such as may cheere his senses but not such as may dull and depresse them III. The third preparative duty is that before hand wee season our minds with some holy thoughts in private that wee may bee the better disposed to good duties in publike For looke in what frame our hearts stand when we come from home and in the same wee shall finde them when wee are come to Gods house If we jump in thither being as it were yet warm with worldly thoughts the minde in praying and hearing and other duties will remaine the same that it was before that is stuffed and possessed with the thoughts and desires of the world Quicquid ante oration's horam anima nostra conceperit necesse est ut orantibus nobis per ingestionem recordationis occurrat Quāobrem quales orantes volumus inveniri tales nos ante orationis tōpus preparare debemus Cassian Collat 9. c. 3. p. 50◠But if we turne our hearts toward God and fixe our mindes on heavenly things before wee come from home this will dispose us to heavenly-mindednesse in the publike service For example let this be our practise let us lift up our hearts and raise our thoughts to God-ward by meditating on his word and works by thinking on our duty and the worke wee are about by considering Gods greatnesse in whose presence wee shall bee and by powring out our soules to God in our prayers that hee will direct our actions and blesse his owne ordinance and honour himselfe in our voluntary service and then our hearts being thus turned upon God aforehand we shal be the more zealous in praying and the more attentive in hearing and the more forward and ready in good duties every way This rule Solomon prescribeth us Ecc. 5.1 when he saith Keep thy foot when goest into the house of God or as the other Translation hath it Take heed to thy foot that is as Beza paraphraseth the place Considera etiam atque eiam quò tendas quem adeas Think upon it againe and againe whither thou art a going and into whose presence thou commest Thus hee commandeth and so should wee do When wee are to appeare before God at the solemne times of his Service wee should think whither it is that wee go who it is that we deale with what it is that wee are then to do and how wee may receive comfort and profit by our doing Thus we have the duty our part will bee to think how well we have observed it If wee come to heare without turning our hearts toward God aforehand wee are not so fitted for this work as we should be And for want hereof wee may feare lest as the King said to his unmanerly guest Friend how camest thou in hither not having on a wedding garment Matt. 22.12 So God may say to us How is it that ye come to heavenly exercises not having heavenly mindes and why come ye to stand before God when your hearts are turned towards the world These things considered my exhortation is as Daniel Dan 6.10 when he prayed set open his windows towards Ierusalem that he might looke toward that place where God was to whom he made his prayer so when wee heare or performe any service unto God that then for the sharpening of our attention we would set open the windowes of our soules towards heaven that while wee are hearing or reading wee may look toward the place where our Lord dwelleth who is now speaking unto us IIII. The fourth and last preparative duty is that before we come to heare Gods word we empty our soules of all knowen and unlawfull lusts that so our hearts may bee fit receptacles for the word of Christ to dwell in For if the vessell be musty it will marre the best wine that can be powred into it and if the stomach be filthy it will corrupt the most wholesome meat and if the ground bee cumbred with thornes and weeds it will choake the purest seed And so if the soule bee defiled with sinfull lusts it will choke the seed of Gods word and corrupt this food of the soule and make it unprofitable to the hearers This S. Iames teacheth us when he saith Lay apart all filthinesse and superfluity of naughtinesse and receive with meeknesse the ingraffed word which is able to save your soules Iames. 1.21 And so S. Peter Laying aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and envies and evill speakings as new-borne babes desire the sincere milk of the word that yee may grow thereby 1. Pet. 2.1 2. In these places these two Apostles do teach us two duties the one principall and primarily intended and that is that wee receive Gods word with all readinesse for establishing our soules in grace and the other a preparative duty that must go before and make way for it and that is that first of all we lay aside all filthinesse and naughtinesse and sinfull lusts For more distinct and clearer understanding of which rules wee may consider these particulars in the Apostles words 1. When we read in Saint Iames Laying apart and in S. Peter Laying aside the word in the Originall in both places is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which according to the propriety of the Greek Tongue noteth the time past and therefore is rendred by Beza in the one place abjectis omnibus sordibus all filthinesse having been cast aside and in the other deposita omni malitia all naughtinesse having beene laid apart but wee in our English keeping the idiotisme of the Greek which the Latin tongue cannot do may more perspicuously render it thus Having laid apart all filthinesse and all malice and guile c. But where in the second place we reade Receive the ingraffed word and Desire the sincere milke of the word the Originall words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which sort of verbs Clenard calleth Aorists having respect to their forme but * Sylburg Gram. Sylburgius more properly and fitly respecting their signification calleth them futura perfecta because they signifie the perfecting of an action to come For all verbs of the Imperative mood as these bee though they may bee of the Preter tense for their forme yet are alwaies of the future tense for their signification
For things commanded are not already done but are to be done afterward the precept ever in nature going before the performance And therefore Linacer a learned and exact Grammarian having first noted that all verbs of the Imperative moode are either of the present or preter tense addeth withall Quibus tamen omnibus prateriti formis siquis penitiùs inspiciat perfectio absolutioque potiùs quà m actio ulla praeterita significatur ne quis non gerendum aliquid imperari putet Those that bee Scholars know what this note meaneth those that bee not may at least carie thus much with them that the former words Lay apart or Lay aside doe note the time past and the later Receive the word and Desire the sincere milk doe implie the time to come And hence every one may collect that sin is first to be layed aside and then the word of God to be heard And therefore I called the duty signified by the former word a preparative duty which maketh way for that which followeth after and the duty signified by the later word the principall duty for which the preparative is intended This is the first thing that I note in these words of the Apostles 2. The second is that when S. Iames saith Lay apart all filthinesse and all superfluity of naughtinesse he meaneth all iniquity and all sinfull lusts and by giving thē this name he compareth them to superfluities of indigestion or to raw indigested humors which distemper the stomach and implieth hereby that Gods word is the food of our soules the digesting whereof is hindered by these superfluities of sin 3. When S. Peter saith Laying aside all malice c. desire the sincere milk of the word hee compareth Gods word to holesome meate and implieth hereby that these vitious qualities of malice c. are like to corrupt humours which doe hinder the nourishment of this meate 4. When S. Iames saith Lay apart all superfluities c. receive the ingraffed word and when S. Peter saith Laying aside c. desire the sincere milk both of them meane that as good meat breedeth not good nourishment in a corrupt stomach no more doth Gods word nourish our soules unlesse these bad humours of sinne be first emptied and purged out The summe of all is that he who will thrive and grow in grace by the food of the word must first disburden himself of the superfluities of sinne And this sheweth that this emptying out of all sinfull lusts is a preparative duty necessary for them that will receive good by Gods word This may suffice for proving of the point but yet we shall more clearely distinctly understand it if we consider what helps and furtherances this purging out of sin will afford him that cometh to heare Gods word for the profit of his soule And they be these and such like I. It qualifieth the minde for the clearer understanding of Gods word and the mysteries of salvation contained in it And that it doth in two respects 1. Because sinfull lusts are as so many clouds or dark mists cast before our eies which hinder us from discerning of the truth though otherwise it lye plaine before our face This is gathered from that speech of our Saviour to the Jews How can yee beleeve which receive honor one of another and seek not the honour that cometh from God alone Ioh. 5.44 Note here 1. the unaptnesse and indisposition of this people to beleeve CHRISTS word how can ye beleeve 2. the reason or cause hereof in these words which receive honour one of an other Hee meaneth that because they were given to vaine glory and esteemed the praises of men more then the honor that cometh from God therefore they could not beleeve the Gospell which did not onely bring contempt with it but did teach men willingly to beare it By which it appeareth that their vaine-glory did so blinde their eies that they could not acknowledge the truth of the word which was contrary to it And so by the same reason covetousnesse blindeth mens eies that they cannot beleeve any doctrine that is contrary to their profit And wantonnes blindeth their eies that they cannot beleeve that which is contrary to their lusts And revenge blindeth the eies that they cānot see that truth which is contrary to their malice And love of a mans selfe and of his own Teachers doth so blind his eies that he discerneth not the plaine truth that crosseth his prejudice and the opinions which his Masters have instilled into him And in a word every sinfull passiō is as a cloud to darkē the understanding that it cannot see any truth that is contrary to that sin And this may be one reason why the Apostle saith that the naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him nor can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 Hee meaneth that the mysteries of the Gospell are only discernable by a spirituall eie whereas the naturall man hath no eies but carnall But contrariwise a cleane heart maketh a clear judgement because hee that hath purged his heart from all sinfull lusts is alike disposed for all truths nor hath he any cloud within him that may darken his minde when he is to judge of them 2. Puritie of heart disposeth a man to the understanding of Gods word because his own feeling within himselfe and the experience that hee hath of the power of godlinesse Ut boni vitifimus voluntate maximè constat quam qui verâ fide induerit facilè easdem quae virtutem docent artes accipiet Quintil lib. 12. cap. 11. pag. 752. and the deceits of sin will bee as a cleare Commentarie to the rules and doctrines of Scripture which concerne those points If one of us who is a father and considereth what his owne affection was to his little son when hee did beat him for his faults should read that Text of David As a father pitieth his children even so the LORD pitieth them that feare him Ps 103.13 or that of Salomon Whom the Lord loveth hee correcteth even as a father the son in whom hee delighteth Pro. 3.12 that man would more clearely see and more feelingly judge of Gods tender mercies towards his children described in those Texts And so he that hath had his heart wounded with the sting of sin will best understand that Text A broken and contrite heart O God wilt thou not despise Psal 51.17 And he that is a pittifull and a mercifull man will best understand that of S. Paul Bee yee kinde one to an other tender hearted forgiving one an other even as God for CHRISTS sake hath forgiven you Ephes 4.32 and that other Put on as the Elect of God holy beloved bowels of mercies kindnesse humblenesse of minde meeknesse long suffering forbearing one an other and forgiving one an other c. Col. 3.12 And the like may be said of all other vertues and
graces in which the maine duties of christianity do consist And he that is thus disposed before he cometh to heare is in a faire way to understand the Scriptures when they bee alledged and to conceive the Preachers meaning when hee explaineth and applieth them to his conscience And hence it is that (a) Inst lib. 5. cap. 33. pag. 134. Cassian a learned judicious Writer doth say of Theodorus a Religious man of that time and one that was expert in the Scriptures that the thing which made him so skilfull in Gods book was Non tam studium lectionis vel literatura mundi quà m sola puritas cordis not so much his reading of learned books or his human learning as his purity sincerity of heart alone And this man saith the same (b) Ibid. cap 34. pag. 135. Autor when men admired his clear understanding of Scriptures and desired of him the meaning of certaine places answered them that he who would come to the true understanding of Scriptures must not bestow his paines in reading of Commentaries but rather bend his minde to cleare his soule from fleshly desires Quibus expulsis confestim cordis oculi sublato velamine passionum sacramenta Scripturarum velut naturaliter incipient contemplari For these vitious lusts being expulsed driven out the eie of the soule after this vaile of passions is removed from before it doth begin as it were by its owne disposition and temper to understand the mysteries of the Scriptures (c) Siquidem nobis nō ut essent incognita vel obscura sancti Spiritûs gratiâ promulgata sunt sed nostro vitio velamine peccatorū cordis oculos obnubēte red dūtur obscura quibus rursum naturali redditis sanitati ipsa Scripturarum sanctarū lectio ad contemplationē verae scentiae abundè etiam sola sufficiat Cassian ibid. For as hee addeth the holy Ghost did not so pen and divulge the Scriptures that they might bee unknowen and dark but they become hard and obscure through our owne default who with a vaile of sins do cover the eies of our mindes like the vaile that laie on the heart of the Jews while they read the books of Moses 2 Cor. 3.14 15. II. This puritie of soule disburdened of her sinfull lusts disposeth a man to the obedience of Gods word and maketh him ready and prepared to observe and do what is therein prescribed Now these works of obedience they bee the very fruits harvest cropp for reaping whereof the seed of Gods word is sowen For the end of our preaching and reading is that men may heare and the end of their hearing is that they may learne and know Gods will and the end of their learning knowledge is that they may do Gods will and keep his commandements This gradation of causes is clearly expressed by Moses Deut. 31.11 12. And it is intimated by our Saviour also in the Gospell when he saith This peoples heart is waxed grosse and their eares are dul of hearing their eies they have closed lest at any time they should see with their eies heare with their eares understand with their heart and should bee converted and I should heale them Matt. 13.15 By these speeches it appeareth that Doing is the end of Hearing Now that which in our hearing doth fit us for this end is if wee purge our soules aforehand of all sinfull lusts and yeeld up our selves to be moulded by the word For they that be in love with any lust are loth to heare and more loth to do that which God commandeth to the contrary Herod because hee was in love with his fleshly lusts would not hearken to Iohn Baptist when hee tould him of his incest Mark 6. the Pharises because they were in love with their money derided our Saviour Luk. 16.13 14. when he preached against covetousnesse And Ahab 1 King 22. because hee was resolved to go up to Ramoth Gilead to battell put Micaiah in prison for advising him to the contrary And so it is still He that is resolved to live in oppression will not care for the Preachers words when he telleth him of S. Pauls threatening Let no man go beyond or defraud his brother in any matter because that the LORD is an avenger of all such 1 Thess 4.6 And he that is resolved to go on in his uncleane lusts will not care when hee is tould of that sentence Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge Heb. 13.4 And he that is given to his bellie cheare will sleight that caveat of our Saviour Take heed lest your hearts bee overcome with surfetting drunkennesse c. Luk. 21.34 And generally whosoever is led with any lust untill he be content to part with that lust will never bee willing to yeeld obedience to that Scripture which forbiddeth it Yea and they who are zelously affected to religion and performe holy duties with some care yet if they have but any one unmortified passion behinde that lust will make them to withdraw the shoulder when they should yeeld obedience to the word A plaine proof hereof may bee seene in the rich young man mentioned Mar. 10.17 c. For hee came to CHRIST with great zele and was resolved to do any thing that hee might be saved Good Master saith hee what good thing shall I do c But when our LORD bade him Go sell all that thou hast c and thou shalt have treasure in heaven the Text saith he was sad at that saying and went away grieved The meaning is that though he were a forward young man and purposed to do any thing that CHRIST would appoint him for gaining of eternall life yet because hee was in love with his wealth he thought this to bee too hard a condition to be accepted of And so it is and will bee with all other men if they be in love with any one sinne that will not suffer them to submit to that word of God which forbiddeth it But contrariwise he that hath emptied his soule of every knowen sin is ready for every commandement will submit to whatsoever God shall enjoyne him For having purged out every lust he hath nothing left behind that may oppose GODS word when it commandeth him his duty Such a man if God should command him to sacrifice his life for religion as he commanded Abraham to sacrifice his son he would say with S. Paul My life is not deare unto mee so I may finish my course with joy Act. 20.24 And if God should require restitution of ill gotten goods hee would say with Zaccheus If I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation or any other unjust dealing I will restore him fourefold Luk. 19.8 And if GOD should require him to mortifie himself by hard and austere chastisements hee would say with S. Paul I will keep under my body and bring it in subjection 1 Cor. 9.27 And so in all other the most troublesome
such as may argue modestie and awfulnes rather then too much familiaritie and boldnesse This is the Rule 2. The reason hereof given in the Text is For God is in heaven and thou upon earth Hee meaneth that there is as much distance between him and us men as is betweene heaven and earth and that as farre as heaven is higher then the earth so farre and more also is Gods greatnesse above our meanenesse and low condition And therefore as when we come before an earthly King we are wary and observant lest any word should fall from us that beseemeth not his presence so and much more carefull should we be when wee come before the King of Heaven lest any word may slip from us not beseeming his greatnes This Solomon requireth of us when we come to speak to God in our praiers or praises of his name and the same reason holdeth and therefore the same rule should be observed when wee come to heare God speaking to us in his word Wee must not be rash and bolde and over-familiar with our LORD and Master but heare with reverence when hee speaketh unto us and tremble at his word when he commandeth us and laieth upon us a charge of obedience And the reason is good for God is in heaven and wee are upon earth and therefore wee should learne to keep distance and never appeare before him without tokens of submission and reverence Now this reverence may bee seene and observed in three things 1. in a reverent esteeme of God and his word 2. in a dutifull behaviour while we are in his presence and 3. in a modest quietnesse silence while he is speaking unto us I. In a reverend esteeme of God and his word when we so think of them and the place where they are present as beseemeth his greatnesse and their worth and dignitie And this duty wee shall performe if wee observe two rules 1. That we conceive of God as of the Lord of heaven and earth whose glory so farre surpasseth not onely our meane condition but our shallow apprehension as that we are no more able to abide his presence then a weak eie is able to look upon the sunne in his strength And therefore S. Paul describeth God to bee the blessed and onely Potentate the King of kings and Lord of lords who onely hath immortality and dwelleth in the light which no man can approch unto whom no man hath seene nor can see 1. Tim. 6.15 16. In these words the glory of our Lord is set out by three things 1. By his owne greatnesse He is a Potentate a King and a Lord that hath immortality and light 2. By a comparison with all other great Ones He is the only Potentat the king of kings and Lord of lords 3. By his surpassing glory farre above all conceit and apprehension of men He dwelleth in the light that no man can approch unto no man hath seene him nor can see him Thus every word doth some way set out his incomparable glory which being considered accordingly will breed an awfull esteeme thereof and a trembling before him And from hence it is that the Seraphims did cover their faces when hee appeared unto them and the posts of the doore mooved when hee spake and the Prophet cried out Wo is me for I am undone because I am a man of uncleane lips and mine eyes have seene the King the Lord of hosts Isai 6.2 4. And for the same reason when Moses like the sons of Zebedee not knowing what hee asked desired to see Gods glory hee was told that no man could see Gods face and live Gods back-parts hee was vouchsafed to see that is some small luster of his glory and yet then hee had need to bee put to the clift of a rock and to be covered with Gods hand lest the glory of the LORD should overcome him with its luster Exod. 33.19 c. And from the same ground it is that the people of Israel after they had heard the voice of God speaking unto them in mount Sina they were amazed and said If wee heare the voice of the Lord our God any more wee shall die For who is there of all flesh that hath heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire as we have and lived Deut. 5.25 Thus the Angels and the Prophets and the people of God have beene affected if God at any time have manifested himselfe to them in glory And thus and in this maner we should think of God when hee speaketh to us in his word and alwaies cary a reverend awe towards his Majesty whensoever wee are before him So Iacob did when God had reveiled himselfe unto him in a vision by night and he was now awaked out of his sleepe hee said Surely the Lord is in this place and I knew it not And hee was afraid saith the Text and said How dreadfull is this place This is no other but the house of God and this is the gate of heaven Gen. 28.16 17. Note in this passage 1. How Iacob was affected at Gods presence He was afraid meaning that he was struck with an awfull conceit of Gods Majestie in whose presence he was And so should we be when we come into Gods presence and heare him uttering the wonderfull things of his Law wee should in all awfull reverence humble our selves before him 2. Note what Iacob said upon consideration of Gods presence First hee said God is in this place hee meant that God by appearing and reveiling himselfe to his servant did shew himselfe to bee there present though Iacob never thought of any such thing And so when God pleaseth to reveile himselfe unto us by his word though wee do not see or discerne it with our bodily eies yet wee must know that God is there present because he reveileth himselfe Secondly Iacob said How dreadful is this place This is no other but the house of God c. The meaning is that because God shewed himselfe by his visions in this place therefore the place was to bee esteemed as Gods house even as heaven it selfe in which it pleaseth him to dwell And so when wee come into the Church the place where God doth speak with us and hath promised his presence we should esteeme that as Gods house where he dwelleth and as the gate of heaven which is the place of his habitation Thus wee should think of God and his presence when he speaketh unto us out of his word And that is the first rule to be observed by us for declaring of our reverence towards him 2. That wee esteeme the word spoken by Gods Minister out of the Scriptures as the very word of the Almighty God This S. Paul commendeth in the Thessalonians For this cause saith he we thank God without ceasing because when yee received the word of God which yee heard of us yee received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the
word of God 1. Thessal 2.13 Here are two things considerable 1. Who it was that spake and delivered this word and that was Paul a man like unto themselves and 2. Whose word they esteemed it to be not Pauls nor any other mans but Gods alone And there was great reason for it For if the King should send an Officer with commission to proclaime his will to his people no man would say that this message were the will or word of the Officer who proclaimed it but the will of the King who commanded it And so these Thessalonians did rightly esteeme the word preached as Gods word from whom it was sent and not as Pauls word by whom it was delivered And they are commended for so doing as having rightly distinguished betweene God and his Minister so it will bee our praise if when wee heare Gods word delivered by a mortall man yet wee esteeme it as the word of the immortall and ever blessed God A good rule then it is that wee esteeme the word spoken by the Minister as the word sent from the Lord Almighty These rules if they bee duly observed will further us diverse waies to the right hearing of Gods word with profit 1. They will work in us attentivenesse to mark all that is spoken For even among men if the Speaker be had in honour his words will be received with heedfulnesse and attention It is said of Simon Magus that all the people gave heed to him from the least to the greatest saying This man is the great power of God and to him they had regard because that of long time hee had bewitched them with sorceries Act. 8.10 Consider here 1. how this people were affected to Simon Magus They gave heed unto him and regarded him 2. why they thus observed and respected him and that was because hee had bewitched them to beleeve that he was the great power of God or one whom God had endued with great abilities from heaven The like hereto we may find in our owne experience For if we think highly of any mans vertues and esteeme his words to have weight and worth in them we heare them with attention embrace them as Oracles of great worth And so in this case it is nothing but disesteeme of God and his word that maketh men to neglect the word when it is preached in their hearing And therefore as Rabsakeh said Heare yee the words of the great King the King of Assyria Isa 36.13 meaning that because hee was a great King therefore they should give good audience to his word so if wee consider that it is the great King even the King of heaven that speaketh unto us it will command our attention and make us heare with heed and observation Let this then bee taken for a first benefit that a due esteeme of God and his word will cause attention in our hearing 2. A due esteeme of God and his word will make us willing to heare our faults reprooved with submission and patience Old Eli is an example hereof For when Samuel told him of his sinne in cockering of his sonnes and of the judgement of God threatned against him for the same he answered It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good 1. Sam 3.18 Wee may here observe 1. Eli his willing submission to the reprehension of Samuel Let him do what seemeth him good and 2. the reason that made him so tractable and obedient and that was because it was the Lord who had sent that message And so if when wee come to heare a Sermon we consider that it is God who speaketh unto us by the mouth of a man this will cause us with patience to heare our sinnes reprooved and our selves censured for them 3. The same consideration will make us to yeeld a ready obedience to the word and to suffer our selves to be moulded and framed by it when it prescribeth us a duty to bee done This is so reasonable that Balaam against his owne minde acknowledged it to bee right Must I not take heed saith he to speake that which the Lord hath put into my mouth Num. 23.12 And so if we consider that it is God who speaketh it will cause us to think our selves bound to do what hee saith For no Christian is so shamelesse that will say that hee will not do what God doth command And therefore wee may observe that when men are resolved not to obey they will rather denie that it is Gods word that is brought unto them then that it is their duty to obey his word So the Jewes did when Ieremy at their request had enquired of God for them and told them in Gods Name that they should abide in their owne Land and not go into Egypt they being resolved that it was more expedient for them to go then to stay told Ieremy to his face Thou speakest falsly the Lord our God hath not sent thee to say Go not into Egypt to sojourne there Ier. 43.2 And so among us no man that professeth to serve the true GOD will plainely denie submission to his word The summe of all is that if we bring with us a due respect to God and his word it will make us attentive when wee heare and patient when we are reproved and obedient when we are commanded that which is our duty to do II. The next thing in which we are to shew reverence in the time of hearing is a dutifull behaviour in the outward man For even among men if boies plaie the boies among their fellows that is if they bee waggish and bolde and presumptuous before their equals no man will greatly regard it But if they should do so before their Masters face it were irreverence and rudenesse not to bee borne with And we our selves in our owne houses where we are among our equals and friends may use that libertie both of speech and behaviour which would savour of contempt and disrespect if it were used in the presence of a Noble man or of a Counsellor or of a Prince And so when we come into GODS presence more sobernesse and more modest and awfull behaviour will be required of us then is necessary when we are at home or abroad among our neighbours And therefore when wee come to heare God speaking unto us wee must have a care that wee do not by our gesture bewray an undutifull respect to God or his ordinances For better observing of which duty I shall point at some such rules as I find to have beene either required or observed amongst Gods people that out of them every man may select such directions as may bee usefull and expedient for himselfe I. First then I finde in Gods book that when God appeared to Moses being now to reveile his Law unto him he first of all commanded him Draw not nigh hither put off thy shooes from off thy feet for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground Exod. 3.5 And so the Angell that
appeared to Ioshua supposed to be Christ the second person in the Trinitie commanded him Loose thy shooe from off thy foot for the place whereon thou standest is holy Iosh 5.15 Consider in these passages 1 what was required And that was it was required of Moses that he should not come neare the place where God appeared but keep distance Calceos exuere jubens admiratione metu ad humilitatē ipsum crudit format Calvin in Exod. 3.5 Jos 5.15 like the Publican who stood afarre off in the lowest part of the Temple And secondly both Moses and Ioshua are commanded to put off their shooes The meaning whereof saith Calvin is to instruct and frame them to humilitie and an awfull feare For as wee pull off the glove when we salute our friends and take them by the hand in token of our observance toward them and as countrey people and servants who go in pattons in the street do in good maners put them off when they come into a Citizens house of any note so in those easterne countreys where Moses Ioshua dwelt they were used to put off their shooes in token of reverence and respect when they came into place where their betters were And therfore when GOD said to Moses Put off thy shooes he meant to teach him his duty towards his LORD as we when we bid a Child put off his hat make a legg do meane to teach him good maners towards his betters 2. We may consider in the Text what the reason was why this outward cariage was required at this time and in this place and that was because the place was holy ground But why were these places where Moses and Ioshua stood more holy then any other places in the countrey especially seeing the one of them was in the desert an untilled and ill ordered ground and the other a place by Jericho at that time a profane city of heathenish and idolatrous people To this question the answer is that the onely reason hereof was because God appeared there and shewed tokens of his presence And hence wee have this observation that wheresoever God is in any peculiar sort present there the place is made holy by his presence and where God doth so sanctifie a place there we ought to declare our humilitie and dutifull respect by externall gestures of reverence and by decent behaviour and carriage Secondly I finde that when God was to appeare on mount Sina there to deliver the Law to his people he first commanded to sanctifie them and that they should wash their clothes Exod. 19.10 The meaning of which ceremonie was partly to admonish them of the purity of heart required when wee come into Gods presence partly to teach them that they ought to come decently in a comely maner lest they might shew neglect of his presence if they came in a sluttish or unsemely sort And therefore as Ioseph when he was to go before Pharaoh shaved himselfe and put on other apparell so wee ought to come into Gods presence in grave and comely attire which may beseeme godlinesse neither rudely like clownes nor finically like wantons A note not unfit to bee thought on by our sober maidens who come both into Gods house and unto Gods board with bare breasts and naked armes and long locks and such loose behaviour as either beseemeth Ruffians alone or no Christian at all Thirdly I read of Constantin the Emperour Euseb de vita Constant l. 4. cap. 33. pag. 400. that being present in the Church when Eusebius preached he stood up all the while and though hee were once and again intreated to sit down he still refused it The reason whereof was because as himselfe said Nefas est institutis de Deo disputationibus negligentes aures praebere It is not lawfull when things concerning GOD are in handling to be negligent in hearing And the like custom do I finde to have beene used by many others in ancient time but neither was it observed generally by all nor do I require it as necessary of any Onely thus much I observe that holy and devout men have been zelous to shew reverence in Gods service by every behaviour that fitted the purpose Fourthly I finde in some of the Learned who prescribe rules of decency in the time of divine service that they will not permit men when they are hearing of Gods word to smile in secret or to looke about or to laie one legg over an other or to whisper in their fellows eare or to look sowre as if somewhat displeased them or to leane and lie on one side Nigron in Reg. commun 2. nu 57. pag. 167. c. And surely even in these lesser things there is a decencie to be used in our outward carriage at lest so farre as that nothing appeare which may bewray either dislike of the Preacher or disesteeme of God and his word And hence we have two lessons 1. A reproof for them who allow no outward ceremonies or religious gestures in Gods service lest they should be superstitious and Popish There be men that dare not kneele when they receive the holy Sacrament nor put off the hat when they passe through a Church nor kneele downe and make a privat prayer in a publik place so that as the ancient worthies upon all occasions expressed their inward devotion by outward gestures of reverence so these men take care to shew how they detest superstition by avoyding all helps and expressions of religion 2. Wee have hence a ground of exhortation for our selves it is this that according to the rules of Scripture which require reverēce in the outward man after the example of holy godly men who have observed those rules with diligence and zele we also as occasion shall bee offered would shew our esteeme of God and his word by seemly behaviour and gestures of reverence and humility Where notwithstanding I will presse no mans conscience with a necessity of every expression used by the Ancients because for the most part they are not simply necessary but to be used with a kinde of freedome and as occasion and reason shall require Onely thus much I may boldly say and as I suppose with the good leave of all that are well in their wits that looke what modestie and signes of reverence we would use before a temporall Lord or Prince so much at least is due to him who is King of Kings Lord of Lords And if any will shew but a like reverence to God that he would shew to his Prince I will think him more devout then most men among us are at this day 3. The third and last duty by which wee ought to shew reverence is an awfull quietnesse and silence which is when neither by words nor deeds we either trouble the presence or hinder the work in hand For by such behaviour as this men use to shew their respect to their Betters Iob saith of himselfe
because wee heare and rehearse and talk of a Sermon but wee must referre all to future practice and esteeme them onely so farre forth good as they make us better either wiser in our knowledge or holier in our obedience And therefore it is that the Prophet describing the nature of right hearing saith Isa 42.23 Who among you will give eare to this who will hearken and heare for the time to come In which words 1. when he saith who will giue eare and who will hearken hee implieth that all should but yet few do so and 2. when he saith who will heare for the time to come hee meaneth that men should not content themselves with the transient action of hearing which continueth no longer then while the sound lasteth but they must so heare for the present that it may serve for afterward namely that they think on it and consider of it and put it in practice as occasion shall require This is to heare for afterward but if any while he heareth have some warme affections kindled in him and after hee is gone think no more on it or amendeth not his life by it this man heareth onely for the present and doth not answere Gods expectation when hee saith who will heare for the time to come And so in like sort if a man note Sermons with his pen and repeat them afterward with his familie and yet for most part insisteth upon empty words and idle allegations which doe not profit him or them in godlines and neglecteth those notes which might make them better this mans writing and repeating are both alike of no value But if further any shall abuse these holy exercises to countenance their factious meetings and instead of meditating on Gods word do devise slanders against Gods Church these men turne duties of religion into occasions of sinne Let not my pen ever speak any word for encouragement in such an evill practice The summe of all is that if wee will proove our selves to bee good Hearers of Gods word we must so heare and so repeat and so performe every duty required in this work as that all of them may further us in Gods service and an holy life II. The second generall duty is that together with our owne endevours and performances wee joyne prayer to God for his blessing upon the work that we go about For as David said in a like case Except the Lord build the house they labour in vaine that build it and except the Lord keepe the City the watchman waketh but in vaine Psal 127.1 so except God assist us with his grace wee shall prepare our selves in vaine and heare Gods word in vaine and what wee have heard wee shall repeat in vaine and nothing that wee go about either before or after or while we heare can prosper unlesse God give the blessing and make it to prosper Now the blessing of God is to bee sought and obtained by prayer S. Iames his direction is If any man lack wisdome let him ask of God who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall bee given him Iam. 1.5 In this Scripture wee have first a precept directing us to our duty If any man lack wisedome let him ask of God and secondly a promise assuring us of successe and it shall bee given him and thirdly a reason drawen from Gods nature Hee giveth liberally to all and hee upbraideth no man with his gifts and therefore he will be ready to give us that which we want if we beg it of him in our prayers And so if any man lack and who lacketh not either a prepared minde before hearing or due attention in the time of hearing or a firme memory after hearing let him ask of God who giveth liberally and he needs not doubt but God will give what he doth ask according to Gods will Upon this ground * Col. 10. cap. 10. Cassian an ancient Learned Writer adviseth men upon every occasion to make use of that praier of David Deus in adjutorium meum intende Domine ad juvandum me festina O GOD make speed to save me O LORD make haste to helpe mee Psal 70.1 For this praier fitteth every condition of man as he declareth in many particulars the summe whereof may bee this If a man be in any distresse or danger then hee should say Deus in adjutorium c. O God make speed to save mee O Lord make haste to helpe me And if hee be sollicited by any tentation then he should pray O God make speed to save me c. And if he want any grace or blessing thē he should pray O God make speed to save me c. And if hee have obtained any blessing or favor from God for the continuance of that mercie and his right using of it hee should pray O God make speed to save mee O Lord make haste to helpe me And what soever the occasion bee still this praier will bee seasonable and usefull Thus this holy man teacheth us how to observe that rule of the Apostle Pray without ceasing 1 Thess 5.17 This direction is applicable to this purpose When we are preparing to heare GODS word we should pray God that hee will prepare our hearts and fit us for that service when wee are busied in the act of hearing we should pray that GOD will direct us to lay hold on that which we finde usefull for us after our hearing we should pray that GOD will blesse our memories to keepe the good lessons which we have heard This to bee a laudable custome still to begg a blessing of God upon every endevour of ours no man I suppose will denie onely perhaps some man may doubt how a man may pray in the time of his hearing without hindering or interrupting the publik and enjoyned exercise then certainely more necessary then any privat prayers or devotions To this my answere is that the Scripture it selfe doth sufficiently direct us herein There we read that Nehemiah when the King was talking and conferring with him about the affaires of his people and the state of the holy Land yet saith of himselfe So I prayed to the God of Heaven and I said to the King If it please the King c. Neh. 2.4 5. By this wee see that Nehemiah at the same time did both pray God for a blessing and continue his speech with the King which sheweth that while hee was talking with the King about those weightie affaires of the Church he darted up a jaculatory short prayer unto God either that hee would direct the Kings heart for the good of his people or that he would prosper the businesse in hand or some such prayer to the like purpose And hence wee have direction in this case When we heare an usefull point that concerneth us much wee may by a short prayer desire Gods blessing upon it for our good without hindering or diverting away our attention from any part of the Sermon For
example if the Preacher commend any necessary duty unto us we may pray for grace to perform it if he condemne any sin by which we may be ensnared we may pray for strength to avoid it and if hee dispute of any hard point which is profitable to be knowen wee may pray for wisdome to understand it And all this wee may do without any hinderance to the publick service or the exercise in hand Nay if we do thus at convenient times and when the occasion doth require it it will further us in that work two waies 1. it will obtaine a blessing of GOD upon the present work that it may do us the more good and 2. it will season our hearts with holy affections and thereby prepare them for the performing of what they have beene taught Prayer then is usefull at all times both before we come to heare and when wee are in hearing and after we have made an end of the work and therefore my exhortation shall be that of the Apostle 1. Thess 5.17 Pray without ceasing and that of our Saviour where hee saith that men ought alwayes to pray Luk. 18.1 For our better encouragement in which duty wee may consider the successe and event thereof in two knowen examples The first is the example of Cornelius of whom it is said that while hee was praying in his house an Angel from heaven appeared unto him and directed him to Peter who would tell him what hee ought to do Act. 10.6 or as it is Act. 11.14 would tell him words whereby both hee and all his house should be saved An other example wee have in Saul afterward called Paul Of whom wee reade that after JESUS had appeared unto him by the way and preached unto him the sum of the Gospel hee went into the City and continued three dayes fasting and praying And then the Lord appeared to Ananias and said Arise and inquire in the house of Iudas for one called Saul of Tarsus for behold he prayeth Act. 9.11 Where 1. wee may note a commandement given to Ananias Arise go enquire for Saul it is a short speech including more in the sense then appeareth in the words Hee meaneth that hee should inquire for him and having found him should say and do unto him as afterward is expressed ver 17. 2. a reason which moved God to bestow these favours upon him and that is in these words For behold he prayeth If Saul had gone his way and neglected the vision that hee saw and the words that hee heard from our Saviours mouth hee might have continued without any further direction and help But now that hee prayed to God after the vision and the instructions of our LORD (a) Act. 9.17 and Act. 21.14 15 16 God sendeth his servant who both opened his eyes and instructed him in the faith and baptized him and layed his hands upon him and hee was filled with the holy Ghost The application from these examples to our selves is this If we set our selves to prayer before hearing as Cornelius did and by prayer beg Gods blessing after we have heard as Saul did wee may hope that God (b) Eph. 2.4 who is rich in mercy and such a one (c) Psal 65.2 as heareth prayer will blesse our endevours and prosper his ordinance and send us such Teachers as may direct us the right way to salvation and life III. The last generall duty is that wee bee constant in our performances whether they be to bee used before or after or amidst our hearing And by constancie in our duties I meane two things 1. that wee must not do them by spurts and 2. that wee must not do them by halves 1. We must not do them by spurts onely and when the toy taketh us but wee must performe them usually at the accustomed and convenient times For those that come to Church now and then at their best leisure and now and then prepare themselves and now and then recall to minde what they have heard are like trewandly boies which come to schoole one day and stay away another Among such schollars I have seldome seene any that ever learned his book to any purpose And no marvell For first he loseth a great part of the time in idlenesse which others bestow at their book and misseth many lessons which his fellows do learne in his absence 2. Such a trewandly boy is not disposed to learne when he commeth to schoole partly because his minde is upon his miching holes where hee useth to lurk or upon the pastime that hee hath spent his time in and partly because the losing of his ordinary lessons in his absence doth rob him of much help that hee might have gained for the lessons which come after For one lesson well learned is a stepp and introduction to another because there is a connexion and dependance among rules of the same Art But surely what ever the reason bee the conclusion is true that a trewandly boy never proveth a learned man And the same may bee observed in the schoole of Christ Those that come by fits only and heare and repeat and consider when they have little else to do lose many good notes and instructions which others who are more diligent do learne and suffer many distractions of minde when they are about the work and are every way indisposed for learning of Gods Law Thomas by being once absent when CHRIST appeared to his disciples lost a great measure of faith which they gained who were present Our LORD shewed them his hands and his side and used arguments of perswasion to convince them of the truth of his resurrection and they beleeved it but Thomas wanting these grounds of faith remained faithlesse in that great point of our LORDS resurrection as is expressed at large Iohn 20. And so hee that is absent when hee should not may chance misse of those instructions which might do him good to salvation and he that neglecteth to use the meanes of profiting when hee hath faire opportunity for them may lose that assistance of grace that might guide him in the wayes of godlinesse Consequently hee that is carefull to thrive in grace must continue in well doing and not do good duties by spurts and as his fancie leadeth him 2. Hee that will be constant must not do his services by halves So they do who in their private exercises do out of idlenesse and indevotion curtall and abbreviat either their prayers or their meditations or any other usefull exercise But more especially they do so who at times of publike Service do come when part thereof is past or go away before all bee ended Such men runne into a twofold danger one that they do offend God by sleighting of his service and the other that they may lose the blessing which usually accompanieth the time of divine Service 1. They may anger God by a sleight esteeme of his Service For so the Prophet saith Cursed be hee that doth the