And first for rules Ludovicus Vives a man renowned as well for piety as learning among other learned workes of his hath published a Treatise which hee calleth Excitationes animi ad Deum that is The liftings up of the soule unto God In this book he prescribeth us rules of meditation and prayer upon every incidentall occasion for example when we awake out of sleep in a morning and finde our selves refreshed by our rest then hee biddeth us think how joyfull and blessed a thing it will be to bee raised up to eternall life after our sleeping in the grave and to pray withall that as God hath raised our bodies from their sleep that wee may do the works of this life so hee would raise up our soules from the sleep of sin that we may do the works of piety and a godly life And when wee are going on a journey then we should think that our life here is a pilgrimage on earth in which we are separated from our owne countrey and our dearest friends that is from heaven and the blessed soules that be there and then wee should pray that God will teach us to live here as pilgrims and strangers that are travelling toward a better countrey and that our conversation may be in heaven while our bodily mansion is on earth And when we see a candle lighted in the evening to be a comfort against the dismall darknesse of the night that then we should think how necessary the knowledge of Gods word is which is a light to our eyes and lanterne to our feete and pray withall that God would keep this candle still shining before us that wee may know how to serve him aright The like rules of good thoughts and prayers he prescribeth us when we put on our clothes when we go out of doores when we sit down to meate when we prepare to bedward and upon other the like occasions leaving us no part of the day nor no occasion of our life without some holy thoughts that may make us like to the Saints that be in heaven This book of Vives and the meditations and prayers contained in it that worthy Martyr M. Bradford hath translated or the greatest part of them into our English tongue and hath presented them to the view of the world in a book of his called Bradfords Meditations and prayers And after him M Henry Bull who hath gathered together many sweete flowers of such like devotion hath also for the benefit of his countrey-men printed these meditations and prayers among the rest There if ye please yee may reade them and I dare say if ye reade them with attention and care you will not think your labour either lost or ill bestowed Besides these books there is one also of late yeares penned by a reverend and learned Prelate of our Church called Occasionall Meditations In it you are directed how on ordinary and triviall occasions yee may raise up your thoughts to heaven-ward But that book I suppose is in the hands of most men and the known worth of the Author will sufficiently commend it to their reading I onely will say thus much that who so shall peruse these books and make use of them accordingly I doubt not but he will finde in them good helps to heaven and great comfort to his soule And so I leave the Rules 2. The examples that I make choise of for this purpose are two 1. Examp. The first of one Pambo an ancient and religious man Of him * Socrat. hist l. 4 c. 18. pag. 660. Rosw de vitis Patrum l. 3. num 164 pag. 524. v. etiam l. 1. c. 3. in vita S. Pelagiae pa. 377. de Nonno Episcopo Socrates reporteth that seeing a light woman finely tricked up and sumptuously adorned that shee might please and allure lovers unto her hee burst out into teares and being asked why he wept he gave these two reasons for it 1. because he saw in what miserable state that woman was in it grieved him that so goodly a creature of Gods making should be in so ready a way to hell and destruction and 2. because said he I do not take so much paines to please my good God as she doth to please sinfull men This example if we wil follow we may make use of it divers wayes for our good namely thus when we see a Porter sweating under his burden that he may earne a poore wages we may check our own dulnesse who are so soone weary of labouring for an eternall Kingdome that we grudge to spend a quarter of an houre in prayer or a whole houre in hearing of Gods word or a day in abstinence and fasting for our sins For what a shame is it that a labouring man should willingly take so much paines for a tester or a shilling when we think so little paines to be overmuch for obtaining of eternall life and the Kingdome of heaven And when we see a Shopkeeper abridge himself of his meate and of his sleep that hee may attend his customers and make gaine of his trading wee may justly blame our selves for our backwardnesse in Gods service and that we cannot abridge our selves in our eating and in our sleeping and in our sporting and in our clothing that wee may bee the fitter and more expedite for good duties and for the Kingdome of God And when we see a man that taketh physick fast aforehand and after the taking of it to content himselfe with a thin supping that the medicine may work the better wee may think every man with himselfe what a foole am I that on the Lords day when God prepareth and giveth me physick for my soule I do so fill my stomach with meate and my head with strong drink as maketh my selfe unfit for Gods service and my praying and hearing and reading unprofitable for my soule And when wee see men and women look thēselves in the glasse every day that they may carie with them no spots or deformity in their faces that may shame them when they goe abroad among men wee should accuse our shamelesse security in matters of our soules and that we doe not examine our consciences and look our soules in the glasse of Gods Law that there bee no deformity in our lives that may shame us before God and his Angels I might make many such applications of Pamboes practice to our selves and gather such collections to shame our selves for our indevotion and want of feeling but out of these there is direction enough for them that are willing to make use of it too much for them who shal despise it 2. Examp. The second example is of a Cook in a Colledge of religious men Of him Climacus a Greek father in the anciēt Church relateth that hee was very devout in serving God and often moved with compunction to mourne for his sins Which Climacus observing importuned him to know by what meanes he had attained to such a degree of sanctitie and holinesse and
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
will bee so serious and attentive in matters of Gods service that other by-thoughts will not easily divert or turne away his minde And therefore if worldly thoughts do much disturbe our hearing it is an argument that the studie of the world is more frequent with us and more delightfull to us then the studie of Gods word For redressing of which errour and to keepe our mindes from evagations and distractions our care must be to place our studie on Gods word and thereby to season our mindes with a love of heavenly things and a serious care of our salvation 2. It will be an helpe also if we use such posture of body as may be apt to keep our senses waking and to drive away heavines sleep How this is to be done we may take direction from examples of former times First then wee read in the Gospel that when our Lord had read his Text and was ready to speak unto the people the eies of all them that were in the Synagogue were fastened upon him Luk. 4.20 Which words as they shew with what attention they prepared to heare the Sermon so they intimate that by this means they were likely to continue their attentiō For as the mind sendeth out the eies to look upon that which it selfe liketh so the eies if they bee fastened on an object do stirre up the minde to think on that thing which they present to its view Consequently as gazing abroad distracteth the minde with varietie of objects so the fastening of them on the speaker doth settle the mind where the eies are fixed And by reason hereof it will bee some help to sharpen our attention if sometimes as occasion requireth wee fasten our eies upon the Preachers face look that way where we desire our minds to be Againe Solomon saith of the wicked man that he shutteth his eies to devise froward things Prov. 16.30 He meaneth that as men when they are in serious meditation do shut the eies that nothing may distract their minds so the wicked man shutteth his eies that hee with more intention may devise mischief And so in this work of hearing it may sometimes be an help to attention if wee look downward or cover the eies that the minde having no distraction from without may be the more intent on his present businesse Thirdly wee read of the ancient Monks in Egypt And the name of Monks was then as honorable for their devotion as now it is growen contemptible for the superstition of later times that they in their prayers did sometimes cast themselves downe upon the ground and anone after rose up againe and praied standing with their hands lifted up to heaven And this they did * Humi namque diutiùs procumbentem nō solùm cogitationibus aiunt verùm etiā somno graviùs impugnari Cassian Inst lib. 2. c. 7. pag. 27. because as they said if a man did lye long upon the ground he would bee set upon not onely by idle thoughts but more especially by sleepe And so if in our hearing wee finde that by long sitting at ease wee grow heavie and dull of hearing wee should rise and stand up to awaken our senses And if by long standing wee finde our selves weary of our worke wee may for a time seek some ease by sitting and so still change the site of the body and use such varietie in gestures as for the present we finde most availeable to keep us in attention 3. It will bee an other help if we labour to remove all lets and impediments that use to disturb us Solomons rule is It is not for Kings to drink wine nor for Princes strong drink lest they drink forget the Law pervert the judgmēt of any of the afflicted Prov. 31.4 5. He meaneth that drinking of wine and strong drink might make them unfit for judicature doing of Justice in such a case even Kings were bound to avoid it lest it should disable them for the doing of their duties And this rule bindeth us also to avoid such things as may hinder us in Gods service If wee drink wine strong drink that is apt to fume into the head and to procure drowsinesse and sleepe if we eat a full meale that calleth the spirits to the stomach for concoction and in their absence the braine is disabled for contemplation and religious thoughts and if before we come to Church we drowne our selves in meriments and sports that will season the minde with carnall delights and make the soule unfit to relish the things of the Spirit and if any man stuff his mind with worldly eares and businesses of this life that will leave no roome for spirituall instructions to enter in And if any of us do finde that by these or any other such occasions we be hindered in our hearing wee must forbeare drinking of wine and feeding to the full and delighting in carnall sports cumbring our selves with worldly cares and what soever else may breed either drowsinesse or distraction Else it will bee impossible that wee should heare with attention and as impossible that we should profit without it 4. It will bee an help to our hearing if while wee are about that work we do ever and anone reflect upon our selves and consider what thoughts doe then lodge within us And if we finde distractions to divert us we should blame our untoward hearts bewaile our corruptions and recall the minde to his businesse again This will help us against distractions because our heart will learne by often checks to bee the more watchfull and we by condemning our selves for our neglect of God and our own good shall be made the more warie of offending any more even as a traveller that hath missed his way through heedlessenes will bee the more carefull afterward to observe every turning and to avoid every by-waie that might mislead him These rules I have thought not unfit for this purpose if any man have those that bee better hee may leave these at his pleasure and make use of that which may do him more good II. The next vertue to be exercised in the time of our hearing is due reverence to God and his holy word Solomon requireth it of us in our prayers and praises of God When saith he thou goest to the house of God bee not rash with thy mouth and let not thy heart be hastie to utter any thing before God For God is in heaven and thou upon earth therefore let thy words be few Eccles 5.1 2. Wee may note in this sentence two things a rule and a reason 1. A Rule that is expressed two waies 1. negatively in these words Be not rash c. He meaneth that we should not presume to speak unto God but with premeditation and advised sobernesse 2. Affirmatively in those words Let thy words be few He meaneth that our words should be well weighed and then they will not be many that our speech should bee sparing
the Lamb is the light of it he giveth us the reason why all outward helps and meanes are of no use there It is not because there is no service of God used there for they shall sing praises to him without ceasing nor it is not because men there shall bee deprived of life and strength and vigour for there they never dye nor never hunger nor never faint but the reason is because God and his Sonne Christ shall without any meanes supply all good things unto them by vertue derived immediately from themselves and that in a more plentifull and more excellent sort then all secondary meanes or causes could do This also is further signified by that of the Apostle where he saith that Christ shall deliver up his kingdome to God and shall himselfe be subject unto God that God may bee all in all 1 Cor. 15.24 28. that is Christ shall cease to govern his Church in that manner of administration that now he useth and God shall doe all by himselfe And by this it appeareth to be true which I said in the second place that in glory and in the state of heavenly blessednesse we enjoy God immediately both in respect of presence and in respect of influence C. Thirdly I say yet further that this immediate fruition of God supplyeth unto the Blessed all good things and expelleth or driveth away all evill This the Scripture saith also S. Iohn saith of the Saints in heaven that God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and there shall bee no more death neither sorow nor crying neither shall there bee any more paine Apoc. 21.4 By this he signifieth the removing of all evill or whatsoever might hurt or afflict He goeth on and ver 6. I saith the great King will give unto him that is a thirst of the fountaine of the water of life freely He that overcommeth shall inherite all things and I will be his God and he shall bee my son meaning that hee would give him all things necessary for blessednesse and an happy life And from hence it followeth that in the blessednesse of heaven there is neither want of good nor presence of any evill And now these particulars laid together the summe of them gathered into one is that the true blessednesse which is in heaven communicated to the Saints is an immediate fruition of God of and by himselfe supplying all good things and expelling or driving away all evill things And this may serve for clearing of the first question 2. Quest The second is why this blessednesse is ascribed or appropriated to the service of God Answ To which question my answer is blessednesse is ascribed to holinesse or Gods service partly because holinesse is a necessary condition for qualifying of those persons which shall enjoy it and partly because it is a kinde of cause that doth effect or procure it 1. It is a necessary condition c. for so the Apostle teacheth us when he saith Without holinesse no man shall see the Lord. .i. as before I explained the word no man shall enjoy God in his glorious presence Heb. 12.6 And so S. Iohn Blessed are they that doe his commandements that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the City For without are sorcerers and whoremongers and murderers and idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie Apoc. 22.14 In which words 1. When he saith Blessed are they that doe his commandements that they may have right c. he intimateth that obedience to Gods will is a condition upon supposall whereof men may attain this blessednesse And 2. when he saith for without are sorcerers c. Hee telleth us in plain termes that no wicked man shall ever enter into heaven 2. Holinesse and Gods service is a kinde of cause that procureth this blessednesse for them that serve God A kinde of cause I call it by way of qualification or diminution because it is neither any proper efficient cause which by vertue in it selfe may effect it nor any meritorious cause which by its worthinesse can deserve it And yet a cause it is because it is an outward object which moveth God for his promise sake to confer heaven and happinesse upon them that doe serve him and keep his commandements This the Logicians call causa procatarâ—ticâ— or a morall cause which worketh by way of object and I did therefore call it a kinde of cause because I am so warranted by the Apostle who speaking of affliction born with patience and obedience to Gods will saith of it that it worketh for us a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 And if patience in affliction doe this no man may deny the like to all other parts of obedience and if they may be said to work for us eternall glory then no man may hinder me to say that they are a kinde of cause to procure this glory I conclude then that Gods service is both a necessary condition and a kinde of a cause to procure blessednesse and therefore to it blessednesse is rightly ascribed And so the second question is answered 3. Quest The third question is how may men bee said to be blessed in this life in which we are absent from the Lord and enjoy him not in such immediate sort as hath been said Answ I answer as Cajetan doth Hic in spe in futuro in re Here wee are blessed in hope but shall be blessed indeed in the world to come For as the Apostle saith of the heire in his minority that though he differ nothing from a servant in his present condition of subjection yet hee is Lord of all because he hath the right to all for the present and shall have the possession of all when the full time is come Gal. 4.1 so and in the like sense we who are subject to many crosses in this life yet may bee said to be blessed because now we have a right to that blessed estate and shall in due time have the possession of it Thus much for this question as also for the clearing of the whole point Vse 1. This serveth first to set an edge on our zeale and to make us in love with heaven and eternall life because here are such things as men do desire and seek after 1. For first men desire wealth and lands and abundance of needfull and usefull things The labourer carieth heavy burdens and sweateth under his labour that hee may earne wages the shopkeeper forbeares meate and drink and sleep that hee may increase his gaine the Merchant ventureth life and living that he may make his stock great and every man taketh pains and endureth hardnesse and undergoeth dangers that he may become rich or reap a plentifull reward and they do it to obtain a corruptible treasure But the blessednesse we have spoken of hitherto hath plenty of all good things without lack without measure without end The bags here wax not
then by ill meanes to increase their wealth Blessed are ye that are impoverished for Christs sake for great is your reward in heaven And so of them that refuse not a nickname or reproach for profession of the truth Blessed are yee that are reproached for Christs sake for great is your reward in heaven And to them who had rather lose a preferment or a great friend then offend God and a good conscience Blessed are ye that are stripped of your friends and means for Christs sake for great c. And to them that had rather endure sicknesse and death then seek to wisards and soothsayers for recovery of health Blessed are ye that are tortured with sicknesse and diseases for Christs sake for great c. And so I would say as by the like reason I may say of all others who prefer the peace of their consciences before the profits and comforts of the world They are blessed even while they are distressed for Christs sake for great is their reward in heaven And this how should is comfort all disconsolate soules who in the midst of troubles serve God without fainting A learned and holy man of God when a friend of his was pained with a grievous sicknesse wrote to comfort him in these words * A letter written to ones friend in his sicknesse in the midst of Master Smiths Sermons I marvell not said he that you are pained for you are sick but I marvell that you are impatient who have learned to know Christ and to professe his Gospell For tell me Patient said he how many stripes is heaven worth And then turning his speech unto God hee prayeth Teach the Happy O Lord to see his happinesse through troubles Thus hee comforted his sick friend and thus every Christian that desireth to serve God may comfort himselfe in sicknesse and travells and troubles let him but think how much heaven is worth toward which he is sailing in this tempest and it will glad his soule in the midst of his greatest agonies God give us grace to make use of such comforts that in the end we may partake of his glory CAP. V. Gods word hath vertue in it to make a man blessed Cap. 5 OUr Lord in his correction of the womans speech saith of the true blessednesse that it is to be had by hearing and doing of Gods word and thence it followeth that Gods word hath vertue in it to make a man blessed This is further proved to be so 1. By Testimonies of Scriptures such as these are S. Iohn saith of his Gospell These things are written that ye might beleeve that Iesus is the Christ the son of God and that beleeving ye might have life through his name Ioh. 20.31 In these words S. Iohn telleth us that he wrote his Gospell for this end that men by it might be brought to beleeve in Christ and to be saved And from hence it followeth that either the holy Ghost propounded to himselfe a wrong end in delivering this Gospell which no Christian dareth imagin or else that this Gospell hath vertue in it to bring men to salvation Again S. Paul saith of the Gospel of Christ that it is the power of God to salvation to every one that beleeveth Rom. 1.16 And S. Iames exhorteth Receive with meeknesse the ingraffed word which is able to save your soules Iames 1.21 And our Saviour to the like purpose Search the Scriptures saith hee for in them yee think ye have eternall life and they are they that testifie of me In all which sayings there is a saving vertue ascribed unto the Scriptures and in this last is intimated unto us that it was the known opinion of Gods people in those dayes Yee think in them ye have eternall life saith Christ It is as if he had said not I onely but your selves also do agree that eternall life is to bee found in the Scriptures and therefore there is reason yee should search them 2. The same truth may be gathered from the Titles which are given to Gods word It is called the Gospell of the Grace of God Acts 20.24 and the Gospell of the Kingdome Mat. 4.23 and the Gospell of salvation Ephes 1.13 Implying that the grace of God and the Kingdome of heaven and salvation is there to be found and from thence to be derived Again it is called the word of Gods grace Acts 14.3 and the word of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.19 and the word of salvation Acts 13.26 and 1 Pet. 1.23 the immortall seede by which we are new born All which names and titles given to the word what doe they else import but that therein there is meanes contained to work grace and reconciliation and eternall life This is proofe enough for the point yet it will bee worth the labour to consider how Gods word may bee said to contain this vertue and wherein it sheweth it selfe And thereto the answer is that this vertue of Gods word sheweth it selfe by three things 1. By teaching the ready way to blessednesse 2. By perswading men to walk in that way And 3. by enabling them with grace both to beleeve what it teacheth and to do what it perswadeth I. It teacheth the right way or it teacheth what to beleeve how to live and by what meanes we may be saved So S. Paul saith of this word that it is able to make one wise to salvation through faith in Christ Iesus and that it is profitable for doctrin for reproofe for correction and for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished to all good works 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. In these words we have three things to be noted for this purpose First there is the main scope and end for which the Scripture serveth namely to make one wise to salvation Secondly there are the particular uses of this word by which it maketh men wise to salvation and they bee these first it is profitable for doctrine to teach whatsoever we neede to beleeve Secondly for reproofe or to confute and detect all contrary errors that gainsay the doctrine of truth Thirdly for correction or to reprove all sins that are against Gods will manifested in his word Fourthly for instruction in righteousnesse or to inform us in every duty belonging to our callings In summe it teacheth the truth which we ought to beleeve and the duties that we must perform with conviction and confutation of whatsoever is contrary to either of these two so that wee may neither be misled with any error against the faith nor misperswaded to any sin against Gods Law These be uses for which the Scripture is profitable Thirdly there is the sufficiency or ability which men gain by these uses and that is that the Man of God even he that is bound to know and doe most may want no direction that may serve either for instructing of his faith or ordering of his life Now by all this we have a punctuall and plentifull
soules is all one I conclude then that there is a like good use both of reading the word of hearing it read which is my first assertion 2. Prop. When we read the Scriptures by our selves we have this benefit by it that if wee meete with a matter of difficulty of speciall moment we may pause upon it and reade it over againe and consider of it in silence And by this meanes we may in the end understād what at the first we understood not may also imprint in our memories that which after once hearing or reading would have slipped away from us And herein reading by our selves is better then hearing things read by others For when an other readeth unto us our mindes and memories are tied to go along with his tongue nor can wee command any time of pausing and considering when the occasion doth require it 3. Prop. When we heare the Scriptures read by Gods Minister who hath beene brought up in the rules of Grammar and Rhetorik we shall gaine this benefit by hearing him that the sentences being distinguished by their rests pauses and the words being pronounced with the right accents and tone and every clause so modulated by the voice as is agreable to the matter expressed by them the speech so uttered will delight the senses and cary along the affections and perswade the understanding and sway the whole man much more then the same sentences could do if they were onely looked upon with the eye or read without the right accent modulation of the voice Aeschines Quintil. lib. 11. cap. 3. pag. 666. Plin. l 2. epist 3. Valer. Maxim l. 8. c. 10. when hee pronounced an Oration of Demosthenes and perceived that the people were much affected with it Yea said he but quid si ipsam bestiam audiissetis What if yee heard Demosthenes himselfe meaning that if hee had pronounced his owne Oration it would have affected them much more And so if any shall reade the Scriptures either in silence without any voice or with that cariage of the voice as is not agreable to art and reason and so ignorant people many times do reade them the word of God would lose a great part of that life and vigour which otherwise is contained in it and by right modulation of the voice would appeare to the hearer For example when the Apostle saith what have yee not houses to eate and to drink in if a man as those that be illiterate some times do should read the word what without a note of interrogation hee should much weaken the power of that sentence And so when the Prophet saith The righteousnesse of the righteous shall be upon Him and the wickednesse of the wicked shall bee upon Him if any should reade the words without putting the accent upon the word Him he would lose the grace that belongeth to the Prophets words And in this respect hearing of the word read by the Minister who knoweth the rules of pronunciation and deliverie is better then the reading of it by our selves who either speake not to the eare or keep not the right accent or put not that vigour and life in the words which is agreable to the matter The summe of all is reading the word and hearing it read ech of them hath a peculia vertue of his owne which the other hath not yet both of them for the substance of the duty are alike profitable and usefull for a Christian And therefore it is best when both are joyned together and used in their fitt places and times And this may suffice for answeare to the first question 2. Quest The second is Whether reading in privat may excuse us from hearing it read in publick To this my answere is No. And my reasons be these 1. It may be a question whether they who alledge their privat reading to excuse them from publik hearing do alwayes spend the houres of hearing in the Church in their reading at home Surely the best of us are negligent inough in holy duties and doe quickly forget the times of devotion and our purposes of well doing unlesse we have some monitor that may put us in mind Now for the services of the Church the sett houre of the day and the sound of the bell accompanying it doe summon us to work But what summons ech one hath at home to call him into his closet and warne him to his task of reading I know not I leave every mans conscience to be his owne Judge Onely I will say thus much that if men can dispense with themselves for publik hearing when the time is appointed by the authority of the Church it is no breach of charity to think that they will dispense with themselves for their privat reading the time thereof being limited onely by their own discretion 2. Say that men and women be so exact and diligent that they doe consecrate the times of publik service unto privat devotions and reade at home as much the more for their able sence from the Church as they could heare if they were present there Yet I dare say they will not nor cannot make such choise of profitable chapters and usefull lessons in their privat devotions as the Church hath done for them in her publik Service For here we have chapters and Gospells and Epistles fitted to the season and the present occasion For example when we celebrat the Feast of Christs Birth those Scritures are read unto us which relate the maner of this mistery and the occurrences that then happened And these two the time and the Scriptures being fitted ech to other do helpe to support one an other The Scriptures teach us how to celebrate the time to Gods glory and our owne good and the time stirreth us up to attend apply and make use of the Scriptures read And the like may be said of our Lords Conception and of the presenting of him in the Temple and of his Passion Resurrection and Ascension into heaven And so it is also on the festivail dayes of the Apostles and Evangelists other Saints On their memoriall dayes those Scriptures are read which tell us what gifts God bestowed upon them and what services they performed to him and what good the Church hath received by their meanes And hence we may learne to honour God in his Saints and to take example from their vertues for our imitation and to celebrate their festivities with heavenly meditations agreable to the time And by such helps as these are wee may gaine knowledge in the articles of our faith and direction in the duties of a good life 3. Let it bee supposed which yet I can not beleeve to bee true that a man or woman constantly spendeth in his privat reading the whole time that is appointed for publik hearing and that he and she can make as good choise or Scriptures for their reading as the Church hath done for their hearing Yet all this notwithstanding their privat exercise
the Text out of Isai 33.7 He was led as a sheep to the slaughter c. And then Philip opened his mouth and began at the same Scripture and preached unto him Iesus In these places it appeareth that Philip and our Saviour tooke a Text to preach upon the one such a Text as the occasion then offered and the other such as himselfe made choise of for the purpose But at other times wee finde that preachers have chosen a theame which they thought usefull for the time and without any Text to ground their discourse on have unfolded that point out of Scriptures and reason applied it to the peoples use Thus our Lord did preach when he made that famous Sermon called by the learned Sermo Domini in monte Our Lords Sermon in the mount recorded by the Evangelist Matt. 5.6 7. chapters For in this Sermon wee have many expositions of Scriptures many doctrines of religion and many exhortations and directions for a godly life but wee finde no Text first read by direction of which he proceeded in his Sermon Thus our Lord and so Saint Peter preached also Act. 2 3. chapters and Saint Stephen Act. 7. and S. Paul Act. 13 17. And of later times some also in these parts of the Church have done the like though the common use now among us is alwayes to ground our Sermons upon some Text even then when men scarse once touch upon the Text in the whole Sermon Of both these sorts of preaching my note is true that if Gods word bee preached aright whether by grounding on a Text or by propounding of a Theame yet the hearing of the word thus preached is a meanes to make him blessed that useth it aright The summe of all is that the hearing of the word preached in which of these sorts soever it be is availeable to blessednesse and alike profitable to salvation And the reason is because by every one of them we may bee instructed alike in the knowledge of God and his service and may be edified in the faith of Christ in the obedience of his Laws which is the only way that leadeth to happinesse and eternall life Thus much for the first point what wee meane by preaching or the word preached II. Quest The next is how it may appeare that the hearing of the word thus preached is a meanes of blessednes And the answere is it appeareth by these reasons 1. Because it is the way and the meanes by which Christ hath founded his Church converted the nations and saved the soules of beleevers So S. Paul saith that by the foolishnesse of preaching so the world esteemed it it pleased God to save them that beleeve 1 Cor. 1.21 And so it is said of the Jews that they did forbid the Apostles to preach to the Gentiles that they might bee saved 1 Thess 2.16 And to these sayings the event proveth answerable For Saint Peter by the preaching of one Sermon converted three thousand soules Act. 2.41 and S. Paul converted many Jews and proselyts Act. 13.43 and more particularly and by name he converted Lydia and the Gaoler Act. 16. and Dionysius Areopagita and Damaris and others Act. 17. And in a word by him his fellow-labourers all the Christian world have beene brought to the faith Experience then sheweth it to be true that the hearing of the word preached is a meanes to bring men to the faith and by faith to salvation 2. It is proved also because God doth send preachers into the world that by their labours hee may bring men to heaven and happinesse For this end it is that God sent his own Sonne to preach the Gospell The Spirit of the Lord God saith our Lord in the Prophet is upon me because the Lord hath annointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek c. that they might be called the trees of righteousnesse the planting of the Lord that he might be glorified Is 61.1 2 3. In these words wee have two things for our purpose 1. the work that our Lord Christ was sent about and that was to preach good tidings c. 2. the end that was intended and effected by it that was two-fold mans sanctification and Gods glory that they might bee called the trees of righteousnes and that hee might be glorified by it And for the like end and purpose our Lord Christ himselfe did send his Apostles to preach Matt. 10.5 7 and the seventie Disciples Luk. 10.1 and S. Paul 1 Cor. 1.17 And to save labour in naming of particulars the Apostle telleth us that when our Lord was ascended up into heaven hee gave some to bee Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers But why and for what end all this why it was saith the Text for the perfecting of the Saints for the worke of the ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come in the unitie of the faith and of the knowledge of the Sonne of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Ephes 4.11 12 13. By this we see that as the Apostles did bring men to the faith by their preaching of the Gospell in the beginning so God hath established a setled course of teaching to the worlds end by which men may bee brought to happinesse and eternall life And thus much for answere to the second question III. Quest The last is What help may we have by hearing the word preached beside or more then wee might gaine by hearing the Scriptures read To this my answere is it may furtherus in the way of godlinesse diverse wayes over and beside the benefit that is reaped by the word read For 1. It may further us for the right understanding of many passages of Scripture more then we could gather by hearing of them read For though the principles of faith and rules of a good life be delivered clearely plainely in Scriptures and a man by reading or hearing them read may gaine much help toward salvation yet it is true also that there are many speeches phrases words which are not easily understood by an ordinary Christian but may be explained made cleare by a learned preacher For exāple the disciples understood not the right meaning of that sentence of the Prophet Behold I will send you Eliiah the Prophet before the coming of the great and dreadfull day of the Lord and hee shall turne the heart of the fathers to the children c. Malac. 4.5 For they conceited that this was meant of Elias in person whereas it was meant of Iohn the Baptist who came in the spirit and power of Elias and because hee resembled him in his office is therefore called by his name This when they understood not our LORD expounded it unto them and made them to know the true meaning of that Scripture as appeareth Mar. 9.12 Againe the Eunuch of Ethiopia did not understand that
right hand and upon my left is not mine to give but it shall bee given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father Matt. 20.23 So it is true of every degree of blessednesse and every mansion in GODS Kingdome it shall be given to them onely for whom God hath prepared it And who those bee our Saviour hath tould us when he saith Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world For I was hungry and ye gave me meate I was thirsty and ye gave mee drink I was a stranger and ye took me in c. Matt. 25.34 Where 1. when he saith Come ye blessed receive the Kingdom prepared for you he sheweth that they are blessed men and partakers of Gods Kingdome for whom God had prepared it long before And 2. when he saith for I was hungry c. hee sheweth who and what maner of men they bee for whom he prepared his Kingdom and that is they be such as have served God by works of mercie duties of an holy life This point may further bee cleared by two reasons or arguments 1. Arg. Because the Scripture doth not allot any place in heaven for wicked and ungodly men but still shutteth them out of the heavenly Jerusalem Saint Iohn having spoken of the glory of the holy Citie addeth withall Without are dogs and sorcerers and whoremongers and murtherers and idolaters whosoever loveth or maketh a lie Apoc. 22.15 And of the man who had not on the garment of holinesse and a godly life the doome was Binde him hand and foot and take him away and cast him into outer darknesse c. Matt. 22.13 And so of him that imployed not his talents of grace to Gods glory the sentence was Cast yee the unprofitable servant into outer darknesse there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Matt. 25.30 Where 1. when hee saith Cast him into darknesse that implieth that the place of his abode is a place contrary to heaven For heaven is a place of light and glory The glory of the Lord doth lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof Apoc. 21.23 And therefore the place of these mens abode being a place of darknesse much like to some deep dungeon wherein a man can neither see hand nor foot it followeth that therefore the wicked are in a place as contrary to heaven as darknesse is to light 2. When hee saith Cast him into outer darknesse or darknes which is without that sheweth that both the sinner and the place of his abode is without the Kingdome of heaven And hence also it is that S. Paul saith of them that obey not the Gospell that they shall bee punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power 2 Thess 1.9 Heaven then and the presence of God is no place for wicked and ungodly men And there is great reason why it should be so Rat. 1. First because Mortua quinetâ—aÌ„ jungebat corpora vivis Componens manibusque manus atque oribus ora TormeÌ„ti genus sanie taboque fluentes CoÌ„plexu in misero longâ sic morte necabat Virgil. Aeneid lib. 8. pag. 318. ver 26. if the wicked should be there they would disturb the quiet peace and the happie estate of Gods Saints It was the devise of a cruell tyran to tie dead and living bodies together that as the dead carcase did putrifie it might stifle the living with its stinch and corrupt his flesh with the rottennes putrefaction And a like torture it would be to the holy Angels if they were tied to a company of Divels so to the Saints of heaven if they were coupled with wicked men Againe Solomon saith It is better to dwell in the corner of an house top then with a brawling woman in a wide house Pro. 1.9 and of Lot it is said that he vexed his righteous soule with the unlawful deeds of the Sodomits among whom he lived 2 Pet. 2.7 8. And it is storied of a poore * Barth Casaus Narrat RegionuÌ„ Indic de Cuba insula pag. 41. Indian that having tasted deepely of the Spanish crueltie and pride he refused to go to heaven if the Spaniard were there Nor is there any of us that would bee content to dwell in the house with a scould or a railor or a quarreller or a drunkard wee would leave them house and all rather then bee contitinually troubled with their company And so if drunkards and whoremasters murderers and liers and railers and uncleane persons should bee admitted into heaven it might make the Saints of heaven even weary of that blessed place certainely it would much disquiet and disturb their peace and blessed condition which the LORD of heaven may not in wisdome or with any reason endure This then is one reason why wicked men should not bee received into heaven among those blessed soules Rat. 2. Because it would be a dishonor to God to have such vile persons among his servants and in the chiefest place of his Kingdom Herein saith our Saviour is my Father glorified that ye beare much fruit Ioh. 15.8 He meaneth fruits of righteousnesse which are by JESUS CHRIST to the praise and glory of God as the Apostle speaketh Philip. 1.11 And if God be glorified by works of righteousnesse then he is dishonored by iniquity and sinne Besides it is said of the Jews that through breaking of the Law they dishonored God and that God was blasphemed through them among the Gentiles Rom. 2.23 24. And if it be a dishonour to God to have wicked servants here in the Church Militant how much more dishonorable would it bee to have sinfull servants in the Church Triumphant which is the Palace of his Kingdome And therefore as David said He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house he that telleth lies shall not tarie in my sight Psal 101.7 So may our God say and that upon farre greater reason No wicked person shall dwell in my house nor no ungodly man shall abide in my presence No saith our Saviour At the end of the world the sonne of man will send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his Kingdome all things that offend and them which do iniquitie Matt. 13.40 41. Rat. 3. It is against all reason that they who have given themselves to all evil should receive the greatest good The Apostle saith It is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you and to you who are troubled rest with us 2 Thess 1.6 Where when hee saith It is a righteous or a just thing with God he implieth that God should be unjust if either he should give heaven to them who have served the divell or denie it to them that have served God And because God cannot be unjust therefore wicked men must be punished and because there is no punishment in heaven therefore wicked men must bee
services For what can be too hard for him in Gods commandements who hath forsaken every thing that is forbidden by them Thus the purging of the heart from all sin maketh a man ready for obedience of every commandement which is the very crowne and the glory of our hearing III. This cleansing of the soule from all sinfull lusts inviteth God to assist us with grace and to blesse our hearing with successe and to increase all his mercies towards us For the secret of the Lord is with them that feare him and he will shew them his covenant Psal 25.14 And my sonne saith Solomon if thou wilt receive my words and hide my commandements with thee c. then shalt thou understand the feare of the Lord and finde the knowledge of God For the Lord giveth wisedome out of his mouth commeth knowledge and understanding Prov. 2.1 5 6. And of Cornelius wee reade that hee being a devout man and one that feared God and gave much almes to the people and prayed God continually God was so well pleased herewith that first hee sent an Angel from heaven to direct him what course hee should take for saving of his soule and then hee sent Peter to tell him those things by which both hee and his houshold should bee saved and lastly while Peter was preaching and Cornelius was hearing he powred downe the holy Ghost upon all them that heard the word Act. 10. And so it will bee with us if wee bee like to Cornelius in devotion serving God in purity of heart we need not doubt but God will send us such Teachers as may direct us in the waies of salvation and will grant us the assistance of his Spirit to blesse our hearing with an happy successe But on the contrary if any man come to heare Gods word with the conscience of knowen sinne or with any lust that lieth unmortified within him such a one provoketh God to blind his eyes and to curse his labors To this purpose the Prophet speaketh Ezek. 14.6 7 8 9. Say to the house of Israel Thus saith the Lord God Repent and turne your selves from your idols and turne away your faces from all your abominations For every one of the house of Israel or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel which separateth himselfe from me and setteth up his idols in his heart and putteth the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face and commeth to a Prophet to enquire of him concerning me I the Lord will answere him by my selfe and I will set my face against that man and will make him a signe and a proverb and I will cut him off from the midst of my people and yee shall know that I am the Lord. And if a Prophet be deceived when hee hath spoken a thing I the Lord have deceived that Prophet c. Note here 1. the sinne that is supposed to bee in this people If they set up their idols in their heart c. He meaneth if they cherished idolatry in their heart and looked on their abominations as the thing that they loved 2. Consider the punishment that God threatneth against this sinne and that is twofold 1. That if such a one should come to a Prophet for instruction God would give him the answere and set his face against him c. that is instead of instructing him in his word hee would persecute him with his judgements and 2. that if a Prophet were deceived as some times they were God in his anger did suffer him to erre for a punishment to that man that came to heare with a polluted soule 3. Note the remedy or the meanes how to avoid this judgement and that is set downe in these words Repent and turne your selves from your idols and from your abominations Lay these notes together and then yee may see that if a man come to heare Gods word with a purpose of sin in his heart for every such sinne is his idol God will give him over to be seduced and to be plagued for his sin and that the purging out of sinne is the way to avoid all this mischiefe Agreeable hereunto is that also of the Apostle where hee saith of Antichrist that his comming should bee after the working of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders and with all deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse in them that perish because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved and that for this cause God should send them strong delusions that they should beleeve a lie that they all might bee damned who beleeved not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse 2. Thess 2.9 10 11. By all this we may see that if any man come to heare Gods word with a cleare conscience purged from dead works God is ever ready to teach and direct that man in the right way to heaven But if any come with a conscience defiled with knowen sinne God forsaketh that man and leaveth him to false teachers to bee seduced and mis-led to his ruine Thus the point is cleared that he who will heare with profit must first empty his soule of all sinfull lusts the uses follow Vse 1. Seeing such preparative duties are required for a profitable hearing of Gods word every wise Christian should examine himselfe how well he hath performed those duties and by them ploughed up the fallow ground of his heart that the good seed may be received into a good soile More particularly whether before his hearing hee have laboured to empty his heart of earthly thoughts that so hee might bee at leasure for God whether he have used to season his mind with heavenly thoughts at home that hee might be attentive in Gods service and whether by due examination of his wayes hee have sought to cast out all unlawfull lusts out of his soule or whether hee have not rather busied his mind with thoughts of the world when he was come before God to be instructed in his word or whether hee have not gone into Gods house without thinking whither he was a going or finally whether he have not caried some sin with him into the Church which no perswasions of the Preacher could make him to forsake Those that have prepared themselves before hand may comfort themselues with this thought that the good seede hath been sowen in good ground and therefore will bring forth fruit to eternall life But if we consider how little fruit of obedience there appeareth in the world we may well think that most men have used but small preparation before their hearing And therefore now it is high time to beginne this so necessary a work that their negligence do not make their labors fruitlesse Vse 2. Seeing the heart is not fit for the seed of Gods word till the rubbish bee weeded out and the superfluities of sinne purged away it standeth us upon to search every corner of our soules lest some lust lie lurking there which wee have not discovered nor have had
pertinent to our purpose In some such manner as this we may single out such lessons as are proper and passe by those which cannot further to a good life And this condemneth the practice of two sorts 1. of them that busie themselves about trifles and things of no worth and 2. of them who trouble themselves about other mens duties not pertinent to themselves 1. They are to bee condemned who busie themselves about trifles or frivolous things and by entertaining them do exclude things of better worth Such are they who are more affected with the Ministers wearing of a cap or a surplice or an hood then they are with their owne duty of obedience to Governours and of just dealing with their neighbours and of keeping the tongue from slandering and deriding of their betters Such men if they heare any word against a Ceremony or against a Bishop they mark and mind that and clap hands at it for joy when they can heare threatnings against hypocrisie and selfe-love and uncharitable censurings sins too ordinary with such people and yet are no whit mooved at the matter (a) Plutar. de Audit pag. 43. Plutarch telleth of one who being sick of a consumption came to a (b) Philotimus Physician to ask counsell for a sore finger the Physician perceiving that he was dangerously ill of his consumption answered Non est tibi amice adversus reduviam opus medicÃnâ My friend you have no such need of physick for a finger it is your lungs that may endaÌ„ger your life And so I may say to these men There is no such danger to your soules from a Ministers surplice or hood Your danger is from your owne sinnes your pride and selfe-love and overweening of your selves with despising of your equalls and slandering of your betters c. Cure these diseases first and then we will heare you if ye have any thing to say that may discover a fault in our Ceremonies The conclusion is They that will profit by hearing Gods word must single out such things as may help to amend their lives 2. They are justly condemned also who busie themselves about impertinent matters things which either concerne not themselves or are above their reach and capacity to understand In this sort S. Peter offended Hee when our Lord told him what conflicts himselfe was to undergo for his Master presently leaving his own businesse enquired concerning Iohn Lord what shall hee do But our Lord checked him for it If I will that he tary till I come what is that to thee follow thou mee Ioh. 21.21 22. And such a one was he that would needs know what God was a doing before he made the world to which busie question an ancient Father gave a wittie and wise answere which was Alta scrutantibus gehennas parabat hee was making hell for them that prie into his secrets August Conf. lib. 11. c. 12. pag. 74. And such like were those Monks of whom we read that they asked Copres an holy and devout man concerning Melchizedech who and what he was to whom Copres Rosw in vitis Patrum lib. 5. cap. de Humilit num 24. pag. 623. tundens tertiò os suum smiting himselfe three times on the mouth said Vae tibi Copre c. Woe to thee Copres which neglectest the things which GOD hath commanded thee to doe and searchest after those things which he never required at thy hands Hee meant by a figurative applying of their fault to himselfe to tell them how dangerous it is to be busie about unnecessary things And so if any of us shall mark and enquire into the duties of other men What the dutie of the King is in ruling of his people what the Bishops in ordering of the Church what the Ministers in preaching of the word or what the Magistrats dutie is in doing of justice wee may say to him What is that to thee who art a privat man do thou learn do thine own duty and let other men alone with their places that concerne thee not Againe if any man shall busie himself about the orders of Angels and the degrees of glory in heaven and of the acquaintance that the Saints have one with an other in an other world wee may bid him first learn what God teacheth him for his salvation when he hath learned all that then hee may have leave to enquire about needlesse things 3. Rule The last rule of wisdome in our hearing is that if any sin be reproved or any judgment threatned we should bee suspitious of our selves lest wee may be the men and in an holy jelousie applie every thing to our selves that reason will permit For even in things of this life Salves do not heale unlesse they bee applied to the wound nor medicines do not cure unlesse they be received by the Patient nor meat doth not nourish unlesse it be taken downe into the stomach And so it is here Reprehensions and comminations and caveats against sin they do not humble the sinner nor work repentance and warinesse unlesse they bee applied to the diseased and crasie soule This is apparent in the example of David Nathan being sent to him to reprove him he first told him a parable and under it described his sin but David passed over this without once thinking on himselfe who was aimed at in that speech But when Nathan once had said Thou art the man Thus saith the LORD c. then David remembred his fault and said I have sinned against the LORD And so hee repented and asked and obtained pardon 2. Sam. 12.1 c. Thus it was with David and so it is and will be with us also If sinnes be spoke against in generall onely that worketh seldom times any remorse but applie them to the conscience and that worketh repentance amendment of life Application then is most necessary But it may not bee expected that alwaies it should be done by the Preacher as here it was done by the Prophet For sometimes he can not do it because he knoweth not the particular sins whereof each man is guiltie and to be admonished and sometimes he may not do it because if hee should point out men in the pulpit he might rather offend the Assembly then amend the sinner or hee might shame him rather then reforme him Such applications by the Preacher may be usefull in privat as Nathans was but what good may come by personating men in publik I cannot conceive Seeing then that the Preacher cannot or may not make this application wise hearers must help him and make the application themselves If he tell them from the Apostle Hebr. 13.4 Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge they if any among them be privie to himself of this sin must say within himselfe I am the man that have sinned in this sort am guilty of that judgment And if Hee preach against fraud and oppression and presse upon them that of the Apostle Let no man
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
By vertue of Gods promise I grant it to be due For God hath promised heaven to good works as hath beene shewed already and promise is due debt as wee use to speake and all men do acknowledge Even a mans word tieth him to performance Gods word must needes tie him much more From hence it is that the Apostle speaking of the crown of glorie laied up in heaven for theÌ„ that serve God aright stileth God by the name of a righteous or just judge in bestowing of that reward 2 Tim. 4.8 And in an other place God saith hee is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love Heb. 6.10 Where 1. when hee saith that God doth not forget their good works hee meaneth that he leaveth them not unrewarded And 2. when he saith that God is not unjust to forget them he implieth that God should bee unjust if he did not reward their labour in his service But he speaketh more directly to the same purpose 2 Thes 1.6 7. It is a just thing with God saith he to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you and to you which are troubled rest with us Where wee may note that it is a point of justice in God as well to reward the patient suffering of Martyrs and Confessors as the wrong oppressures of persecutors and evill doers Be it granted then that a reward is due to well-doing by vertue of Gods promise who for our encouragement hath tied himselfe by this bond But yet notwithstanding there is no merit or worth in our best works by which wee may laie claime to such a reward This is cleare by the words of a S. Paul who speaking of Martyrdome and patience in persecution for CHRISTS sake which is one of the most glorious works to which CHRIST hath promised his reward yet even of this hee saith I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to bee compared with the glory that shall be reveiled Ro. 8.18 And 2 Cor. 4.17 Our light affliction saith hee worketh for us a more exceeding and eternall weight of glory Where by elevating our service in suffering for CHRIST and amplifying the reward that is given unto us for it he plainely sheweth that there is no equality or proportion betweene the work and the reward Our Saviour also when we have done all things that are commanded us And yet who is there that doth so but upon supposition that we have done all yet he teacheth us to say unto God Wee are unprofitable servants wee doe that which is our duty to doe Luk. 17.10 Hee meaneth that because it is no more then our duty doth binde us to therefore we cannot plead merit or desert God oweth us no thanks for it no more then a master oweth thanks to his servant when he hath done what he is bound by his place to do I conclude then that the reward of blessednesse promised to well-doing is due by Gods promise and not for the worth of any works And now out of all these things laied together the conclusion followeth which I propounded in the beginning that the keeping of Gods word is availeable to happinesse as a service to which eternall life is promised for a reward And hence we have these deductions for our further use 1. Seeing holinesse is a necessary condition required unto blessednesse this may be for an Admonition to all evill doers who live in any sin against conscience They may hence take notice how fearfull their state is for the present and how needfull it will be for them to begin a better life For I suppose there is no man living so desperatly madd but desireth that he may be happy nor is there any man among Christians but knoweth that happinesse is no where to be had but with God in heaven and now it appeareth by the declaration of this point that no evill doers shall ever enter into that place Take a view if ye please of all the ungodly men in the world and ye will not finde that ever any one of them hath been heretofore or shall hereafter bee received in at heaven gates In heaven I confesse there are a great multitude which no man can number of all nations and kinreds and peoples and languages but among all these there is not one drunkard nor one adulterer nor one slanderer nor one oppressor nor one deceiver nor one lier nor any one evill doer Again in heaven there is no defect or want of roome In my Fathers house said our Lord there are many mansions Ioh. 14.2 There is a mansion for the Prophets they are in the Kingdome of God Luk. 13.28 And there is a mansion for the Apostles They shall eate and drink with CHRIST in his Kingdome and sitt on thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Luk. 22.30 And there is a mansion for the Martyrs they follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth Apo. 14.4 There is a mansion for the penitent thiefe this day saith our Saviour shalt thou bee with mee in Paradise Luk. 23.43 And in a word there is a mansion for every righteous man they shall shine forth as the sun in the Kingdome of their father Matt. 13.43 And in these mansions are lodged all nations and countries in the world They shall come from the East and from the West from the North and from the South and shall sit downe with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of God Luk. 13.29 But now on the contrary side search the book of God throughout from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the Revelation and see whether ye can find any mansion any roome any hole reserved for drunkards or harlots or whoremasters or deceivers or slanderers or any other such wicked and ungodly mâ—n Oh then think upon this all ye that forget God turne unto him betime wash yee make you cleane put away the evill of your doings cease to do evill learne to do well that your sins may be made as white as snow and your soules deare in Gods sight and your selves my abecome citizens of the holy City which is above with God 2. Seeing Gods rewards in heaven are squared and proportioned according to our services good works this may be for the comfort and encouragement of all well minded people They may bee comforted in that good which they have done already as Ezekiah coÌ„forted himselfe with the remembrance of his upright life When he was in his greatest sorow and sicknesse he cheared himselfe by saying unto God Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight Is 38.3 And so Nehemiah Remember me O my God saith he concerning this and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God and for the offices thereof Nehem. 13.14 And so may every good Christian pray and expect a blessing from God for the
good deedes that hee hath done either for Gods house or for Gods people or for Gods glory Herein he hath cōfort Matt. 6.20 Luk. 14.14 that he hath laied up treasure in heaven which he shall finde with God at the last day and shall be abundantly recompensed at the Resurrection of the Just Againe hereby good men may be encouraged to well-doing because they know that their labour will not bee in vaine in the Lord. This use the Apostle made of this point He that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting And then he addeth Let us not be weary in well-doing for in due season wee shall reape if wee faint not Gal 6.8 9. He meaneth that as he that soweth much shall reape the more so hee that giveth plentifully for Gods sake for it is of liberality that hee speaketh in that place shall be plentifully rewarded at Gods hands Where further because doing of good is compared to sowing of seede and we by the example of the husbandman are stirred up to sow our seede without being weary of our labour we have hence occasion given us of two good meditations fit for this purpose 1. Med. The first is that no man thinketh his seede lost though it rot for a time in the earth because hee knoweth that at the harvest it will bring forth 20 or 30 or it may bee 40 for one And so if we give to good uses if wee relieve the oppressed abound in works of devotion though we do not presently see any profit by them yet none of them is lost when the harvest is come the cropp will make a recompense for all and we shall receive our seede with advantage 2. Med. Among men they are counted rich men that have good store of ground for their tillage every man is glad if he can purchase land where hee may sow in the spring and then reape the cropp at the harvest And so every one among us that desireth to be rich towards God should bee glad when hee hath ground to sow his seede of righteousnesse in that his cropp may be the greater at the harvest For example if we see a poore servant of CHRIST in want and distresse there is a piece of ground to sow our seedes of charity in If we relieve him wee shall enrich our selves by it And if we see a poore man oppressed by a potent neighbour here is ground to sow our seede of justice in If we can and do help him to his right wee shall gaine helpe at Gods hands an hundred fold more And if wee meete with a man that is sad and perplexed in minde here is ground to sow our seede of compassion and comfort in And if wee help to support and strengthen him in his grief God will comfort our soules against all perplexities and feare The summe is a man cannot bee a loser by doing of good deedes no more then the husbandman is a loser by sowing of his seede I pray as our Church doth Stirre up O Lord the wills of thy faithfull people that they plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works may of thee bee plenteously rewarded through JESUS CHRIST our LORD CAP. IX Hearing and Doing compared together and how and with what difference they concurre as jont helpers of our salvation Cap. 9 HItherto I have spoken of the two duties of Hearing and Doing of Gods word severally and apart now it will helpe us not a little both for understanding the right use of these duties and for attaining to blessednesse by them if for conclusion of all we compare them together consider how in what maner they concurre to the procuring of our happinesse To which purpose that I may speake the more plainely and distinctly I will set downe that which I have to say in three severall conclusions And they be these I. Concl. Hearing of Gods word whether read or preached is so farre forth onely usefull for a Christians blessednesse as it directeth and furthereth him to the keeping of Gods word and the doing of his will contained in it For proofe hereof there be these arguments or reasons 1. Arg. Hearing of Gods word is therefore availeable to blessednesse because by it we learne the way to happinesse and are by it perswaded to walk and go on in that way This to be the use of Gods word heard and read I have proved already and other use then this the Scripture reveileth none nor can any man with reason imagin any other I now add hereto as an Assumption to that proposition But the way to blessednesse is by the obedience of Gods Law and the keeping of his word This is proved by those Scriptures which call Gods commandements his waies by which he leadeth men to heaven and happinesse and our keeping or observing of those commandements a walking in that way In this kinde David describing the happy estate of a righteous man saith Blessed are they that keep his testimonies they also do no iniquity but walke in his wayes Ps 119.2 3. But Solomon more directly to this purpose Hee is in the way of life that keepeth instruction Pro. 10.17 Where 1. when he saith Hee that keepeth instruction he meaneth such a one as submitteth himselfe to be guided by Gods word and doth that which God teacheth him therein And 2. when he saith of such a man that he is in the way of life he meaneth he is going on in the right way to eternall life and happinesse And to like purpose David prayeth Teach mee the way of thy statutes and I shall keepe it unto the end Ps 119.33 and so he promiseth I will run the way of thy cōmandements when thou shalt enlarge my heart v. 32. In all which and many other sayings to like purpose wee have two things worth our observation 1. that the keeping of Gods word is a walking in Gods way and 2. that this way of God in which we are to walk is also the way of life and happinesse And from hence the collection is cleare If hearing do therefore profit us to eternall life because by it wee learne the right way that leadeth thereunto and this way bee nothing else but the keeping of Gods word then hearing is only so farre availeable to blessednesse as it furthereth us to a godly life 2. Arg. In Scriptures Hearing of Gods word is commēded unto us as the means that bringeth us to obedience and the doing of Gods word is set out as the end for which Hearing is intended This to go no further is sufficiently proved out of one booke of the Law Deuteron I meane in which the pen-man of the word doth most clearly and punctually describe the use of Gods Law In that booke chap. 4. ver 1. thus Moses speaketh to the people Hearken O Israel unto the statuts and judgements which I teach you for to do them and ver