Kings went to Elizeus to enquire of him concerning the word of the Lord. Elizeus sayde vnto them Thus saith the Lord ye shall neither see winde nor rayne yet the vally shall be filled with water that ye may drinke both ye and your cattle and your beastes And in the morning the vallies and the ditches were filled with water And what more if question be made of the ayer which is another Element hath not god made it manifest that he can vse it when hee pleaseth to execute after a wonderfull manner the iust iudgements of God his Maister The ayre obeyed the word of the Lord vttered by his seruant The tenne plagues wherewith Pharaoh was stroken doth beare hereof sufficient witnesse First when hee turned by the rod of Moses the waters into bloud Secondly when hee filled with frogges all the flouds riuers and ponds which were in the countrey of Egypt In the third place when he sent lice fourthly when he sent noysome flies Fifthly when he sent the murrein of Beastes Sixtly the plague of botches and sores Seuenthly the hayle by which Pharaoh was constrained to confesse his sinne Eightly the grassehoppers Ninthly darkenesse Tenthly the death of the first borne both of man and beast Lette vs see whether their power doth not stretch vnto the two other Elements that is to the fire and the earth by what authenticque testimonies may we proue the same Concerning fire we reade that when King Ahaziah fell sicke he sent two captains with fiftie mē of armes one after another vnto Elias they in a brauerie cōmanding the prophet to speak with the King 2 King 1 Elias answered them If I be a man of God let fire come downe from Heauen and deuour thee and thy fiftie So fire came downe from heauen and deuoured him and his fiftie And if question bee made whether the earth hath serued them wee want not examples hereof where we may see Num. 16 that at their word the earth opened Korah Dathan and Abiram and one hundred and fiftie men who rebelled against Moses were swallowed vp aliue and all that they had when the earth cloaue asunder at the word of Moyses when he spake after this maner to the congregation which were assembled about the Tabernacle If these men dye the common death of all men or if they bee visited after the visitation of all men the Lord hath not sent me But if the Lord make a newe thing the earth open her mouth and swallow them vp with all that they haue and they goe downe quicke vnto the pit then you shall vnderstand that these men haue prouoked the Lord. This example sheweth that the earth denieth not her obedience vnto them no more then the other elements when God will stir vp the force that is in them What can we say besides this seeing that the Pastors in theyr charges are of more force then the Elements What thing is there so strong and fearefull that doth not yeelde at theyr woordes Lyons Beares which are cruell Beastes Lyons Bears and other wild beasts do yeeld to the word of the seruants of God 2 King ◠cannot bee exempted for in part these beastes haue serued the Prophets and seruants of God for the execution of the iudgements of God The beares do beare witnesse who serued Elisha to deuour the fortie and two children which called him Ball pate Ball pate others haue beene ouercome as it were in combate by the seruants of God as mention is made in the 1. Sam. 1 Sam. 17 of Dauid who vanquished a beare and a lyon Daniel Dan. 6 being cast into the Lyons denne for to be deuoured of them by his prayers he stopped their mouthes We reade in the Acts how that a viper leaped out of the fire vpon the hand of Saint Paule and did him no hurt But some will obiect that there is death Act. 28 which is not at their commaundement for shee cannot bee made to to yeelde It is also said in the common prouerbe That there is a remedie for all things except death We answere that neither this is exempted And in truth it is a most notable point that as the worde of the seruants of God is more strong then the life of men so it is also stronger then death it selfe that euen as God whē he willeth by the worde of his seruants he killeth men so also by the same word hee rayseth them vp from death Behold foure examples that doth make proofe hereof and here we may not that seeing that this thing is very hard to be beleeued God hath not left one example alone or two in his worde but euen foure that hee might make it the better knowne what force he giueth to his Prophets when he pleaseth 1 King 17 Elias restored the son of the woman of Sarepta from death to life 2. Elisha recouered his hostesse son 3. 2. King 4 Acts 9 Tabitha a great almes giuer was restored by Saint Peter 4. A young man called Eutichus falling from an high loft beeing dead Acts 20 was restored to life by Saint Paule If wee shoulde go further wee might alledge that the Diuels which ruleth ouer death are not exempted For they are easilie ouercome by the vertue of this worde pronounced by their mouth And wee may see a notable example in Saint Paule Acts 16 whom a certaine maide when he was at Philippi in Macedonia commonlie followed who had the spirite of diuination at whom Paul being greeued hee turned about to the spirit and said I commaund thee in the name of Iesus Christ that thou come out of her and he came out the same houre This was an effect of that power which was giuen by Iesus Christ to the Apostles Mat. 10. Mat. 10 to cast out vncleane spirits and to cure all kinde of diseases Is it possible to deuise any thing by those which haue the ripest wits which is more strong then the voice of the good Pastors and Prophets We haue proued that there is nothing neither in earth nor in the aire nor in hell it selfe which is not constrained to yeelde and submit it selfe vnto the power of their worde Nothing remaineth then but that wee must needs affirme that God onely is almightie and yet he is of such goodnesse that he suffereth himselfe to be ouercome somtime by the word prayer of his seruants in such sort that hauing determined to punish destroy thē that haue prouoked him he hath bin kept backe and vanquished by their praiers as though hee were more weake and his seruants the conquerors as though they were the stronger This is very true Exod. 23 as we may see plainly by an example We reade that the people of the Iewes seeing Moses to stay too long before hee returned vnto them from the mount Sinai where hee receiued the tables of the law written by the finger of God they caused a Calfe of golde to bee made
bee not contrarie to their doctrine that temperancie modestie simplicitie and all Christian vertues doo shine in them so clearely that their life Preacheth as it is saide in the common prouerbe The Philosophers which were counted wise men amongst the Paynims haue very well obserued that a philosopher was not to be esteemed a true Philosopher if he liued otherwise then he taught as many and especially Cicero noteth in his oration Pro Planco where he saith That vertue integritie honestie is requisit in man and not onely the volubilitie of the tongue art science Also against Salust he saith It is of chiefest coÌ„mendation to leade a life answerable to our words and that our discourses be conformable to our maners Also in his 2. of Tusculans questions That the Philosophers are not knowne by their wordes but by the constancie and firmenes of their actions We which carry the name infinitly more excellent then the name of Philosophers that is the name of Christians yea we which are the leaders and guiders of others we ought to regarde to ioyne good actions with that fearefull name of Ministers wherewith wee are honoured For if it bee a thing filthy and woorthy of reprehension in any vocation when men shal take vâ—oÌ„ theÌ„ some honorable preferment and shall haue no care by theyr behauiour to approoue themselues to bee woorthy thereof then our charge as it is without comparison more excellent then others so also there be no faultes so great and so scandalous as those which are committed in the same Heereunto tendeth the words of S. Ambrose in his booke of a Pastor saying There is nothing more excellent The life of a true Pastor must be answerable to his words then the calling of Ministers nothing more high then the name of a Bishoppe but this is when they shewe their dignitie vnto the sight of the eye when they make it knowne trulye what they are shewing theyr profession more by theyr actions then by theyr name to the ende that theyr name maye aunswere to theyr action and the action may aunswere to theyr name for feare leaste that they appeare to bee in an high honour and theyr life to bee in a lowe degree for feare leaste their profession bee diuine and theyr workes vnlawfull for feare leaste they haue a religious habit and that their deedes bee prophane for feare that they seeme not to haue the wordes of a Doue that is sweet as a Pigeon and carrie the heart of a dogge full of gal and bitternesse for feare that they boast not of the profession of a sheepe and carrie in their hearts the fiercenesse of a VVolfe for feare least aunswer be made vnto them This people honour me with their lips but their heart is far from me The same Father in the booke before alleaged saith further also As the long gowne of the Senators fitteth the Senators as husbandrie becommeth labouring men armour is fit for souldiours nauigation for the marriner and in sum as euery workeman is knowne by the qualitie of his worke so the workes of a Minister doo shew what a Minister is that he may better be knowne by his worke then by his profession that he may bee more called a Bishop by his merits then by his name that is that he deserueth more by his good and his Christian conuersation the name of a Bishop then onely carrying the name To these two we may adde that notable sentence of S. Bernard in one of his Epistles saying Hearken now vnto my song which is sweete and pleasant and profitable It is a thing monstrous to be in the souereigne degree of honour to haue a base and faint heart to haue the first place and to leade the life of an abiect to haue a tongue which pronounceth great matters and to haue idle hands to vse manie wordes and to shewe no fruit to haue a graue countenaunce and light actions a head white and hoarie and a heart full of vanitie a face full of wrinckles and a tongue full of scoffes to shewe outwardly a great authoritie and yet to bee altogether mutable and inconstant Wee may adde also this taken out of the same Authour in that Canticle when hee sayeth Can a foolish and ignoraunt Pastour lead the Sheepe of the Lorde into the Meades of the diuine woordes But hee addeth a little after If anie bee learned and bee not honest it is to bee feared that so much as such a one edifieth by his wordes he hurteth as much by the barrennesse of his life I desire nothing more then that it may please God that these excellent sayings here mentioned may be well vnderstood practised of all them which either at this day do or of them which hereafter mindeth to make profession to teach others in what Churches so euer It is very likely that as the ignorance of them and the negligent regarding therof do cause great offences and miseries to the right vnderstanding and practise of them wil bee an occasion of great edification and happinesse But because these things do appertaine to the difficultie of the ministry because it is very hard to bee perfect let vs begin to enter into the discourse of the foresayde difficulties CHAP. VI. The beginning of the difficulties which are found in the Ministrie WE are to obserue that to vnderstande these difficulties more plainely S. Paul his order must bee followed in the 1. Tim. 5. and in Tit. 1. 1. Tim. 5 Tit. 1 where hee speaketh first of the qualitie of the manners of them which do betake themselues to a pastorall charge Secondly the difficulties which are proposed in teaching the worde of God This order is very good for seeing that Preachers must not onely preach with the tongue and the mouth but also with the hands feete armes head and in sum withall their bodie that is so gouerne themselues in all their actions that the practise of the doctrine which they set forth may be seene and read in the administration of their charge It is expedient to handle first of all the difficulties which are founde in the manners of Ministers The first difficulties consisteth in this that the minister must be vnreproueable Before all thinges when Saint Paul sayeth That a Bishop must bee vnblameable who is it that will not altogether loath that function For this woorde if it bee literally taken as manie haue vnderstood it as amongest others they which in olde time were called Donatists who affirmed that the ministrie was vnprofitable by reason of the vices of the persons they were straungely deceiued in that they vnderstood when S. Paul said That a Bishop must be vnblameable that it was required that there should not be in him the least blemish and imperfection seeing that Saint Paul by this worde vnderstandeth not that they shoulde be pure innocent as Saints or Angels for seeing that they be men as others be so it is impossible but that there should appeare in theÌ„ some
A PREPARATION TO THE MOST HOlie Ministerie Wherein is set downe the true meanes to be well prepared to the same by an exact description and consideration of the necessitie excellencie difficultie and great profit therof with the maruellous effects of the same Also a liuely exhortation to all youth to giue themselues to the studie therof and a confutation of the obiections which may be brought in any sort to touch the same Verie profitable and necessarie in these our times aswell for those that addict themselues to the Ministry as for all other for whose instruction it was ordained Diuided into two Bookes Written in French by Peter Gerard and translated into English by N. B. Esay 52. Rom. 10. Nahum I. Howe bewtifull are the feete of them which bring glad tydings of peace and bringeth glad tydings of good things and preach saluation Imprinted at London by Thomas Creed for Thomas Man dwelling in Paternoster row at the signe of the Talbot 1598. TO THE RIGHT HONOrable Sir VVilliam Periam Knight Lord chiefe Baron of her Maiesties Exchequer all happinesse RIght honorable Not many yeares since your louing acceptance of the translation of a French treatise hath imboldened me to do the like againe to Dedicate this small worke vnto your L. For my purpose is neuer to change for any other Patrone of my labours seeing that vnto you of right they do belong I had thought to haue published some other thing of mine owne breeding but that this French man pulled me backe and vrged me to teach him to speak the English tongue Being somewhat capable hee was not long in learning the same If hee speaketh not so eloquently as many of our Orators vse to doo the fault is to bee imputed to his bad schoolemaister But in my opinion he speaketh although plainly yet profitable things and necessarie for our estate Let the work commend the author and at your leysure I hope your L. Will vouchsafe him the reading Thus committing your L. my good Lady your wife your kinde Brother your vertuous and godly chidren my worshipfull friendes vnto God his most mercifull protection I humbly take my leaue Your L. in all dutie to be commaunded Nicholas Becket To his louing Brethren the Pastors and Ministers of Deuon and Cornwall and all other Christian readers grace and peace MY louing brethren if this smal treatise shal happen to come into your hands I pray you giue it entertainment make it familiar vnto you by often reading the same Although you haue in your studies many excellent works of this argument Hyperius Erasmus Hemmingius Daneus and our good countreyman Maister Perkins c. Yet you shall finde here many things that are more sutable to vs countrey Diuines which haue pastorall charges For I know not how it commeth to passe that many haue long labored in their Ministrie and yet haue little or nothing profited their auditorie Many causes there are of this nonproficiencie in some ignorance in others negligence and the iust iudgement of God vppon the people who because they doo not hunger and thirst after righteousnes Math. 5. Acts 16. Act. 17. nor attend vnto the preaching of the word as Lydia the purple-seller did vnto Paul nor search the scriptures with the noblemen of Berea therfore their harts are blinded with the Israelites and they contemne and despise Christ with the proude Pharisies Ioh. â— But in my conceit this is not the least hinderaunce to the prosperitie of the Church when as the Pastors and Ministers of the same haue no respect neither how they liue neither how they teach Here therfore is plotformed vnto vs what the life and what the doctrine of Ministers ought to be here is set downe a plain and easie method of diuining the word of God aright Dan. 12. If we then bee desirous to shine as the brightnes of the firmament and to be as the stars for euer and euer let vs teach others by our life and doctrine and endeuor to turn many vnto righteousnesse Let vs not preach our selues but Christ crucified not for filthie lucre but of a readie mind seeking only the glorie of God and the conuersion of the souls of our brethren that we may vnfainedly protest with S. Paul 1. Cor. 2. My word my preaching stood not in the intising speech of mans wisedom but in plaine euidence of the spirit and of power that your fayth should not bee in the wisedome of men but in the power of God Thus beseeching the Lord for his mercie sake to blesse vs and comfort vs in this our troublesome and painefull calling and to giue vs grace to take heed to our selues Act. 20. and to al the flocke whereof the holie ghost hath made vs ouerseers to feed the Church of God which hee hath purchased with his owne bloud In all dutiful loue I take my leaue Your louing Brother and fellow-labourer in the Lord. N. B. A PREPAration to the holy Ministrie very profitable and necessarie as well for those that desire the same as for all the faithfull for whose instruction it is ordained CHAP. I. Because the office of the Pastors is to be employed in the correction of vice it is expedient to shew that vice was neuer so rife as it is now how to correct the same in some sort there is nothing so necessarie as the ministry WHen God is iustly prouoked to encounter with the vices and sinnes of men hee throweth for his darts into the earth warre famine and plague which are three of the most principal executions of his wrath then euerie one naturally doth endeuour to defend and preserue his life from the violence and furie of them But they which haue their hearts and bowels more liuely touched with straunge and fearefull punishments of warre great and lamentable miseries of famine with other sorrowfull and extreame calamities of the plague or of any other thing they I say are not only content to escape from the imminent dangers which doth inuiron all those which dwell in those places or countreyes vpon which God hath discharged most furiously such afflictions but being moued with heartie and merciful affections towards others do desire to drawe them likewise out of the same in such sort that good polititians and and most faithfull louers of the common-wealth haue forced themselues by theyr wit and counselles to stay the streame of cruell and bloudy warre others beeing touched with the same humanitie haue bin vrged to comfort the poore needy in the time of famine haue deuised all meanes possible by which they might in any sort be nourished and maintained The Phisitians and others which tooke vppon them to cure diseases and to preserue their neighbours in healâ—h when they see the aire so infectious and corrupted that there is engendred thereby so strong a contagion so apt and swift to infect that in a short time many thousandes of persons of all sects and ages are extinct and killed that
The sixt fruite we may obserue that it is of such vertue that it is ofteÌ„times an occasion to many that be ignoraÌ„t to come to the knowledge of God Luc. 16. and of their saluation as Zacheus did who hauing receiued beyonde his expectation Iesus Christ into his house and entertaining him most kindly as possibly hee might Iesus Christ sayde vnto him that This day saluation was come into his house and it was not in vaine that Martha receiued with such great loue and affection Iesus Christ Luc. 10. as wee see in Luke and what good came vnto her by the same Lette vs come to other fauours with which God hath honoured them who haue embraced this vertue which indeede are verie great Seuenthly The seuenth fruit by that meanes Angels haue beene brought into the houses of them who ranne to entertaine the passengers constraining them to eate and drinke in theyr house nay more theÌ„ that it hath brought god himself in the forme of an Angell as wee haue an example diligently to bee marked in Genesis where it is written that Abraham hauing seene three persons Gen. 18. that is three Angels taking vppon them the shape of man whereof one was God that is Iesus Christ who afterward appeared to the world Abraham ranne before them prayed inuited them to come into his tent and he intreated them in as good sort as he could with incredible ioy we may see also another examble in the same booke but not so expresly as the first Gen. 19. because there mention is made but of two Angels whome Lot receiued into his house and towards whome hee exercised the same hospitalitie To this ende the Authour of the Epistle to the Hebrewes doth admonish the faythfull Heb. 13. To continue brotherly loue and not to be forgetfull to lodge strangers for thereby some haue receiued Angels into their houses vnwares What greater profite can it bring vnto vs more then these It seemeth that it is impossible yet wee may obserue one besides which is worthy the marking that it doth not onely ioyne the Angels and God with the faythfull but also it doth prepare a lodging for him expelling all vncleannes which might hinder God to come vnto vs that is it putteth away froÌ„ vs our sins wherefore S. Peter admonisheth the faithfull 1 Pet. 4 Aboue all things to haue feruent loue among them for loue couereth the multitude of sins The eight fruit What man is hee that when he duely considereth this will not be maruailously stirred vppe to the practise of hospitalitie which so delighteth God the Angels and all faythfull men VVherefore would Iob not haue the stranger lodge in the streetes Iob 31. but opened his doores to him that went by the way beeause by this meanes hee receiued the glory of God Wherfore did Lydia that Marchant of purple Act. 16. constraine the Apostles to stay in her house but for the ioy and singular comfort shee receiued in her conscience Lette vs conclude then as the narration of these incredible fruites of this hospitalitie shoulde bee as baytes to allure all Christians to putte them in practise and much more Pastours who are more particularly exhorted to the same by Saint Paul They ought to followe the example of that good olde man of the Tribe of Ephraim Iudg. 19. who returning out of the fieldes from his worke in Gibeah tooke a poore Leuite into his house who wandering heere and there in the Towne of Gibeah could find no lodging In such manner all the faythfull and especially Pastors should bee most readie to entertaine straungers Hereunto also wee may adde those excellent blessings which are promised and which are performed to all those which practise charity that they ought to be of great weight to stir them thereunto As they which exercise charitie procure to theÌ„selues the loue of God so those who do not practise it bring vpon themselues his curse Also those curses which are threatned to those meÌ„ which are cruel towards such which falleth vpon their heads many times when it pleaseth God such curses I say and punishments should be vnto them as bridles to correct their couetousnesse vnkindnesse And what be those punishments many haue been cast headlong into great dangers 1. Sam. 28. eueÌ„ of losse of life it self because they haue not exercised this hospitalitie as wee may reade of Nabal who hauing refused to send prouision vnto Dauid for his armie was not onely in danger to loose all his goods but his owne life the liues of all that were with him as he had well deserued Iudg. 8. But it fell out worse vnto those of Suâ—coth Pennell for they were destroied by Gedeon many of theÌ„ namely the Elders of the citie endured a violent death because they refused to giue a refreshing to his army when they were wearie in the pursuite of the Kings of Midian It followeth afterward that a Minister should not be giuen to wine And with great reason S. Paul desireth this vice to be free from a Pastor It is impossible to speake of all the mischiefes which happeneth hereby S. Austen sayth Drunkennesse is a familiar diuell a sweete poyson a delightfull sinne and bee that suffereth himselfe to be possessed herewithall hee dooth not enioy himselfe as hee that forsaketh it he doth not onely commit sin but is all sinne Drunkennesse forbidden to Pastors He saith also in another place VVhere drunkennesse raigneth reason is banished the vnderstanding is blockish counsell is out of order iudgement is peruerted But lette vs marke out of the scripture what harme it bringeth First Prou. 20. First it maketh a man seditious VVine is a mocker and strong drinke is raging and whosoeuer is deceiued thereby is not wise Secondly Second it maketh a man dissolute in his life and in his wordes Eph. 5. and therefore Saint Paule admonisheth the Ephesians Not to bee drunken with VVine wherein is excesse Thirdly Third it maketh a man voluptuous and giuen to fleshly pleasures as Oseas sheweth Osea 4. who shewing the sinnes of the people vnto which at that time they were giuen hee fayth Wine and newe wine it taketh avvay the heart they haue committed vvhoredome Fourthly Fourth it bringeth a man to pouertie as Salomon saith in his Prouerbs A labourer that giueth himselfe to drunkennesse shall neuer be rich Fift By these a man is so ouertaken that hee commeth euen to committe sacriledge Dan. 5. For wee reade of Baltazar that when hee had made a great feast to his Princes his wiues and his concubines then wheÌ„ he was drunk he forgot himself so much that he caused to bee brought vnto him the vessels of gold of siluer which his father Nabucadnezzar had brought froÌ„ the temple of Ierusalem to the end that his guests might drinke therein neuer thinking that they were dedicated to God and that it was not
restraine them as to those which are enuied the more to encourage them cheerefully to goe forward and perseuere in well dooing FINIS The second Booke CHAP. I. The second part of the difficulties which are fouÌ„d in the Ministrie concerning the Preaching of the word of God and conuincing the aduersaries of the same SEeing that now wee haue sufficiently declared the dignitie of the Ministrie and the great difficulties which are to be found in the same as wel in regard of those vertues with which they are to be indued who doo aspire vnto it as in respect of those vices which they are to auoyd Let vs come now to those difficulties which doo offer themselues as well in teaching the word of God vnto the people as in defending the same by encountring with heriticques of whome some doo falsifie the same some doo mingle it with their rayling others defiles it with their Glosses These then be the two points which S. Paul doth principally require in Ministers when he saith That they must be apt to teach and haue knowledge to confute the gainsayers Of which point wee are now to speake in order but before we enter into the discourse of them let vs obserue that seeing that the question is how to make a perfect Pastor in his charge that we must keepe that order which haue been obserued a long time as we see in a CannoÌ„ which was taken froÌ„ the fourth councell of Carthage where S. Austin sat which saith thus He that is to be made Minister first of all must bee examined whether he be wise by nature docible temperate in his maners Chaste in an holy life sober watchfull prouident in his affaires humble affable mercifull so much for his behauiour Afterward it followeth for his learning that he must be welâ— learned instructed in the lawe of the Lord vnderstanding aright the sence of the Scriptures exercised in the doctrine of the Church He that will imbrace the charge of the ministery must be of good life learned and alwairs diligent and aboue all that he doth simply hold all the Articles and documents of faith Where we may perceiue by this Canon that in Ministers the suffiicencie of learning must bee ioyned with honesty of manners and that by good reason for it is not sufficient that a Minister shoulde bee a good man fearing God and vnfurnished of those partes which are necessarie for the execution of this charge neither on the other side it sufficeth that one should be learned and profounde in knowledge and skilfull and neuerthelesse bee of a wicked life For as wicked manners with knowledge ought to cause men to be kept backe from this charge so a good life and an honest coÌ„uersation ioyned with insufficiencie and vnfitnesse ought to make others to be put by excluded To these two points let vs ioyne a third that it is not sufficient to bee capable to preach the worde of God and to be of a good life but besides these two that they put that in prac-which they teach and that they vse diligence and industrie in imploying the gifts which they haue receiued of the Lord for the edificatioÌ„ of his church Wherfore let them continually set before their eies this excellent sentence of S. Gregorie which ought to bee as a Glasse daily to behold all the partes of their dutie He must saith he seriously consider what it is that he that desires this charge coÌ„meth vnto and after hauing attained the same how he liueth also he must see how liuing well he teacheth how teaching wel he learneth euery day his own weaknesse for feare least that this great humilitie shoulde cause him to auoide this charge wherein being placed his life must not bee contrarie to the dignitie of the same and beeing in this charge although hee be of a good life he must not faile in doctrine And if he be learned he must not bee proude and in summe beeing filled with all vertue he must not rashly attempt this charge vnlesse he be constrained thereunto and if he be voyde of vertue hee must take heede that hee approacheth not vnto the same although hee bee constrained Let vs enter then into the discourse of this propertie of teaching requisite in the Pastour Let vs obserue that it consisteth principally in three poyntes whereof the first is to teach the worde of God vnto the people and to administer the Sacraments The second is to confute the doctrines of false prophets and teachers The thirde to exhort the people to repentance The propertie of preaching do consist in 3. points 1. To preach the worde of God 2. To conuince the gainsayers 3. To exhort and reproue 1. Tim. 3. Tit. 1 These three poynts may bee verie clearely gathered of that which Saint Paule speaketh in Tim. and Tit. where hee sayth That a Bishop must be apt to teach it is not meant that this qualitie must bee a thing forged in the ayre it must bee imployed in the instruction of the people and although saint Paul speaketh not at all in that place of the administration of the Sacramentes neuerthelesse seeing that the administration of the Sacraments dooth depende vppon the preaching of the worde hee that preacheth the worde may also administer the Sacraments so that wee see the first poynt easily proued The second likewise is set downe in expresse wordes that is that he be able to improue those that say against it And the third that he be of abilitie to exhort with wholesome doctrine But let vs prooue all three points more at large by other places for the comfort and contentation of the readers The first poynt may bee prooued by two most excellent places of the olde Testament The first points proued by other places The first is that Iehosaphat willing to purge the high places of Iuda of Idolatrie hee did appoynt Leuites and Priestes who shoulde teach Iuda hauing with them the Booke of the Lawe of the Lorde and they went about through all the Cities of Iuda and taught the people Ezech. 44 The second is in Ezechiel where wee reade that the Lord reprouing the Iewes because they had established in the seruice of God those that ought not to be receiued hee sayeth in the 15. verse of the same Chapter that the Priests of the Leuits the sonnes of Zadok that kept the chaâ—ge of his Sanctuarie when the children of Israel went astray from him that they should come neer to him to serue him they should staÌ„d before him to offer the fat the blood and that they should administer the which he had appointed And in the 23. ve it is added that they should teach the people the difference betweene the holy and prophane and cause theÌ„ to dâ—scern between the vncleane the clean Let vs come to those proofes of the newe Testament which are more euident It is said in the Acts Acts 2 that Peter and Paul preached repentance and remission of sins
they that heard it were pricked in their harts said vnto Peter and the other apostles Men brethren what shall we do Then Peter said vnto them Amend your liues and be baptized euery one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes and yee shall receiue the gift of the holy Ghost And in the 41. verse it is saide That they that gladly receiued his worde were baptized And in the 46. verse They continued daylie with one accorde in the Temple and breaking bread Againe when Saint Paul in the 20. of the Acts Acts 20 dooth reckon vppe the summe of his Apostleship he saith vnto the Elders of the Church of Ephesus That hee kept backe nothing from them that was profitable but had shewed them and taught them openly and throughout euerie house witnessing to the Iewes also to the Grecians the repentance towards God and faith towarde our Lord Iesus Christ Acts 26 And in the 26. Paul being before king Agrippa did recount al his office he saith That assoone as euer he was called to be an Apostle by an heauēly vision which appeared vnto him as hee was going to Damascus hee shewed the same first vnto them which were at Damascus and Ierusalem and throughout all the coasts of Iuda and to the Gentiles that they should repent and turne to God and do works worthie amendment of life The proof of the second point 1. King 18. Let vs proue the second poynt by other places of Scripture that is that a Pastor must bee able to confute the erroneous doctrine of false teachers of which we haue examples of the Prophets and Apostles First we see in the first Booke of the Kings that the Prophet Elias did shewe vnto Achab and to the people of Israel that the prophets of Baal which the ignoraunt people helde for true Prophets were false Prophets and he himselfe did conuince them of falshoode by that sacrifice which they had chosen to make knowne which of them two hee or they were false Prophets It came to passe that by the praier of Elias fire was cast downe from heauen to consume his Sacrifice and on the contrarie side that of the false Prophets was not consumed although they prayed to their god Baal to heare them they were conuinced to be false prophets In the second place we reade in Ieremie Iere. 14 that the Prophet Ieremie by the commaundement of God did confute the prophesies of the false Prophets who affirmed that God would not punish Ierusalem nether by the sworde nor by famine And hee affirmed the contrarie that God woulde plague them by these two scourges and that the false prophets themselues who durst abuse the name of God saying that it was in his name that they shewed them that warre and famine shoulde not come neare them should also be consumed by the sworde and by famine with the people vnto whom they had prophesied And in the 28. of the same Prophet Chap. 25 a certaine false prophet named Hananiah shewing the people that God had broken the yoke of Nabuchadnezzar the king of Babel and that the vessels which hee had taken out of the house of the Lord should be brought backe againe and for the confirmation of his saying hauing taken the yoke from the Prophet Ieremiahs necke and broken it before the Priests and people he said euen so shal the yoke of Nabuchadnezzar king of Babel be broken from the necke of all nations within the space of two yeares VVhen it it is there set downe that Ieremiah had the worde of the Lorde to the contrarie who by Gods commaundement put him backe saying vnto him in the 15. verse of the same chapter Heare now Hananiah the Lord hath not sent thee but thou makest this people to trust in a lie Beholde this yeare thou shalt die Wee reade likewise howe that Ezechiel did beate downe the false Prophets and prophitesses who seduced the people declaring vnto them peace in the name of the Lord then when hee was purposed to take vengeance vppon them for their sinnes saying VVo vnto the foolish Prophets that follow their owne spirit haue seene nothing And in the 18. ver VVo vnto the womē that sow pillowes vnder all armeholes that is who maintain by their false prophesies men in vaine hope promising vnto them peace and quietnesse when they do abound with al wickednes And make vayles vpon the head of euerie one that standeth vp to hurt soules that is who fitte their vaine predictions to all ages and to all kind of people or else they that do deck them which go towards them with cetrain vailes or such like promising them to obtaine by these meanes any vision The Prophet speaketh in such maner because the sorcerers and diuiners couered with a vaile the face of them vnto whom they spake and sowed pillowes vnder their armeholes giuing them to vnderstand that the euent of their answer shuld be more certain It is said also in the Acts that There arose certain of the sinagogue which are called Libertines Cirenians of Alexandria and of thē of Cilicia of Asia disputed with Steuen But they were not able to resist the wisedome and the Spirit by the which he spake Act. 9. And in the same booke we see that Saint Paul confounded the Iewes and the Grecians shewing that Iesus Christ was the sonne of God We read also in the fifteenth of the Acts that certaine false Prophets who taught that Except they were circumcised they could not bee saued were confuted by Saint Paul and Barnabas and other Apostles in Antiochia In the eighteenth of the same booke mention is made of a certain Iew named Apollos an eloquent mā mightie in the Scriptures who mightily confuted publikely the Iewes with great vehemency shewing by the Scriptures that Iesus was the Christ We may see many Epistles of S. Paul which are liuely applied to this effect In Saint Peter we reade 2. Pet. 2. There were false Prophets among the people which priuily brought in damnable heresies euen denying the Lord that hath bought them Also in the second Epistle Saint Iohn refuteth the doctrine of Antichrist 2. Iohn 7 The proofe of the third saying Many deceiuers are entred into the world which confesse not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh He that is such a one is a deceiuer and an Antichrist Let vs come to the third and the last point which is to exhort the people to repentance and conuersion reprouing the faults as necessitie shal require We see in the prophesie of Ieremie that God spake in this manner by the mouth of the Prophet Ieremie Ier. 44. I haue sent vnto you all my seruants the Prophets rising vppe early and sending thē saying Returne now euerie man from his euill way and amend your workes and go not after other Gods to serue them and yee shall dwell in the land which I haue giuen
poynt to bee marked Take away sayth he a Metaphor and a similitude from Orators all things bee little and of no value Take away the Prouerbes and Parables from the writings of the Prophets and Euangelists and thou shalt take away the most part of the grace of the scriptures To all these commodities wee may ioyne also this which is of great consequence that is when one expoundeth an hard place there is nothing that maketh it sooner to bee vnderstood then a similitude A Profitable vse of a similitude for although oftentimes many reasons bee brought and those which bee of force neuerthelesse experience sheweth that by them one cannot so easily conceiue many difficulties but if one vseth a familiar similitude and easie to bee vnderstood it commeth to passe that hard things are without labour vnderstood and all those reasons which were alleadged before to make the matter playne are made cleare and manifest by similitudes Wherefore the preacher must studie for the same with great trauaile and industrie that he may exercise his charge with mote fruit Let vs come now to the fift point the is often to garnish our sermōs with examples we say that it is necessarie for this reason principally that is because they haue in themselues maruailous vertue and force to mooue the hearer because they shew the truth of many things come to passe of which we haue places and testimonies in the scripture in such sort that when wee woulde haue the truth of any doctrine to bee vnderstood or to stirre vppe the hearer to the imbracing of any vertue The vse of examples or to flie any vice wee must first propound those testimonies which doo commaunde or that doo exhort or do forbid the one or the other then wee must bring an example which doth shewe as it were with the finger the effect and performance of the testimonies Wee may note also that when we may alleadge many it is good to place those first which are of lesse force to moue the hearers then to vrge the stronger as wee haue counselled to do in bringing of reasons one after another because of the incredible weight which this manner of teaching hath towardes all sorts of men It is true that when occasion is giuen to make cleare some portion of Scripture something hard that wee cannot vse fitte examples as wee may doo if wee doo describe the filthinesse of some vice or the dignitie of some vertue or some such like thing we may then vnderstand that onely they are to bee vsed in the handling of those things which are needefull to bee made plaine by them For the sixt poynte which is that it is verie profitable to make a breefe conclusion The conclusion of all that which hee hath handled we say that it is necessarie for this reason that is that if they which haue well hearkened hath kept any thing they may haue their memory very much refreshed and comforted by a breefe summe of that which they haue heard and as for them that haue beene negligent in hearing in the time of the Sermon hearing the summe thereof may bee awakened to lende theyr eares and to retayne some thing and to returne with some instruction But because it is easie to speake and discourse of diuers methods but it is hard to obserue them wee will heere sette downe two Sermons of things which seemeth verie hard to conceiue and in the sayde two Sermons all the practise of the sayde method may clearely bee perceiued to the ende they may bee sette downe as patternes that they that will go about to follow the same may doo it more easily The first shall be made of that which Saint Iames saith Iam. 3.5 in his third Capter and fift verse touching the tongue The second shall bee grounded vppon the Lordes Supper following the woords which the Euangelists and Saint Paul vseth saying This is my body c. Let vs come to the first and set downe the text as it is in Saint Iames. The tongue is a little member and boasteth of great things behold how great a matter a litle fire kindleth 6. And the tongue is fire yea a world of wickednesse c. But because it is there said The tongue is a world of wickednesse Iam. 3.5.6 and that it may seeme to some that it is an hyperpolicall speeche that is an excessiue kind of speaking all the parts of that sermon must be considered to vnderstand how they do agree togither As in the beginning God in creating of all things which are in the world he made man also as the best and most excellent of all his workes to this ende that he might first know him The beginning taken from the text and then honour and glorifie him so man must know that his dutie towardes his Creator is to acknowledge him and to giue him that honour and reuerence that is due vnto him and to set forth his glory as much as he can For seeing that God is the beginning the proceeding and maintainer of his life so he ought to thinke that his dutie is not discharged if he doth employ some part of his life or some force of the minde or the body to praise him but euen frō his birth vntil his last gaspe he must employ all the powers of his soule to magnifie him meditating continually in his woorde and labouring for the vnderstanding of his sacred mysteries to discourse of them by his reason and to imprint them in his memorie and in sum to dedicate all his heart and his inwarde affections to aduance his name Secondly to discharge this dutie faithfully we must also earnestly apply all our exteriour members as well as the inward faculties of the soule to praise him that is the mouth the lippes the tongue the feet the handes the armes and all other partes in generall because we haue receiued them of God for this end But because god hath made and placed the parts of mā◠body some more excellent then other and more fit to praise him euery way as his admirable and incōprehensible wisdom hath seen it necessarie so mā must know that the dignitie and excellencie which his members haue receiued one aboue another ought to be vsed to preach his prayses more thē other It is thē most certain that amōgst all the mēbers of mans body which god hath made for his seruice he hath framed the tongue aboue the rest to which he hath giuē a property prerogatiue preheminēce which the other parts haue not that by that whē it is wel gouerned the word of god is preached with incredible edificatiō by the we set forth his magnificence in a singular manner by that his holy name and his sacred maiestie is sanctified more and more by that we pray vnto God cal vpon him in al our necessities and by that we speak good of our neighbors by that we instruct them by that charity is kindled towardes men fayth
sayde this shall bee maâ—â— my body or turned into my body Aâ— if these wordes should bee vnderstood wiâ—â—out a figure as the Papistes woulde haue they shoulde signifie rather that his boâ—â— and his bloud should bee turned iâ— the Bread and Wine and not that 〈◊〉 Bread and the Wine shoulde bee turâ—â— into the substaunce of the body of Chrâ—â—â— because wee finde some such like thâ—â— in the Scripture as wee may reade in â—nesis Gen. 19. where it is sayde That Lot his Vâ— was turned into a Piller of Salt and 〈◊〉 piller of salt was to be seene wherâ— to Lots Wife was turned So that it 〈◊〉 bee sayde after this sort This Pilleâ— Salt is the Wife of Lot to note that 〈◊〉 his Wife was turned into that Piller 〈◊〉 they that doo heare these wordes 〈◊〉 vnderstande it so For these worâ— The Pillar of Sale cannot signifie the 〈◊〉 thing properly therefore a proper signification must needes bee founde out So in like manner when it is heere sayde This is my bodie this is my bloud these wordes cannot any way beare this signification that wee should vnderstande by them a reall conuersion into the bodie and bloud of Christ Moreouer these wordes of transubstantiation doo bring with them three absurdityes The first is that if the bread and wine shoulde bee turned into the body and bloud of Iesus Christ there should bee no signe in the Supper and so there should bee no sacrament which cannot bee without a visible signe The seconde is that the bloud of Iesus Christ shoulde bee separated from his bodie which is also absurde and impossible The thirde that Iesus Christ shoulde haue a bodie infinite and by consequent hee shoulde not bee true man nor truely ascended into heauen which shoulde ouerthrowe the principall Articles of our fayth And t is to no purpose to obiect heere that hee hath a gloryfied body by which hee may bee at one time in diuers places together for this replie is vayne because hee hadde no such bodie when as hee instituted the Supper and besides his glorification did not any way diminish the nature of a true bodie but onely did make him infinite as an auncient Doctor hath verie well sayde And wherefore it is sayde in the Acts of the Apostles That the heauens should containe him vntill the daie of iudgement when hee shall visiblie descende as he was seene to ascende The fourth is that infidels and hypocrites comming to the Lords Supper shoulde truely participate the bodie and bloud of Christ and so it must needes follow that GOD and the diuell should bee lodged togither And besides these absurdities which doo beate downe transubstantiation experience it selfe is against it Wee may perceiue the bread and wine to consume away beeing long time kept for this dooth shewe most plainely that the substance of them is not chaunged As also these wordes beeing well vnderstood doo ouerthrowe transubstantiation so they doo likewise confute theyr Cousin germane which is Consubstantiation that is those which doo affirme that the body of Iesus Christ beeing euerie where it must needes bee in the Breade of the Lordes Supper that it is eyther aboue or belowe or at one side or within as his bloud is in the VVine The wordes of Iesus Christ cannot likewise beare this sence For if they will so vnderstand them Iesus Christ must haue said My bodie shall bee with this bread and my bloud with this wine Moreouer this shoulde bee to fall to a fleshlye and carnall eating which cause vs to fall into the three last absurdities of transubstantiation When Iesus Christ saith to the Capernaites who did imagine a carnall eating because hee had said That vnlesse one eate his Flesh and drinke his bloud that he cannot haue eternall life He saide vnto them in the Verse three score and three expounding himselfe It is the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing the wordes that I speake vn-you are spirit and life Is not this place cleare inough to shew that hese woordes must be vnderstoode spiritually and not carnallye And although that there hee speaketh not of a sacramentall eating but of that which is made by the woorde of GOD which is receiued by faith notwithstanding it maye verye well imparte thus much because it is the same kinde of eating in substaunce so that whatsoeuer is spoken of the one doth belong also to the other and seeing that question is made of the nourishment of the soule which is spirituall and that the foode thereof is spirituall it must necessarily follow that the eating must be also spirituall and not grosse and carnall And to be so it cannot otherwise be but that the bread and wine shoulde be nothing else but signes onely of the body and bloud of Christ and that they do alwaies remaine bread and wine after the wordes of coÌ„secration and after the partaking thereof As it is easie by Saint Paule 1 Cor. 10. where hee saith The cuppe of blessing which we blesse is it not the communion of the bloud of Christ The bread which we breake is it not the communion of the body of Christ It is not said that the cup of blessing which one blesseth is the bloud of Christ really that the bread which we break is the proper and substantiall body of Christ but that it is the communion of the one and of the other by the which words he declareth plainly that the bread and the wine doth alwaies remaine bread and wine but they are certaine and infallible pledges of that coÌ„munion which we haue in the body of Christ See also that the bread the wine are nothing but signes of the body and of the bloud of Christ yet neuerthelesse we do participate of the same as trulie as if we shuld eat his flesh and drinke his bloud after a carnall manner Let vs adde that this interpretation which is the second point we haue to handle causeth no inconuenience and that by the same those foure absurdities which are recited before are auoided for by the same the signes remaine in their owne nature the bloode of Iesus Christ is not separated from his bodie his humainitie is not diminished neyther the truth of his ascension and sitting at the right hand of his Father And further The Amplifying of the second part wicked men shall not partake of the body of Christ and of his blood But what will bee obiected if this bee the true meaning of Christ how is it declared by more manifest words and lesse doubtfull One answereth that this promise cannot be made by a more briefe kinde of speeche and more significant For if hee had saide This is the pledge and the signe of my body there shuld not haue been a promise as there is vnlesse he had vsed more words as if hee shoulde haue saide I assure you that this bread and this Wine doth so represent vnto you my body and my bloud that as often as you do
bloud To this we answere that God can do it by his word which is incomprehensible but to the ende it shall not seeme so straunge to our carnall vnderstanding Notable similitudes shewing clearely how we doo partake the body of Christ we would vse a familiar similitude to make the same more euident The first shall be takeÌ„ from the sunne the which as it doth communicate by his beames and reuerborations his force and efficacie vnto them that liue heere belowe although it be a dead creature as the Philosophers affirme by a farre greater reason Iesus Christ the Creator the sonne of righteousnesse beeing on high in Heauen at the right hand of his father he can more easily communicate his bodie and his bloud in the Supper by an infinite vertue and an incomprehensible power of his spirite because vnto him it is no matter of any difficultie to ioyne things togither that are farre distant as those that are neare The other similitude although it be weake yet it may serue to vnderstand this mysterie for it is a hard thing to finde out those things which are strong inough to signifie in any sort this incomprehensible secret it shall bee taken from a great and high Tree which from the center of the earth reacheth as it were vnto the heauens as mention is made of such a tree which Nabuchadnezar saw in his dreame seeing that the life and the vertue which dooth maintaine all the branches and leaues in this tree be in the roote which although it be hidden in the earth yet it dooth easily nourish and giueth a growing life vnto the highest boughes although they bee farre from the roote wherein is the spring and fountaine of life if I say this creature without life can doo this easily why should wee not beleeue that Iesus Christ the Creator and conseruer of all things can communicate vnto vs his substance to nourish our selues without comming downe from heauen by his spirit seeing that hee hath promised the same and hee maketh vs to feele it by experience when it pleaseth him Wherefore wee may infallibly conclude that Iesus Christ nourisheth and quickneth our soules and watereth them by his bloud in this holy sacrament so certainely that wee neede not any thing to doubt if so bee that we haue fayth which beeing formed in vs by the spirit of God doth engender in vs so much the more great perswasions as it is great and plentifull in vs so that if wee suffer our selues alwayes to bee led by this spirite wee shall feele more and more his presence in this holy Sacrament prouided also that wee doo disburden our selues of all carnall opinions Eor if wee be replenished with them and suffer our selues to bee gouerned by them it is to be feared least that wee loose his presence altogether and as wee may say with extreame greefe and sorrow that many seeking the same with theyr owne carnall phantasie haue miserably lost the same and haue found the presence of the diuell For all contentions of words iniuries cruel and bloudy wars which are stirred vp and kindled and which meÌ„ do practise one against another to spoyle themselues altogether are nothing else but the blasts of Sathan who beeing present in the middest of them doth prick them forward to â—â—ch mischiefs And in truth if Iesus Christ Conclusion which is nothing else but loue and goodnes â—oth raigne by his spirit wee shal perceiue aâ—ongst christians another kind of vnion and â—oniunction then vsually is to be found but â—â—at violent pride bitternes which is in the â—ottome of our heart beeing the principall â—use lette vs earnestly pray vnto God to â—arge vs cleane that being voyd thereof we â—ay vnite ioyne our selues by this holy saâ—ament with peace concord and beeing us straightly tyed and coupled wee may 〈◊〉 together with one heart and will giue hoâ—ur and prayse vnto him as to our Maister â—ing and Lord to whom bee all glorie and â—â—iestie both now and euer Amen We may iudge by this kind of preaching â—w profitable it is by the reading of these â—o sermons in which al the foresaid method â—ontained For although in this last we do 〈◊〉 alleadge examples as in the first we did â—ecause the matter is diuers and we cannot 〈◊〉 fitly because no poynt of any vertue aâ—th vnto which we might exhort the peoâ—â— nor of any vice from which we shuld disâ—de them but it was a poynt of doctrine â—â—ch is so high and difficult to vnderstand 〈◊〉 it requireth many reasons to make it â—ine as wee haue done in this place It is true that when one will illustrate any poynt of doctrine hee must vse examples as the scripture speaking of iustification of faith dooth propose the examble of Abraham easily to make the same to bee vnderstood but this is altogither in a diuers thing then this whereof wee haue spoken as euerie man may gather of himselfe that I neede not aduertise the reader to take heed of confounding these things together Let vs go on forwarde with our matter and let vs obserue that to keepe that method before spoken of with most fruit it is good to obserue heere two poyntes The first is that to handle high matters and full oâ— weight as some bee more then other iâ— is expedient to prepare the people tâ— hearken vnto the same attentiuely anâ— to doo the same Wee may vse an insinuation both in the beginning and also oftentimes in the middest of the Sermon as if onâ— should say hearken lende your eares aâ—tend and you shall heare a maruailous thing a matter that concernes you and that wiâ— bring incredible comfort vnto you or somâ— such like speech And in this wee shall immitate the Prophets which haue oftentimâ— vsed it as Moses Esay and others whâ— being desirous to stirre vppe the dulnesâ— of the people they haue called the heâ—uen and the earth to witnesse of that which they haue spoken crying out vnto them to heare the voyce of GOD to the end that by these meanes they might make men ashamed if they hearkened not vnto the word of God For it is as much as if they would haue sayde that if the heauen and the earth do yeeld obedience vnto the word of GOD The Preacher must deuise all meanes that he can to perswade the people which are creatures without life that may confounde men with shame which are liuing creatures if they doo not readily submitte themselues vnto his sacred word and euen so preachers must vse these and the like kinde of speeches when they shall see it necessarie The second is that in expounding serious matters especially before the people to vse also graue words and significant liuely expressing that which wee doo expounde For experience dooth shewe that a man hath no grace at all when hee expoundeth an high matter with light and base wordes not expressing sufficiently the force and vertue of those thinges which hee handleth as
that thou art honoured in the administration of thy ministerie of all those that are wise and feare God and seeing that is the true honour which commeth frō good men and not from sensual men we may conclude that thou hast more honor then the other For in truth the honour that is receiued from men well instructed is to be preferred before that which is giuen of the ignorant But of all things propound before thee that thou art honoured of God For the scripture speaking of the Preachers of the word doth teach vs that Christ hath said Whosoeuer honoreth you honors me c. In this world when we are honoured of Kings and Princes and great Lords we make more account of that honour then of that which wee receiue from those that be inferiors because that the greater that they are that honoureth vs so ought their honour to be prised and valued Seing then God doth so honour Ministers and theyr Ministrie that hee attributeth that honour vnto them which is giuen vnto himselfe wherefore dost thou that art a Pastor take care for the honour of men And if thou dost adde hereunto those honourable titles which are giuen vnto faithfull Pastors thou wouldest make lesse account of the honour of the world and esteeme more the incomparable honour of the ministrie But if any other shall obiect that therefore he is discouraged because that the Ministers for the most part are poore needy and in miserie we answere that this is the obiection of a couetous man A confutation of the obiection of the couetous and to correct this vice of couetousnesse consider on the other side that they that haue more meanes to liue by then other yet they also bee poore and further that pouertie is no vice but that it is as acceptable vnto God of it selfe as riches when as well the one as the other doo come from GOD if they bee vsed as they ought Secondly think with thy self that there is at this day almost no men which are addicted to any other study as to any arte mechanick who doo finde more easily honest conditions to liue then those that haue giuen them selues to the studie of diuinitie as wee haue seene within this seuen or eight yeares that many Phisitians Lawyers Aduocates Proctors Notaries many marchants many great Lordes and gentlemen beeing gone out of France and other places are constrained to trauaile vp and downe in strange Countries and haue suffered much want although they haue beene skilfull in their profession and haue beene rich at home but those that haue studied diuinitie haue founde alwaies many commodities to sweeten the rigour of theyr exile Thirdly consider that if they haue not such goods and richesse as many Marchaunts Artificers and other men of trades in this world that God hath giuen vnto them a contented life which is accompanied with godlinesse and the feare of God In the fourth place thou must meditate that GGD is the plentifull rewarder of all the Ministers of GOD and thou must thinke vppon all those excellent promises of GOD which hee maketh in his worde to nourish all liuing creatures For if hee feedeth the beastes of the fielde he will much more nourish men and if he nourisheth all men much more the faithfull and principally those whom he hath appointed for the teaching and leading of them To make an ende of this point sette before thine eyes that if they abound not in temporall and earthly goods yet they are riche in the knowledge of the word of God in the vnderstanding and reuealing of his secrets which are the true riches of the soule and seeing that those be the true riches cōsider that the more thou aboundest with thē the more thou art truly rich for these riches wil bring vnto thee so much ioy and gladnesse as the corporall and worldly goods doo bring vnto them that possesse them griefe and care and so enioying these true and sincere spirituall rithes why dost thou take such thought for the riches of this world If another doth reply A confutation of those that loue pleasure that his heart is pulled downe because that ministers are ordinarily sorowfull pensiue full of care and melancholy I may demande of him why are they more then other men These bee vaine and imaginarie fansies forged in the braine of I knowe not what worldly men for they are as ioyfull as other and it is as lawfull for them as for any other It is true it is their dutie to be sage wise prudent modest graue and honest but this doth not hinder them but that they may vse a moderate ioy and agreeable to their vocation and on the contrary this ioy doth bring more contentation as it differeth from the reioycing of the prophane Seneca sayth in a certaine place that we must gouerne our selues in such sort that none may think vs too seuere and again that none despise vs as those that be vile contemptible that we must more delight in profitable matters then in things that be rediculous he addeth that one may mingle sometime amongst graue serious matters those things that be pleasant but we must take heed that they bee so tempered that they do not discredit their honour If this bee so who is he that thinketh the Pastor worthie of reprehension if sometime vpon occasion he vseth pleasant words and full of delight which are more the signes of gentleman-like nature then of any vice seeing that it is proper and naturall to great and rare personages to haue as it is sayd in the common prouerb some grace in theyr speech But some will obiect that they must of necessitie abstaine from many pleasures which are lawfull to others which be in other callings Lette vs demaunde of them againe what they bee if one imagineth that they ought not to vse the naturall pleasures which are to drinke to eate soberlie and many such like which our outward senses do enioy he may bee answered that it is lawful for them to vse them as it was for the Patriarches Prophets Apostles and Iesus Christ himselfe who was present at a marriage and at banquets and had the fruition of these ordinarie thinges as well as any other If any meane those pleasures which are vnprofitable and superfluous he may be answered that these pleasures are proper vnto Epicures are cōmon to brute beasts If one vnderstands carnall pleasures as to gourmandize and to be drunken and to bee riotous in excesse in which sensuall men doo take theyr pleasure hee may bee aunswered that these bee the pleasures of voluptuous men and that such pleasures be of their owne nature so filthie detestable and infamous that when they are once named they ought to bee abhorred by reason of those infinite mischiefes which they draw after them without making any mention of the shame sorrow and repentance which doo ordinarily accompanie them But lette vs oppose vnto these that they may continually possesse the ioy