Heere looking vpon this place and obseruing the words An euident place of Scripture carrying the sense after the letter with proofe thereof nothing I finde obscure needing interpretation but the right sense to be as the words openly declare for the same agrees with the analogie of faith it being a principle taught That all men are sinners the fift petition teaching euerie man to aske pardon of his sinnes it agreeth with the circumstances of the place and Salomons purpose also with other Scriptures as Psalm 14. 3. Iam. 3. 2. 1. Ioh. 1. 8. Rom. 7. 19. Therefore this and the like Scriptures deliuering in the letter the true meaning wee are to proceed to instructions without searching foorth of anie other sense from the words or standing vpon explaining of the words being not obscure except the rudenesse of the auditorie vntaught in common things doth require a briefe vnfolding of the words as one commeth to them For there is nothing so cleere but euen the maine points of Christianitie needeth opening as in this place Who is a iust man What sinne is And to do good to such as be vncatechised and not instructed in the common tearmes of Religion as God Sauiour Law Gospell Faith Repentance Flesh Spirit and so foorth II. Matth. 26. 26. This is my bodie An obscure Scripture which cannot be taken according to the letter The Papists exposition false and prooued In examining our expositions vpon places we must first of al referre the matter to some point of Catechisme and after that principle of Diuinitie proceed therein This is an obscure Scripture cannot be meant literallie as the Papists expound them as if Christ had said This bread is my naturall bodie borne of the virgin Marie my mother by transubstantiation for it is absurd and too grosse a conceit Therefore we search out another sense and say as if Christ had said indeed as hee meant This bread is a signe of my body or my body Sacramentally Now to trie out expositions we must come to the former Rules First to confute the Papists before we confirme our owne the matter in hand is about the Sacrament for this is euer to be marked of what the place speaketh that so we may referre it to some Catechisme point to trie the interpretation by as places speaking of Christ we must referre them to his nature or offices and according vnto the Principles therein learned examine our expositions Therfore we are to referre this Predication to the doctrine of Sacraments where we shall find their exposition to bee against the nature of a Sacrament which is a relation and not truely a substance a signe as well as the thing signified Christ is not bodily in the Sacrament II. Bring it to another part of the Catechisme to the Creed and we shall find it to be against two Articles of the same of Christs true humane nature hauing a true body with all the dimensions which being so cannot be inclosed in a wafer cake Also against Christ sitting at the right hand of his father which is euer true at all moment of times but this cannot I beleeue if he be in the Sacrament and euery morning Masse and so often as the Sacrament is celebrated It cannot be said that one true body can be at one instant in two places III. Trie by the circumstances of the place and it is ouerthrowen considering who administred it Iesus Christ sitting at the table and the bread in his hand by which either must his body sitting at the table be a fantasticall body if the bread was his true body or the bread but bread if the bread was then but bread it was not transubstantiated belike till after his resurrection and in so saying the first institution should be defectiue and the disciples of Christ to receiue lesse than we do if it be now transubstantiated Note againe that it is called bread and appeares euer bread now if it were changed it were a miracle and no miracle but it was sensible The Disciples they tooke it saw Christ when they eat it and felt no flesh The end of a Sacrament is to remember him now we remember not things present it is against therefore the end of a Sacrament IV. Lastly it is against Scripture Act. 3. 21. The exposition therefore is false too Caniball like allowing the eating of mans flesh which the Iewes abhorred to heare of It Iohn 6. Our exposition true plainly proued is false foolish and absurd against religion reason sense and naturall instinct Contrariwise our interpretation is true on the contrary agreeing with the nature of a Sacrament with articles of faith with Scripture Ioh. 6. 63. Act. 3. 21. with al the circumstances of the place and with places speaking of the like matter in like maner and yet no transubstantiation Genes 17. 10. 1. Cor. 10. 4. 1. Cor. 11. 25. Therefore this must be giuen and the right meaning of the words III. Rom. 12. 20. If thine enimie hunger feed him If hee thirst giue him drinke for in so doing thou shalt heape coales of fire vpon his head These words are partly euident and the sense in the letter A scripture partly obscure and partly euident in the words of exhortation and partly obscure in the confirmation The first needs no explanation the latter must bee interpreted for that it seemes to carrie an absurditie in it to heape coales of fire vpon the head of him to whom wee in charitie are bound to doe good vnto so may I hurt him The triall of two expositions whether of them true and not benefit him There is a double meaning giuen of these words Some say thus By well doing thy enemy not deseruing it thou shalt increase Gods iudgements against him But the circumstances of the place will not allow this The Apostles intent is to mooue men to the worke of charitie euen to their enemies to doe them good thereby and to purpose the same But if this were the sense the reason were to shew how to be reuenged on him and in shew of doing good to intend him mischiefe which is against Christian charitie if wee trie it by the doctrine of charitie the nature and end thereof Some expound it thus In so doing thou shalt winne him vnto thee by force euen as if thou diddest heape coales of fire vpon his head which he should not be able to endure but must needs yeeld to thee thy good deeds will so enflame his affection of loue to burne in him towards thee This may stand with the circumstances the Apostles scope the nature of charitie and with other Scriptures Matth. 5. 44. 1. Samuel 24. 17. 2. King 6. 22. 23. Prouerb 25. 22. Therefore the true sense IV. An example of reconciling places as in Genes 22. 1. and Iames 1. 13 Where the places seeme contradictorie to make these An example shewing how to reconcile places seeming to disagree not to disagree and to reconcile
them and so other Scriptures obserue which of the places agree best with the bodie of Diuinitie and principles of Religion as heere Iames his words doe and learne from the analogie of Faith the scope and circumstances the true sense thereof Then consider wherein the other seemes contradictorie thereunto as the place of Genesis and there obserue the sense also by the rules see also whether the rules of opposition hold in them or no. Lastly lay to them some other place one or two agreeing and being alike in words or meaning to either of them which by comparison with them may giue thee a right difference and shew the reconcilement of them as Exod. 20. 20. which place agreeth with Genes 22. 1. and withall interpreteth what is meant by tempting euen proouing of Abraham by which is plaine then that there is no contradiction betweene the two places So Matt. 10. 5. 28. 19. seeme to iarre and Christ to be against his owne commandement But consider and compare them with Matt. 21. 43. and Act. 13. 46. and the circumstances with the rules of exposition and the reconcilement will bee made and no discord found at all And thus much of the interpretation of the text That a Minister may faithfully and soundly interpret there What is needfull that a minister may soundly and faithfully bee able to interpret scripture Arte of Grammar is required by necessarie consequent from that which hath beene deliuered heere in this Chapter much knowledge I. Of Grammar From false Grammar as one saith there cannot proceed true Diuinitie By this we finde out the true construction the proper signification and the emphasis of words the proprietie of the tongue maner of speaking and other things of lesse importance yet necessarie about which Grammar is exercised II. Knowledge of the toongs in some measure is required Knowledge in the tongues Heb. Greeke and Latine Theologus must be Philologus the force of words are more fully in the originall text often than in the translation by a mans owne knowledge into the text hee seeth the matter immediately with his owne eies when other see in the translation the matter by other mens eies Euerie language hath peculiar words dialects tropes and figures Scruples which may arise by varietie of translations may be preuented or taken away doubts remooued and translations more safely followed The knowledge of three languages very necessary the Hebrue toong in it the Canon of the old Testament was written the Greeke toong in which language the Scriptures Canonicall of the New Testament are set downe and the Latin toong for the reading of authors wherein most haue written III. Knowledge of Rhetoricke the Scriptures being Arte of Rhetoricke and other sciences full of tropes and figures with knowledge in the rest of the Liberall Sciences vnderstanding also in naturall Philosophie Oeconomicks Ethicks Politiques Geographie Cosmographie he may not be ignorant of Antiquities he is to be acquainted with Histories and with whatsoeuer he shall be occasioned to vse in the interpretation of the Scriptures without which no man can worke cunningly vpon euerie text if he want the instrument that is the skil of that arte which should helpe him therein The diuersitie of knowledge in seuerall things which a What fruit comes by much knowledge in diuers things man brings with him to the reading of the Scripture are as many candles to giue light to see into his text both to finde out and lay open such diuersitie of matter as lie couched therein as also to expound and to shew the full meaning of the words as Iohn 10. 27. to interpret this word Know note first that he speakes by way of Similitude from a Shepheard then heere consider what is a Shepheards knowledge first to know sheepe from goats secondly his sheepe from other mens thirdly to see to them to loue care and to prouide for them Now applie this to the text and you haue the meaning of Know which is I know them from goats to bee mine I see to them loue care and prouide for them And thus may wee expound difficult words by considering to what Science or Arte to referre the word vnto One Artist cannot see by that single skill all things but the Grammarian hee seeth and handles Grammaticall points the Rhetorician Rhetorique the Logitian Logique the Naturall and Morall Philosophers their Philosophie Historiographers Antiquaries and others the Scripture doth require the vse and skill of all sciences points of their profession Euerie one cannot tell whence is fetched the simile in Iob 14. 7. 8. 9 nor handle it wel without in sight into husbandrie Nor Iob 20. 18. and 24. 5. and 30. 29. and 47. 7. 9. nor Ieremie 8. 7. nor Esai 50. 5. without naturall Philosophie nor Iob 26. 7. nor 2. King 20. 9. Esai 38. 8. Amos 9. 6. without Astronomie nor know how the words in Iob 33. 9. are spoken without Rhetoricke not 1. Cor. 10. 1. 2. 3. 4. Act. 5. 36. 37. without History Nor 2. Peter 1. 5. 6. 7. without Ethicks nor Genes 49. 10. without Politiques And thus might I instance the occasion of all knowledge required to expound exactly euery place in the Scripture which I speake not as if I were furnished with them for I heere shew but by my wants what I see to bee needfull nor to discourage some from the Ministerie nor to dishort others in it painfull and profitable persons who haue not al these particulars to helpe them But to shew that brain-sicke opinion to denie the vse of Arts to the Scripture and to stirre vs vp to the diligent study of these things as we can any way possiblie doe to commend the great necessitie of vpholding Schooles of learning for the attainement heereof and that such as haue children and would preferre them to the Ministerie should endeuour to traine Knowledge in Diuinitie besides the former humane science Catechisme Throughly to be acquainted with the scriptures themselues How to read them profitably them vp in all kinde of learning if any way they be able IV. Knowledge besides this humane Science in Diuinitie it is absolutely necessarie first that he be well grounded in the principles of Religion to be able to iudge of his owne interpretations the opinions of others and to laie downe sound and wholesome doctrine as before I haue declared the vse thereof Secondly he be throughly acquainted with the Scriptures by reading the same orderly thorough without confusion reuerently beginning with praier in humilitie without pride or prophannesse attentiuely without wandring thoughts with a hungring desire without wearisomnesse or loathing in faith without doubting beleeuing and applying the same to thy selfe conscionablie with purpose to practise the same to Gods glorie without hypocrisie constantly This reading will by Gods spirit be blessed to make a man expert in the Scriptures for the other more particular maner of reading the Scriptures I set those ouer to such as haue largely written
publike receiued translation As it may argue some presumption and pride in the Corrector so it may breed contention and leaue a great scruple and cast doubts into the hearers mindes what reckoning to make of a translation and it giues great aduantage to the Papists who heereby labour to forestall many that they smally account of our translations which we see can neuer be so well done and generally approoued of but some particular persons will be censuring the same and that not onely in priuate a thing happely tolerable if the censure bee true and wisely proceeded in but also they must needs shew their skill in Pulpits It may seeme that such hold it an excellent thing digito monstrari and that they weene and are of opinion that as Persius notes the vaine ones Scire tuum nihil est nisi te scire hoc sciat alter It is verie necessarie that the translation be most sound But it is nothing expedient that euer publike proclamation bee made of some small defects that by much prying happely may be noted In a common auditorie we must onely vse our mother toong therein of euery ordinarie person but onely such faults as needs noting and that of learned men too As the text must bee read in the mother toong so heere to speake a little briefly of it by the way must the whole Sermon before a common assemblie according to the Prophets practise the 1. Cor. 14. 2. 4. 6. 9. 11. 16. 19. vse of our Sauiour the reasons of S. Paul the custome of the Apostles and as the Primitiue Fathers the Greeke and Latine Doctors of the Church were wont to doe as their Sermons extant declare without intermixing of long sentences in strange languages not vnderstood differing from their natiue speech A strange toong hinders the conceit of most hearers except it be vsed rarely aptly and briefly being ignorant of the same to apt that before spoken to that which followes after and except it be vsed with discretion it is a hiding to them what we professe rather than to teach them an vnprofitable mispending of time First needlesse to vtter it haply in Greeke then in Latine and after in English a treble or a double labour for one it may be one two three or some few vnderstand hardly the languages but all other doe not must we therefore pleasing our selues seeke to delight these few to win a little vaine praise of learning whilest all the rest stand at a gaze admiring what is said without edification We that stand vp in Christs roome must not seeke our owne commendations there wee must paint out the trueth liuely and plainly approouing our selues faithfull dispensers of Gods secrets to the conscience of euerie beleeuer in euery thing to the vtmost of our power Neuerthelesse necessitie constraining as some time to declare the emphasis of a word often more significant in the original than in the translation to note some special phrase to conuince some proudly conceited of his knowledge or The text must be out of the Canon of the Scripture Ier. 23. 28. 1. Pet. 4. 11. 1. Cor. 4. 6. Iohn 7. 16. 8. 26. 12. 50. Act. 26. 22. in a learned auditorie I doubt not of a libertie therein For the Text it must be Canonicall Scripture The Minister is Gods mouth he must then speake Gods word not onely taking it for his text but all his words must agree to the written trueth aboue which he may not presume The Prophets came with the word of the Lord our Sauiour vttered onely the word of his Father as his Father spake vnto him his Text was the Canon of the Scripture Luc. 4. 16. 17. he interpreted scripture Luc. 24. S. Paul taught Psal 19. 7. Heb. 4. 12. 2. Tim. 3. 16. Rom. 8. 7. Esa 29 13. Neh. 8. 2. Chr. 17 9. nothing but Scripture it onely bindeth conscience it is absolutely perfect it conuerteth makes perfect Mens precepts are no rule in Religion Will affection is too base to rule to command Reason and Reason to swaie by mans wisedome is too carnall for Religion Esdras text was Scripture Christs out of Esay the Leuites was the Law euery one spake out of the booke of God so continued vntil Popish Prelats inuented lying Legends to beguile the people such as God giues ouer to beleeue lies for that they kept not nor receiued a loue of the trueth and so remaine at this day euen â— Thes 2. 11. their diuinest Doctors by Gods iust iudgement Some heretofore haue preached without a Text but it is not now the custome of the Church which ordely must be obserued neither is that way so good to increase knowledge in the Scripture nor to cause reuerence to that which is spoken they not seeing whence it is grounded Secondly What kinde of Text. it must be a Text to beget faith to ground hope and to settle loue such places must we chuse as plainly affoord vs these things to teach them vsually as the Apostle exhorts Obscure Scriptures about which must necessarilie arise questions of controuersies leaue for Schooles and handle not amongst the common people and vulgar sort Common assemblies are not meet either to heare or iudge of controuersies yet it is a fault of many Preachers who vse commonly in euery Sermon to raise vp one point or other in disputation about which they spend the most of their time often without iust occasion or necessarie cause but the fruit of these mens labors is in their hearers contention talk about words quiddities and vain ostentation but not faith working by loue and holie sanctification Thirdly the Text must be fit for the hearers If S. Paul It must be a fit Text. preach before a Heathen Felix intemperate and vniust his words shall sound out temperance righteousnesse and iudgement that Felix may heare and tremble Christ Iesus will preach before Scribes and Pharisies against false interpretation of Scriptures mens traditions and hypocrisie This choise of â— fit text commends the Ministers wisedome in teaching his faithfulnesse to performe his office without feare and his care to doe good It will preuent cauils when things are reprooued which the Text plainly affords The discommoditie of an vnapt text On the contrarie an impertinent Text shewes that the Preacher wants iudgement either to chuse his Text or to discerne his auditorie or both or that hee hath but some bosome Sermons that alike must serue his turne vpon all occasions in any place or that he is fearefull and dare not take a Text to touch them especially men of place whom hee would rather please by his preaching to pleasure himselfe Gal. 1. 10. loth therefore is such an one to offend the fault of too many in these daies men pleasers not the seruants of The cause of painted eloquence Christ This is the cause why many weigh euery word as in a balance for waight and tuneable measure for
fine pronouncing to delight the eare more for a plaudite than to conuince conscience or to remooue impietie they glaunce at sin somtimes but faire and farre off for feare of hitting They are much in controuersies by which they least displease men of ill conuersation who willingly heare any thing but of their sinnes and reformation of life these bee the Preachers full of discretion but of little Religion and lesse true and heartie desire to bring men to saluation Heere then we see that a Preacher must haue knowledge What is requisite for a Minister to fit his text for the auditorie of his auditory to fit his Text vnto them considering where they bee and what maner of persons priuate or publike Ecclesiasticall or of the body politike superstitious or religious of holy conuersation or prophane peaceable or persecutors zealous or luke-warme constant or back-sliders of sound iudgement or erring from the trueth ignorantly or of obstinacie c. The Place must be also considered of a citie or town popular or of lesse resort Also if the meeting be not ordinary note the occasion the end and time whether in mirth or in sorrow to reioice or lament in time of prosperitie or aduersitie and thereafter to frame his speech And therefore it s also requisite that hee bee a man experienced in the Word and one that hath in reading Scriptures gathered together varietie of portions of Scripture for variety of matter and haue them readie noted in some little paper booke and at times studied vpon to be more readie to speake of them as occasion shall require If a man would How to speake aptly euer speake not vnaptly at any time in any place to all sorts vnknowen he must take generall Scriptures which may rightly concerne all and cannot be amisse spoken to any as these Eccles 12. 13. 14. Iam. 1. 27. 2. Cor. 1. 5. 10. Iude vers 14. Ioh. 3. 16. or 36. Act. 18. 26. and such like CHAP. VI. Of the Analysis and resolution of the text THe text read the Teacher is to resolue his Scripture to What to be obserued in the Analysis late it open to the hearers as First the Author of the words Secondly the occasion thereof Thirdly if a particular portion of Scripture or some Chapter or verse of a Chapter then obserue the coherence with that which goes before or followes after Fourthly the scope or principall intendement of the holy Ghost in that place of which scope ariseth the principall proposition called of Rhetoricians the State of Lawyers the Issue This chieflie is to be laboured in and is to be found out by obseruing these circumstances Quis quid vbi quibus auxilijs cur quo modo quando How to finde out the scope of a place and to resolue the same Scripture that is the Person the Thing it selfe the Time Place the Meanes the maner of Doing and the End By the Person Time and Place may be found the occasion by the Thing the matter handled by the Meanes the arguments by the maner the method how the arguments are laide downe which method is often crypticke and not naturall by the End the scope and so the principall proposition which may be brought to one of these three kinds Demonstratiue Deliberatiue or Iudiciall It is a hard thing to finde the state of a whole booke and Of diuiding a text and the benefit therof to reduce it into one sentence or proposition for that it is mixt of diuers kindes but it is more easie in the parts of a booke and in a particular portion of Scripture Fiftly after the scope be found out the text is to bee diuided into his seueral parts by this we limit our selues within bounds to keepe our selues from ranging the hearer will better follow the matter and conceiue the meaning in the discourse It helpeth memorie to carrie away that which is heard Where order wants without diuision there must needs be a disordered rouing running in and out here now in the beginning by and by there in the ending a confusion there is a mixture of things to be seuered a separation of things to be conioined the discourse is loose tedious and vncertaine wandring without staie or limitation Of the Diuision of bookes or Chapters my purpose is not to speake for that helpes enow are to be had for the same and so common in all mens labors and Commentaries that it is a labour needlesse to giue any precepts heerein I therefore heere intend to speake of particular Scriptures How to diuide particular verses one or two verses for a text and of the diuision interpretation and gathering doctrines thereout onely Some verses conteine euident doctrines or propositions as Prouer. 29. 18 Ioh. 3. 36. where note the qualitie thereof Generall or Speciall Affirmatiue or Negatiue Necessary or Cōtingent the parts the Antecedent Consequent where such euident propositiōs be not there first look out atotum What first to consider and know to diuide a verse what in generall to name it as a narration a doctrine teaching somewhat exhortation dehortation a commandement a promise threat rebuke petition wish vowe curse profession declaration a salutation a counsell comfort prediction praise thankesgiuing dispraise admonition question answer mocke or taunt definition description accusation prohibition detestation denial or affirmation so forth Then gather the parts by circumstances euen as the words lie in order if it may be for the better helpe of the meanersort To find what to call it which terme or name cōteineth the scope of the words it may be found out from other Scriptures as Mat. 28. 19. is called a commandement by S. Paul Act. 10. 42. so Genes 17. 4. which S. Paul cals a Promise Rom. 4. 20. Psal 32. 1. interpreted by S. Paul Rom. 4. 6. Againe we may know how to call it by the sense of the place albeit wee finde it not interpreted elswhere and by other meanes as by the Verbe as Matth. 9. 30. its a charge giuen Rom. 12. 1. an exhortation Luk. 14. 29. 30. a mocking By this see the vse of Grammar necessary to a Diuine Rom. 9. 14. detestation noted by absit which Verbe shewes the Apostles detestation of that blasphemie by Nounes Dan. 4. 24. it is a Counsell by Aduerbes Psal 119. 5. a wish by Coniunctions etsi quamuis and the like are symbola occupationis nisi is often not a obiectionis and sed solutionis as 2. Cor. 1. 24. by Interiections as Psal 120. 5. a complaint In one verse there may be two or three generals as Genes 32. 30. the first part a narration the latter a gratulation whereupon in such cases according as the text will affoord must bee first made a generall diuision into diuers totums and euery of them after into their branches by circumstances as for example Ezech. 18. 30. These words are the Prophet Ezechiels whom the Lord 1. Author raised vp as to comfort the
thereof that would be further instructed heerein V. A minister must bee furnished with books as good Furnished with good bookes Of humanitie helps to further his studie and these of all sorts First for humanitie of the seuerall Arts of Ethickes Politickes Oeconomicks natural Philosophie such as haue written of Trees Herbes Beasts of Husbandrie Geographie Histories of Iewish customes of their Waights and Measures and what other matter the learned haue written of for the Scriptures especially Next these bookes of Diuinitie and other necessarie Of diuinitie with such as are immediate intended helpes therein First the Bible the booke of God in English Latin Greeke and The Bible Hebrue our best English translation Tremelius Septuagints translation Montanus interlineall or Vatablus Beza his Testament Secondly Dictionaries besides the Latin Dictionaries and Greeke common for all sorts the Hebrue Pagninus and Auenarius Thirdly Concordances Latin Greeke and Concordance and the singular vse therof to finde proofes for a Doctrine to enlarge the vse of the same by reasons and examples and to handle a common place Hebrue of which there is singular vse a Concordance helpes memorie much to finde out any place of Scripture also in comparing Scriptures to finde places the same with the text repeated or like places in words that affoord helpe to prooue doctrines by seeking the principall word in the doctrine which it will helpe also to enlarge by considering the seuerall places which speake of the same matter or haue the same words out of which may be obserued differences causes effects exhortations promises threats yea and examples also to handle therby a Common place As for example If a man would speake of Feare let him finde Feare in the Concordance and there he shall see some place wil tell him what feare is as Prouer. 1. 7. some the kinds of God of man true and false feare what to feare and what not as Matth. 10. Exhortations to true feare Deuter. 4. how to attaine it Prouerb 2. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Deuter. 17. 19. signes of feare Psal 119. verse 14. The benefits reaped thereby Psalm 25. 34. And diuers other things at large will bee offered to thy consideration to follow any point of Diuinitie thereout if once you had gotten an vse heerein the benefit of this is more then heere I can conueniently expresse Surely he that vnderstands his text well and knowes how to draw a doctrine needs no printed or written Sermons to helpe for to inlarge it the right knowledge how to vse a Concordance is euerie way a sufficient helpe for proofes reasons and illustrations of the same It may seeme and will prooue irkesome to him that at the first makes triall thereof but time and experience will make it easie and pleasant IV Analyticall expositions for the diuiding of bookes Analyticall exposition benefit therof and chapters and vnfolding of the Scriptures as Pflacherius hath done on the Historie of the Bible Piscator on the new Testament and some of all such bookes helpe to shew you the coherence the antecedents and the consequents the scope of the Author the whole method arguments for confirmation or confutation of the proposition handled It were verie good for a yoong beginner to read euerie day one chapter or two with some learned mans resolution of the same hee shall profit much thereby in knowledge of the Scriptures V. Of Annotations as Bezaes of Phrases Westhemerus Annotations and Illyricus in his Clauis Scripturae hath gathered many of diuers acceptations of words as also Marlorats Enchiridion The commoditie of Marlorats Enchiridion sets downe which booke is of verie good vse to shew how many waies many words are taken to helpe to finde out like places to compare with the text and to handle a Common place the benefit of these books and such of the like kinde is to further vse in the interpretation of any obscure portion of Scripture Reconciliation of places VI. Of reconciling places seeming to differ and to be one against an other as Christopher Obenhimius and Andreas Catcehismes Althamerus or any other if any haue more or done better of this matter VII A Catechisme conteining the doctrine of the Church and principles of Religion Caluins Institutions and Vrsinus Catechisme both which studied throughly will sufficiently informe a mans iudgment in the chiefe points of Religion which a Diuine must bee well practised in for the trial of his doctrine and other mens iudgements by the Analogie of faith as before declared It is good for a beginner to haue without booke the definitions and distributions of the principall heads of Theologie as Polanus Partitions setteth downe that so hee may readily know to what Common-place bookes and speciall traclates being particular common places of seuerall things at large head to refer his doctrines or other mens propositions to examine and iudge rightly of them VIII Common-place bookes Musculus Peter Martyr Zegedinus tables which booke is a sum of most principall learned mens labours before his time At the first a Diuine is to exercise himselfe in handling making Common places for so doing he shal furnish himselfe with much matter and learne to discourse follow and stand vpon a point in a Sermon Vnder Common places I conteine particular Tractats of seuerall things being some large Commentaries and what vse to make of them Common place of some speciall point of God of Christ his incarnation passion resurrection c. and of any other thing distinctly let downe IX Commentaries of Orthodoxwriters all which will helpe thee in vnderstanding the text they will more confirme thy iudgement seeing others to agree in that which thou hast conceiued thy selfe they by occasion of words may put into thy minde what of thy selfe thou canst not dreame of nor they themselues intended by these thou maiest as it were talke with and aske the iudgement of the Ecclesiasticall histories and Epistles of the ancient Fathers greatest Diuines in the world of any Scripture they write of they yet liuing and speaking to vs by their labours as Caluin Peter Martyr Musculus and others X. Ecclesiasticall Historiographers Eusebius tripartite Historie Ruffinus Socrates Theodoretus Sozomenus Euagrius Nicephorus Iosephus Philo Zonarus to which adde the Epistles of Ierome and other Fathers and of late writers These historicall books are of this vse for the knowledge of the Churches estate to reforme maners and to abolish superstitions XI The Acts and Canons of ancient Councels the Acts and Canons of Councells Centuries Functius Sleidans Commentaries and the book of Martyrs to see the iudgement of Churches in matters of Religion the condemning of heresies and maintenance of the truth Heereunto adde the Harmony of confessions of late reformed Churches XII Controuersies whereinto we may safely proceed Controuersies and when to studie them and whos 's in the first place being well grounded by these things aforesaid Heerein it is good
whatsoeuer worketh annoiance to godly peace Now that the doctrine may be sound true First ponder How to it well before it be deliuered Secondly examine it by the former rules the Scripture and Analogie of Faith Thirdly see the iudgement of all sound anncient and late writers thereupon Fourthly let it not bee a point in controuersie vndetermined of the Church for its hard to define a truth in matters disputeable and not certainly concluded vpon Fiftly let none of these things be the ground of our opinions 〈◊〉 ground to build upon to broach them to the people no mans bare assertion without substantiall proofe old custome good intent carnall reason nor selfe conceit where the word warrants not These may not sit downe to teach in Moses chaire nor beare any sway in the Lords matters concerning his worship and his seruice V. The doctrine being true and sound First deliuer it How a doctrine is to be deliuered to the people grauely with deliberate audible voice distinct sound in the words not forcing it as in exhortation There is one voice and speech for doctrine another for exhortation threats and dehortations The nature of things must distinguish the action and pronuntiation To bee loud in doctrine and low in exhortation or alike in both is to make discord betweene the matter and proper maner belonging thereunto Secondly let the doctrine be a short proposition deliuered in fewe proper and significant words vsing as neere as possiblie may bee the phrase and words of Scripture auoid all obscure tearmes not vsuall also words doubtfull lest either the matter be not vnderstood or mistaken And therefore if any words be so by necessity or vnawares vttered expound your meaning before you do leaue them that the doctrine may goe for currant VI. After so deliuered shew sometimes the reason why it is or ought to be so but euer prooue it except it bee a maine principle sufficiently knowne and approoued for the hearers are not bound to receiue our bare affirmations or negations without warrant Instance the trueth of the doctrine sometime by an example to make it more euident as speaking of Feare The doctrine being this The Feare of God escheweth euill This may be prooued Proue 8. Prou. 15. an instance Iob 1. 2 Ioseph Confirme the doctrine by Canonicall Scripture Nehem. By â—hat to â—â—nfirme doctrine and how to deaâ—â—â— bringing in a proâ—â—e 8. 8. Act. 18. 28. and out of plaine places without anie or least obscuritie if any be explanent and enlarge also the proofe to declare how it confirmes the doctrine deliuered aptly and not strained which will thus appeere if the place of proofe will thence affoord the same doctrine to be collected for which it s brought foorth to confirme an other Scripture Let the proofe be in the sense and not onely in the bare shew of the letter and recite either the whole or but some part of the place as much as serues for the purpose in hand to auoid tediousnesse to the hearers and to preuent forgetfulnesse of thine owne matter in hand vse not many but few pregnant proofes vnder two or three witnesses euerie trueth is confirmed There is a new vpstart quoting of Scripture now vsed Too many quotations to proue one thing not good â—â—â—tâ— now vâ—ed Chapter and Verse for euery word It is an irreuerent abuse a superfluous and prophane tossing of the Scriptures without profit to the hearers whose vnderstanding can neither conceiue them nor memorie beare them away Pride the inuentor to publish the excellencie of memorie seeking praise from Gods gift and making admirable his naturall worke by abusing his word like Iudas in shew of loue to kisse him whilest in kissing they betray him It is not possible especially for the yoonger sort whose vanitie it is for the most part for to haue seriously considered of so many Scriptures how aptly and truely they bee alleaged for the purpose If you haue no plaine place prooue it by necessarie consequent out of other Scriptures by Logicall reasoning from signification of a word from Grammaticall adsignification from a principle of Religion and so foorth Adde thereunto testimonie of Fathers and famous Diuines consent of Churches Councels and confession of aduersaries for the better perswading of the hearers if it bee thought conuenient or necessarie For these helpe much to perswade to the truth first confirmed by the Word though their authoritie be nothing besides the Word in matters of saluation much lesse in any thing to be alledged and opposed against the trueth approoued by holie writ Exhortation vpon the proofe VII After all this then exhort to the imbracing of this doctrine as being the truth and vrge the force of the proofes briefly to perswade a constant holding of the same if it be a doctrine oppugned or wherein the people stande wauering els it is needlesse so farre to vrge euerie doctrine or to exhort so to that which alreadie is beleeued and receiued for a certaine trueth Note that euery doctrine may be brought to some principles A note of Religion Commandement Articles of Faith or Petition in the Lords Praier as Berhusius in his postill sheweth Thus much of collections of Doctrines wherein we see what profound knowledge in Scripture for gatherings of Doctrines and confirming them by proofes is required of the Minister and what a student and how well read hee ought to be in authors to see their iudgements that he may become exact in this point to informe and confirme men in the trueth and to settle them in Religion without wauering CHAP. IX Of making vse of the doctrine shewing what to doe with it AFter the deliuerie of the Doctrine enforming the auditory How to make vse of the doctrine that there is such a thing and what it is followes the vse necessarilie that the hearers may know what to doe with that which they so vnderstand These two cannot in nature be sundred nothing can be taught but there is an vse and end thereof and these bee distinct in nature the doctrine goes before and the vse comes after A lesson without vse is as a deuised thing idlie without end And it is lesse cunning to giue a precept then to shew aptlie the vse thereof Wee must therefore first in euerie Scripture shew the doctrine as laying a ground of our speech and thereon build the vse for further edification The vses which are to bee made of doctrines are principally these foure as it is 2. Tim. 3. 16. Rom. 15. 4. I. The first is Redargutiue when the doctrine is vsed to confute an souerthrow an error or heresie contrarie to that trueth in the doctrine And this is the dutie of a Teacheâ— the Prophets vsed it Esai 44. our Sauiour Christ Matth. 5. 6. 15. against false interpretations traditions and against false opinions Matth. 22. So likewise the Apostles Aâ— 17. 2. 9. 29. and heerein he must haue abilitie Tit.
1. 9. In conuincing the Aduersaries 1. To doe them no wrong lay downe their errour truely and briefly as it is held by them expounding the meaning and distinguishing of the words from their owne best approoued writers if any obscuritie bee in it or ambiguitie that so the matter bee not mistaken nor the aduersarie haue occasion to cauill and denie the position 2. Not to make it grosser nor more absurd then it is shew wherein we consent and how farre we may approoue of that opinion This course will shew our faithfull 〈…〉 ling allowing truth in all things and in euerie one and that we wilfully dissent not where we haue iust cause to agree 3. Note our dissent and wherein wee differ and they mistake the matter shewing our reasons for the trueth as I haue declared in confirmation of a doctrine and bring in withall the forciblest obiections which the aduersaries makes against vs to gainsay that wee hold For there are two sorts of obiections one which the aduersarie vseth against vs to hinde our confirmation and to weaken the reasons which wee bring for the trueth we hold The other which they make against our arguments in confuting their errors The obiections we must answer according as they be made some from the Scripture some from the testimonies of men Fathers and Councels and withall to weigh what may apparentlie bee excepted against our answer and preuent that 4. The difference being cleere betweene vs confute With what to confute an errour their error First by expresse words of Scripture Secondly by reasons drawne from Scripture Thirdly from a principle of Religion Fourthly from testimonie of the Fathers by their interpreting of those Scriptures which we bring in or their assertions els where Fiftly from Councels Sixtly from some of their owne writers disagreeing happely in that point or from some of their generall points wherein wee and they agree shewing that those and such errors Weak grounds to build vpon and props of errors of theirs cannot stand together Seuenthly by discouering the absurditie the weake grounds whereon they build such an error ftom the bare opinion of one man or consent of many from Custome from deceiued Councels forged Authors from fathers mistaken or peruerted traditions pretended verities vnwritten Apocryphall books or from Canonicall Scripture but the place misalledged contrarie to the meaning or not fully alleaged by adding or detracting or from a translation erroneous for these bee the Sophisticall delusions and deceiueable courses which heretikes and scismatikes vse to maintaine their errors with 5. The danger of the error is to be declared But here First let none fall to couince error except by When its best to fall to confutation and controuersies extreme necessitie they be vrged thereunto before they haue for some time deliuered a certaine trueth and Catechized the people It is a preposterous course comming to an ignorant people and superstitious as most ignorant persons be to begin foorth with to handle controuersies it breeds contention it makes the common sort who cannot iudge what is spoken for or obiected onely against the truth to be answered for clearing the trueth to thinke the Preacher teacheth contrarie things and to speake hee knowes not what It were better to beare with many things yet in the meane season shewing in generall that he would gladly informe them wherein they erre but that as yet they be not able to beare that he would vtter till they be taught the principles plainely and diligently and after a familiar maner winding the trueth into them at vnawares as it were without controulement of their ignorant customes and maners for a while S. Paul was some time at Ephesus before he cried openly out of the idoll Diana What controuersies first to be handled and how farre to proceed II. Also heerein let none meddle farther when they begin then may benefit the hearers and themselues well able to deale with It is good to raise vp no more spirits by shewing the arguments of the aduersarie then may bee cunningly coniured downe againe lest in seeming either to withdraw or to keepe any from errour such should confirme men therein and put words into their mouthes to speake against the trueth before vnknowne to them A foolish merchant is he who will so much make mention of other mens wares as that he thereby though not intended ouerthrow his owne market Hee is foole-hardie that will challenge an other into the field bring him out weapons and himselfe without skill to warde off and so letting himselfe be beaten with that which he brings Controuersies requires sharpnesse of wit some cunning to find out Sathans Sophistrie Yoong Cockerils that begin but to crow may not set vpon the great Cockes of the game There bee many Nouices who haue scarce learned the a b c in Diuinitie ignorant in a maner of the common principles of religion yet in these daies wil be medling with the chiefest controuersies some crowing against that Sophistical Bellarmine some billing at that profound Iudiciall interpreter Caluin audaciously controulling him and foolishly despising his incomparable learning and skill Some running into the troublesome point of Discipline when hardly they know what the Noune meaneth beleeuing what they heare but saying nothing what they see themselues iudicially A better way were it to let them alone till we be growne to these things and then also to proceed wisely and moderately and in the meane time to bend our force altogither against the common aduersarie III. Let vs beware we call not vpon or once mention Old and by-past heresies or such as are not amongst vs not to be mentioned old dead and by-past heresies out of all mens memories this were but to keepe in minde what were better buried euer in obliuion neither deuise any new which are not held which were so to fight with our owne shadow and to vtter lies and offend against charitie by slander A wicked practise of the Papists against vs and some of our owne brethren amongst our selues IV. And lastly in confutation of any error let these Certaine caueats in entering into a controuersie things be looked vnto First that the text occasion it by good consequent or directlie speakes against it that wee seeme not to delight in controuersies arguing a vaine contentious spirit Secondly let it bee such a one as at that time is abroad or foorthwith is like to come foorth and also dangerous to the Church Thirdly consider whether it be necessarie to be mentioned and confuted before that auditorie and also when conueniently Fourthly not to stand long vpon it but so farre as may be thought expedient to the edification of the hearers It is altogether a fault to spend in Countrie and rude assemblies the whole time or most part of the Sermon in some point of controuersies as some vse to doe without iust occasion or necessary cause These spirits benefit little their auditories and breed