speech that if any of us did know that there were a mine of gold to be found by seeking wee would be glad it were in our own ground wee would moreover digge the earth hew the rocks and draine the marishes that nothing might hinder our obtaining of that treasure And in such maner would Solomon have us to labour for the knowledge of God that lyeth hid in his word Young people should desire to be catechised old people to be further instructed and all both yong and olde should willingly undergoe that paines what ever it bee that may open the Mine and bring us to the sight and possession of this treasure 3. If there bee any of us who have children whose happinesse wee doe desire we learne from hence to lay the foundation thereof in the knowledge of Gods word Moses commanded parents that they should teach their children upon every occasion and acquaint them with Gods word and his commandements promising them that then their dayes and the dayes of their children should be multiplied in the land as the dayes of heaven Deut. 11.19 21. And so if ye would leave a good portion indeede for your children and provide that they may live long upon earth and eternally in heaven catechise them in the principles of Gods word sow the seedes of godlinesse in their tender mindes and teach them how to follow the directions of Gods Law and this will give them instructions to know the right way and will follow them with exhortations to goe on in the way and will never leave them till it give them possession of heaven and eternall glory CAP. VI. Hearing of Gods word Read is a meanes of blessednesse Cap. 6 HItherto hath beene declared how the word of God containeth vertue in it to make a man blessed Our Lord goeth on to tell us how this vertue may bee conveyed and communicated unto us to wit by Hearing and Keeping of it Blessed saith he are they that heare the word of God keep it I begin with hearing and hereof there are two kinds mentioned in Scripture an hearing of the word read as it is delivered in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles and an hearing of the word preached as it is unfolded and applied by the ordinarie Minister sent of God for that purpose Of both these it is true that they are meanes by which the blessednes of Gods word may bee conveyed unto us and therefore both are necessary to bee considered in their place and order First then I say that hearing of the word read out of the Scriptures is a meanes to make a man blessed or to communicate blessednesse unto him I. This is proved first by Testimonies of Scriptures I will insist onely upon two 1. The first is that of Moses Deut. 31.9 10 11 12 13. The words are Moses wrote this Law and delivered it to the Priests the sonnes of Levi And commanded them saying At the end of every seven yeares in the solemnitie of the yeare of Release in the feast of Tabernacles When all Israel is come to appeare before the Lord thy God in the place which hee shall choose Thou shalt reade this Law before all Israel in their hearing Gather the people together men and women and children and the stranger that it within thy gates that they may heare and that they may learne and feare the Lord your God and observe to doe all the words of this Law and that their children which have not knowen any thing may heare and learn to feare the Lord your God as long as ye live in the land whither ye goe over Iordan to possesse it In these words we may note for this purpose these things 1. what Moses did that is 1. he wrote this Law to wit that which God had delivered unto him for the instruction of his people 2. he delivered it to the Priests that it might be for the use of the Church And this sheweth that the law whereof Moses speaketh was the written word of God committed to the Church 2. Wee may consider what Moses commanded the Priests to doe and that is that they should reade this Law to the people And this is illustrated and amplified by 3. things 1. by the solemnity of the time when it should bee read to wit in the great feast of Tabernacles when all Israel were to bee present 2. By the universality of the persons in whose hearing it should bee read and they are specified to bee men women and children as well strāgers as natives 3. Why or for what end the Law was to bee read to all these sorts of men gathered in such multitudes And the ends are diverse one subordinat to an other ech former serving as a meanes for that which commeth after and all of them tending and conducing to an happie life the first is that they might heare it the next that by hearing they might learn it the last that by hearing and learning they might bee brought to feare God and observe and doe all the words of that Law Now laie these together that Moses wrote this Law and the Priests read this Law and the people all of them heard this Law written and read unto them by Gods appointment and all this for this end and purpose that the people might feare God and keepe his commandements and they plainely prove that the hearing of the word written and read is an approved meanes to an holy and consequently to an happy life also For hee that so heareth the word that he is a doer of the worke is blessed in his deede Iam. 1.25 2. The second testimony is that of the Prophet Ier. 36.5 6 7. Ierem. commanded Baruch saying I am shutt up I cannot goe into the house of the Lord. Therefore goe thou and reade in the Roll which thou hast written from my mouth the words of the Lord in the eares of the people in the Lords house upon the fasting day and also thou shalt reade them in the eares of all Iudah that come out of their cities It may be they will present their supplication before the Lord and will returne every one from his evill way In this passage when it is said that Ieremie being restrained that himselfe could not preach did therefore command Baruch and that by Gods appointment as appeareth vers 2 3. to reade Ieremies words in a written Roll this sheweth both that the people did heare the word written and that it was a duty of consequence and moment And secondly when he saith It may bee they will present their supplication returne this implieth that though there might be some doubt of the successe because of the obstinacy of the people Yet this was a likely way and God made choise of it for that purpose that they might relent and repent and amend their evill waies and obtaine pardon as is more plainely signified v. 3. And this againe proveth that the hearing of the word is a meanes to reclaime
what God did say unto them for the good of their soules By which things wee may see what great care God and his Church had that this dutie might be performed And the like care they have of us at this day For God hath sent his word home unto us into our owne Parishes and to many of us even hard at our doores so that wee neede not to make long journeys as the people of the Jews did who came out of all the parts of the Land to Jerusalem to worship And our Church hath assigned us the times of hearing and the Bells give us warning when the time is come And nothing is wanting that can bee desired in this kinde if we be not wanting to our selves And if after all this wee shall neglect to heare God when he speaketh unto us for our instruction what can we expect but that he should refuse to heare us when we speake to him for help and assistance Surely he threatned to deale so with his people of old Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded I will also laugh at your calamitie and mock when your feare cometh And Then shall they call upon mee but I will not answere they shall seeke mee earely but they shall not finde mee Prov. 1.24 26 28. He meaneth that because they refused to heare him when he taught them their duty out of his word therefore hee would refuse to heare them when they made their prayers for his help in their neede And so if we turn the deafe eare to God when he speaketh unto us in his word it will be just with God to turne a deafe eare to us when wee speake to him in our prayers Nay the Apostle goeth further and aggravateth our sinne above the sinne of the Jews by the circumstance of the time and persons If the word spoken by Angels saith he was stedfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward how shall wee escape if we neglect so great salvation which at fist began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him Hebr. 2.2 3. Where we have 2. things worth our noting 1. that the contempt of the Gospel spoken by Christ and his Apostles is a greater sinne then the contempt of the Law delivered by Moses and the Prophets And 2. that every contempt of Gods word whether a contempt of obeying it or which is more a contempt of hearing of it is a neglecting of our owne salvation because the hearing of the word and the obtaining of salvation are by Gods ordinance lincked together By the hearing of this word read Iosias and Antonie and Augustin were converted to God and furthered toward salvation what knoweth any of us but if we come to Church when we are invited thither we may heare that chapter or that part of the Gospell read which may turne us from some sinne or direct us to some necessary duty and in conclusion help to save our soules Ob. But some perhaps will say Nay but I can reade the Bible at home and what neede I then to come to Church to heare it read there This Objection involveth in it two questions both which are worthy of our consideration 1. Whether reading of Gods word may be a sufficient excuse to free us from hearing it read 2. Whether reading or hearing it read in privat may excuse us from hearing it read in the publick assembly Of these severally And first for the former question that I may speake more clearely and distinctly I will part mine answere into three assertions or propositions 1. Prop. There is good use of both the one and the other For hearing the word read I have delivered my reasons already and the very same reasons may serve to prove the use of our reading it also For first it hath the testimony of Scriptures The King is commanded to reade the booke of the Law that thereby he may learn to do his duty Deut. 17.18 19. And when one asked of our Lord what he should do to be saved our Lord answered him by asking an other question What is written in the Law how readest thou Luk. 10.25 26. implying that by reading the Scriptures he might have learned an answere to his question and thereby have beene directed how to be saved And Matt. 12.3 Have ye not read saith our Saviour what David did c. And that implyeth that by reading that passage of Scripture they might have been better informed then to have condemned the guiltlesse Thus Reading of Scriptures by our selves is confirmed by Testimonies of Scripture as well as the hearing of it read by the Minister 2. Secondly it may be proved by examples of holy men who have used this practise to their great profit for example Daniel by reading the Prophecie of Ieremie understood Gods will for delivering Israel out of their captivity Dan. 9.2 The Eunuch by reading of Isay the Prophet was brought in the end to the knowledge of the Messias and Saviour of the world Act. 8.32 And S. Augustin by reading Rom. 13.13 was converted from a vitious to a godly life And so if we reade Gods word with attention and care wee may understand Gods will for our Redemption from Satan and sinne and we may learn that which may direct us to Christ the Saviour of the world and may meete with some motives that may worke in us remorse and repentance These uses of reading Gods word may be learned by the examples produced 3. Reading of Scriptures hath the like benefits and helps of grace as were observed to arise from hearing of them read For 1. reading as well as hearing may acquaint us with the history of the Church and the providence that God hath used in the governing and ordering of it 2. It may instruct us in the duties of our callings and places for therefore the King was commanded to reade the Law that hee might learne to feare the Lord his God and keepe all the words of the Law c. Deut. 17.19 20. 3. It will acquaint us with the words and phrases and sentences of Gods word and these being layed up in our memories will prepare us for a profitable hearing of Sermons And 4 it will occasion us and enable us when wee doubt of any thing to desire direction from the learned and by their directions to learne what we could not understand by our selves These helps of reading I onely name and do but point at them because the former proofes used in the point of hearing are as applicable to this of reading For these two reading the word by our selves and hearing it read by others do alike represent to our minds the meaning of the holy Ghost in Scriptures the difference in this respect only is that the one doth it by the eye and the other by the eare which in respect of the maine end the instruction and salvation of our
state a controversie and to give rules of a godly life then any other can do who hath not studied the points aforehand and turned over his bookes for his better information But if there bee any of us preachers who studie the world on the week daies and then preach on Gods day what commeth next to our lips I speake not of such nor dare I commend them for men that may direct Gods people in the way of godlinesse no nor them neither who value their labours by the number of Sermons which they preach rather then by the solid notes of instruction which they do deliver Such men may please idle professors who make their religion an eare-labour as Papists make their prayers a lip-labour But understand me of such preachers as besides their former studies do bestow the weeke dayes for provision on the Lords day and no man will denie but such are more able to teach godlinesse then they who have spent all the week on profane or worldly occasions There is great reason then to thinke that the learned preacher may teach us more of Gods truth then possibly we could learne by our selves And out of all this wee may observe the great mercy of God towards us and his great love to our soules who hath provided such varietie of meanes to bring us to happinesse and eternall glory First he hath given us opportunitie of reading his word at home in a knowen tongue and then hee hath provided us meanes that wee may heare it read in the publik congregation and lastly that both the publik and privat reading may bee made more profitable and usefull hee sendeth his preachers to guide us in the right understanding and applying of his word as he sent Philip to the Eunuch to instruct him in the faith And if after all this wee neglect so great salvation offered unto us how shall we escape the just judgment of God who commanded the unprofitable servant to bee cast into outer darknesse where is weeping and gnashing of teeth Surely for such a neglect God complaineth of the Jews as of men that had despised both his mercies and their owne comforts I saith he have written unto them the great things of my Law but they were counted as a strange thing Hos 8.12 Where 1. when he saith I have written the great things of my Law he putteth them in minde that his word is not a thing of small value or not worth the reckoning and esteeme But as Moses said of his Law It is no vaine thing for you because it is your life Deuter. 32.47 So our God telleth his people that his word was no vaine or idle thing but the things therein contained were great things matters of life and eternall happinesse 2. When hee saith I have written unto them these great things he implieth that these weightie things are hard at hand lying by them in store that they may take up the Bible and read and learne those rules and directions that may carie them into heaven 3. When he addeth But they these great things of my Law were counted as a strange thing he upbraideth the people with their great negligence or contempt rather that having such a faire opportunity they despised so great salvation as if it were a matter that concerned them not And so it will bee with us Christians if we neglect either to read Gods word by our selves in privat or to heare it read in publik now that we have it so fairely and legibly written for our uses God may chide us for our contempt of his mercies that upon better grounds and with more reason then hee did chide the Jews For 1. he wrote indeede great things for them but they are farre greater things that he hath written for us They had the books of the old Testamēt wherein CHRIST and salvation were scantly and obscurely taught but we besides those books have the writings of the Evangelists Apostles wherein CHRIST JESUS is crucified before our eyes wee are brought into the Sanctum Sanctorum the Holy of Holies that wee may see God as it were with open face In respect of which cleare light it is that Kings and Prophets have desired to see those things which wee see and have not seene them Nay the very Angels in heaven did desire to looke into those things 1. Pet. 1.12 which are made knowen by the preaching of the Gospell Besides these greater things of the Gospell are conveyed to us in a more easie and lesse costly way then to our fathers of olde They had Gods word penned by the hand of a Scrivener which required much paines in the writer and great cost in the Buyer and some skill in the reader of it But since God hath sent printing into the world we may purchase the whole Bible at a lesse price then our fathers could have obtained S. Matthews Gospell alone and every boy girle may reade with readinesse and speede that which the learned might stumble or stopp at The summe is God offereth us a greater treasure at an easier rate and if now wee despise or set light by such a mercie God may complaine of us with more reason then hee did of the Jews I have written to them the great things of my Law but they are counted with them as a strange thing Againe God upbraideth the Jews for an other contempt of the like mercie The Lord saith Jeremie sent unto you his servants the Prophets rising earely and sending them but ye have not hearkened nor inclined your eare to heare Ier. 25.4 Hee meaneth that besides the Law written hee sent the Prophets to preach and explaine and applie that Law unto them but they contemned all as things of no value And is it not so with us too God hath sent preachers in abundance and what use wee have made of their labours let him judge that knoweth what our dealings be I onely will say how shall wee escape Gods anger if we neglect so great salvation It importeth us then to make use of these mercies which being used aright may help to make us blessed and being neglected may breede no small danger For our better direction wherein besides what hath beene said already wee may take these further observations or rules If God give us the opportunitie of these helps together as to most of us he hath we must not separate in our practice those things which God hath joyned together in his precept It is our dutie to reade the Scriptures at home and it is no lesse our duty to heare them read in the Church and a duty also it is to heare the word preached All of them have their use all of them are commended to us in the Scriptures all of them are availeable for salvation and consequently all of them are to be made use of by us in the fitt season If any man shall sett Gods ordinances together by the eares and is either so addicted to privat reading
that hee despiseth publik hearing or so honoreth the word preached that hee neglecteth the word read I may say to him and all such as hee is as (a) Iam. 2.4 11. S. Iames said in a like case Ye are partiall in your selfes and are become Iudges of evill thoughts For he that said Heare the word preached said also Heare the word read yea and reade it in your privat dwellings and therefore if ye heare it preached will not heare it read ye are become transgressors of the Law The conclusion is They that will be blessed may not make a divorce betweene those ordinances which God hath made joint helps to a blessed life 2. If necessitie do at any time force us to forbeare some of these helps wisedome must teach us to make the more diligent use of the rest For example if sicknesse or some unavoidable necessitie do keepe us from hearing in the Church wee must bee the more diligent in reading at home And if want of education in our younger dayes hath left us unable to reade Scriptures by our selves wee must be the more carefull to heare them read by others And if attendance on children or other necessary occasions cause us to keepe our servants at home when others are busied in the service of the Church we should do our endevour to supplie the losse of publik instructions by our privat admonitions and by rehearsing to them at home those good directions which our selves did receive in the publik ministerie And he or she that is carefull thus to make up their wants and defects though sometimes they be hindered by occasion yet will gaine good opportunities which will guide both themselves and their people to true blessednesse and eternall glory CAP. VIII The keeping of Gods word is an other meanes to make a man blessed Cap. 8 HItherto I have spoken of hearing of Gods word the former meanes commended by our Saviour for attaining happinesse and eternall life Now followeth the second which is the keeping of the word heard For clearing of which point two things are necessarie to be knowen 1. How farre wee may and must keepe Gods word that we may be blessed 2. How this keeping of Gods word is availeable for blessednesse and eternall life §. 1. I. How farre wee may and must keepe Gods word For unfolding of this doubt three questions are to bee solved 1. What it is to keepe Gods word 2. how farre in this life a man is able to keep it and 3. Whence we have abilitie to keepe it in such sort 1. Quest What it is to keepe Gods word Ans This word to keepe when it is applied to speeches or doctrines as in this place it is hath two uses in Scripture For it signifieth either to keep in minde and memorie or to keep in our life and practice In minde and memorie we kepe it when with care we committ and laie it up in memorie do often think on it and revolve it in our mindes Thus the blessed Virgin kept what shee had heard concerning her Sonne and our Saviour For so it is said that the Shepheards of Bethleem upon the vision that they had seene and the words that the Angels had spoken unto them concerning the birth of CHRIST Came to Bethleem with haste and found Mary and Ioseph the Babe lying in a manger And when they had seene it they made knowen abroad the saying that was tould them concerning this childe Then the Text addeth But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart Luk. 2.16 17 19. And in the same chapter ver 51. When shee had found her Sonne JESUS being then but twelve years of age sitting in the Temple and reasoning and disputing with the Doctors and alledging for his so doing that he must be about his fathers businesse his Mother saith the Text kept all these sayings in her heart The meaning is shee layed them up in her memorie and often thought on them in her minde Secondly we keep Gods word in life and practice when we do that which God in his word requireth to be done by us Thus the word is used 1 Kings 11.10 where it is said of Solomon that hee * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 kept not that which the Lord commanded him And in this sense is the word frequently taken in the Scriptures as Ezek. 20.19 Walk in my statutes and keepe my judgements and do them And so Genes 18.19 Abraham will command his children and they shall keepe the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment And Exod. 15.26 If thou wilt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God And wilt keep all his statutes I wilt put none of these diseases upon thee c. And in the new Testament All these commandements have I kept from my youth up saith the yong man Matt. 19.20 And yee have received the Law by the disposition of Angels and have not kept it saith S. Stephen to the Jews Act. 7.53 And so in many other places both in the old and new Testament so that I may safely say that this is the common and usuall acception of this word Now of these two uses of the word * Rivet in Exo. 20.8 pag. 157. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 5.12 est à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod est servare sive cōservare etiā tenere retinere quod fit memoriâ indicatque hoc verbum curam sollicitudinem diligentiam ne emittatur vel effluat aut excutiatur quod observandum est Hoc sensu verbo custodiendi vel servandi usus est Dominus Beati qui verbum Dei audiunt custodiunt illud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luc. 11.28 Doctor Rivet maketh choise of the former as fitt for this place When our Saviour saith Blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he thinketh that heere is meant a keeping in memory or a care and sollicitude that the word which wee have heard do not slipp from us and be forgotten But to my thinking the Angell in the Revelation construeth it in the later sense or signification when uttering for substance the very same sentence that our Saviour used in this place he expresseth it in these words Blessed are they that do his commandements that they may have right to the tree of life c. And surely the common use of the word in this sense and the intention of our Saviours speech being compared with other like speeches in Scripture and the generall streame of Interpreters who run this way may perswade any man and do give mee sufficient warrant to understand this word in the later sense and to say that to keep Gods word in this place is as much as to do it and obey it Notwithstanding I will grant thus much to D. Rivet that the sense which he putteth upon the word may be included or implied in this place if wee construe the words to this
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
5. I have taught you statuts and judgements that ye should do so and ver 10. God himselfe saith of his people I will make them to heare my words that they may leà rne to feare me that is to serve and obey me Againe chap. 5.1 Heare ô Israel saith Moses the statuts and judgements which I speake in your eares this day that ye may learne them and know them and do them And ver 31. God himselfe speaketh I will speake saith he all the commandements and statuts and judgemēts which thou shalt teach them that they may doe them The like speechs are found Deuter. 6.1 2. and 31.12 and elswhere but where the case is clear it is needles to heape up proofs Thus much is plaine from hence that Hearing is the meanes and Doing is the end for which Hearing serveth Now concerning things the one whereof is the meanes and the other the end the Learned give us this rule finis dat mediis mensuram the end prescribeth unto the meanes their quantity and measure namely how much and how far how often they may be used and that is so as is requisit for attaining of the end Others deliver the rule thus Media accipiunt amabilitatem ordinem mensuram à finc the desire and order and measure of the meanes are to be esteemed and must bee regulated by the end for which they are intended and for which they do serve so that they are to be used neither more nor lesse but so as they may further that end For better explaining of this take these examples Health is the end which both the Physician and the patient do aime at and Physick is the meanes either to recover or preserve it and therefore Physick is onely so farre forth good and to be used in that maner and measure as may further the patients health Againe meat and drink and exercise are the meanes strength and life and vigour are the end for which these meanes were ordained And therefore meat and drink and exercise are onely so far forth desireable as they are effectuall to preserve life and strength And just so it is in the case now propounded Hearing learning of Gods word are the meanes doing performing of that word is the end for which Hearing is intended It followeth Therefore hearing is only so farre forth good as it furthereth a godly life 3. Arg. Hearing and learning are exercises onely fit for a state of imperfection where men have neede of these helps to bring them unto and keepe them in obedience of Gods Laws And for this cause while we remaine in this mortall life where such is our ignorance that without instructions from Gods word wee know not how to serve him aright and such is our backwardnesse to good things that unlesse wee be eftsoones incited and urged to the doing of our duty out of the grounds of Gods word we would go in a blindefold securitie to hell and destruction in this life I say and while we are subject to these defects weaknesses there is necessary use of hearing and reading and learning But in heaven where is no ignorāce nor no backwardnesse nor no such defects infirmities there hearing and all helps of perswasion are of no use To this purpose the Apostle telleth us that Prophecies shall failc and the gift of tongues shall cease and knowledge * Ordinarium docendi munus Beza that is Arts sciēces serving for instruction shall vanish away 1 Cor. 13.8 And he giveth the reason of it in the next words for saith he we know in part and we prophecie in part but when that which is perfect is come then that which is unperfect shall bee done away He meaneth that these helps were ordained for a state of imperfection in which wee have neede of teaching and exhorting to supplie our defects but when wee shall bee perfect in knowledge and shall be ready to serve God without let then all these meanes of teaching and learning shall bee done away Whence I inferre that as the Angels in heaven do not heare Sermons nor read Scriptures nor use any other helps of learning or instruction so in the life to come when we also shall be like the Angels in heaven we shall neither heare nor reade nor learne any more And because hearing onely serveth to instruct us while we know not how to serve God aright to perswade us to serve God while wee may be drawen away from his service therefore Hearing of Gods word profiteth us only so farre as it serveth to make us better which is that which I said in my first conclusion II. Concl. Hearing of Gods word if it bee separated from doing is rejected in Scriptures as a thing of no worth This is proved 1. By that saying of our Saviour Matt. 7.26 Every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doth them not shall be likened to a foolish man which built his house upon the sand or as S. Luke hath it He is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth against which the streame did beate vehemently immediately it fell and the ruine was great Luk. 6.49 2. By that reproofe mentioned in the Prophet where it is said of the Jews to their reproch They heare thy words but they do them not Ezek. 33.32 Where expresly hee onely telleth what they did do but impliedly blameth reproveth them for so doing 3. By that exhortation of the Apostle Be ye doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving your owne selves Iam. 1.22 In which words the Apostle first giveth us a rule concerning Gods word and that is expressed both affirmatively Be yee doers and negatively not Hearers onely And secondly of this rule hee giveth us a reason because if a man heare do not do he deceiveth himselfe The meaning is he thinketh he serveth God by hearing of his word that thereby hee may further his owne salvation but he that thinketh so deceiveth his owne soule and will misse of his expectation The conclusion hence is Hearing without doing is a labour in vaine the practice of a foolish man and consequently rejected of God as a thing of no worth III. Concl. Hearing of Gods word without practicing what we learne by it doth hurt the soule by aggravating of the sinne This is proved 1. From the rule of our Saviour The servant that knew his Lords will and prepared not himselfe neither did according to his will shall bee beaten with many stripes c. for to whomsoever much is given of him shall bee much required and to whom men have committed much of him they will ask the more Luk. 12.47 48. Consider here 1. a doctrine The servant that knew his Lords will c. and 2. the proofe of it for to whomsoever much is given c. And from both these the conclusion is that where God giveth a man more meanes and better opportunities of learning and knowing Gods will
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
thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument For they heare thy words but they do them not Ezek. 33.30 31 32. Where wee may note that though this people shewed great zele in flocking to the Prophets Sermons Yet all that they cared for was to please themselves in his words not unlike them who heare a piper or a fidler because they delight in the musick This fault was in (a) Aug. confess l. 5. c. 13 14 pag. 43. S. Aug. before his conversion he went to hear S. Ambrose not for any care of his doctrine but for love to his eloquence and rhetorike And such also was the fault of those Monks of whom (b) Qâ—â—m fratribus quibusdam de rebus necessariis ac spiritualibus disputaâ—et eosque videret lethaeo quodam sopore demergi otiosam repente faâ—ulam introduxit c. Cassian de Instit li 5 c. 31. See Eras Chiliad p. 325. de Asin umâ—ra Cassian reporteth that while the Abbot was discoursing about points of faith and religion fell into a dead sleepe but when the old father meaning to correct their drowsines began to tell them a merie tale of some idle fiction then they rubbed their eies and lifted up their eares and heard him with great attention And not much unlike is the fault of many in our daies For some like no Sermons but such as are stuffed with fine words and abound with wittie turnings which make musick to the eares like the gallants of our time who like no clothes but those which are cut and jagged and according to the new fashion Others if they heare a Preacher that hath both eloquence and good matter they single out the rhetorick for their use and passe over the matter as unworthy of their noting These kind of hearers * Plutarch de audit p. 41. Plutarch compareth to women who gather out of their gardens such flowers as may make a nosegay or adorne the windows of their house and I may not unfitly compare them to some Gentlemen among us who with great cost and care plant Tulips and strange flowers which delight the eie with varietie of colours but respect not either pott herbs that may serve for meate or physicall flowers that are fit for medicine But good hearers saith Plutarch are more like to Bees For as they sit upon thyme and such other herbs whence they may gather most honey though they be bitter and unpleasant to the taste so good hearers delight in such Teachers from whom they may gather best caveats against sinne and best rules for a godly life and out of every Sermon they will pick that which is most for their soules health though it have some bitternesse and unpleasant relish with it If men then in hearing of Sermons respect the tickling of the eare with fine words rather then the stablishing of the soule with holesome doctrine these are a sort of bad hearers And therefore when our Saviour said Take heede how ye heare he meant that among other faults in our hearing we should beware of itching eares which love vain delight more then solid doctrine V. The fifth and last sort of bad hearers are those that bee fruitlesse which heare but do not like the fruitlesse figge tree which made a faire shew by its greene leaves but had no fruit that might refresh nature And these hearers are of two sorts proud profane men 1. Proud men I call such who when they know what God commandeth and are in conscience convinced of the truth yet will not submit to Gods Law but break through all without feare Such were the Iewes of whom Ieremy writeth that when hee had told them of their idolatrie with Gods expresse command to the contrary they answered As for the word which thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord we will not hearken unto thee but wee will doe whatsoever goeth out of our owne mouth c. Ier. 44.16 And not much unlike unto these though somewhat more shamefast then they are those other mentioned by the same Prophet Ieremie had told them from God that they should not goe into Egypt Chap. 42. and then it followeth Chap. 43. Then spake Azariah and Iohanan and all the proud men saying to Ieremiah Thou speakest falsely the Lord our God hath not sent thee to say Goe not into Egypt to sojourne there But Baruch the sonne of Neriah setteth thee on against us for to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans c. So they obeyed not the voice of the Lord to dwell in the land of Iudah Ier. 43.2 3 4. In these passages of the Prophet note 1. the difference betweene these two sorts of men the first are peremptory and plaine We will not hearken say they but the latter maketh an excuse though an unjust one Thou speakest falsely say they to the Prophet and The Lord hath not sent thee c. 2. Consider their agreement in the like sinne they both refused to hearken and obey Gods word 3. See the censure that God passeth on them which is that they are proud men For so it is expressely said of the more manerly sort and therefore must necessarily be meant of the more peremptory if he bee a proud man that obeyeth not because he saith the Lord had not said so hee is much more proud that saith I will not hearken to the word of the Lord. And proud men the Prophet calleth theÌ„ because they durst withstand Gods word when it is evidently declared unto them And so in our dayes wee have some that are peremptory and say they will do it the rather because the Preacher prateth so much against them Others are more manerly in making of excuses sometimes they alledge danger and sometimes their care for wife and children and sometimes occurrences of necessary businesses and such other reasons like the guests in the Gospel who thought themselves excused because they had maried a wife and bought a yoke of oxen and purchased a piece of Land But of all it is true that they may rightly be called proud men if they presume to disobey when Gods will is made manifest to their consciences And therefore it is that David calleth the sinnes of such men * Substantive positum significat peccata quae quis sciens ac volens-perpetrat Schâ—ndl Pentagl in verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is word for word Prides or proud sinnes which for perspicuity sake is rendred in our Bibles presumptuous sins and they in the Text are opposed to secret sinnes or sins of ignorance and inadvertencie Who can understand his errours saith David cleanse thou mee from secret faults Keepe back thy servant also from presumptuous sinnes let them not have dominion over me then shall I be upright and I shall be innocent from the great transgression Psal 19.12 13. By this appeareth that some sort of
description of the doctrinall vertue contained in Gods word If any desire further consent of other Scriptures he may take that of David Thy word is a lanterne to my feete and a light unto my pathes Psal 119 105. and that of Solomon All the words of my mouth are in righteousnesse there is nothing froward or perverse in them and that of Isay To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Isay 8.20 and that of our Saviour Do not ye erre because ye know not the Scriptures Mar. 12.24 By all which as by other like places of Scripture it is cleare that the Scriptures shew the right way and the ignorance of Scriptures is the cause that men erre and goe astray out of the way II. Secondly the word of God containeth blessednesse in it because it affordeth arguments of perswasion and by them doth win our assent to walk in that way And that it doth 3. wayes 1. By loving invitations such as these are I beseech you by the mercifulnes of God c. Rom. 12.1 and God doth beseech you by us and We pray you in Christs stead Bee yee reconciled unto God 2 Cor. 5.20 2 It perswadeth by gracious promises of much good to be obtained such as these are Keep sound wisdome and discretion So shall they be life unto thy soule and grace unto thy neck When thou liest down thou shalt not be afraid Yea thou shalt lie down and thy sleep shall be sweete Bee not afraid of sudden feare neither of the desolation of the wicked when it commeth For the Lord shall be thy confidence and shall keep thy foot from being taken Prov. 3.21 c. and such is that of Moses Blessed shalt thou be in the City and in the field Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body c. Deut. 28.2 c. and that of our Saviour There is no man that hath left house or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my sake and the Gospels but hee shall receive an hundred fold now in this time houses and brethren c. and in the world to come eternall life Mar. 10.29 30. 3. It perswadeth by threatning of plagues and punishments against all disobedience and sin such as these are If thou shalt corrupt thy selfe and shalt do evill in the sight of the Lord thy God c. I call heaven and earth to witnesse against you this day that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto yee goe to possesse it Deut. 4.26 and that of the Apostle God will take vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power 2 Thes 1.8 9. and that of our Saviour at the last judgement Then shall he say to them on the left hand depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devill and his Angells Mat. 25.41 These and such like bee the arguments of perswasion which the Scriptures use to keep us in the way of righteousnesse and to bring us to eternall life And he that hath the heart of a man in him and is not moved with such reasons hath in the shape of a man cast off all humanity and reason If intreaties by the mercies of God in Christ Jesus move us not wee are more unthankfull then many bruites be which attend on their Masters by whom they are fed If promises of rewards and happinesse do not move us we may be thought insensible sensible of our owne welfare And if punishments and plagues especially the worme that dyeth not and the fire that never is quenched if these move us not how far short doe wee come of the wisdome that is in the dogg and the horse and the asse all which are forced to obedience by the rod and the spurre and the whip even when they are but threatned against them And consequently if these many forcible perswasions contained in Gods word do not worke with us to the obedience of Gods will the complaint will bee just against us that was used against the Jews What could have beene done more in my vineyard that I have not done it it Wherefore when I looked that it should bring forth grapes brought it forth wilde grapes Is 5.4 III. Thirdly there is a vertue of blessednesse in Gods word because where it is preached it bringeth with it that grace of God which being entertained by us doth enable us both to beleeve what it teacheth and to performe what it perswadeth unto The proofes of this point are gathered to my hands by our learned Divines of great Britaine who were a chiefe part of the Dort-Councell And as they have set them downe so I shall relate them from their pen. * Suffr de 2. art thesi 5. pag. 30. They having said two things in their position 1. that together with the preaching of the Gospell some measure of grace is offered 2. that it is so much as may convince men of contempt or negligence if they be not reformed by it they add for proofe of the former that it is plaine out of Scriptures and from thence they alledge Isa 59. ult This is my covenant with them saith the Lord My spirit that is upon thee and my words that I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth from henceforth and for evermore Upon which words they comment to this purpose Hinc patet From hence it is plaine that the Word and the Spirit are * Individuo nexu inseparably by Gods promise joyned together in the ministery of the word And from hence say they the ministers of the new Testament are called the ministers not of the letter but of the spirit not of the killing letter but of the quickning spirit 2 Cor. 3.6 And the ministery of the Gospell is called the ministration of the spirit v. 8. Hence also the Gospel is called Grace that bringeth salvation Tit. 2.11 the word of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.19 And Luk. 10.9 11. When Christ sent his seventie disciples to preach the Gospell he commanded them to say to their hearers The Kingdome of God is come nigh unto you doubtlesse because supernatural grace was administred to those men to whom the Gospell was preached Againe for proofe of the 2. point that there is so much grace offered as may convince them of contempt who doe not beleeve and obey the same learned men alledge that of our Saviour Ioh. 15.22 If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sinne but now they have no cloke for their sin From this place it is plaine say they that Christ in propounding of the Gospell did also administer that internall grace which was thus far sufficient that because they did not accept but reject the
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
men from sinne and to procure their pardon and consequently to make them blessed For blessed is he saith David whose transgression is forgiven and whose sinne is covered Psal 32.1 And thus much for Testimonies II. Secondly the same truth is proved by the constant practice and custome of Gods Church who from time to time have still caused the Scriptures to be read to the people according as was prescribed by Moses in the Law So for example Moses who wrote that Law for others did observe it himselfe He tooke the booke of the covenant and read in the audience of the people as himselfe saith Exod. 24.7 Ioshua did the like He read all the words of the Law the blessings and the cursings according to all that is written in the booke of the Law There was not a word of all that Moses commanded which Ioshua read not before all the Congregation of Israel with the women the little ones and the strangers that were conversant among them Iosh 8.34 35. And in the new Testament it is further said that Moses was read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day Act. 15.21 and chap. 13.27 the like is said of the Prophets that they were read every Sabbath day and v. 15. there is mention made of reading both of them together After the reading of the Law and the Prophets the Rulers of the Synagogue sent unto them to wit to Paul and his fellows being now present at their service in the Synagogue as it is vers 14. and invited them to use some exhortation unto the people By which passage it appeareth to have been the usuall custome of that Church that both that Law of Moses and the writings of the Prophets were read to the people for their instruction Which custome the a Buxtorf de Abbrev. Hebr. tit de Paraschis pag. 249. Jo. Gerhard Epist dedic praefixaÌ„ homiliis dominical Seraâ— in Maccab. pag. 613 614. Lorâ—n in Deuter. 31.10 11 12 13. learned tell us was observed in this maner The Law that is the five books of Moses they divided into 53. Sections and every week they read one of them for the first lesson that so once a yeare they might reade it all over And out of the Prophets they gathered as many Sections which were of like argument to those of the Law and those they read as second lessons answerable in matter to the former These Sections and lessons both in the Law and the Prophets are distinguished and noted out in the Hebrew Bible by which every one may see what portions of the Bible were read every Sabbath to the people The like custome hath beene observed in the Christian Churches also b Cassian Institut li. 2. c. 6. Gaz. ibid. Cassian telleth us that in those ancient times the Religious Fathers after the reading of the Psalmes did add geminas Lectiones unam veteris aliam novi Testamenti 2. Lessons one out of the old an other out of the new Testament By which words wee may learne that the custome now used in our Churâ—hes was begun in the time of the primitive Church onely with this difference that whereas we now a daies do constantly reade our lessons one out of the olde and an other out of the new they on the Saterdaies and Sundaies for in those olde times they kept both of them as holy dayes appointed and read both the lessons out of the new Testament By all which it appeareth that the Church of God in all ages have still beene accustomed to reade the Text of the Scriptures to the people the reason cannot bee imagined to be any other then this that the people by hearing the Scriptures read might learne to serve God aright and by his service might obtaine eternall life And this proveth that in all ages the hearing of the Scriptures read hath been esteemed as an ordinary way to blessednes immortal life III. Thirdly this point may further bee proved and made more cleare by considering the benefits and helps that a good Christian may reape by hearing the word read And they bee these and such like 1. It serveth to acquaint the people of God with the history of the Chuch and Gods dealing with it For example they may heare in the olde Testament how God created the world punished Adam and Eve for their disobedience drowned the whole world for their overflowing sins excepting Noah and his househould whom he had found upright in that wicked generation how hee destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah with fire and brimstone from heaven delivered the people of Israel out of the hand of the Egyptians led them through a vaste wildernes into a fruitfull land dryed up the river Jordan and the red Sea to make a passage for his chosen ones with many mo such occurrences which ech one may learne by the hearing of the Text read and by them may understand the goodnesse of God the ingratitude of most men and the dutie of all with many others points of instructions conducing towards a blessed life Againe in the new Testament if men heare the first chapters of S. Matthew read they will learne that CHRIST our LORD was borne of a Virgin persecuted by Herod honored by the wise men and miraculously preserved against those that sought his life If they proceede further to the following chapters there they will heare what miracles our Lord wrought what doctrines of religion he taught what tentations he endured and how hee lived from the Cradle to the Crosse And if they continue their hearing till the end of the Gospell bee finished they may acquaint themselves with the maner of his Passion and his Buriall and his Resurrection and his Ascension into heaven all maine points of the Christian Faith and such as every one ought to beleeve for the saving of his soule And yet further by hearing the history of the Acts and the Epistles of the Apostles they may see how the Apostles preached to the Gentiles planted the Churches healed the sick converted the Nations and suffered great wrongs for their masters sake The knowledge of all which will both guide us in the way to heaven and spurre us forward to go on towards eternall life For as David after hee had rehearsed Gods dealings with the ancient Fathers concludeth in the end of all Whoso is wise and will observe these things they shall understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord. Ps 107.43 So may I say of these and the like passages in Gods word that whoso is wise and when hee hath heard them will consider them they shall understand the wisedome and power and goodnesse and providence of God in the ordering of his Church together with his justice severitie against all them that would not be reclaimed and amended and hereby receive instruction for their owne soules 2. Secondly the hearing of the Scriptures read may serve to teach us many necessary duties of piety and an holy life Every one of us may learne
somewhat hereby that may direct us how to serve God how to honor our Superiours how to governe our inferiours and how to behave our selves towards all men For though the full distinct unfolding of these points bee left to the learned preacher who is therefore brought up in Scholasticall studies that he may be able to instruct the people in the sense of Scriptures and in the duties of their calling more perfectly then they could possibly learne by their owne industrie Yet even of them selves by hearing the word read with attention they may understand a good part of their dutie both towards GOD and men For who is there even among the meanest Christians but if he heare the 20. chapter of Exodus read will presently resolve with himselfe that hee is bound to reverence his parents not to kill or strike his neighbour not to wrong him in his wife in his goods or in his good name Or who that shall heare the 13. chapter to the Romans read but will presently conceive that it is his duty to obey the Magistrate Or if he heare the 5. and 6. chapters to the Ephesians but will know by the very words that he is bound to do faithfull service to his master if he bee a servant to be kinde to his wife if he bee a maried man and dutiful to his parents if he be a childe that is under government and carefull for the education of his children if he bee a father of sonnes or daughters And the like may be said of other the like cases All which shew that the hearing of Scriptures read may availe a man much to the leading of an holy life The further illustration whereof may be had out of some few examples First then Athanasius an ancient Doctor of the Church Athanas in vita S. Antonii pag. 445. telleth of S. Antonie that having first revolved in his minde how the Apostles forsooke all and followed CHRIST he came into the Church and in the Gospell which was then read he heard the saying of our Saviour to the yong rich man If thou wilt be perfect sell all that thou hast and give to the poore and come and follow me and thou shalt have treasure in heaven Matt. 1921. And as soone as hee had heard that sentence hee went home and sould his possessions and gave them to the poore and leaving all further care of the world he betooke himselfe wholly to a devout life Secondly August Confess lib. 8 cap. 12. pag. 37. S. Augustin telleth of himselfe that having heard of this storie of saint Antonie how he by hearing the Gospell read was converted to God hee in imitation of this holy man tooke up the booke that lay by to reade for hearing of Gods word read and reading of it do not much differ in this respect and opening the booke at all adventure he read what first came to hand and that was the saying of the Apostle Let us walke honestly as in the day not in rioting and drunkennes not in chambering and wantonnesse not in strife and envying c. Rom. 13.13 Part of which words did so strike his heart that he presently forsook his loose life and betooke himselfe to Gods service Thirdly the booke of God it selfe telleth us that Iosias having heard the words of the Law read which threatened judgment against such sinnes as were then too common among them He humbled himselfe rent his clothes and wept before the Lord and caused the booke to be read in the audience of the people and both hee and they moved by the hearing of the booke read made a covenant with the Lord for conversion and amendment of life as is recorded in the 2. booke of Kings in the end of the 22. and in the beginning of the 23. chapter By these examples wee learne that if men come to the hearing of the word read with honest teacheable hearts as these good men d d they may heare that by the sole reading of the text by which they may be brought to repentance for their sins and a carefull and devout service of the Lord their God as these holy men were before them 3. Thirdly the hearing of the word read if it bee heard with attention and reverence as it alwaies should will prepare and fitt peoples mindes for a profitable hearing of Sermons For when the Preacher in handling any point shall alledge the Text he that hath beene an attentive hearer of the word read and hath imprinted the sayings of Scripture in his minde will remember and acknowledge the words as they are cited explained and hereby hee will gaine these helps towards a godly life 1. Hee will learne the sense and meaning of hard places if any be expounded unfolded by the Preacher which himselfe understood not before 2. he will be able as his minde goeth along with the preachers words in part to judge of the truth soundnesse of his allegations and afterward more fully and exactly to examine the things that were spoken as the Bereans examined S. Pauls doctrine whether those things were so as hee had said And lastly he will be enabled to remember every thing that is said the better a good part of the Sermon being setled in his memory by his former reading and the rest having neare coherence with it and dependance on it And he that is furnished with these abilities will easily profit by all that the preacher teacheth But contrariewise he that heareth Texts alledged in a Sermon which he had never heard of before can neither judge of the sense that is put upon them nor understand the sequels that are deduced from them nor remember to any purpose what hath beene alledged out of them I conclude then that he who will profit by the word preached must not neglect to heare the word read that hee may imprint the sentences of the Scripture in his minde 4. Fourthly by hearing the word read though sometimes we understand not the meaning yet we may at least fasten the words in our memories if we carie away but the words and phrases onely we may thereby bee occasioned to ask direction from others who understād them better The Eunuch when he read the Prophecie of Isai understood it not but was hereby moved to enquire of the meaning of the Text. I pray thee saith he of whom speaketh the Prophet this of himselfe or of some other man Act. 8.34 And upon this occasion Philip explained him the text preached unto him the Gospell of Christ and converted him unto the faith brought him by baptisme into the bosome of the Church And so it will bee with us If when we heare the Text read wee meete with some thing which we understand not yet even that if we do but cary away the words onely will lie by us till we meete with some more skilful then our selves and of whom we may ask as the Eunuch did of Philip I pray you Sir
of whom is this spoken or whereof is it meant or how is it to be accorded with this or that Text which seem to say the contrary And by this practice if we use it accordingly we shall every day gaine somewhat for our furtherance in grace Wee shall either increase our knowledge or amend our lifes or prevent some objections or one thing or other wee shall gaine by it that may do us good towards salvation Vse 1. This first of all confuteth the practice of the Roman Church who when they reade the Scriptures do it in such a sort as frustrateth the end that God aimed at in the reading of them and depriveth the people of that profit which they should reape by their hearing For they reade it in unknowen tongue and a language not understood by the hearers is not for edification Gen. 11.7 8. no not of Babel it selfe For I pray how can it possibly be that men should learn by that writing whose words they understand not when Moses commanded the Priests to reade the Law to the people Deut. 31.9 c. as in the place of Deuter. before mentioned he did suppose he had spoken in this manner unto them which is the resultance of the Romish practice and doctrine Yee shall reade all this Law in a strange language in Latin or Arabick or some such other tongue unknowen to the Jews that they may heare it and by it learne to feare God and keepe his commandements how ridiculous and foolish would the speech have been Surely S. Paul did think that if an unbeleever should come into a Christian Church and heare the Doctors speaking in a tongue unknowen to the people hee would think them no better then madd men 1 Cor. 14.23 Nor would any of us think him to be well in his witts that should reade unto a plaine Englishman a Latin Greek or Hebrew book and in a serious sort bid him to hearken and attend what that booke did speake for his instruction and comfort Yea and they of the Church of Rome themselves when they reade to the people such things as they care for and would have men to know and observe then they speake to them in their mother tongue Their Festivall and their Legend they have beene accustomed to reade in the Church in the knowen language of our countrey Yea and at this time though they administer the Sacrament of Baptisme in the Latin tongue as all their other Service is yet when they give order to bring back the Chrisome to the Church and to keepe the child from bodily harm they breake off their sacred language and speake to the people in their own mother tongue Godfathers and Godmothers of this childe * Manna Sacerd. de Baptis pag. 38. say they wee charge you that ye charge the father and mother to keepe it from fire and water and other perills to the age of seven yeares c. and that the mother bring againe the Chrisome at her purification Now I would gladly heare from any learned Papist why Latin should not as well teach them to bring againe the Chrisome as it can teach them to serve God in the duties of pietie or to help their neighbours by the duties of mutuall love and charitie Or if they think it behoovefull for the people to have these rules of theirs propounded to them in the English and knowen tongue why they should not think it better and more availeable for them to deliver the rules of Gods word unto them in the like intelligible sort then in a foreine language Surely if a peevish humour to maintaine all abuses of their Church were layed aside the point would neede no long disputing Vse 2. This also confuteth the follie of Separatists and phantastick zelots among us who vilifie and contemne the reading of Scriptures in the Church and by consequence the hearing of them read The Admonit in B. White-gifts booke pag. 579. Autors of the Admonition to the Parliament who were the fathers of our English Schismatiks say of reading of the Scriptures Reading is not feeding of Gods flock but it is as evill as playing upon a stage and worse too Foule mouths was the act of Moses no better then playing upon a stage when he read all the words of the Law to the people Exod. 24.7 and was Joshua as bad as a stage-player when he did the like Iosh 8.34 And was Baruch as bad or worse then a stage-player when hee read the words of Ieremie out of a written roll by Gods owne appointment Ier. 36.2 3. c. Nay but such was the spirit of these vipers that they had rather crosse Gods knowen ordinance then not oppose the orders of the Church in whose womb they were bred And of some such like temper are some others of later times c M. Jo. Downe in a Treatise of the Efficacie of Reading A learned Preacher in a booke now lately published telleth of some in the West country where himselfe dwelt that their maner was neglecting the publik service and reading to send their servants or children to know when the Preacher was ready to go into the pulpit For till then they list not to come And so saith hee according to the French jest they turne all Gods worship into a meere preachment And some have I knowen who following a preacher of their owne to a strange place have staied without the walls of the Church till the Sermon did begin And would God none of our better minded people were tainted with a tang of this leaven But when there are some and they not a few who never appeare in the Church save when the Bell giveth warning to a Sermon would not a man think that they nothing esteeme either the Liturgie of our Church or the hearing of Gods word read in the publik assemblie I say no more of such but only pray God to give them a better minde And for the rest who have learned better I beseech them by the mercies of God that they will not countenance these fantastik mens errour by their negligent needlesse absence from the Church when on holy daies and weeke daies the Scriptures are read to the people and the prayers and praises of the Church are with joint consent presented unto God And so I leave to refute them and come in the next place to exhort our selves And the summe of my Exhortation is that Vse 3. Seeing the hearing of Gods word read is so usefull to a godly and an happy life therefore as wee love our soules we would not neglect the opportunitie of such a blessing when it is offered It was Gods commandement to his people that at such times as men came together in greatest multitudes then all of them should be called to the hearing of his word read And the learned say that when the time of reading was come a Trumpet was sounded through the City that all might have warning and might bee present to heare
made in a publik place For then the Publican whose prayer was well accepted with God would not in so publik a place as the Temple in Jerusalem have made so pivat a prayer as this God be mercifull unto me a sinner Nor did they then beleeve that there was any superstition in observing the Canonicall houres of the Church for then Peter and Iohn would not have chosen the ninth houre which was one of the Churches houres in those dayes for their time of resorting to the Temple Those that are wise sober minded will consider these things and will not doubt but that praying and hearing and every exercise of devotion will the sooner receive a blessing if it bee performed in the place of Gods presence CAP. VII Hearing of Gods word preached is a meanes of blessednesse Cap. 7 HItherto I have spoken of hearing the word read it followeth now to speake of hearing the word preached and to shew how that also may conduce to blessednes or an happy life For clearing of which point three things are to be declared 1. what we are to understand by this word preaching 2. how it may be proved by Scriptures that the hearing of the word preached is availeable to a blessed life And thirdly what speciall helps towards happinesse we may reape by hearing the word preached over and beside the profite that we have by hearing it read I. Quest What we meane by Preaching For answere hereto these short notes may suffice 1. Note The word preach in English as also the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereto it answereth is sometimes taken in a common and generall acception for any kinde of publishing or proclaiming by what meanes soever it be done Thus in the 12. of S. Luke our Lord disswading men from hypocrisie and double dealing useth this reason vers 3. because how cunningly and secretly soever men carie their contrivances for the present yet there will a time come when all their jugling and double dealing shall be disclosed and layed open in the cleare Sun The words of the Text in the originall are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Geneva Translators turne it thus in English That which yee have spoken in the eare in secret places shall be preached on the houses Our late authorized Translation hath it thus That which ye have spoken in the eare in closets shall bee proclaimed on the house tops Nor are either of these translations any whit amisse or any thing different in the substance Only that which saith shall be preached on the houses cometh nearer to the word and the other which saith shall be proclaimed doth more plainely expresse the meaning and both layed together do teach us thus much that to Preach sometimes is nothing else but to proclaime or publish a thing that all may heare and take notice of it And in this sense reading of the Scriptures whereof I spoke before may be called preaching without any incongruity or error Yea and so it is called Act. 15.21 Moses saith the Text hath in every citie them that preach him being read in their Synagogues every Sabbath day Note here 1. what is said to be done and that is Moses is preached in every citie 2. how this is said to bee done that is by reading of his Law Moses hath them that preach him being read or seeing he is read in their Synagogues Thus it appeareth that preaching is sometime used in such a generall signification as that reading may be called preaching But this is not that preaching which I meane in this place When I say that hearing of the word preached is a meanes of blessednesse I understand the word in a more strict or restrained sense as preaching is distinguished from reading and as we commonly use the word in our ordinarie speech and that is when Gods Minister doth by an audible voice teach the doctrine of salvation in such maner as himselfe hath contrived and ordered it for the instruction of the people 2. Note This kinde of preaching in the stricter and more proper sense is of two sorts For sometimes men preach being directed by inspiration or immediat revelation from God Thus Moses and the Prophets did preach in the old Testamēt and Christ and his Apostles in the New Saint Peter saith of the Prophets that they spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 And our Saviour saith of his disciples It is not ye that speake but the spirit of your father which speaketh in you Matt. 10.20 Sometimes againe men preach Gods word as they are enabled by the rules of art and their owne industrie and studie Thus the Priests and Levits did preach when after the reading of the book of the Law they gave the sense and caused the people to understand the reading Nehem. 8.8 And thus the Scribes and Pharises did preach when sitting in Moses his chaire they taught men to keepe and observe the things written in the Law Matt. 23.2 3. And this is the preaching which the Doctors and Pastors of the Church after the Apostles times have used and which Gods Ministers do use at this day Of both these kindes of preaching my note is to be understood that the hearing of Gods word preached whether it bee performed by divine inspiration or by humane studie is still a meanes to make men happy that make the right use of it 3. Note These kindes of preaching whether by inspiration or studie may be performed two wayes For sometimes the preacher taketh a Text of Scripture for the ground of his Sermon He explaineth the words and out of them draweth instructions and then applieth all to the use of his hearers This course our Saviour tooke Luk. 4. Luk. 4.16 17 18 19 20 21. He came to Nazareth where he had beene brought up and as his custome was he went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up for to reade And there was delivered unto him the booke of the Prophet Esaias when he had opened the booke he found the place where it was written The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath annointed mee to preach the Gospell to the poore hee hath sent me to heale the broken-hearted to preach deliverance to the captives and recovering of sight to the blinde to set at libertie them that are bruised to preach the acceptable yeare of the Lord c. In which passage wee may observe two things 1. that our Lord chose a Text of Scripture to discourse upon When hee had opened the booke he found the place where it was written The spirit c. Isai 61.1 2. that hee unfolded and applied this Text to the present occasion This day saith hee is this Scripture fulfilled in your eares meaning that which the Prophet had foretold in those words was now fulfilled in himselfe who preached unto them as was prophecied of him aforetime In the like maner Philip also preached Act. 8.32 c. The Eunuch had read
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
purpose They are blessed who so keepe Gods word in their memories that they may keepe it in their life and practice But then the keeping of it in memorie is but onely intimated and the keeping of it in practice is principally and mainely intended in the Text. In a word then to keep Gods word is to do and performe what it commandeth or requireth to be done And so much be said to the first question 2. Quest The second is But can any man in this life be able thus to keepe or do Gods word And it seemeth no. For S. Iames telleth us that whosoever shall keepe the whole Law and yet offendeth in one point hee is guiltie of all Iam. 2.10 and not long after he telleth us further In many things we offend all Iam. 3.2 It followeth Therefore there is no man but is guilty of the breach of the whole Law and consequently no man can keep it Ans For answer to this question and objection we must note that there is a twofold keeping of Gods word or commandments the one a Legall the other an Evangelicall keeping of them I. First there is a Legall keeping and that is when wee keep and performe the commandements so exactly as is answerable to the rigour of the Law and as the rule of Justice doth require And this exactnesse consisteth in three things 1. That our obedience be universall in respect of the object or that every thing commanded by God bee performed by us without failing in any one point For if the Law be considered in it selfe and without mercie from CHRIST to mitigat the rigour of it it then denounceth a curse against every offence without any exception Moses saith * So the Originall hath it so the vulgar latin Iunius Vatablus c. do render it though our English Trāslation I know not upon what mistake doth add the word all that cōfirmeth not all the words of this Law which is agreable to the meaning but not to the words Cursed is he that confirmeth not the words of this Law to do them Deut. 27.26 And S. Paul alledging this sentence rendreth the sense of it thus Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the Law to do them Gal. 3.10 Where by saying All things which are written hee teacheth us that the Law in that sentence meant the curse against any one onely sin cōmitted against that Law And accordingly we see it was but one sin alone that cast the Angels out of Heaven and Adam out of Paradise 2. The exact rule of the Law doth require that our obedience bee continuall in respect of the time or that wee performe not onely all the things that are commanded but at all times while the Law is in force and doth require them to be done For he that sinneth once only in all his life confirmeth not all things because then he disanulleth or disobeyeth something in the Law whensoever he performeth not what the Law doth command And therefore the Apostle alledging that former sentence of Deuteronomie Cursed is hee that confirmeth not the words rendreth it thus Cursed is hee that continueth not in all things implying hereby that the meaning of the Law is that he is accursed who at any time transgresseth the Law though it bee but once in all his life And this againe is verified in the example of Adam and the Angels For the sin that cast the Angels out of Heaven and Adam out of Paradise was but once committed by them in all their life 3. The Law in the rigour thereof doth require that our obedience bee full and complete in respect of the degrees and measure of obedience or that it bee with all the heart and with all the soule and the utmost intension and affection of the heart that God ought to bee obeyed withall by men in this mortall life For if a man come short in any degree that is required in our obedience therein hee hath broken that part of the Law which requireth all and consequently by Saint Iames his rule he is a transgressor of the Law stādeth guiltie of the breach of it Now put all these together and the summe will be this that the Legall keeping of Gods word requireth that it be done in all things and at all times and in the most exactest maner that in justice is due or can be exacted at our hands And this is that which I call the Legall keeping of Gods word But thus and in this sense never any man was able to keepe the Law save only the first Adam while he stood in his innocency and CHRIST the second Adam who never lost it This also is further confirmed by that of the Apostle where he concludeth that no man is justified by the Law in the sight of God Gal. 3.11 and ver 10. that as many as are of the workes of the Law are under the curse because it is written Cursed is every one c. Hee meaneth that whosoever is to bee judged according to the rule of the Law without mercie procured by CHRIST for the mitigation of this rigour and for a favourable interpretation of the Law that man is in a cursed and damnable estate because no man on earth can ever bee able to keepe the Law in this exact maner And hence it is that the Angels who were liable to this exact rule of Gods Law and by their creation were made able so to performe it because they committed one sinne against it that once onely were rejected without mercie And so Adam being by his creation in the like state and condition that is alike subject to the exact rule of the Law for one offence once committed by him was cast out of Gods favour and should have so continued for ever for any help that the Law or the rule of justice could afford him And had not CHRIST our Lord come in as a Mediator to make peace and establish a new covenant of grace far different from that of the Law both hee and wee all had perished and beene deprived of heaven and happinesse for evermore Thus wee see what the legall keeping of Gods word is and that no man living is able to keepe it in this sense And therefore this is not the keeping which our Saviour commendeth unto us in this place as a meanes that may make us blessed when hee saith Blessed are they c. II. But secondly there is another kinde of keeping of Gods word called by the Learned Evangelicall and that is when we so keep performe this word Law of God as CHRIST doth require in the Gospell and as God for CHRISTS sake doth accept at our hands in steede of that other of the Law Now this rule of obedience prescribed in the Gospell doth mitigate the rule and rigor of the Law in two things 1. Because it granteth a pardon to some kinde of sinnes and 2. because it accepteth
of a mans repentance after any the most hainous sin cōmitted I. It granteth a pardon to some sinnes For though it allow or approve no sin yet it pronounceth not damnation against every sin as namely not against any sins of infirmitie such as are sins of ignorance which had we knowen wee would not have committed and sinnes of subreption which escape without observing of them and which if we had noted and observed we would not have done them and sinnes of violent tentation which by reason of some sudden assault do sway our passions against the right rule and sometimes by feare and sometimes by joy sometimes by hopes do carie us away before wee have leisure to bethink our selves and in coole blood to consider what wee are a doing Such sins as these Divines call sinnes of infirmitie because they arise not out of an evill purpose of the minde but out of humane frailtie from which wee shall never be free as long as we live in this body of corruption And if men committ such sinnes as these the Gospell condemneth the sinnes as evill repugnant to Gods Law but it condemneth not the sinner for them so long as he disliketh and detesteth them in his sober thoughts and resolution Thus Saint Paul did when speaking of such like sinnes hee cried out as a man undone Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Rom. 7.24 For such sinnes as these the Gospell condemneth us not it onely condemneth men for deliberat content when they yeeld obedience to knowen sinne and against conscience transgresse the Law From hence it is that the Apostle delivering unto us the rule of the Gospel saith Let not sinne therefore reigne in your mortall bodies that yee should obey it in the lusts thereof Rom. 6.12 In this passage when he saith Let not sin by this word he meaneth the inbred corruption of nature which wee brought with us into the world and that habit of sinfulnesse which wee have since contracted by our custome in sinning and by which we are every day sollicited to the practice of actuall sin And because this sinfulnesse doth tempt and sway men to sin therefore the Apostle saith of it Let not sin reigne c. 2. when he saith of this sinfulnes Let it not reigne in your mortall bodies he meaneth that it should not beare sway and carie away our consent to act what it suggesteth and to do what it commandeth So S. Augustin expounds this word Non dixit Non sit sed Non regnet Inest peccatum quum delectaris regnat si consenseris The The Apostle said not saith hee Let not sin bee in your mortall bodies but let it not reigne It is in thee when it tickleth with delight but it reigneth in thee if it draw thee to consent August in Psal 50. pag. 175. B. Yea and so the Apostle expoundeth his own meaning when hee addeth in the next words Let not sin reigne that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof noting hereby as a learned (a) D. Abbot true Catholik cap. 11. pag. 281. Prelat of our Church hath observed that then sin is said to reigne in us when we give obedience to it to fulfill the lusts thereof 3. In that the Apostle saith not Let not sin be within you or Let it not tempt you or Let it not please and tickle you with delight but Let it not reigne in you by drawing you to obey it this giveth us to understād that though it be a miserie to be tempted by our lusts and a sin to bee tickled and delighted with them when we are tempted by them yet the Apostle now delivering the precepts of the Gospell and the rules by which Christians according to the new Covenant of grace are to bee regulated doth not charge men so deepely as to forbid them all tickling delights he only requireth that sinne do not reigne and that men do not obey it by consenting unto it This is the rule prescribed by the Gospell and here commended to us by our Apostle and as many as walke according to this rule peace shall be upon them as upon the Israel of God Other sinnes such as I called sins of infirmitie or humane frailtie to which we do not give deliberat consent these are pardoned in the blood of the Lamb. But if any man sin against this rule by consenting to sin or acting it and so suffer sin to reigne in him the Apostles sentence will take holde on him Bee not deceived Neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor effeminat nor abusers of themselves with mankinde nor thieves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the Kingdome of God 1 Cor. 6.9 10. This explication of this point was for the substance of it long since delivered by the learned Father S. Augustin (b) Aug. de verb. Domini Serm. 5. cap. 6 pag. 91. Aliud est non concupiscere aliud post concupiscentias non ire It is one thing saith hee not to lust which the Law commandeth when it saith Non concupisces Thou shalt not lust and an other thing not to follow after our lusts which an other Scripture commandeth when it saith Go not after thy lusts Ecclus 18.30 For as that learned Father further explaineth the point Non concupiscere perfecti est Not to lust or not to covet that which is unjust is the propertie of a perfect Saint whose habitation is in the Church Triumphant in Heaven But post concupiscentias suas non ire pugnantis est luctantis est laborantis est Not to go after a mans lusts by obeying their command and by doing what they do prescribe is the propertie of a man that striveth and fighteth against sin and laboureth under the burden of corruption such as they are who live in the Church Militant here upon earth (c) De Temp. Ser. 45. cap. 3. pag. 215. In an other place he speaketh to the same purpose For whereas the Apostle had said Fulfill not the lusts of the flesh Gal. 5.16 he descanteth on those words in this maner Melius quidem erat implere quod Lex dixit Ne concupiscas It were better saith he to fulfill that which the Law saith Thou shalt not lust for this is the perfection of righteousnes but because we cannot now fulfill this let us at least fulfill that which is elswhere said Post concupiscentias tuas ne eas Go not after thy lusts This then is one thing wherein the Gospell doth moderat the rigour of the Law that whereas the Law requireth perfect obedience in every point for every breach pronounceth a curse and a damnatory sentence the Gospell beareth with the sinner and pardoneth him his sinnes of infirmitie and humane frailtie if so be he giveth not approbation or assent thereto in his coole blood and deliberat thoughts 2. Secondly the Gospell doth herein mitigat the rigour of the Law because the Law for
duties in an unholy maner And no more do I meane the least word against hearing and praying and repeating when I tax the hypocrits of our time for perverting these good works to a bad end I would have all of us to honour God by these duties and not to dishonour him by mingling them with hypocrisie and bad dealing Vse 2. Hence wee may learne not to content our selves with the deede done but that when we are about an holy work we do it also in an holy maner and with the due circumstāces belonging or required in such a work Now to speak more distinctly there are three conditions required in every good work 1. That it proceede from a cleare conscience not defiled with knowen sin 2. That it be with an heartie and sincere affection and 3. that it bee done to a right end I. It is required in a good worke that it proced from a good conscience free from knowen sin For to the wicked and disobedient man God saith What hast thou to do to declare my statuts or that thou shouldest take my covenant within thy mouth Seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behinde thee Ps 50.16 17. The meaning is as if he should say It pertaineth not to thee to professe religion seeing thou doest not practice it And so if any man having a polluted conscience take upon him to preach Gods word God may say to him What hast thou to do to teach my Law which thou observest not And if any such do come to heare Gods word God may say to him what hast thou to do to heare who art resolved not to obey And if such a one shall come to pray or to praise God with his people God may say to him what hast thou to do to pray unto me or to praise mee with thy mouth who blasphemest me daily in thy deeds But most of all if any such shall come to partake of the holy Communion God may say to him what hast thou to do to eate my bread who doest lift up the heele against me Or to such a one our Lord may say as he did to the unmanerly guest in the Gospel Friend how camest thou in hither not having on a wedding garment Matt. 22.11 Nor is this all it followeth in the same Text Take him away and cast him into outer darknes there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth This is the case and the condition of them who performe outward services of religion while they have consciences within defiled with knowen sin The application hereof to our selves is this that therefore we do in this as David did in the like case He resolved I will wash my hands in innocency O Lord and so will I compasse thine Altar Psal 26.6 meaning Exod. 30 19 21. that as the Priests before they offered sacrifice did first wash their hands and feete so he would wash his soule in innocencie and cleanse his hands from injustice and wrong and then he would offer up his sacrifices unto God And so must wee do First cleanse our soules from sin then go to eate at Gods board and to heare his word preached and to offer up our prayers and praises to his name A polluted heart cannot performe an acceptable work This then is the first condition in a good work that it proceede from a good heart free from knowen sin II. The second is that it be done with upright and heartie affection For God loveth a cherefull Giver 2 Cor. 9.7 And so I may say God loveth a cherefull hearer and a cherefull receiver and a cherefull Petitioner and a cherefull doer in all his services But when men performed not heartie obedience he complaineth of it threatneth them for their hollow-hearted service For asmuch saith hee as this people draw neare unto me with their mouth with their lips do honor me but have removed their heart farre from me Therefore behold I will proceede to do a marvellous work among this people for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish and the understanding of their prudent men shall bee hid Is 29.13 And so if any man come to heare Gods word with his eares or to pray with his lips or to present himselfe at Gods board with his bodily presence and in the mean-while send his heart an other way either not minding or not caring or not affecting the worke in hand the reproofe will be as just against him This man draweth neare unto mee with his mouth and his eares and his outward parts but his heart and his soule are farre removed away And where his heart is there is his treasure and where his treasure is thence must hee expect his reward Hereof this must bee the application that as David said of himselfe My heart and my flesh rejoice in the living God Ps 84.2 meaning that the joy of his heart did spread it selfe into the parts of this body so should it bee with us Our heart and our mouth should receive the blessed Sacrament and our heart and our eares should heare the word preached read and our heart and our hand should give almes to the poore And so in all other the like cases For as when * Plutar in vita Julii Caesar pag. 737. Val. Max. l. 1. cap. 6. num 13. Cesar offered sacrifice it was counted an ominous thing for him that there was no heart found in the beast that was slaine so it portendeth us no good if our heart bee absent when we pray and heare praise God for his mercies III. It is required in a good work that it be done for a right end that is that God whose service it is may bee honored by it So S. Peter saith If any man speake let him speake as the Oracles of God and if any man minister let him do it as of the abilitie which God giveth that God in all things may bee glorified through JESUS CHRIST 1 Pet. 4.11 And S. Paul Whether ye eate or drink or whatsoever yee do do all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10.31 Gods glory then is the right end for which all good workes must bee done And when men neglected or missed of this end in their good workes God upbraideth them with it When ye fasted and mourned did yee at all fast unto mee even to mee And when ye did eat when ye did drink did yee not eat for your selves drinke for your selves Zach. 7.5 6. Of such services as these which are void of their right end our Lord giveth us this caveat Take heede that ye do not your almes before men to bee seene of them otherwise ye have no reward of your father which is in Heaven Matt. 6.1 And so if wee preach to gaine applause from men and yee heare to make a shew of your zeale and if any of us give almes or do any other work not for Gods glorie but for our owne ends it is a lame sacrifice not rewardable by
the Almighty And hereof we should make this application to our selves that as S. Paul said of himself and his fellow-workmen in the Gospell Wee preach not our selves but CHRIST JESUS the LORD and our selves your servants for JESUS sake 2 Cor. 4.5 So wee should shew the like faithfulnesse in all our good works that wee seeke not our owne ends but Gods glory in them And if thus wee performe our holy services it will bee said of us and of them as it was of Abel and his sacrifice The Lord had respect to Abel and his offering Gen. 4.4 The LORD will accept both of our persons and our performances so that nothing which wee doe for Gods glory but will prove to be also for our own profit God give us the grace that wee may bee fruitfull in good workes and faithfull in the right doing of them to Gods glory that in all things GOD may bee gloried through JESUS CHRIST CAP. XI A man may heare amisse and by this errour lose the benefit of his labour Cap. 11 OUR LORD in saying Take heed how yee heare giveth us a caveat to beware of misse-hearing and that implieth that a man may heare amisse and so misse of his purpose This may bee further confirmed by the parable of the Sower the scope whereof is to shew us the diversitie that is found among hearers the issue thereof is that of foure sorts there recited 3. are like bad ground which bringeth forth no fruit to perfection And that proveth that the greatest part of hearers do heare amisse without profit It may bee confirmed also by that of S. Paul Not the hearers of the Law are just before God But the doers of it shall be justified Rom. 2.13 For all hearers are not doers and by that which hee saith of the preachers of the Gospel to some sort of hearers they are the savour of death unto death 2 Cor. 2.16 and by that which our Saviour saith of some of his hearers Yee shall say wee have eaten and drunk in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streetes But he shall say I tell you I know you not whence ye are depart from me all ye workers of iniquity Luk. 13.26 27 and by that which elswhere hee saith of them who despised his doctrine The word that I have spoken the same shall judge them at the last day Iohn 12.48 By these sayings it appeareth that there are some which received not profit by their hearing no not of the gratious words that proceeded out of our Saviours mouth thence I conclude that therefore they heard amisse for the word of God if the fault be not in the hearer is the power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 But I only name these proofes because I choose rather to insist on such testimonies as do both shew us that there may be a fault in our hearing and do also tell us what that fault is that by the one wee may see how necessary it is to bee heedfull lest we heare amisse and by the other how to avoid the errour that doth procure the danger For this purpose I observe five sorts of bad hearers condemned in Scriptures 1. Heedlesse hearers 2. Partiall hearers 3. Forgetfull hearers 4. Sensuall hearers and 5. Fruitlesse hearers or such as do not obey the word delivered unto them I. The first are heedlesse and negligent hearers and they be such as heare but do not marke or attend to that which is spoken Such as these they were of whom Isai complaineth Heare yee deaf and looke ye blinde that yee may see Hee goeth on Seeing many things but thou observest not opening the eares but hee heareth not Isa 42.18 20. Note here 1. the fault with which they are charged they are said to be deaf and blinde 2 the explication or declaration shewing wherein this fault consisted Seeing many things but thou observest not c. hee meaneth that they heard and saw but they did not mark and observe what they heard And for this cause he calleth them blinde and deaf because no man is so blinde and deaf as he that will not see and heare 3. Wee may consider the meanes by which this errour may be amended and that is in these words Heare and looke by which he meaneth that they should attend and mark what they heard Laie these together and the fault will appeare to be this that while they heard and came to learne they did not observe what was said And the like to this was their fault of whom the Apostle saith Yee are dull of hearing For when for the time ye ought to be Teachers ye have need that one teach you againe which be the first principles of the Oracles of God Heb. 5.11 Here the Apostle chargeth them with two things 1. that they were dull of hearing By which word hee meaneth not any naturall imperfection for then he would rather have pitied them then have reproved them but hee meaneth their wilfull carelessenesse and negligence by reason whereof scarse could any thing bee beaten into their heads 2. Hee blameth them that they profited not by the word preached as they might and should have done For considering the meanes that was afforded them and the time that they enjoyed it they might become Teachers if they had beene attentive hearers Whereas now by reason of their negligence they had need to bee catechized in the first principles The summe is They were negligent in hearing and therefore continued dullards in Christs schoole And the like will be our fault if when we come to heare Gods word either read or preached we suffer our mindes to gadd abroad by musing on our merchandizing or our bargaining or our husbandrie or our businesse at home or which is not much better if we give our selves over to sleepiness or deadnesse of spirit as I have noted some to laie their heads upon their desk as if they meant that should be their pillow to sleep on and to pull their hat about their eyes as if they meant to draw the curtaines about the bed and bid good night to the Preacher They that heare in this sort out of doubt doe heare amisse if they heare at all And therefore when our Saviour said Take heed how ye heare he meant among other things that wee should beware of negligence in our hearing II. The next is of such as bee partiall hearers men who will hearken to Gods word while it accordeth with their lusts but will none of it when it crosseth their desires And these are of two sorts 1. such as will abide no doctrin which agreeth not with their own fansie and those lessons which they have received from their owne Masters and 2. such as will endure no admonitions that strike at the sins in which they delight 1. They that will not abide any doctrine which twharteth their received opinions Such were the Jews of whom wee reade that when Paul spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue
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
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
experienced in things of this kinde hath long since observed that among Orators and they were of like condition in the Common-wealth among them that Preachers are now in the Church among us the unlearned were many times best esteemed and he spendeth a whole (a) Lib. 2. cap. 12. pag. 108. Chapter in discovering and setting downe the reasons of this erroneous opinion in the vulgar S. Hierome also hath observed the like of Preachers in the Church (b) Verba volvere celeritate dicendi apud imperitum vulgus admirationem sui facere in doctorum hominum est Attrita froÌ„s interpretatur saepe quod nescâ—t quum aliis persuaserit sibi quo que usurpat scientiam c. Nâ—hil tam facile quam vilem plebeculam indoctam Concionem linguae volubilitate descipere quae quic quid non intelligit plus miratur Hieron Epist 2. ad Nepotian pag. 16. Vide etiam Jul. Nigronum in Regulam 2. commun num 67. c. pag. 175. It is the fashion of unlearned men saith hee by volubilitie of tongue and celeritie in speaking to raise an admiration of themselves amongst the rude multitude A bolde face will oftentimes teach that which himselfe doth not know and when he hath perswaded others hee usurpeth to himselfe the praise of learning Nor saith hee is there any thing more easie then to deceive the baser sort and unlearned multitude with volubility of tongue They when they understand not any point do so much the more admire it Nor is it any marvell if the rude multitude do mistake in judging of a Preacher they do so in matters that are more plain and more neare to their capacitie and apprehension Wee see it every day that an horne-pipe or a morrice dance and such countrey musick doth please the common sort more then any exact and artificial musick can do that those strokes tunes make them to leap frisk which would make a sober and skilfull man to laugh and deride them And so in this case If a Preacher be furious in his action and fluent in his words and vehement in exclamations and do mouthe it out with a throng of words which are as unable to beget notions of true religion as they are contrary to all rules of art and right reason yet the multitude do greedily embrace this musick dance after this pipe By all this I meane not to disable the gifts of any nor to censure their forme of teaching that may do good to Gods people Onely I advise every wise Christian not to esteem of a Sermon by the delight that himselfe or others of the vulgar sort do take in the utterance of it And I desire that insteed thereof they will rather consider what increase of godlinesse they have gained by it or wherein they have been profited either for understanding of the Scriptures and for conceving of some point of religion or for amending of their sinful life If they give an account of such spirituall profit to their soules I hinder not but with great reason they may esteem such a forme of teaching But if they can give no account of their profiting in godlinesse I can give no approbation of their vaine censures 2. Rule The second rule which wisedome requireth to be observed in the time of our hearing is that wee select and single out such instructions as do more especially concerne our owne practice and take more speciall notice of them then of others that coÌ„cern us not so nearly For the mind of man is of a finite nature cannot observe all things with like exactnesse and attention and our memories are feeble and fraile and cannot treasure up every thing that is spoken And therefore whatsoever ability and strength of minde and memory we have wee should husband them in the best manner and for our best advantage And so wee shall do if passing by things that bee impertinent and sliding through points of lesser moment wee fasten our minds upon such lessons and observations as do more nearely concerne our selves In the use of this rule the Prophet hath gone before us and shewed us the way Hee being to instruct the Priests in things of their duty beginneth with this Preface And now O yee priests this commandement is for you Mal. 2.1 And so if the Preacher tell Householders of their dutie to their sonnes and servants he that is a master of a family presently should say with himselfe This commandement is for mee And if the Preacher speake of the duty of servants to their masters hee that is a servant should say This commandement is for me And if hee insist on the duties of maried Couples the husband should say This commandement is for me and the wife should say That commandement is for me And if hee preach of true dealing in bargaining and contracts the merchant and the shop-keeper and the Artificer and the Customer and every man almost may say That commandement is for mee and to me it belongeth And in a word every one that heareth any rule that concerneth himselfe should make application of it to himselfe that that which is his for the duty may be his for the practice also Thus wee see all sorts of men that have care of their owne state do use to do in things of this life without any teaching If they heare of any medicine that is proper for an infirmity of their owne that they mark and either imprint it in their memories or write it up in a book of remembrance for their after-use when in the mean while they passe over many other better rules in their kinde onely because they are not so proper for their case and condition And againe if a man reade the book of Statutes and finde a Law which concerneth his owne Lands or his owne dealings he will either fold downe a leafe or mark the place in the margin or transcribe the words in a note-book that it may be in readinesse when the time serveth And so if in our hearing of the word either preached or read we meet with any lesson or rule of life that concerneth our selves in speciall we should consider wherein and how it may stead us and this consideration will bee as a mark set upon it to keep it in remembrance For if we should forget the rule it selfe yet the very application of it to our selves will put us in minde of it But as for other things which are not usefull and proper for us wee may passe them over with lesse care and attention For example if we heare some instruction which wee had learned as fully before wee may let that passe as having no need of it And if we heare somewhat not usefull for sanctification and a godly life wee may let that go as not worth the noting when better things are in place And if we heare good instructions that are usefull for others but concerne not our selves wee may dismisse them also as not
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
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