â—ffered vnto him in the end will cause him â—ot to accepâ— of the same vnlesse he be vrged â—nd coÌ„strained therunto And by this we may â—iscerne insufficiencie from sufficiency Insufâ—â—ciencie if a man will thrust in himself violeÌ„tâ—â—â— Sufficiencie more in flying from it being â—ffered then in seeking the same by vnlawâ—ull meanes These be those then vnto whom â—his office must bee giuen and to others that â—emand the same it must be denied What good is to be hoped for of theÌ„ which are preferred to the Ministrie being very sufficient For those â—hat fly from it hauing taken the sâ—me by coÌ„â—â—raynt it is incredible with what frute they â—ischarge it because that in the accepting thereâ—f they shewed a manifest signe of their worâ—hinesse This is that which the good Father Gregorie did write to a certaine man who haâ—ing accepted of this charge after many inâ—â—eaties and much vrging he sent him word â—hat he was lawfully come vnto it Behold his â—wne words In your writings you saye that â—ou haue greatly desired rest and by this you shew â—hat you are lawfully come to a Pastors charge â—r as this function ought to bee denied to them â—hich earnestly seeke for the same so it ought to be â—â—ueÌ„ vnto them which auoideth it Vnto this acâ—ordeth the ciuil lawe of Leon and Anthemius Christian Emperors which they made in the â—eare 469. which speaketh after this maner That a Bishop in our time maye bee chosen chaste and humble to the end that in alâ— places where he come he may purifie al thingâ— by his integritie that no minister be made for reward but by prayers that he be so far from Ambition that being found he may be constrained and beeing prayed hee goe backe beeing againe inuited and reintreated heâ— still auoideth the charge and let this onely necessitie in excusing himselfe bee a sufficient choise for hee is vnworthy of this order which is not instituted and ordeined by constraint This is that which may be obserued in thâ— greatest Seruants of God who hauing noâ— onely the knowledge of good letters anâ— sciences after the custome of other men buâ— also the vnderstanding of the holy scriptures by the speciall reuelations of the holy Ghost they haue so vnwillingly taken vppon theâ— this charge The more sufficient one is the more surely he is drawn to this study but being called he euen sees the same with edification that when God woulde sendâ— them some haue excused themselues bâ— their infirmitie others beeing rauished witâ— a kinde of admiration they haue cryed ouâ— that they were in fants that is vncapable in euery respect of this charge others hauâ— gone further that they haue altogither auoyded it when God would send Moses toward Pharaoh to deliuer his people out of Egypt Exod. 3 hee excused himselfe by his infirmitie saying VVho am I that I should go vnto Pharaoh And howe did God solicite him by promises and by threatnings so long that hee was wearie that hee sayde that he could not speake well and that hee had an impediment in his speech Iere. 1 What did Ieremie when God commaunded him to go to the king of Iuda to declare his worde he cried out in this manner Ah ah Lord beholde I cannot speake for I am a childe c. And what did the Prophet Ionas when God gaue him commaundement to go and preach repentaunce to that great Cittie of Niniuie Ionas 1 In steade of obeying God hee did flie as a rebell Let vs adde vnto this that which Saint Chrysostome did of whome it is written that when hee was to bee chosen Bishop hee fledde into the Wildernesse and in his flight he sayde that hee that was furnished with all gifts necessarie for such a function shoulde bee set ouer the flocke of Christ but as for him the weakenesse of his spirite did beare him witnesse that hee was almost vnprofitable Shewing by that that they that defice this charge should consider that which they do and what their force and abilitie is and not to enterprise any thing before the triall thereof Afterward he saith two notable things the first is that if any come to accept of this calling who is it saith hee but that will say that great and wonderful things are committed to children to gouerne and to such as haue spoyled and corrupted the flock of the Lord that sacred and holy things are made iests and matters of sport so become ridiculous signifying by the same that they that take vpon them this charge hauing not sufficient gifts of the bodie and of the minde The worde of God being handled by insufficient men is ofteÌ„times laughed at for the execution thereof it is as absurde a thing as if the managing of a kingdome were committed to a child that which is worse it will fall out that people being taught and guided by ignorant Pastors instead of being coÌ„tinually edified by them especially by their Sermons oftentimes by them they shall bee offended But behold a great mischief the word of God of which none ought to speake but with grauitie and reuerence is exposed to laughter for when the people heare an vnlearned Pastour and him that is vnfit to diuide the worde manie times they mocke him and laugh him to scorne and in ieasting at him the worde of God also which is shewed by him is sported at and baselye esteemed by which they doo prouoke the wrath of the Lorde vppon themselues The other is that hee is scarcely able to giue a reason of his saluation or to retaine the same giuing to vnderstand by that that it is a fearfull miserie that hee which should teach others is so ignorant that hee can not giue an account of his faith if hee bee demaunded Wherefore to auoyde such mischiefes let him which desireth the ministrie indeuour to frame himselfe for the discharge of his dutie He must here also diligently take heede To be apt to teach to diuide the worde of God hee must take heed that he heapeth not vp many things without iudgement which can not be vnderstood and so he become obscure in speaking that hee falleth not into an extremitie as it were altogether contrarie which is not to bee too learned for a man can neuer learne sufficiently but my meaning is not to heape vp manie things and gather them one vppon another vndiscreetly and without iudgement in such sort that hee cannot expresse them when necessitie shall require so that such which giue themselues so to studie are commonly so confuse and intricate in their discourses that the best learned can hardly vnderstande what they say Therefore Saint Paul sayeth That a Minister must be apt to teach that is besides his knowledge hee must haue a dexteritie to expresse his minde and to cause his hearers to vnderstande him Hee that is depriued thereof he must not once stirre to seeke this charge although hee be well furnished with knowledge but because
to be employed in this calling should walk in a greater carefulnes feare of God Secōdly this may put them in mind of the great difficulty of this calling which cōsisteth in these two principal points first that they be irreprehensible in their maners in all their life that is not touched with any grosse sins as theft murder whoredom or such like secondly that they be endued with a measurable knowledge in the scriptures as well to be able to expound the holy scripture to the people as to defēd the same against the gainsaiers to this end those that desire this charge must not think that it is such a dignity wherein they must receiue nothing but honor but rather a burdensome charge in which they must not be idle but vigilant laborious to haue their hand alwaies vpon the plough as it is said in a common prouerb that by a continuall trauaile that thing may bee attained which is requisite and necessarie for the discharge thereof These two poynts may verie fitly be gathered out of S. Paul 1. Tit. 3 Vnder the word excellencie or dignitie are comprehended all those notable titles with which the scripture doth set forth the ministry vnder the word hard all difficulties seeing that it is said that He that desireth the office of a bishop desireth a good work which is as much to say as he desireth also a worke that is painfull full of trouble And this is that which we cōmonly say that those things which are rare excellent are for the most part hard to attaine vnto Cicero in his first book of offices would signifie no other thing when he saith the more that any thing is hard the more it is excellent And in another place where hee saith that Nature her selfe hath inwrapped great things within great difficulties But to vnderstand these two poynts more easily vnder each of thē we comprehend al that which the scripture setteth down touching dignity and labor that is vnder the name of dignitie we vnderstand all those excellent titles with which Pastors are adorned in the worde of God the which titles appertained in ancient time to the Prophets Priests and Apostles not that it is our meaning to say that in al things pastors be like vnto prophets priests and Apostles without any exception we reserue vnto them that which was proper and peculiar vnto themselues and which cannot be giuen vnto them which nowe preach the word as to the prophets to tell of things to come the which God by an especiall priuiledge hath reuealed vnto them by a wonderfull maner vnto priests to offer sacrifice and to performe other ceremonies which were commaunded in the law and to the Apostles to be sent hither and thither into many places to make plaine the will of theyr master and to doo miracles as they did both for the confirmation of the doctrine of the truth but we do onely attribute to the Pastors that are nowe all those excellent titles which do commend their ministry because they are theyr successors in the publishing of the same worde which also appertaineth vnto them by right because that the holy scripture doth honour them with the same titles in many places as wee shall see in theyr place that vnder dignity and excellencie we put that they are called Mimisters of God seruants of god of Iesus Christ Prophets Mē of God Seers Apostles Euangelists Doctors Planters Waterers Dispensers of the mysteries of God Messengers Fathers Bishops Salt of the earth Light of the world a good Sauour finally Angels and Gods all which titles we put one after the other as they are more or lesse significant and we wil moreouer in the forme of an exhortation expounde euery title as well as we can the better to stirre vp all those to the performance of theyr dutie which beareth affection to the holy Ministry Also vnder difficulty we comprehend the great trauaile and diligence which must be employed in that studie to doo best good in their charge with most edifying also all those troubles and afflictions which they vsually suffer that is iniuries raylings reproaches dangers vnto which they are often subiect during the whole course of their calling Let vs speake then nowe of these two points according to order that is as Saint Paul teacheth 1 Tim. 3 that it is a worthy worke when he speaketh thereof hee maketh a little preface to make them more attentiue to whome hee writeth this Epistle that they might the rather consider that hee intreateth there not of an ordinary or common matter but of a graue and serious thing as greater cannot be imagined This is that which he touched in many of his Epistles that alwaies when he entreth into a matter of great consequence to make the faithfull to know that they should deeply consider that thing which he sheweth thē as in the same Epistle teaching that Iesus Christ is the Sauior and redeemer of the world before he saith it he vseth this introductiō This is a true saying and by all meanes woorthy to be receiued that Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners of which I am cheefe Also in the fourth Chapter of the same Epistle hauing sayd That Godlinesse was profitable for all things and that it had the promises of this life present and of that which is to come He addeth the better to perswade that this was a true saying and by all meanes worthy to be receiued that is that godlines had the promises both of this of that other life 2. Tim. 2 Also in the 2. Timoth. 2. speaking of suffering afflictions for the loue of Christ Iesus and that hee himselfe suffered all things for the elect sake that they might also obtain the saluation which is in Christ Iesus with eternall glorie Hee addeth This is a true saying for if wee be dead with him we shall also liue with him And in many other places hee vseth the same manner of teaching the which is very profitable principally for this reason rhat when we would maruailously moue any body then when wee teach them some point of doctrine worthy the marking and necessarie to be vsed for diuers vses if we vse after this maner a certaine gentle insinuation we profite much more then when we enter presently to the vnfolding of the doctrine without any forme of preparation as if we handle any common matter Therefore let vs conclude that seeing that Saint Paul entring into the discourse of this calling so woorthy and excellent doth make a notable Preface to note as it were by the way the dignitie and beautie of the same that all they in whome God hath grafted this holy desire to dedicate themselues into it should thinke and thinke againe in themselues what they take in hand I meane what singular honour God doth offer vnto them that they may take the more pain in preparing themselues and to be pricked forward thereunto that they daily sette
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
before their eies those excellent titles with which they are adorned in the holy scripture by the testimonies whereof it is very conuenieÌ„t first to proue the same and afterward to dilate vppon them in the maner of an exhortation CHAP. IIII. The proofe by places of scripture of twentie two titles which are giuen to the Ministers of the word of God IN the first place they are called the Ministers of God 1 Tit. 1 and of Iesus Christ Paul a Minister of God and an Apostle of Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 1 Eph 1. Ehp. 4. according to the faith of Gods elect Secondly they are called the Seruants of God and of Iesus Christ They are called Gen. 20 Apostles Prophets Euangelistes Pastors and Doctors but because first we make mention of those titles which be lesse significant 1 Sam 9 we set downe that thirdly they are called Prophets Abraham was a Prophet The fourth title is that they are called Seers as we may read When Israel went to enquire an answer of God they went to the house of the Seer And there Samuel is called a Seer In the same book of Samuel it is said That the Acts of King Dauid both first and last are written in the bookes of Samuel the Seer and in the volum of Gad the Seer In the 1. Chr. 21. the 2. Chr. 9 1 Chro. 21 2 Chro. 9 In the visions of Iddo the Seer And in the same booke the 12. Chapter Iddo the Seer In the 29. mention is made of Iohn the sonne of Hanani the Seer who reproued Iehoshaphat in that hee went with Achab. The fift title that they are called Apostles The 6. Euangelists The 7. Doctors The 8. Pastors The 9. they are called Planters The 10. VVaterers of the word of God As S. Paul saith Paul may plant and Apollos may water but God giues the encrease The 11. they are called fellowe workers or Gods laborers The 12. the Disposer of the Mysteries of God Lette a man so thinke of vs as of the Ministers of Christ and disposers of the secrets of God The 13. Messengers or Ambassadours Now then are we Ambassadours for Christ as though god did beseech you throgh vs we pray you in Christes stead that you be recoÌ„ciled to god The 14. they be called Labourers in the Haruest as in Math. Whereas Christ seeing a great company following him he said vnto his disciples Surelie the Haruest is great but the laborers are but fewe praye ye therefore the Lord of the haruest to send forth laborers into his haruest The 15. Fathers When the King of Israel had in his power the army of the King of Syria hee asked of Elisha the Prophet as touching them saying My Father shall I smite them shall I smite them Againe I write not these things to shame you but as my beloued children I admonish you For though you haue ten thousand instructors in Christ yet haue you not many Fathers for in Christ Iesus I haue begotten you through the Gospell The 16. Elders as in the 20. of the Acts where wee may read that when S. Paul sent for the Elders whom he exhorted in their dutie 1 Tim. 6 And also The Elders that rule well are worthy of double honour 1 Pet. 5 In Peter The Elders which are amoÌ„g you I beseech which also am an Elder a witnesse of the sufferings of Christ 1 Tim. 3 Tâ— 1 The 17. Bishop If any desire the office of Bishop he desireth a woorthy worke The 18. Math. 5 Math. 6 The salt of the earth so Christ calleth his Disciples The 19. The Light of the world The 20. A sweet Sauour VVe are vnto God the sweete sauour of Christ in theÌ„ that are saued in them that perish to the one we are the sauour of death vnto death to the other the sauour of life vnto life The 21. They are called Angells The Pastors of the 7. Churches are called Angelles in the Reuelation of S. Iohn The 22. and the last they are called Gods Exod. For it is said when Moses refused to go into Egypt for the deliueraÌ„ce of the people God ioined Aaron vnto him said vnto him That he should be his spokesman he shall be as thy mouth thou shalt be to him as God Againe Behold I haue made thee Pharaoh his God That is I haue giuen thee power against Pharaoh thou shalt be as a God to a weake man Speaking in this maner vnto him to haue all feare of the Tyrant to be quite taken away CHAP. V. How euerie one that affecteth the ministrie should make profit of each title which the scripture giueth to Pastors NOw seeing that wee haue made proofe of the titles lette euerie one diligentlie consider what they ought to learne which desire this calling First of all in that they are called the Ministers of God they must learne two things First that they be of honest conuersation Secondly that they be endued with a competent measure of knowledge As concerning their maners what they must be and what God requireth at their hands lette them sette before them that most excellent place of scripture written in Leuitieus where the behauiour of the Leuits are described Leuit. 21. VVhat the title of a minister teacheth them desires the same VVhosoeuer of thy seede in their generations hath anie blemishes shall not prease to offer the bread of his God For whosoeuer hath any blemish shall not come neare as a man blind or lame or that hath a flat nose or that hath any misshapen member or a man that hath a broken foote or a broken hand or is crooke backed or bleare eyed or hath a blemish in his eye or be scuruie or scabbed or hath his stones broken For this place is a true table to beholde what Ministers ought to be but wee alledge not this place to this end that the imperfections of the body whereof there mention is made maye keepe backe at this time those from comming to the ministrie which desire the same as it hindered the Leuits from beeing priests for the reason for which God would hâ—ue his Priest without blemish was because he repâ—esented the person of Christ who should be the immaculate lambe in that reconciliation which should be made by him betwixt God and vs but nowe seeing that Christ Iesus hath made an end of the ceremonies of the lawes here mentioned wee which are vnder the Gospel are no more bounde to the outward obseruation yet notwithstaÌ„ding the substance of the same is to be applied to all those that are placed in the calling of the ministrie that as in those times the lame broken and disfigured were kept backe from the Priesthood so at this day vnderstanding by the faults of the bodie the spirituall blemishes of the soule Those that bee fooles ignorant wicked vngodly should not bee admitted to this charge for ignorance wickednes and vngodlinesse and many other vices copartners
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
before a man think Good wine may be kept in an hogs-head for a little time but many times I know not by what accident it waxeth sowre This sauour of the sacred word of god may much more be marred in men who are subiect to such change and inconstancie that we cannot comprehend the least part therof Besides there is Sathan who hateth deadly the sauor of this doctrine who endeuoureth by his skill subtiltie and deuise to cause it to bee lost in them who carrie the same or at the least beeing not able to burie it altogether spitte out his venome to poyson the same that beeing mingled therewith hee may cause it to be as vnsauourie and hurtfull as it is sweet and profitable in his owne puritie In one worde then this title of so great prayse ought maruailouslie to pricke forwarde them who loue the studie of the Ministrie to be more diligent and beeing entred to exercise the same with faithfulnesse and constancie notwithstanding all those hinderances and obstacles that Sathan raiseth vppe to let their proceedings in their calling Let vs nowe take in hand to shewe the dignitie of this pastorall charge and let vs come to the two last titles cheefest Epithites that are giuen vnto them as it were to put our last hande to the painting foorth of theyr beautie and excellencie that they are called Angelles and Gods Lette vs see in what sense they are called Angels in one worde it is in regarde they are the Messengers of GOD as Angelles are but in a diuers manner for Angelles are celestall lights and of such a swiftnesse that assoone as God hath spoken the worde they presently execute his commaundement whether it bee in heauen or earth as it is saide in the Psalme Psal 103. And seeing that it was conuenient that they should be made of another substance then of that which is earthly that they might be ready to execute Gods commaundement as speedily as God would haue them he hath created them in a diuine substance but Pastors are called Angels Pastors called Angels not in regarde of their person but of their charge in the administration whereof seruing God as becommeth them theyr seruice is so valued before God as that of his Angels in that they do not lesse aduaunce the glorie of God in the preaching of the word then the Angels in performing Gods will and commandement And let vs ad hereunto that he had in such estimation this charge that he would haue Iesus Christ so called Iesus Christ called an Angell Exod 4. 1. Cor. 1. by reason of his embassage into this world as many places of Scripture beare witnesse So that wee may yet consider one verie notable poynte for seeing that the Pastors are companions of Iesus Christ who is greater then Angelles Pastors also in their Ministrie may be esteemed greater then Angels and if they bee of this account what can be added more to the dignitie of this charge Nothing but that they are called Gods VVhy Ministers are called gods This Epithite then of soueraigne honour is giuen vnto them as wee haue proued being limited within a kind of signification that is not that they are as God in his essence that is to say without any euill passion or weaknesse or that they are strong puissant mercifull and in summe the spring and fountaine of all goodnesse as hee is Neither is it so to be vnderstood that God transferreth vnto them his honour which is proper to him alone or that he diminisheth the same although but a little but they are so called to note the gratnes excellencie and depth of this so high a calling that the Hebrews ordinarily vnderstādeth by this word especially when it is giuen to men the greatest perfection of most rare and excellent vertues which may possibly bee founde that hee that is honoured with this title by reason of his excellencie doo drawe neare vnto the diuine nature also they are so called to signifie that the vertue and efficacie of the Spirite of GOD is ioyned to theyr labours that they may be assured that if they be zealous and painefull in their Ministrie that they shall not labour in vaine but that God whome they serue will make them see and feele the fruit and profite of theyr charge vnto his honour and theyr owne comfort See my brethren see all you readers in generall vnto what GOD hath exalted vs you readers knowe the dignitie of the Ministrie honour it as it is your dutie You my Brethren contemplate within your selues the high degree of honour vnto which he hath preferred vs but bee wise take heede of pride that hee doo not as much abase as he hath aduaunced vs. Lette then euery title admonish vs of two things first that euerie one may striue to be more and more woorthie of so great a title of honour the seconde to beware that wee bee not contrarie to that which the title signifieth Lette vs also withall consider that there is no calling in the worlde so high as ours is and lette vs knowe that if wee suffer our selues to fall there is no fall so daungerous or so great Wherefore seeing that we are preferred to so high a place as aboue others wee must also vnderstande that it is our dutie to walke in greater carefulnesse and feare then other men if that will aunswere to the dignitie of our charge And as we are the most happie in the world if wee walke in sinceritie and integritie of life so likewise wee are the most miserable creatures of the worlde if we behaue our selues looselye and shewe a bad conscience This is that which S. Austen speaketh in his booke Of a Pastor There is nothing more pleasant and acceptable vnto many then the office of a Pastor but if they do execute this function negligētlie flattering the people in their sinnes this is nothing more miserable towards god that is to say as there are many that account themselues happy amongst men to be in this office so he would haue them knowe that if they doo not exercise the same as they are bounde that they are most vnhappie before God But let them take this withall for their comfort that if the excellencie of their calling do stirre them vp to perfourme their dutie although they be not reckoned happie amongst men yet they are in chief estimation with God as S. Austin saith in the same book before alleaged in these words There is nothing so troublesome so laborious so painefull as the calling of a Minister but there is nothing more blessed before God because he fighteth warreth against the enemies of God as his General commandeth him And in truth as God is author of this calling also they which exercise the same ought alwaies to looke vnto God as vnto whom alone they must giue account but how is that that is that in manifesting that they are indeede the seruaunts of God by liuing as they speake that their behauiour
reliques of sinne and naturall vncleannesse It is verie true that it is to bee desired that in those which be such men that nothing bee seene to shine in them but examples of godlinesse and of all Christian vertues in which no earthly thing may bee perceiued but seeing that it is impossible that they shuld be altogither vncladde of the olde ragges of our first Parent Adam in vaine this is to bee looked for Neither is this the meaning of Saint Paule but onely that they be vnreproueable VVhat it is to be vnreproueable in regard of notorious offences of all criminall cases that they bee not conuinced of infamous and shamefull sinnes for which they which commit them are called to iudgemeÌ„t as to commit adultery fornication murther theft briberie or to haue borne false witnesse against any man such like For in truth if any one being apprehended in these grosse and palpable crimes haue beene admitted to this charge and that it bee knowne it must needes cause great offences in the Church of God seeing that the Pastor should not onely haue a good testimonie of those that be of the same Church but also of straungers But if it commeth to passe that the Pastor bee sometimes a little intemperate in his actions as if it chaunceth that he drinke more then ordinarie or bee made angrie or enuious or ambitious or tickled with some such like passion which is not so well ordered as hee himselfe desireth as to bee a little too much giuen to his profite to bee vnthankefull troublesome hard to please sowre too carefull neuerthelesse hee taketh no pleasure in these vices and goeth about to extenuate them and to correct them euerie day such things hinders not but that he may be vnreproueable For if none shoulde bee admitted into the Ministrie but those which are altogether voyde of such infirmities into which they often fall as well as others it must of necessitie be concluded that we should haue no Ministers at all Wherefore the Donatists haue badly reasoned when to maintaine that the Ministrie of the worde of God serued to no vse they haue concluded that no filthy and vnclean thing could be cleÌ„sed by that which is vncleane For say they Ministers which ought to preach the word of God and administer the sacraments are defiled with vices as other men wherby the Ministrie looseth his force and efficacie they are greatly I say deceiued for besides that the reason before alledged is very sufficient it may further be added that neither the preaching of the worde of God nor the administration of the sacraments haue no force at all froÌ„ the person of the minister but froÌ„ the ordinance commandement of God seeing that he hath instituted theÌ„ to this end And we may obserue hereby that this reason is of such force that although a minister be wicked and spotted with those vices of which S. Paul would haue him cleansed and who was lawfully called his impietie being vnknowne his ministerie shall not cease to bee of power the reason is because he exerciseth his Ministrie not in his owne name but in the name of God of whome dependeth all the force of the Ministrie whereof he is author alone Moreouer wee affirme that although Saint Cyprian hath sayd that Baptisme doth confirme remission of sinnes and that the force of the said Baptisme doth depende of the qualitie of the Pastour that this great Doctour hath erred in this poynt as well as many others which wee do of purpose set downe to the ende that the authoritie of such a person shâ—ulde not diminish the reason alledged by vs the which we may confirme by many testimonies of the Scripture but this shall suffice that when Iohn Baptist the forerunner of Christ Iesus shewed the comming of Iesus Christ and baptized In baptizing he sayde I baptise you with water but he that commeth after mee shall baptise you with the holy Ghost for in so saying it is all one as if hee had sayde that it is not the Minister of the outwarde signe but that Iesus Christ is hee which giueth force and vertue to his baptisme by the secrete and inwarde operation of his spirit In like sort wee may speake of the word of God because it hath the same reason that the Minister can do nothing else but propound vnto the people by a liuely voice but god must giue vnderstanding imprint that which is spoken in their harts to make theÌ„ to feele the power therof He then that desireth to bee a minister he must take heed not onely to be pure and without reproofe of these grosse notorious vices but also of other lighter faults For although it hath bin said that if a Minister be giuen to coÌ„mit some smal offence yet neuerthelesse he is without reproofe our meaning is not in any sort to flatter or to make faults lesse theÌ„ they are whatsoeuer they be for if he letteth loose the bridle too much to those vices of which we haue made mention before and thinks that he ought not to be put by in desiring this charge we say that it is as detestable to God as beeing polluted with some horrible infamous crime yet neuerthelesse is promoted to the Ministry seeing that god vnto whoÌ„ he must giue account of his charge hath in as great horror those vices which seem saml as those which are more apparant we cal these small faults as couetousnesse ambition enuie and many such like because they are so ordinarily esteemed of men but if wee suffer our selues to be caried too far herein they become so great that they be as violeÌ„t streames that carry vs before theÌ„ into many downfals Nowe let vs see those mischiefes which they procure to theÌ„selues which run too far into those sins that we may the better beware also the beauty of those vertues which are desired of a Pastor to be followed keeping the order afterward ensuing When S. Paul saith that a bishop must be the husband of one wife How it is to be vnderstood that a bishop must be the husband of one wife although that doth not properly appertaine to the matter in hand yet neuerthelesse seeing that S. Paul setteth downe a discription of the maner of a Pastor wee will breefely speake something therof Although there haue been many that haue drawne out diuers expositions vpon this place yet the best that which is to be preferred before other is that of saint Chrysostome who saith that heere plainly poligamy is forbidden in a Bishop the which the Iewes held as a law in their time of which they were not ashamed because they were easily drawn to giue way to the marriage of many wiues being prouoked on both sides first wheÌ„ they read in the old Testament that Abraham Iacob Dauid and many other had at one time many wiues they might perswade themselues that it was lawful for them also as commonly it is seene that there is nothing of
may doo good vnto them being prouoked by common courtesie yet neuerthelesse not loue them or if wee loue them yet it is verie coldly This sheweth that charitie and hospitalitie which is here recommended to Pastors towards the poore and strangers it is not a dissembled and superficiall charitie as was that of the hypocriticall Pharisies who gaue their almes more to bee seene and praised of the vulgar sort then moued by the miserie and pouertie of the needy vnto this tendeth that saying of saint Paul Let loue bee without dissimulation Rom. 12 distributing to the necessities of the Saints giuing your selues to hospitalitie Iam 1 And saint Iames likewise sayth Pure religion and vndefiled before God euen the father is this to visite the fatherlesse and widowes in their aduersitie An auncient Doctour speaking of this kinde of Charitie doo not vnfitly name it Ambition then Charitie Charitie must not be affected with ambition But in what sense can Ambition bee taken for Charitie Verie easily For many may bee prouoked to doo well vnto the needie more to get a fame and renowme amongest men then mooued thereunto by the miserie of the poore because that Ambition as the same Father sayeth is the Ape of Charitie that is as an Ape which is a pleasant creature and well knowne to euerie one vseth to counterfeit what men doth so an ambitious man to get honour doo force himselfe to doth the same thing that charitable men practizeth as concerning the outwarde shewe but there affection differeth so much the one from the other as there is a disagreement betwixt ambition and true charitie for a true host doth exercise charitie in regarde of the honour of God who is the God of the poore as well as the rich The ambitious man respecteth his owne glorie onelie the true host is kinde to the distressed the ambitious more fauoureth the rich then the poore but that hospitalitie of the which Saint Paul speaketh in this place is a true and naturall hospitalitie proceeding from the bowels of mercie which is as pleasing to God as the other misliketh him This is that which is commended vnto vs by manye reasons which are too long to set downe but wee will touch the chiefest of them that wee may earnestlye endeuour to practise the same And first we are to call to minde the commaundement of God in Deuteronomie Deut. 10 where God commendeth straungers vnto his people The fruits of hospitalitie because they were straungers Loue as it is there sayd strangers for yee haue beene strangers in the land of Egypt Secondly wee may see the blessings which God hath bestowed vpon them The first fruit who haue exercised the same with a willing minde for the first wee perceiue that it so much preuaileth with God that he doth encline the harts and affections of great personages to seeke the loue and familiaritie of them which are giuen thervnto although they be their inferiors and of lowe place in respect of the world and by this occasion those which discend from great houses doo oftentimes match with those which are obscure Behold an historie which beareth witnesse hereof Gen. 24 It is recorded of Rebecca and Laban her brother who hauing receyued courteouslie the seruaunt of Abraham who sought a wife for his Maisters sonne Isaac it came to passe by the singular prouidence of God that Rebecca was giuen to wife to Isaac which was the chiefest good that could happen to that house For what cause likewise had Raguel the Priest of Madian for his sonne in lawe the great and incomparable Prophet Moyses Was it not his hospitalitie For the Scripture speaketh Exod. 2 that Moyses hauing fled out of Egypt into Madian and beeing there a stranger hee was receiued by Raguel into his house in which hauing dwelt sometime hee gaue Zippora his daughter to him to wife The second fruit In the second place wee may obserue also a greater blessing which God giueth vnto them which are the louers thereof that God maketh their wiues fruitfull which were before barren and without children and by this means haue deliuered them from that reproch which was counted great in old time Examples hereof is to be seen in the Sunamite 2. King 4 for whom the Prophet of God obtained a son because shee ordinarily receiued him him with ioy into her house Thirdly it hath such vertue that it may if it pleaseth God prolong the life of them which be in great daunger Iosu 2. as we read of a woman named Rahab who hauing receiued in the Towne of Iericho the Spies which Iosua had sent out preserued her owne life her brethren and sisters and all that appertained to her then when the towne of Iericho was sacked by Iosua Fourthly The fourth fruit it is of such force that by meanes of it corporall diseases haue beene cured in the houses of them who hath kindly entertained the seruaunts of God Act. 18. euen by the seruants of God themselues The Hystorie in the Actes of the Apostles doo beare sufficient witnesse for there we read that a certain man called Publius in the Isle of Malta hauing receiued Saint Paul into his lodging and retained him by the space of three dayes this hospitalitie was the occasion that Publius father which was diseased was not onely healed but all other maladies which raigned there-about when the sicke persons were brought to Saint Paule they were likewise cured Fiftly The fift fruit it doth not onely prolong life by the will of God vsing those extraordinary meanes before specified but that also it may bee the cause to multiplie in a wonderfull and maruailous manner things ordinarie created of God for the nourishment and preseruation of mans life as wee may read in the Booke of Kings that Elias hauing demaunded water to drinke and a morsell of bread 1. King 17. in the time of a most cruell famine of a poore woman a widow the woman saying vnto him that shee hadde but an handfull of Meale in a barrell and a little Oyle in a cruse and that shee had gathered two or three stickes of wood to dresse the same for her selfe and her Sonne to eate and afterward die what came to passe The Prophet sayde vnto her Feare not come and do as thou hast sayd but make me thereof a little Cake first of all and bring it vnto me and afterward make for thee and thy sonne for thus sayth the Lorde God of Israel The meale in thy barrell shall not be wasted neyther shall the Oyle in thy cruse bee diminished the widow beleeued him and hauing ouercome all temptations wherewith shee might haue beene possessed shee shewed her loue to Elias and sheâ— perceiued foorthwith by experience the effect of the worde of GOD to be most true which was spoken by the Prophet that her Oyle and Meale fayled not so that she plentifully reaped for that little which she had sowed Sixtly
the practise of his life but aboue all Num. 12 in suffering the repâ—oches and iniuries of his brother Aaron and sister Myriam Pastours which of necessitie must practise this gentlenesse in their ministrie ought diligently to studie for the same seeing that without it hee cannot well discharge his calling And therefore Saint Paul dooth not onelye desire this vertue in this place but else-where as in the 2. Tim. 2. 2. Tim. 2 when hee sayeth The seruaunt of the Lorde must not striue but must bee gentle towardes all men apt to teach suffering the euill men patiently Tit. 1 instructing them with meekenesse that are contrarie minded This is the reason for which Saint Paul is set before vs an ensample of humanitie vnto others as wee may see 1. Cor. 14. Shall I come vnto you with a rodde or in loue and in the spirit of meekenesse And againe he speaketh after this maner Nowe I Paule my selfe beseech you 2. cor 10 by the meekenesse and gentlenesse of Christ which when I am present among you Gal. 5 Math. 11 Ministers must propose vnto themselues the meekenesse of the Apostles namely S. Paul and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ am base c. To be brief when the same Apostle sayth to the Galathians that Meekenes gentlenes and temperancie are the fruits of the Spirit And that our Sauiour Iesus Christ himselfe is set downe for an ensample to all Christians as wee may see Learne of me that I am meeke and lowlie in heart and yee shall find rest vnto your Soules those that desire this calling of the ministrie must consider that it is their dutie aboue others to giue themselues to this gentlenes and meek spirit Let vs come now to couetousnesse and desire of gain which is not honest which is numbred by Saint Paul amongst those vices which a minister should auoid Couetousnesse ought to be auoyded of Ministers because of the infinit euils it bringeth to all those who are led by it We comprehend these two words vnder one The reason is seeing that couetousnes being an ardent insatiable desire to get goods and to heape them vp one vpon an other those that are poysoned with this desire they care not how they get them by right or wrong and so making a dishonest gaine it is not amisse to comprehende these two vices vnder one But to auoyd earnestly this vice of couetousnesse let vs set downe in order the filthinesse and strange euils which it bringeth to the world prouing the same not only by that which the Philosophers haue thought and written but principally by the Scripture And let vs obserue that if there were nothing left but that the wise Philosophers haue written it were sufficient to cause vs to detest the same For who is not mooued with that saying of Cicero Good manners are corrupted 2. Offiâ— and depraued by the too much loue of riches Likewise he sayth in his Oration agaynst Verres That there is nothing so sacred but that it may bâ—e violated nothing so strong and defenced but that it may be ouercome by money In his Oration for Quintius he sayeth There is no dutie neuer so holie or diuine which may not bee broken through couetousnesse And in his first Booke of his Paradoxes Couetousnesse is a kinde of thirst and destemperature in men which can neuer be satisfied it tormenteth and racketh them not onely with a beastly desire to increase that which they haue but also with a miserable feare of loosing that which they haue gotten Also against Vatinius Couetousnesse is vnsatiable it holdeth in such sort the vnderstanding of men so locked and tied fast that it suffereth them not by any meanes to take breath To be briefe in the fourth Booke of his Tusculan Questions It is a sicknesse that pearceth the vaines and runneth through the intrales and that which is worse when once it hath seised our heart it cannot be rooted out I thinke none so voyde of reason that woulde either buy or eate that meat which should not slake our hunger but rather encrease the same or drinke that Wine or any other liquour which shoulde not quench our thirst but that which should make vs more drie Couetousnesse theÌ„ being the same meate and drinke it ought so much the more to be abhorred But the better to find out the deformitie therof and that incredible mischief vnto which it bringeth theÌ„ that suffer theÌ„selues to be led by the same The first mischiefe vnto which couetousnes bringeth them that serue her 1. Sam. 2 let vs come to the scripture hearken diligently what is there spoken We learne first of all that it so blindeth men that it casteth them headlong not onely to the losse of their goods but of their life also as we see in Nabal Who being a very rich man refused to giue prouision to Dauids yong men which were greatly distressed by war notwithstanding that Dauids soldiers had beene as a wall to all the sheepe and goods of Nabal his couetousnesse and vnthankfulnesse carried so farre that he wold giue nothing vnto him who had power vtterly to subuert him and in truth he had been in extreame daunger had it not beene that his wife Abigail by her wisedome preuented it Againe The second it so dazeleth the eyes of manie and maketh them so senseâ—esse that they care not to seeke the destruction not onely of a fewe but of an whole nation whoÌ„ they had rather beholde to perish then to bee depriued of their expected gaine of which sort the Scripture proposeth vnto vs two notable examples Num. 23 The first of Balaam who beeing called by Balaacke the king of Moab to curse the people of Israel hauing receiued a rewarde of his diuination that is rich presents hee thought it better to curse that people and that by his curse they might perish then that he woulde lose the rewarde which hee expected from Balaack The other is of Demetrius a certaine Siluersmith who seeing that Saint Paul preached Acts 19 that the gods which were made with hands were not true gods and fearing least that the gaine which he and many other of his craft got by making shrines of siluer for Diana should either be dimished or altogither be lost he stirred vp so great a tumult and sedition in the towne of Ephesus that saint Paul and his companions were not only in danger of their life by meanes of Demetrius and his confederates but also all they that were in Ephesus and euen the towne it selfe In such sort was Demetrius enraged by his couetousnesse that hee thought it better to hazarde the towne then to loose any part of his commoditie It stirreth men vp to sell theÌ„selues others and to make more accouÌ„t of a peece of siluer then of men created to the glorie of God as we may reade of Dalila the amourous louer of Samson who suffered her self to be so vndermined by her
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
This memorie is so necessarie for a Preacher that if he be destitute therof he cannot execute his charge but with very great difficulties because that assoon as he hath learned any thing to recite vnto the people or to serue him for some other vse if he forget it a little after he must alwaies begin againe and so hardly come to any great knowledge Cicero in his I. It is a hard thing to be a preacher without memorie booke de Orat. speaking of an Orator saith one notable thing that is to say Memorie is the treasure-house of all things the which if she keep not as a good gardeÌ„ al that which we haue read lerned deuised imagined inuented vnderstaÌ„ding al things which shuld be in orators which shuld be most excellent shuld by by perish We may very well say the same of a preacher who after that he hath long sweat at his studie and exercised in his charge manie yeares if he hath a slipperie memorie it is certaine that he caÌ„ do no more good for if it shal happen for him to speake publikely or priuately or oftentimes to answer vnto questioÌ„s when his aduise or counsell is asked or to bee made acquainted with matters of weight of great men or to bee demanded the text of scripture if he caÌ„not alledge the same to serue his turne many inconueniences may follow therof And if at any time one be constrained vpon a necessitie to recite something in hast he shall speake so obscurely that the hearers shal not vnderstand him to what end he speaketh it may so fall out that he shal not vnderstand himselfe because he hath learned those things as it were perforce hauing no leisure to meditate vpon theÌ„ to digest theÌ„ althogh at home peradueÌ„ture he hath meditated vpoÌ„ theÌ„ neuerthelesse because the oftentimes he is coÌ„strained to trauell hither thither that he hath not his books at coÌ„mand the surest way is to haue them fast lockt in the memorie because wheÌ„ they are caried there as it were in a deske as well in the high way as in the house as well by night as by day they may be beateÌ„ chewed and considered vpon and by coÌ„tinuall meditations those things may be ripened or seasoned which shal be found too rawe By this then an incredible profit groweth to the preacher that amongst many other things he may expound the word of God soundly Hee that hath a good memorie may soundly easily preach the worde of God and plainly according to the capacitie of euery one for hauing in the treasure of his memorie manie graue things it is an easie matter for him to choose those which hee shall perceiue by the ballance of his iudgment to be profitable and fit for the instruction of euery one This then is to be reckoned one of the greatest and most soueraigne gifts of God that may be for seeing that in the church of God there be of all sorts of men both subtil grosse simple others of some meane conceit others of verie litle reach the greatest dexteritie of spirit that can be in a preacher is so to apply himselfe to euery ones capacitie as that they may be instructed And moreouer the more that a preacher can frame himself to be familiar plaine to euery one the more fitte he is to discharge that function and which is more he shall bee esteemed the more learned Although many be of a coÌ„trarie iudgment who do not esteem knowledge according to facilitie but rather by I knowe not what reports of some who esteeme many to be learned men which haue only the knowledge of some nuÌ„bers who neuerthelesse are reckoned men of vnderstanding by opinion rather then by truth and by those which are not fit and allowed iudges in these things One of the greatest Philosophers who speaking of such kind of men hath vsed a most notable similitude A very apt similitude that as the common people in Magicall arts do maruell at those things whereof they vndeâ—stand not the reason by which the sorcerers do many absurd things so many saith hee wonders at that stile or phrase of speaking of which they haue no vnderstanding And in truth what man of iudgement wil account him a learned man who is so obscure in his discourse that he may be iustly carped at And those also which do think to cauil shall not know well themselues with what they should find fault who I say will account theÌ„ for learned men seeing that they are learned only for themselues These bee they of whom it is said in a common prouerbe that their sciences are hidden Muses but such as are of no account because that such men hauing some good gifts of God neuerthelesse if others cannot be the better for them they cannot be properly esteemed for the greatest learned men because that knowledge is not to be counted knowledge when a man keepes it to himselfe alone and cannot impart it to others But when a maÌ„ hath knowledge which doth many good and that he can easily coÌ„municate the same he is fitly to be termed a learned man And it is very wel said by an heathen Poet the it is nothing to know any thing for it self vnlesse another knoweth that which thou knowest as though he wold say that otherwise it is not to be esteemed for knowledge But seeing that the marke and principall end of all knowledge is to instruct and to edifie it followeth that the more a maÌ„ in vttering his knowledge doth teach and benefit others the more learned he is and ought so to be accounted Wherefore let vs conclude this point that a Preacher should not onely endeuour to stirre vp his minde and polish his tongue with faire words gentle The more plainly a man writes or speakes the more learned is he to be accounted and delectable but also and principally to fill his breast with the knowledge of many good and profitable things For if there be nothing but a filed and polished tongue to vtteâ— many wordes although they bee well placed they doo not much profit For euen as the spirit of a man eyther he that readeth or heâ— that hearkeneth to another that speaketh iâ— not much mooued by words filed one within another if no matter of substance be mingled therewith so the spirit of a man cannot much be mooued by a floud of vnprofitable words in which no matter of importaunce is conteined In such sort that Cicero hath very welâ— said that it is a meere folly to speak with proprietie and ornaments without sententious words and to speake sententiously without order and disposition of words it is childish Finally let vs adde that a preacher being sufficiently furnished both wi h words knowledge of many good things he shal attain vnto an easie kind of teaching hauing attained the same he shal discharge his calling with great profite as euerie one may easily perceiue by his praying in which
preaching the word of God euery one must do as he is able hee may procure sufficient knowledge to serue his turne if will he take paine because that is not inwrapped with many difficulties nor subtilties neyther doth consist of many hard precepts to obserue but it hath many easie poyntes as all they that vse to reade them may finde out by experience A profitable and easie method of preaching which consisteth in sixe points Howe profitable it is wee will say nothing but we will leaue it to the iudgement of others First of al we must wel consider meditate vpon the text which we purpose to expound to the end that by a diligeÌ„t deep meditation we may haue a perfect vnderstanding thereof and by the eye of our iudgement we may perceiue all the doctrine which maye fitly be gathered out of the same from the beginning to the end For the second point we must draw out the beginning from the matter of the text it selfe Thirdly it must be diuided into partes that is such notes must bee taken out of the text which doth naturally arise out thereof sometime two sometime three or fower according to the matter which we handle Fourthly we must expound in order euery doctrine the which the Preacher must enrich with diuers amplifications neither too long nor too short but as profitably and fitly as he can with similitudes Fifthly he must vse examples sometime more sometime lesse as the Preacher shall iudge most expedient sometimes also it shall not be from the matter to vse inductions the better to mooue the hearers Sixtly to make the conclusion it is best to make a short abridgement and summarie of that which he hath handled It is impossible to vse a method of preaching to satisfie all the hearers But because as Gregorie Nazianzine saith that in a multitude compounded and mingled of all sorts of men of all ages of diuers humors and complexions it is hard to inuent a method of Preaching which should be so acceptable to all that euery one should be satisfied and content and besides he addeth that as it is hard to tune all the strings of a Lute or Sitterne when one is but touched so euery man may thinke that this methode cannot please all as in truth wee haue not sette it downe to that effect but to leaue it to euery mans iudgement Wherefore wee will expounde more at large all that which we haue briefly said First of all wheras we say that we ought o haue a good vnderstanding of the text we might alledge infinit reasons wherfore that is necessarie but because euery one maye conceiue many which wee cannot recite therfore we leaue them to euery mans consideration saying onely in one word that if any one shall be so vnwise and rash to take vpoÌ„ him to expouÌ„d a text which he doth not well vnderstand he must needes fall into an infinit company of absurdities and inconueniences Secondly where as we say that the beginning must bee drawne from the text it selfe which we well vnderstand that must be done as well for the ease of the preacher as for him that heareth Concerning the case of the Preacher it is great in many respects if hee knoweth and can doo it aptly but if hee cannot conueniently doo it it shall not bee lesse hard vnto him theÌ„ vnto them which are accustomed to draw it where they can where some begin sometimes with a place of scripture as it seemeth most fit for their matter others by a repâ—tition sometimes tedious and vnprofitable of those things which they haue spoken before Others which reade Commentaries begin with that which they finde there wherby it may come to passe oftentimes it doth that many trusting altogither to them many times they teach those things which they doo not vnderstand themselues wherof ariseth many incoÌ„ueniences especially these two that is they are hardly to bee vnderstood of theyr hearers and the other is that in regarde they haue committed those things to memorie which they vnderstand not they doo quicklie forget them againe There is also a third euill that those that are accustomed to learne without booke not onely the beginning of theyr sermon but also the most part of the rest they shall verye hardly afterward make them themselues and with great difficultie become good peachers Briefly the beginning is so hard a thing that it is saide in a common Prouerbe that he that hath well begunne any worke hath halfe brought it to passe This is spoken of any worke whatsoeuer but by a better reason wee may saye so of our Preaching For in truth euery one knoweth by experience that those that haue the dexteritie of beginning wel afterwards without much difficultie they may proceede As it is easie to builde a house when the foundation is well laid He then that can keepe our method may auoide all these inconueniences For first drawing his beginning from his text which he well vnderstandeth he shall hardly speake any thing which shall not be vnderstood Secondly if he hath meditated or deuised any thing as he must continually do the better to vnderstand that which hee would expound by this meanes I say he shal remember all as naturally we keepe better those things which we deuise then those which we read or learne of others Thirdly hee shall more plainly bee vnderstood of the hearers and consequently hee shall Preache with much more edification Furthermore for the ease of the preacher it shall be great in two respects First in that he makes the beginning himselfe the which he draweth from the matter which he doth very well vnderstand he cannot be so obscure to his hearers as if he drew it out of the booke of other men or rehearsing their sermons altogither as many doo for although euery one may haue a priuate skill of himselfe oâ— some naturall inclination so euery one according to the conceit may lay the foundation of their sermons and by the same reason others which will recite other mens workes not hauing the same spirite they cannot rehearse them with such vnderstanding and edification as the authors thereof Secondly there is no doubt but that the hearer doth vnderstand much better that which the preacher vnderstandeth himself when he entreth into his matter And verily this is a thing which the preacher must diligently obserue that in the beginning hee speaketh nothing but firme and sound things because that the hearer hearing those things in his enteraunce to his discourse maye bee the more attentiue to heare the other partes that followe The beginning of the sermon must be sounde matter Contrariwise if the Preacher beginneth with a repetition of things going before or else doo spend more time in those things which are not material the hearers which haue good eares hearing that in the beginning finding nothing woorthie the marking they become colde and wearie to heare the rest of the sermon It is true that necessitie
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
increaseth the feare of God shineth more more doth spread it self as it were a fire in the middest of al thē that make profession of the doctrine of saluation by Iesus Christ and in sum by that wee see a world of good things The exposition of the beginning that is a spring and fountain of all sorts of vertues for which many studie which were cold before and by the same tongue they are brought into the exercise of them and kept and confirmed more and more in their dutie but since the cōming into the world of the diuell the sworne enemy of mans saluation the good hermony of our affections in praysing God haue turned by his malice the vse of the tongue to all mischiefe in such sort that in steede it nowe should bee the principal instrument in man to prayse God and to giue glorie vnto him it is conuerted quite contrarie to offende him diuers wayes That was giuen vnto vs to stirre vppe all other members to employ themselues to the celebration of his diuine prayses as well in the naming of GOD with the cheefest reuerence and of our brethren and our neighbours as wee are bound by the dutie of charitie But now alas this litle member is most daungerous by that we speake euill of our brethren backebite them by enuying their vertue shewing our contempt of those gifts and graces which they haue receiued by that we doo diminish as much as in vs lieth their estimation and credit and make all men know that we haue our heart full of wickednesse and sinister affections towardes them but that which is more it is no lesse disordered towardes God for to despite him as much as men may for by this we dishonor him speake euill of him by this wicked miscreants do belch out infinit outrages execrable blasphemies against his sacred maiestie which they intollerably teare in sunder briefly by this they commit a multitude of innumerable sinnes This is the reason why S. Iames saith that this litle member boasteth it selfe of great things that it is a fire which kindleth a forrest that it is a world of wickednesse By which words hee would signifie no other thing but from the slaundering and intemperancie of the tongue many mischiefes ariseth when the bridle is let loose The diuision But for the better vnderstanding of this wee must obserue two points the first is that by nature we all are subiect to this euill and detraction of the tongue Secondly that being all subiect heereunto we must take heede of flattering of our selues but rather with might and maine auoyde the same and the better to flye from it The Amplification of the first part to consider the horrible mischiefs which commeth from it Concerning the first part we must consider that al in generall hath this vice so deepely rooted in our bowelles that it is impossible to abstaine from the same altogither we are so depraued in all our affections This is the reason that Saint Paul sayth liuely pointing out the nature of man Rom. 3 and shewing how it is corrupt in it selfe There is none righteous no not one There is none that vnderstandeth there is none that seeketh God They haue all gone out of the way they haue beene made altogither vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one Their throat is an open sepulchre they haue vsed their tongues to deceit the poyson of Aspes is vnder their lippes whose mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse c. By which place he sheweth that all vniuersally are euill speakers and slanderers fowlie abusing our tongue and although he speaketh principally of the corruption of our nature after the sinne of our first parents hee might also very easily speake of the rest of our corruption which remaineth after our regeneration and so much the rather because the greatest seruants of GOD doo ordinarily complaine of this euill to which they are so addicted that they cannot refraine themselues without a great combat and violence offered to their nature And for this cause Dauid which by the testimony of the scripture was a man after Gods heart striuing against this vice although hee were one of the most patientest that euer were in bearing iniuries done vnto him yet he praieth earnestly vnto God in this manner Set a watch O Lorde before my mouth Psal 14 and keepe the doore of my lippes Vnto which very well agreeth that which Saint Iames saith In many things we sinne all Iam. 3 If any man sinne not in word he is a perfect man and able to bridle all the body According to this mention is made in a certaine place of a memorable hystory of a great Personage who hauing oftentimes imagined that there is nothing so harde as to bridle the tongue hee saith that hee hath long cōsidered meditated vppon the thirtie and ninth Psal of Dauid where it is said I thought I will take brede to my waies that I sinne not with my tongue Psal 39 I will keepe my mouth brideled while the wicked is in my sight But sayth hee when hee was dying I haue liued thirtie seauē yeares yet I haue not vnderstood the meaning of that place although I haue trauailed to finde out the same What then woulde he signifie heereby but that it was a matter of great difficultie to bridle this little member but that it will breake out beyond her boundes in defaming them which doo displease vs any manner of way And indeed we must not thinke that Dauid practised that which he saith in this place but he would giue vs to vnderstand that he labored to containe himself as much as he could that although he liued amongst the outrages of the wicked yet neuerthelesse hee endured them patiently knowing well that those things came not to passe at aduenture but by the prouidence of God who would after this manner exercise him and in truth he that will take these words so stricktly he shall marueilously bee deceiued I meane that woulde thinke neuer any angry or furious word escaped Dauid against the wicked so that hee that can finde a man that doth not offend in his tongue hee shall bee the most perfect among the liuing Some haue very well said that God foreseeing the furie and intameable violence of the tongue hath barred and inclosed the same with a very strong double wall that is with the teeth first and then with the lippes which should be as it were two bulwarks and rampieres yet neuerthelesse it cannot bee kept passe the grace of God hindering him he hath spent al his endeuors to obscure with darke clouds confusion that he might doo something which he desired For there is no poynt of doctrine at this day by which so many discordes and controuersies are stirred vp as by this sacrament so that whereas Christ hath left this sacramēt principally to vnite christians together with so straight a bande as the parts
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
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