that had receiued the gift of expounding of the Scripture In which sence 1. Cor. 11 Eph. 4 1. Cor. 14 Saint Paul vseth this word to prophesie to apply and make vse of doctrine to exhortation edification consolation Followe after loue and couet spirituall giftes and rather that yee may prophesie that is to say to declare the word of God to the edification of the Church And this word Prophesie Rom. 12. is taken for this holy exercise Seeing then we haue gifts that are diuers according to the grace that is giuen vnto vs whether we haue Prophesie let vs Prophesie according to the proportion of faith that is let vs interpret the scripture according to that gift which God hath giuen vs. 1. Thes And in that sense Saint Paul speaketh Despise not Prophesying Fourthly they are called Seers which name is giuē vnto thē in the scripture to giue thē to vnderstand that they should see the wil of god who hath bestowed vpon thēm eyes and light to behold his secrets and high mysteries and afterward to make them knowne to others as the dutie of their charge requireth They also that desire to bee such must call to minde howe God honoureth them the better to make themselues fit for this calling to serue God sincerely not rashly to intrude themselues but with Christian humilitie accompanied with an holy zeale of his glory when Kings Princes and great Lords do call vs to their houses to shewe vnte vs that which is most deare and precious vnto them or to impart vnto vs their secretes wee thinke our selues to bee in an happie case yet manie times their fauour is but a winde and breedeth an affliction of the minde because wee stande in such feare of loosing their good will Howe much more ought they to bee carefull who haue consecrated themselues to the holie ministrie to keepe that fauour which the King of all Kings hath vouchsafed them in reuealing vnto them his maruellous secretes which are pleasant to be knowne and nothing daungerous to bee opened to others but contrariwise God doth communicate them to bee imparted to others which are desirous of the knowledge thereof When our secretes are discouered and made knowne to others wee are greeued thereat and many times it causeth vs great hurt but it is otherwise with God when we reueale his secrets wherewith he maketh vs acquainted we doo aduaunce his glory and procure his fauour the more In mans body there is nothing more deare then the apple of the eyes of purpose God hath giuen vnto vs nothing so precious as that for although all the partes of our body bee most excellent that the great Philosophers being astonished at the maruailous workmanship of them haue confessed that this worke could not be from man but that it was diuine but of all the rest the eyes are the principall partes because they are the guides of the other members and without which men are as miserable as Polyphemus was when his one eye was put out Euen so seeing that in the body of the Church the Pastors bee the eyes and the light of the same they that desire to be such eyes they ought not only with great care and diligence to get this light but hauing gotten it charitably to preferre and daily increase the same to enlighten them that are in darkenesse and breefely to take heed that it be not diminished and blemished in them because that if it bee quenched or darkened in them which desire to be or be already Seers it is to bee feared that it will bee the cause of as much mischiefe as it would haue beene of goodnesse when others are directed by that light But how commeth it to passe that they come not onelie to bee bleare eyed but darkenesse and blindnesse it selfe This happeneth when they are puffed vp with pride with carnal opinions vaine fantasies with which they suffer themselues to be led lead with them all those that hearken vnto them vnto their owne destruction Hitherto may also bee added that if those that bee ignoraunt bee not kept backe from this charge it will fall out by them as it dooth by those that hath badde eyes and hauing a desire to drawe neare vnto the Sunne are offended by the light thereof and in daunger of loosing their sight altogether and that which is more to bee feared through their negligence which beeing vnfitte intrudeth themselues into this charge they do commit a double fault that is to say in that they ouerthrowe themselues and others guided by them that they deserue a double punishment because of their want of experience they knowe not howe to gouerne the flocke of GOD the which they lead by Brambles and Briers and through desart places in steade of fayre wayes Finallie let vs conclude that these two poyntes maye stirre vppe to the performaunce of theyr duties that will bee Sheepheards first the brightnesse of that cleare light which they ought to carrie secondly the indignation and wrath of God which they heape vpon their owne heade if they approach vnprepared and vnfurnished of those graces which are altogether necessarie for that calling Fift title Men of god Let vs come then vnto the fift which is Men of God Wherein wee may note that this title dooth seeme more expressely to commende vnto vs their dignitie and excellencie and also by this they may the more liuely bee pricked forwarde to frame themselues to the practise of their dutie in this calling For the holie Scripture when it woulde signifie something that is excellent or when it goeth about to attribute a certaine prayse to some especiall man it vseth the same manner of speech As for example When it setteth downe a man valiaunt in the warre it calleth him A man of warre as The Lorde is a man of warre Againe Exod. 25 All her men of warre shall bee cut off in that day Also a notable man is called a man of renowme Iere. 49 Exod. 27 Iocl 3 Dan. 2 Numb 16 1. Chron. 5. as it is sayde There were Gyants which were men of renowme Also Men of strength Men of valure And when wicked men are meant they are tearmed Men of Beliall whereby is noted the greatest wickednesse Also it calleth Men of death those which are woorthie of death Men of blood Psal 26 those which are bloodie minded In like maner Ministers being honoured with this title Men of God That is to shewe that this charge doth represent a person more diuine then humane They might as aptlie be called Sonnes of men to note that they were the most rare and woorthie amongest men but when God will haue his holie and reuerent name of man to make knowne the loue and familiaritie that those which beare such names haue with God and that that estimation which they haue with him shoulde bee of force as nothing more to incite them which desire this calling hauing such a title of glorie and honor
For this as much in effect as his domesticall fauourites vnto whome hee discloseth euen the verie secretes of his heart What man is so simple or abiect who will not think himselfe greatly honoured to bee in the seruice of any Prince or great Lord although it be but an inferior place How doth he look aloft who hath authoritie and credite vnder his Lord and is fauoured of him And beeing proude of this vaine honour with what cheerefulnesse willingnesse doth he serue his Lord What doth he omit whereby he may gratifie him What then ought they to doo which haue this honour to bee employed in the seruice of God to bee so preferred in his house that they haue not the name of a base seruaunt but such a name as importeth the chiefe rowme of account What ingratitude is in them who abuse any wayes this singular fauour and what punishment is hee woorthie of that forgetteth his dutie Wee conclude then the feare which they ought to haue of beeing iustly punished if they faile in the duties of their calling and that degree of honour vnto which God hath exalted them ought to stirre them vppe greatlie with all industrie and diligence to applie themselues vnto all those thinges which maye please GOD who is their true Maister and souereigne Lorde We set for the sixt that they are called Apostles 6. Apostles 7. Euangelists 8. Pastors 9. Doctors for the seuenth Euangelists for the eight Pastours for the ninth Doctours And that they are called Prophets by Saint Paule in the fourth to the Ephesians wee will saye nothing for it is plainlie enough layde open before And as concerning these foure titles which are here ioyned together wee will expound them all in one and shewe what they ought to learne who will exceede them in their places Generally they are to obserue that God hath giuen diuersitie of graces vnto them to some more to some lesse as hee knewe it to be expedient for the good of the Church that is that those which were Apostles which hee put first receiued greater abundance of spirituall gifts then the Euangelists which were after them who had a calling a little inferiour to that of the Apostles But the better to vnderstand what the one and the other were wee must speake of each of them seuerallie The Apostles were men tried and chosen whome God indued with most heauenly graces and elected them in a soueraigne decree of honour such were the twelue Apostles vnto which number Saint Paul was after receiued Next were the Euangelists because their charge did draw nearest to the Apostles but they were vnlike vnto them in degree of dignine As concerning Pastors and Doctors manie thinke that it was but one office but according to the iudgment of Caluin they be two who saith in his Commentarie vppon this place of Scripture that Pastors be those vnto whom is committed the care of a certaine flocke vnto whom also the name of a Doctor may not be giuen in some sort because that the Doctors are those which are ordained as well to make fitte Pastors as to teach the whole Church Let this thē be diligently marked of all them that intend the profeshon of the Ministrie to take heed of these two extremities the first is that neither being Doctors nor Pastors that is hauing no gifts in any measure to exercise this holie calling that they ought not to goe about to intrude themselues The other is that although they haue some gifts for the execution of this charge yet they must daylie learne to knowe their weakenesse to the ende that by the knowledge thereof they may be humbled more and more that when they shall perceiue their fellowe brethren and companions to excell them in the knowledge and vnderstanding of the Scripture and of other sciences that they reuerence them and giue honour vnto them as vnto Vessels which God hath preferred before them and aboue all that they bee free from enuying them And hauing some opinion of themselues they must not thinke that they doo surpasse them but that they acknowledge with humilitie to bee inferiour vnto them and let them consider that if they bee not Apostles yet they are Euangelists and that although others go before them in gifts yet neuerthelesse that they are those whome it hath pleased God to appoynt to set forth his glorie and that although others haue receiued more yet they may be as profitable according to that measure of riches which GOD hath bestowed vpon them But if it commeth to passe that those which are not equall in giftes shall suffer themselues to bee carryed away with enuie which is verie familiar vnto them who are drunken with a vaine and imaginarie sufficiencie they will cause more harme and mischiefe in the Church of GOD then those will doo good who beeing furnished with all things necessarie are promoted to this charge Breefely seeing that God knoweth it to bee profitable for his Church it hath beene and nowe is his will and pleasure that there shoulde bee men endued with diuersitie of graces they that haue lesse then others should content themselues with that they haue receiued and endeuour to encrease them that is to followe them who haue more then themselues beeing touched with an holy iealousie And those which haue receiued more they must take heede to employe them as they ought knowing that if they abuse the same they must render an accounte vnto him that hath distributed the same liberally vnto them for the edification of his Church Lette vs come to the tenth 10. Planters 11. VVaterer 12. Labourers the eleuenth and the twelfth that is Planters VVaterers and Labourers the which in like manner we ioyne together because that they signifie as it were one thing Behold then the frute which wee must gather of them of whom we speake that is that euen as when labourers doo manure their lande and order it according to the season and as those that keepe vineyards do dresse theyr vines to the ende that they may haue plentie of fruite so those that desire to haue the guiding of the Church of God ought aduisedly to consider that they bee sufficiently prouided for the gouerment of the same aboue all to bee able to instruct and teach in plucking vp by the roots the brambles thornes which are verie thicke weeding out as much as may be the cockle which groweth in great plentie with the good corne and to cause it to bring foorth good and wholsome fruites according to the expectation of his Lorde and that they take heede that through their negligence it bringeth not foorth bastard and wilde Grapes in steede of good and pleasant fruite A simple husband-man or some other ignorant labourer will take all paines that hee can to reape the profite of his grounde what ought then the labourers of the Church of GOD to doo in the field of God Is it a thing to bee suffered that eyther by theyr negligence it bee
ariseth hereof that as euery man is more subiect to the loue of himself then to any other vice it may come to passe that such preachers thinking wel of themselues by the opinion of the multitude may admire themselues too much and may be idolaters of thēselues Which shall be an occasiō that such men suffering thēselues to bee carried away with these vanities they may despise others whom they think inferior to thē may pursue with a kind of iealousie those that excel them in gifts finally they may cōmit many other faults not beseeming their calling all to maintaine that credite that they are perswaded is cōceiued of them louing better to be accounted learned mē by opinion then to loose their vaine reputation Lette a preacher who hath this gift labour as much as he can to be free frō this kind of volubilitie in speaking not but that it is the gift of God being vsed well but when it is diuers waies abused that is that he endeuor to auoyd the abuse and follow the true vse thereof in this sort that is in tempering the same with daily study in graue and serious things to the end that beeing indued with this facilitie in speaking and with the knowledge of great and profitable things he may in vttering the same with a kinde of dexteritie bring more profite and instruction to the church of God CHAP. III. Vnto what things he must apply himselfe that desireth the ministrie for to get an aptnesse in teaching which is required in a minister by S. Paul NOwe lette vs come vnto those things vnto which the Preacher ought most of al to apply himselfe to become fit for his charge which is that he get a firm and sound knowledge of graue serious matters especailly of the holy scriptures that he layeth so strong a foundation in the same that hee neuer expound them but with profitable edification To attain vnto this profoūdnes we think that before al things it is expedient to haue a competent vnderstanding in the principal languages that is Hebrew Greek Latine for seeing that these three tongues be as it were the bark and the shell in which the iuice marrow of true dignity as of the most part of other good sciences be inwrapped inclosed they that desire to haue any dexterity experiēce in the word of God ought not of them to be ignorant And although we haue almost all those things which are written in those tongues trāslated into a language which is verie familiar vnto vs yet it is necessary that we our selues haue the vnderstanding of those tongues wherin they were written the reasō is that finding an infinit nūber of diuersities contradictiōs not to be reconciled as an anciēt doctor calleth thē in the expositions of interpreters it is to be feared that if we stay vpon them without wel weighing them that many times we may be deceiued So that it is the surest way that wee our selues haue the knowledge of thē at least in some measure that wee may aduisedly cōsider the diuers expositions as wel of the one as of the other and confer them with iudgemēt discretion with the pure text of euery language that we may the better iudge of the good or bad translation more easily find out the truth To speak particularly and summarily of euery one of them we wil speak first touching the Latin tongue that nothing is more profitable then the same and that for an infinite company of reasons especially for this that it hath bin in vse in all ages is yet at this day as the domesticall mother tongue of al nations so that they that are ignorant of the same must needs be depriued of the knowledge of the most parte of those things which are written in it As concerning the Greeke and Hebrew tōg although many do not giue thēselues to the study of thē as they do to the latin some other that make no reckoning therof not knowing it may bee what value they are of yet neuerthelesse they be of maruailous vse The Hebrew tongue is aboue all necessary for the vnderstāding of the old testament principally because it was first written in that language and the Greeke is no lesse necessary specially for the Newe because it was written in that But wee may here note diligētly two points touching these two tongues that as each of these tongues haue their diuers properties so we must diligently obserue thē if that we will haue the true and right vse of them The Greek tong hath this property that it is so fruitfull and plentifull this it signifieth one and the selfe same thing by many wordes the which besides many other significations which the same words may haue according to the diuersitie of places and matters which do occurre heere and there signifie also one thing in this respect great heed must be taken hereof that we doo not misconceiue in searching the vnderstanding of euerie place As touching the Hebrew tongue seeing that it hath a propertie quite contrarie to the Greeke because it hath verie fewe words but vnder the most parte of them it comprehends many diuers things wee must consider that if we take in hand to expoūd some places of scripture we must not content our selues with one or two significations of euery word but that we do diligently marke the pluralitie of the significations of each word according to the occurrences of matters to the ende that wee may carrie away the most proper signification of the place as neere as may be so that he that can obserue this and practise it he may be maruailously eased in the exposition of the scripture but contrariwise he that satisfieth himself with a simple and bad signification of the greatest part of words without considering the varietie of euerie subiect it is certaine that although some one may attaine vnto a great knowledge in these tongues yet he may be deceiued as many are deceiued do deceiue thēselues cōmonly in going no further that those that haue only a mean knowledge in them doo obserue with iudgement this diuersitie as often as they search out the vnderstanding of any place The second point is that it is not sufficient for a Preacher to attain vnto the vnderstāding of those tongues and to obserue this diuersitie but also after that he hath found out a proper signification he must study with dexterity to expound the same with profit edification to the people For if he want this dexteritie it is certaine that the knowledge which he hath gotten in the languages is much lesse profitable as it may be seene in many which are destitute therof although otherwise they haue experience in the tongues and for this cause not onely the simple people but also those that haue more profited are much more mooued and edified with such kinde of teaching then with the barren and ruder manner as commō experience
he shall see this facilitie so much wished for so cōmended as nothing more in regarde of those infinite commodities that it bringeth as well to the preacher as to the hearers S. Austen saith in a certain place The more plaine a preacher is the more he edifieth that a preacher ought to labor to bee heard with vnderstanding willingly and obediently By which a man may obserue three principall commodities which do proceede from this facilitie the first is that the preacher which is endued therwith is easie to bee vnderstood the second that being vnderstood men taketh pleasure to come to heare to learne and profite the third that obedience is willingly giuen vnto his word when the people do correct their euill life growing vp from faith to faith and in all christian vertues which is in sum the greatest good and contentation which a preacher can attaine vnto in the administration of his charge CHAP. IIII. VVhat is to be obserued in making of sermons II is time to come to the method and order to bee obserued in preaching The maner of preaching is hard by reason of the diuersitie of opinions therin which is one of the greatest difficulties in the discharge of the ministry we do affirme plainly that it is one of the greatest difficulties because that it is not yet agreed vpō one setteth down one way others another way in such sort that so many mē as there be so many opinions as euery one hath his opinion by himself so according to the same euery one at least if his mind be stirred vp doth deuise a new fashion Others feeling their owne weaknes doo loue better to go about to accustome thēselues to follow others which they fancie best Neuerthelesse we must cōfesse that they are al profitable for seeing the God vseth diuers instruments for the edification of the church wee must acknowledge that al that which the preachers haue they be the gifts of God consequetly that skill with which they help themselues to preach the word being a part of the graces of God with this skil their purpose and intention is to aduaunce his glorie wee ought I say to acknowledge that the method of euerie one is profitable and charitie teacheth vs so to iudge But wee our selues do confesse Euerie one must esteeme his owne preacher that although that which we mind to propose seemeth better thē many others yet for modestie sake and humilitie wee are contēt to set it after al others But seeing that God doth distribute his graces more aboundantly to some then vnto other some that it is lawfull for euerie man according to the measure of the graces of God bestowed vpō him to speake freely the which he thinketh to be most expedient the best way to edifie so we may also set down our iudgemēt in this point Neuerthelesse we may boldly say that the method which wee propose is not to be discommended because we know by experience that the practise therof hath done very much good For hauing preached some small time in 11. or 12. churches in many of which some learned men were present which were greatly edified principally in those churches which were in three or foure vniuersities in which were many doctors and a great number of students in diuinitie verie well learned who with many others perceiuing how profitable it was desired to haue it and to bee made acquainted with the practise some haue craued it at our hands and others haue very importunately intreated vs to sette it foorth in Print And seeing that our purpose is to prepare to the Ministrie those which are desirous of this treatise and that it is necessarie aboue all things to bee well furnished to preach which is the principall parte of this charge by this occasion wee haue obeyed vnto theyr lawfull requests more by constraint then willingly protesting before God and in our owne conscience that in this we haue no other regard then of the glorie of God and the edification of the Church as wee doo assure our selues by the issue of this our enterprise that the one and the other The preacher must not haue a vaine conceit of himselfe shall bee greatly furthered And this we doo cheefely set down that euerie one may see that wee are not singular in our owne opinion which we haue placed afterwarde for a long time knowing wel that there is nothing that so tormēteth the mind of the ambitious man nothing which is more hard to keepe nothing which more hindreth the way to vertue and in summe nothing is more pestifferous and contagious in any man then this is and especially in him that desireth our charge And I will adde this also to the reasons before alleaged for what cause wee haue written this method that is hauing layde the foundation thereof vppon the Sermons of many great preachers whom we haue heard in many places being very diligent in hearing them and after meditating vppon their Sermons haue broght thē into writing by which we greatly exercised our memory that I say many students were pricked forward by this our recitall to hearkē more attentiuely vnto the preaching lessons thē they did ordinarily before and tooke great paines to remember them promising thēselues that they profited more by this means in one yeare especially hearing alwaies learned men thē they had done before in sixe yeares by their priuate studies And considering that it is a shameful thing full of reproch that those that haue so long frequented the vniuersities places of study should so negligently suffer such opportunities to passe ouer which afterward they could by no meanes recouer that they would hereafter be more diligent if it shuld please God to offer vnto thē the meanes to enioy the like blessings and as for those that haue not as yet bin at those schooles when they shuld be preferred thither they do aduise them diligently to regard this way of profiting which is thoght most conuenient Before wee come to sette downe our method wee giue counsaile that to follow and obserue the same profitably it is necessarie that wee should bee furnished with those parts which are requisite and expedient for the same that is with knowledge and learning in great quantitie and abundance For otherwise we shal loose our labor and shall not attaine vnto it no more then a man can build without matter in truth he doth fowly deceiue himself that indeuoureth to imitate one that is singular if hee bee not endued with those gifts by which the other excelleth Wherefore euerie one must follow the counsaile of Horace Euerie one must looke what his shoulders can beare and what they cannot beare that is what abilitie and force is in vs and according to the same to dispose of our selues the best way that possibly wee may Neuerthelesse wee may assure our selues that whosoeuer shall but in some measure exercise himselfe in the scripture In
vrging a man he may well vse sometime a repetition in the beginning of his sermon and sometime in the middest but that which may be done of necessitie must not be done of custome Thirdly concerning the diuision of the text gathering those doctrines which are comprised therein wee must note that if any will describe the beautie of some vertue or the filthinesse of a vice or in summe the great profite of some lessons it is verie good to produce many reasons and to lette the feeblest first and then those that are more forcible and consequently others And the reason is in placing the weakest first and then the strongest because that the hearer if he be not moued with one reason two or three of more force beeing added he may be moued to put that in practise whereunto hee is stirred vppe But herein he must take heed of two extremities that setting downe many reasons that they bee not strange from the text Two extremities to be auoyded in the exposition of the text otherwise it were better for him to content himselfe with one or two which may bee fitly gathered out of the text then to alleadge many which are farre feched the other extremitie is that beeing desirous to inclose himselfe altogether within the compasse of his text that hee will not go out it commeth to passe that hee dooth rather paraphrase then expounde This kinde of interpretation is seemely and conuenient for him that teacheth in the schoole for the benefitte of them that doo studie the grounds of diuinitie who afterwarde beeing well grounded may interpret thâ— scripture in a more ample and popular manner it shall suffice vnto them to shewe the true sense of the arguments of the Scripture and the force and vertue of the words which doo occurre in the languages the which that scripture contayneth but the preacher must auoyde this extremitie for two reasons The first is that hauing a large text wee cannot expounde the depth of the sense thereof nor enter into the bowelles of the same and by that meanes depriue our selues of many notable and excellent doctrines and comforts which are buried therein The other is that it may make the preacher idle for onely to runne ouer a large text which hee hath read hee shall not neede to labour in drawing out all the doctrines and instructions which hee might easily gather because that before hee shall haue shewed the meaning of his text the greatest parte of the time will bee spent and more then is limited for an ordinarie Sermon The greatnesse or the smalnesse of the profite of the one or the other plainely dooth appeare in this that many hearers which are very wel read in the scriptures and who vnderstand the sense thereof can say as much as they that thus paraphrastically run ouer a text but when the hearers which are something grounded and conuersaunt in the Scripture do heare the preacher speak many profitable things expounding a place excellently and plentifully that they theÌ„selues cannot attaine vnto this kind of expounding the worde of God The preacher must expouÌ„d his text copiously this may incredibly moue them and make them verie diligent in comming to heare and attentiue at Sermons and in sum do bring great ioy and good both to the Preachers and hearers Wherefore let vs conclude that the Preacher ought most to giue himselfe to this maner of expounding the Scripture copiously for he that will bee too succinct he shall not so much edifie And further it is much better to alledge many things which are of great vse although they may seeme to some somewhat strange froÌ„ the text then to bee too scrupulous in tying our selues too much to our text and not to edifie Neuerthelesse we say that if our Method be well obserued that one can hardly go out of his text because that taking his beginning from the midst of the text which hee well vnderstandeth it must needs be that this beginning must be as a Paraphrase and a summarie of the whole text afterward the amplification is a more plentifull declaration set downe in order of al that which was spoken in the beginning in a fewe words This beginning may be compared vnto the roundnesse of a circle and the exposition by his parts that is a staying within the circle so to be inclosed that he cannot go out or if one would speak more plainly the beginning is like the selling of a marchants ware by whole-sale and the exposition by parts is like the retailing thereof In the fourth place hauing set downe that we must vse similitudes we say that it is necessarie for infinite reasons which would be long to recite but we mean that seeing that similitudes be of maruailous vse prouided alwayes that they be of weight â—nd apt as occasion shall require For wee will not haue all similitudes to be vsed The vse of similitudes which â—re sometime vnapt foolish and light beâ—ause they doo rather breede offence then â—difie but when they are taken from things â—ateriall and substantiall it is certaine that â—here is nothing which is of greater proâ—â—te There are two things sayeth Cicero in his â—hird booke of Orat. Cicer. de Orat. which are wont to moue â—â—eatly that is a similitude and an example â—icero sayeth this in speaking of his Oraâ—ons which are nothing to bee comâ—â—red to those thinges which a Diuine â—oth handle yea a fitte similitude dooth â—one mooue in sacred thinges then in those â—atters that concernes the worlde But â—e better to vnderstande what good â—d profite dooth come by similitudes let vs see what Erasmus sayth in a most eloquent epistle vnto him whome hee dedicated that little booke which hee intitled Adages There is nothing sayth hee among all the ornaments which are to bee giuen to an oration more excellent then a Metaphor Will you delight there is nothing that hath so great delectation will you teach there is nothing which prooueth a thing more effectually and playnely will you perswade there is nothing of more force and vehemencie will you studie to bee copious thou shalt finde no other where more rich and plentifull matter doo you desire breuirie there is nothing which is more fitte doo you affect high poynts this dooth extoll whatsoeuer thou wilt will you extenuate any thing there is nothing that will more abase it doost thou desire to bee vnderstood and to giue light to a thing there is nothing which dooth represent any thing better before our eyes By the same Adages are made acceptable fables haue theyr grace and these doo commende Apothegmes By the same sentences are better sette foorth and haue more brightnesse To bee breefe for the prayse of a similitude there is nothing of more force then the example of Salomon who beeing so great a man that besides Iesus Christ there was none like vnto him hee would not adorne his Oracles but with the title of Prouerbes Afterwarde hee addeth a
when one expoundeth a small matter and of no importaunce with wordes full of maiestie Therefore a preacher must haue discretion howe to vse the one and the other And because that in nature more thinges are found then wordes as Aristotle sayth whereof commeth Homonomyes that is when by one and the samâ— worde we vnderstande diuers thinges hâ— must endeuour himselfe principally 〈◊〉 heape vppe a treasor of wordes so signifâ—cant that when hee purposeth to expounâ— any thing to the people who is ordinarilâ— rude hee may the better comprehend thâ— same in many wordes I meane not that he shoulde speake the same woordes againe but other woordes signifying the samâ—thing and when as hee knoweth thâ— first signifie lesse and the other more and so that there is more weight in thâ— one then in the other The Preacher must be rich in words the better to expresse the matter which hee handieth as they follow in order for if by fewe woordes and simple wee doo expounde a serious matteâ— vnto the common people they shall noâ— well vnderstand by reason of theyr dulâ—nesse and ignoraunce And this also is according to the imitation of the Scripture which doth vse many wordes that signifietâ— all one thing and it doth repeate oftentime the same woords to make vs stay longe vppon them as wee may plainely see iâ— the Bookes of Moses so often as he dootâ— make mention of any myracle and in thâ— booke of Iosua also rehearsing that myracle in passing the floud Iordan and many others and also almost in euerie booke oâ— the Prophets And verily it is impossiblâ— that men by theyr industrie and arte in teaching can sette downe any better or more profitable manner of instructing and perswading the people and so to become eloquent there is no way I say so good then to follow and diligently to keepe the phrase of the scripture But if wee doo expounde any thing to men learned and of knowledge or to shewe our sufficiencie or to apply our selues vnto theyr capacitie wee may better expounde in fewe wordes full of force then in many because they can vnderstand that by fewe words which others cannot by many Wherefore the Preacher applying himselfe to the one and the other hee must haue discretion to obserue this in his due time and place CHAP. V. VVhat is to bee obserued in the pronouncing of the Sermon vnto the people with edification COncerning the manner of pronunciation it is hard to prescribe and set down precepts wich are to bee obserued in our-Sermons to the people by reason of the diuersitie of the voyce For some haue a shrill and slender voyce other a great some speake lowe and soft other high and sounding c. So that the best way for euerie one is to bee acquainted with his owne voyce and so to order his speech but vnto whome GOD hath giuen a fitte and agreeable voyce hee must take great heede in gouerning the same for seeing that such a voyce is one of the greatest giftes of GOD that a Preacher can haue hee must beware that hee dooth apply the same to the best vse but howe shall hee vse it principally in preaching hee shall keepe alwayes the same tenour sufficiently high that all may vnderstande euerie worde that hee doth vtter A good voyce in a preacher is a singular gift of God when hee also shall speake distinctly and leyserly for to speake aloude and fast the hearer cannot vnderstand and by consequent not conceiue that which the Preacher sayth Sen. in Epist Seneca speaking of that manner which Cicero vsed in the pronouncing of his Orations that hee spake for the most parte distinctly and readily that is it came from him with great ease not hastly that in him there was a kinde of easinesse no celeritie afterwarde hee addeth I desire then in an Orator that his wordes may passe from him without any lette and that hee pronounceth his words as though they should flow from him And this is that which a preacher should labour for in the pronouncing of Sermons vnto the people because of the great profit that commeth thereof Lette vs ioyne vnto this another saying of the same Authour that the ornaments of learning and eloquence doo consist in the fitte pronuntiation and gesture of the bodie with which hee that is furnished hee may assaile the hearers three manner of wayes The profit of the voyce when it is ordered as it ought to be First in pearcing into theyr eares Secondly in delighting them Thirdly in gayning theyr hearts And heere wee may obserue two poyntes verie profitable for the preacher The first is concerning pronuntiation the which as experience teacheth hath great force in teaching especially when it is well ordered For although a man bee profounde in knowledge yet if hee hath no grace in pronouncing hee can little edifie but if hee bee garnished with a milde spirite and with a grace of pronuntiation hee doth maruailously edifie although hee handle not deepe and profounde matters But well to order and to dispose this voyce what must hee doo hee must oftentimes chaunge the same according to the occasions which may bee offered that is in speaking sometime high and sometime lowe but in such sort that he may be vnderstood of all if it be possible Moreouer hee must consider when he speaketh of sweet delightfull things as of the promises of god that he do likewise in some sort expresse the sweetnesse of them by his voice and wheÌ„ he speaketh of fearefull things which are to astonish the hearers as with the iudgements of god and threatnings against men it is necessarie to force the voice and to make the hearer as it were When a preacher doth denounce the iudgements of God hee must speak harshly When he speaketh of the promises of God pleasantly to tremble at the denuntiation of them For in truth as Cicero hath very well said it is a fault in an Orator when hee sheweth a thing full of pleasure and delight with sorrowfull words as when hee pronouÌ„ceth a base thing with a pleasant and delicate stile The other point is when he speaketh of any thing done he must vse so much pronuÌ„tiation as is requisite because it is of no small force when it is done with modestie but if it be done with affectatioÌ„ to please the hearers if it hath immodesty mingled with it as the shaking of the whole bodie the moouing of the hands of the feete and of the armes and with the turning of the heade altogither affected although hee may edifie the ruder sort because that oftentimes they are more rauished with such motioÌ„s theÌ„ with the voice and instruction hee must auoyd it as much as he can The reason is because that preachers which do declare good profitable things which do require humilitie they ought to shewe in all things a singular modestie That were more tollerable in courts wherin matters are pleaded for lawyers rhethoritians and