he was not in the meane time greatly grieued with the tediousnesse of this lyfe yet notwithstanding was he caryed continally with a longing desire of the immortall and euerlasting lyfe Hée was accustomed oftentimes in the Scole oftentimes in familiar talke to coÌ„memorate vnto vâ— as a man would say to laye before our eyes that wonderfull garboyle that was in these dayes abrâ—ch thoroughout the whole world to prognesticate in opinioÌ„ that there was yet a most lamentable confusion as wel of religion as also of Empires and kingdoms shortly to followe His coniectures he gathered not out of the constellations of the starres as they call them but out and from the consideration of the thinges themselues which were open and apparaunt in the sight of all men He sayd that kingdoms and Empires were neuer so ill established in the time of our auncestours as they were now for the most part For some were holden of Children some were gouerned by Women other some ruled by yonge men which were newly come to take vppon them the charge of the Common wealth Hée affyrmed that there were in déede some Princes remayning in gouernment but very fewe both graue in yeres and also expert in the vse of thinges which did as it were still euery way susteine with their shoulders the whole weight and burthen of the Empyre Hée remembered the Scoles scattered and torne in sunder throughout all Europe either by ciuill warres or by the wofull persecution of the Godly or by the death decay of famous and worthy Teachers He shewed the state of our Churches how miserably they were afflicted as well for that they were béereft of their notable Pastors Doctors whose like were not to be founde to succéede them as also bicause they were vexed with straunge and lamentable discordes and further that such were the times now and maners of men that it séemed that almighty God very shortly being prouoked with our manifold enormities would take away his kingdome from vs giue it vnto others that should bring foorth more worthy fruites These things did he vse as wel at other times often to recount to wish of God that he might first bée taken out of this life before he should fall into that perturbation confusion of all things which he in minde foresawe as also immediately after the first time when he began to kéepe his bedde he sayd thus vnto mée suspecting nothing as yet as touching his death There is nothing quoth he that may delight mee any more in this present lyfe Therefore I will moste willingly whensoeuer it shal please the Lorde giue ouer the same that I may goe vnto Christ Wherefore like as he wished not for any longer lyfe soo whither wée haue an eye to that which hée here lefte behinde him or consider what he hath obteined after his death who would not thincke that he is both very well prouided for and also in happy and blessed estate Hée hath escaped the troubles and calamities of this wretched lyfe he enioyeth nowe perpetuall and neuer chaunging delightes with Christ Hée hath put off that body of his subiect to corruption He loketh now to put on a body immortall incorruptible He hath forsaken these Scoles of ours he is admitted into the Scole of heauen Whom here he sawe as it were in a glasse by a darke speaking him now he beholdeth face to face The crowne of glory that neuer shall decaye which he alwayes in the whole course of his studies and laboures trauayled vnto is now giuen vnto him of the Lorde wherein he tryumpheth and reioyceth Wherefore wée are not stricken into this plight and heauines for that or as though wée thought him to be lost or in euill case but for bycause we ponder in our mindes what great dommage and detriment wée haue both priuately and publickely susteined by his death Neither truely is our priuate discommoditie boyde of sorrowing in this case For if I should saye that I were nothing moued with the death of my most excellent kinseman nothing touched with the heauy chéere of mine Aunt nothing grieued with the dolfull distresse of my Cousens howe rightly I should doe it I leaue it to the sternâ— Philosophers surnamed Astorgoi to consider off but certes if I so said I should lye Those thinges doe moue me and greatly disquiet mée which neuerthelesse I wil not goe about to amplifie in speaking least I should séeme to encrease myne owne sorrowe What if I shoulde bewayle with teares the death of him that was onely my Scholemaster there is no man I suppose of sound iudgdement that would finde fault with my so dooing but would rather iudge mée to doe the dutie of a kinde and thankfull Scholer For it can hardly come to passe but that wée shall be hartely grieued for those that haue deserued well of vs when they are taken from vs Who then can maruayle as this our priuate dolour distresse though it be bitter incredible which neuerthelesse if our schole could any way be coÌ„forted might easely be asswaged diminished But when I applye herevnto the thoughtes and cogitations of my minde then becommeth our griefe much more grieuous yea and such as can scarcely admit any consolation For what it is most reuerend fathers to the intent that what Cicero sayde of his Common wealth the same also I may speake of our Scole what is it I say that can possibly comfort me in so great darknes and ruines of our Scole So great is the losse and decaye of all thinges and the recouery of them past hoping for For wée haue lost a most famous Doctor a singular Ornament of the Diuine facultie the soueraigne starre and light of our whole Scole and Congregation neither doe wée sée in the meane time who may succéed with the like fruit of our studyes so worthy a man so graue a Diuine so learned and modest a Teacher Saint Ambrose at the Funeral solemnite of the Emperour Theodosius to the intent he might put the common wealth in good hope of successors sayd thus Therefore so worthy an Emperour is departed from vs but he is not altogither departed frÌ„o vs for he hath leaft vnto vs his children in whom we ought to acknowledge him and in whom we both see him and feele him Ambrose might well and truely say this of Honorius and Arcadius But I for my part what hope of a successor can I put you in That is of so great fidelitie of so great diligence of so great modestie as was our Hyperius alwaies in teaching the holy Scriptures Which thinges I would ye should take to be so spoken of mée not as though I altogither dispayred of our studies for albeit thy be vehemently shaken by the death of this man yet God our almighty father will at his good pleasure prosper and prouide for them but that as of Elia the prophet taken vp into heaueÌ„ Elisha his Scoller cried out Abi Abi rakcab Israel â—pharasain
our necessitye enforceth vs. Except ye see signes and wonders III. A weake and wauering faith in men displeaseth God yet God according to his mercye voucheth safe to make the same more stronge and perfect Faith is the gift of God and he encreaseth it being giuen Wherefore wée ought with the Apostles to praye ofte times vnto God and saye Lorde encrease in vs our faith There be very many places of the scripture which testifie that there ought to be distinguished certaine degées as it were and encreasements of faith and one while an infirme weake vnperfect an other while a stronge stedfaste and perfecte fayth to be noted Lorde goe downe before he dyeth IIII. Faith being somwhat encreased by the grace of god proceadeth more franckly to entreat and call vpon god Through pure and earnest inuocation all things are obteyned at Gods hande Goe thy waye thy sonne liueth V. The faith as yet not fully perfect God mercifully looketh vppon rendereth vnto it according as it desireth And through faith men obtaine of God most ample benefites like as spirituall so also corporall The man beleeued the worde VI. Fayth by the worde and promises of God is erected receyueth strength and is made perfect Nowe as hee was goinge downe VII Man becommeth dayely more stronge in faith that after the erample of Abraham he may euen without hope beléeue vnder hope whylest namely the certaintie of gode promises doe alwaies more and more appere and god neuer ceasseth with new benefites to bewtify adorne the godly And he beleeued and all his householde VIII The incomparable force and effecte as well of the worde of God as of Fayth For both the certaintie and truth of Gods worde beinge made manifest doth stirre vp faith in a greate number and also the notable fayth of one man beinge put forth for an example vnto others inuyteth euen these also after a sorte to beléeue In respecte whereof wée may sée the eramples of the faith of the holy Saintes in the Scriptures worthy of imitation to be set before our eyes Thou séeste therefore howe aptely it is declared throughout the whole narratio Ì„ by what meanes faith is ingendered at the lenght becoÌ„meth perfit One example more if wée shall add wée will so make and ende That shall be taken out of Marke 16. After that he appeared to the eleuen as they sat together reproued them of their vnbeliefe and hardenes of harte bicause they beleeued not them that had seene him beinge risen vp againe And he sayd vnto them Goe yee into all the worlde and preach the Gospell to euery creature Hee that shall beleeue and bee baptized shal be saued but hee that will not beleeue shal be damned And these tokens shall followe them that beleeue In my name they shall cast out diuells and shall speake with newe tongue and shall driue awaye serpentes and if they shall drincke any deadly thinge it shall not hurt them they shal laye their hands on the sikle and they shall recouer So after the lorde had spoken vnto them he was receyued into heauen and sate on the right hand of god And they went forth and preched euery where and the lord wrought with them and confirmed the worde with signes that followed Séest thou not howe Christ vpbraideth his sluggish disciples with their incredulitye hardenesse of hart Therefore least we at any time be reproued for the like wée must take diligent héede that after we haue harde beléeued ad imbraced the Gospell we cleaue constantlye to the same Wherfore let the state of this reading be that the Gospell is constantly and fréely to be cleaued vnto As for those thinges that folow in the texte they shall aptely be taken in stead of arguments or reasons confirminge the same Neither truely shall it be a hard matter so to axplane all the partes thereof as that they may be agreable to our purpose Bycause they beleeued not them that had seene him being risen agayne I The first reason We ought to sticke fast vnto the Gospell of Christ for the authorities sake and testimony of those men that haue séene hard and declared the same vnto vs For thus faith Christ Act. 1. to his apostles Ye shal be my witnesses not onely at Hierusalem but also in al Iury Samaria euen to the worldes end Peter like wise Act. 2. saith This Iesus hath god raised vp wherof we are all witnesses And Iohn in his first epist. cap. 1. That which was froÌ„ the begining which we haue heard which we haue sene with our eyes which we haue loked vpon our hands haue handeled of the worde of lyfe and shewe vnto you that eternal life God will haue therfore the testimony of such men to be accounted of most great weight and importaunce amongest all men Goe into the whole world and preache II. The second reason of the â—dicte or coÌ„maundement of Christ Christ gaue in charge to his apostles that they should publishe the gospell to all nations By the same diligence no doubte it is commaunded also vnto vs that we should with all our endeuour imbrace and reteyne the same Hee that beleeueth and is pabtized III. The thirde reason of the promise and threateninge which are annexed to the commaundemente of God. In like maner we sée promises and comminations adioyned to the preceptes of the Decaloge And these tokens shall folowe them that beleeue IIII. The fourth reason of the manifolde giftes whereby God vnto this end and purpose garnisheth and illustrateth his Church that the certaintie and excellency of the Euangelical doctrine might be approued So the Lorde after hee had spoken V. The fift reason Whatsoeuer thinges haue bene hitherto spoken are established and confyrmed by the ascention of Christ himselfe into the heauens and by his syttinge at the right hande of the father For by these two signes or markes he signified vnto all men how great his power and dignitie were And vndoubtedly to ascende by his owne proper power into heauen and to sitte at the right hand of the father are most assured argumentes of his deuine nature in respecte whereof he is in all pointes coequall with his father And they went forth and preached euery where VI. The sixt reason of the effectes that folowed The apostles like as they were commaunded published the Gospell They preached also euery where Wherefore the knowledge of the Gospell hath of necessitie come euen vnto vs also and to ours No signes and wonders neither the wonderfull power of the holy Ghost ne yet any thinge els was lackinge All these things therefore doe conuince yea and euen compell vs that wee should ascribe all glory vnto the gospell and vnto God the author of the gospell that wée should coÌ„stantly cleaue vnto the same For héere vndoubtedly are remembred those thinges by which men of all former ages haue bene most chiefely perswaded to imbrace and highly estéeme the holesome doctrine of
the Church comprised in the volumes of the prophetes and Apostles And thus much touching this euangelicall narration of Mark 16. There are in the thirde Chapter aforegoing certaine readinges out of the Euangelicall history explaned of vs in such order as we there handeled and set foorth and yet nothing letteth but that the very same may no lesse profitably then godly be expounded also in this forme wherof we nowe entreate Which thing truly I will not sticke héere briefely to declare That narration out of Mark. 6. as touching the multitude which was thrée dayes without méate through the desyre they had to hére the most holy sermons of Christ doth first of all wonderfully commend vnto all men the studye of learning and vnderstanding the worde of god Therfore we shall worthily accept this sentence in steade of the state In the second place is added the which declareth the al those the are touched with any desyre at al of profiting in the doctrine of true religion are cared for of god and the god will in no wise forsake them I haue compassion sayth he on the multitude Thirdly by the wordes of the disciples supposinge that it coulde not be that so many might be satisfied with breade in the wildernes may bée gathered that those which prepare themselues to the study of sacred and heauenly thynges are first hindered and oppressed with many griefes and temptations before they can attayne to their wished scope yea and ofte times they strike vpon the rockes as they saye euen in the very heauen it selfe and are haled awaye from their godly purpose But whereas christ in the fourth place demaūdeth of his disciples how many leaues they haue we are taught euidently thereby the God hath alwayes in a readines diuers apte and conuenient meanes whereby he may prouibe for the godly next after spirituall or heauenly benefytes minister also corporall or earthly For by the meanes the we least thinke off god succureth all those that labour and be in necessitie And therefore in the fyfte place Christ giueth vnto his disciples that they shoulde set before others for God sendeth alwayes in season teachers which maye with all fydelitie and diligence enstructe those that are desirous to learne Lastely and in the sixt place they all eate and are suffysed They that a litle before hongered and thristed after the knowledge of the trueth doe now happely profyt therein yea and so far forth doe they eftesoones procéede the there remayneth vnto them what they may giue an imparte vnto others and at the length may either publikely or priuately teach the doctrine of pietie vnto the rest Nowe that history likewise of Mathew 2. as touching the wise men that come from the East to worship Christ it shall be very easye to applye wholy to the tractation of one common place The state or common place maye aptly bee prefixed as concerninge vocation or callynge This state beinge assigned first of all shall bee declared whensoeuer God calleth any man by a signe either externall or internall or rather by them both to the knowledge and confession of the Gospell or els to some certaine kinde of lyfe in which he may dayly serue God and profyte his neighbour that he ought not to refuse but with chéerefull harte to come and deuoutly obaye vnto the caller In the seconde place where it is reported that Herode and the whole citie was troubled thou shalt not without cause inculke an exhortation to ouercome temptations For thus commonly it commeth to passe assoone as any is elected and called of God to a godly worke Sathan by and by together with his conspirators the fleshe and the worlde worketh wiles and leaueth nothinge vnattempted whereby they may withdrawe him from his good and holy purpose But their followeth in the thirde place the which in this kinde of conflict bringeth an excéeding great comforte namely that against the most fierce and bitter temptations a present remedie is to be sought for out of the holy Scripture The lawe the prophetes and Apostles doo certifie the conscience as touchinge thinges doubtefull they shewe most apparauntly where Christ is to be founde and where the minde finally may rest in safetye For it is euen the holy Scripture alone that confirmeth and susteyneth thée in the knowledge and confession of the Gospell in sincere faith in puritie of life and conuersation Fourthly where the subtelty of Herode priuily calling the wise men vnto him is disclosed shall very well be added that after the first and most grieuous temptations are ouercome and after the minde is confirmed and that by the ayde of Gods worde in hir calling holy purpose there remayne as yet successiuely newe daungers which hipocrits which false teachers or heretickes which tyrauntes and such kinde of aduersaries of true religion will forge and contriue For as longe as we liue here in this life ther is nothing but perils vppon perils and euen as if a certaine rancke of troubles were linked togither with chains so doth one distresse after an other fasten vppon the godly But yet we ought in no cace to be discouraged in our minds through the frequency or greatnesse of the perills Hitherto perteineth that which followeth in the fift place as touching the departure of the wise men and the starre againe going before them Thou shalt here not vnexpertly add that he which by valiaunt striuinge bath already escaped the daungers of the first and seconde sorte doth nowe lye as it were at anchor and rest in a quiet baye For let the Champion of Christ constantly ensue the first signes of his callinge but most diligently let him folowe the scripture which doth assure him of his vocation and all the order of his dutie he shall vndoubtedly come vnto that place where hee shall see Christ in his glory and obteyne thorough him euerlasting life He that endureth to the ende shal be saued Thou seeste therefore all the partes hereof not vnaptly to be reduced to one common place as touching calling or vocation and perseueraunce in the same Againe in lyke maner the historye out of Luke 2. as concerning the confession which as well Simeon as Anna made of Christ shall fruitfully be expounded by declaring out of it how necessarye it is that all the faithfull whensoeuer oportunitie will serue shoulde render an account or that which is all one make confession of theyr faith And the this is the state of the sayd reading it shal truly vs auouched as soone as mencion shal be made of Simeon Secondly at the wordes of Siemon in which he pronounceth Christ to be put for the ruine and vprysinge agayne of many and for a signe which is spoken agaynst moreouer that a sworde shoul perce Maries soule shal aptely be intreated as touchinge that poynte that a confession made is alwayes pursued with offences sondry mocions contencions and great daungers The world neuer ceaseth to bringe the godly confessors into peryll and hazard Thirdly
the second that the priesthode of Christ is farre more excellent then the priesthod of Aron or Leuiticus the thyrde that by the priesthod of Christ the Aaronicall priesthod is abolished the fourth that by the priesthod of Christ the olde ceremonies sacrifices and euen the lawe it selfe doe take an ende In déede I must nedes confesse that the sayde Epistles are not writen in the popular kinde of teaching but it is vndoubtedly to be graunted that in them maye be noted such a trade and maner of collectinge argumentes and proufes and likewise such a disposition of thinges as is to be founde in no other bookes of scripture beside Therfore euen for this cause do we here worthily coÌ„mend and set foorthe the examples conteyned in them where we haue appointed to entreate of inuention and disposition As for the Sermons of Christ and the prophetes we haue out of them shewed some examples already in the seconde Chapter of this present booke Out of Chrisostom Tome 5. may be added these sermons entituled thus that Christian ought to leade a holy and vertuous life That we must doe well in the least thinges That a Christian man ought with great endeuour to tender Gods glory That it behoueth euery man to be carefull for his owne saluation That their trespasses are to be remitted that haue offended vs That the remembraunce of sinnes past doth much profit How we should communicate the sacred misteries That we ought with all kinde of duties to giue thankes vnto god That loue doth direct and accomplishe all thinges That we ought to loue euen our enemies that persecute vs. But it behoueth not the younge beginners for whom we haue writen these thinges to be accombred and ouercharged with the multitude of examples Hitherto haue we procéeded touching the diuers formes of Sermons in one and the same kinde Didascalick in the tractation whereof like as with singuler fidelitye so also with great diligence and industrie haue we specified those thinges which we supposed were most profitable for our purpose We haue in déede bene the longer herein partely that we might make all thinges plaine and easye and partely least we shoulde of necessitie be compelled to our great griefe to repeate againe the same thinges in the discourses following For certes that in euery kinde of Sermons so ofte as the cace requireth one while the partes and manifold readinges of the sacred bookes an other while some sentence or certaine place out of the Scriptures moreouer somwhile simple theames somtimes theames compounde are expouÌ„ded declared there is no man that is ignorant And whosoeuer he be that hath now already rightly conceyued what ought to bée done in euery forme of sermon in the kinde didascalick he shall easely vnderstande what is likewise to be done in the other kindes of Sermons of which we will nowe take in hande to speake For in case thou doest except the palces of inuention and also the cantions proper to euery kinde the order and proportion of all the kindes will in a maner be all one ¶ With what great care and industry it is to be prouyded that those things which are alleadged in the sermon out of the fountaines of the scriptures or from any other place may skilfully accordingely be applied to the matters present cap. x. THat which shall now bée spoken off will profit much as well vnto the thinges that haue bene hitherto touched as also vnto those thinges that remaine may worthily be accounted amonge the chiefe and principall vertues of a faithfull teacher That is this that all those to whom it appertayneth to enstructe the multitude doe with great care and diligence endeuoure themselues cunningely and aptely to aplie those thinges which they in their Sermon produce out of the fountaines of the Scriptures or from anye other where either for proofe or illustratinge of their cause to the present state of things and matters incident For verily that it is by all meanes to be prouided and foreséene that nothinge harde wrested or in any wise far fet be alledged out of the scriptures when we intend to stablish the doctrine of faith or a principle of our religion I suppose there is no man that knoweth not And certes our desire is not onely to admonish the godly sorte of this but we aduertise theÌ„ also the a speciall diligence ought to be emploied in this the the testimony which is founde now fully â—o agrée with the busines in hande be with an apte forme of wordes declared to be as fitte and correspondent therevnto as if the diuine author out of whom it is borrowed had first purposely spoken of the very same matter And doubtles we sée some wheÌ„ as they vtter a prophesie a promise threatening graue sentence or a notable example out of the canonicall scriptures to expresse it with such comelines and decencye of speache and so to apply it to the present state of thinges and euen present it as ye would saye to the eyes and senses that the hearers are compelled to iudge and not vnwillingly to confesse that the same thing was longe agoe spoken or writen for their sakes and especially of their times neither can it be tolde how greatly good men are delighted in their mindes if at any time they chaunce to here some one excelling in this craft And in déed all Preachers for the most part doe after one and the same manar goe about to apply the places of scripture to the peculiar affaires of their owne church but they do it not in any cace w like successe Wherfore if we sée any in this behalfe to surmount the reside we we must needes interprete it to come to passe by the singuler gift of the holy ghost Which thing séeing it is so we with very good right exhort all the ministers of gods word that they would with all their power enforcement apply themselues vnto this point and craue of god their heauenly father that he would vouchsafe to giue theÌ„ his holy spirite which may enstruct theÌ„ in all thinges There are found in the sacred scriptures some formes of such applications if not described with many wordes yet right worthy to be of vs exactly obserued and studiously followed For they enforced me by their grauitye importauÌ„ce that I should thinke it expedient to put those that will teache in the church in remeÌ„braunce of them Our sauiour Christ the prince of all preachers entred accordinge to his custome on the sabboth day into the sinagog and stoode vp to reade And there was deliuered vnto him the boke of the prophet Esay And when he had vnfoulded the booke he found the place where it was writen The spirite of the Lorde is vppon me and therefore he hath annointed mee c. Wherevpon he began to say vnto them This day is this scripture fulfilled in your eares In which place Christ vndoubtedly did with manye wordes apply the oracle of the prophet vnto that time as
sure and certaine hope both of a place to teach in and also of liberall entertainement Therefore when Iohn Ficinus Chauncelor to our most noble prince a man for his notable vertue worthy of eternal memory was returned from the CommissioÌ„ or parliament of Rentzburgh Nouiomagus labored with him as touchinge Hyperius Nouiomagus affyrmed that since the méeting was at Henaulde Anno 40 â–ª where he beinge sent froÌ„ our prince was present he could neuer haue his health neither was he able to endure those paines in teachinge which before he had suffered And therfore required that Hyperius might be appointed in his roome who for somuch as he through his infyrmitie was not of power sufficient might take vpon him to reade Ficinus mislyked not the good counsell of Nouiomagus but incontinently calleth Hyperius vnto him exhorteth him to abide still at Marpurge and to shewe forth some token and triall of his learninge For it would come to passe that in case he gaue foorth any notable testimony of his learninge an honest stripend should be appoynted him for his paines Hyperius being with these other such like reasons perswaded abode stil at Marpurge within a smal time after dieth master Nouiomagus the x. of Ianuarie in the yere following in whose place next by thauthority of the masters of the profissioÌ„ succeeded Hyperius and looke what Epistles of S. Paule Nouiomagus had vsed before to interprete the same began he also to expounde And when he had by the space of two yeres and more single as he was trauayled in this trade and function of teachinge he resolued with himselfe to marrye for somuch as he suppose that 〈◊〉 coulde not conueniently pâ—sse his dayes without a wife and the rather bycause he was not greatly sounde as touchinge bodily health Hée tooke to wise therfore in the yere 1544. the xxvii daye of Februarye Katherine Orthia Daughter of Lodowick Orthius somtimes Treasorer of Marpurge whom Iohn Happelius an honest Citizen had left a widowe with two children Of this his wife whom hée alwayes loued most derely he begat sixe sonnes and sower daughters whereof onely two sonnes and thrée daughters doe still remaine aliue But how and in what order he hath nowe by the space of these xxii yeres behaued himselfe amoÌ„gest vs as wel in teaching publikely the holy Scriptures as also priuately the liberall Sciences wée haue now next of all to consider In which office and function of teachinge there séeme vnto mée these fower thinges chiefely to be required First a singuler learninge ioyned with much readinge and experience of thinges next a substanciall power and faculty of teachinge then fidelitie and diligence and last of all grauitie and constancye of life and conuersation And that learninge is required in a Teacher and the vse of many thinges there is no man that doubteth For who is he that euer could well bée taught and reape any fruite of learning of an vnlearned man No more truely can a man perceyue anye thinge that good is of one that is vnlearned than of a stone he can learne to flye But as learning is very requisite and necessary so it is in no wise alone sufficient for a man that is occupied in the Scoles vnlesse the power also of teachinge be ioyned with it Thou maist finde many men very well learned and cunning in the knowledge of thinges which neuerthelesse forsomuch as they are destitute of this power in teaching yeelde no fruit at all neither to Scholes nor Churches Wherevpon the Apostle also requireth such a one to be the Bishop of a Church as is Didacticos that is to say indued with the gift and faculty of Teachinge Neither must fidelitie and diligence bée sundered from these twayne which if it bée absent neither then also wil any fruite redounde to the hearers though the man bée otherwise both learned and eloquent And in him especially that wil professe the holy Scriptures is this faithfulnes which wée speake off of necessitie required Wherevpon likewise Thapostle to the Corinthians as touching the ministers of the worde speaketh in this wise Let a man so esteeme of vs as of the ministers of Christ and disposers of the misteries of God amonge whom this especially is required that they bee founde faithful But no lesse necessary also is this last poynte namely that to doctrine and erudition the life and maners may bée agréeable A fowle shame it is For him that doth teach When the thing he findes fault with Against himselfe doth preach And our beloued Paule requireth a Bishop to bée vnreproueable not stubborne not wrathful not giuen to wine no fighter not giuen to filthy lucre but a keeper of hospitalitie a louer of vertue modest vpright holy sober For what doe those Teachers profyte their herers that do pluck down by their naughty liuing that which they builded vp by their wel teaching that by their liues dayly maners shewe theÌ„ selues to dislike greatly of those things which they prescribe vnto others to bée folowed With what I wil not say authoritie but with what face can the teacher reproue vices in the Schole as dronkennes riotousnes couetousnes incontinency such like which is himselfe I will not say oft times drâ—nke but alwayes druncke not onely giuen to riot but also lyues so wickedly in all superfluitie that he supposeth gods maiestie to be of no power at all which is so couetous that of euery fylthy occasion he gapeth after vnsatiable gaine who finally hath so wallowed in scurrilitie and vncleanes al his life long that he doubteth also whither he may account these heinous sinnes and enormities for sinnes and vices or no All the pointed therefore which we haue spoken off are required in a Teacher which if we shall diligeÌ„tly consider in what measure they haue bene in this our Hyperius we shall find to haue bene very great And first verily as touchinge the singular learning of this man what shall I saye I may speake the more fréely most excellent fathers of the dead forsomuch as I shall not now séeme to flatter him béeing dead that I neuer fawned vppon béeinge aliue Great was the knowledge that this man had of the tongues more great of the liberall artes and of philosophy but of the holy Scriptures and Ecclesiasticall histories and of all the olde and auncient Church most great of all That which I speake to be true you your selues know most learned fathers and can very well testifye who haue heard him publikely teachinge who haue heard him disputinge with great commendation who haue heard him familiarly talkinge with his friendes Many other witnesses there be thoroughout all Germanye and other nations men famously learned which either resorted to his Scoles or other wise were more familiarly acquainted with him His bookes are witnesses that he wrote and published which are of great learned men esteemed and read amonge the workes of the best learned writers as those short Scolies vppon the Epistle to the Romaynes as the
two bookes Of framing of Diuine Sermons as the fower bookes touching a Diuine as the two bookes Of reading and daily meditation of the holy Scriptures as that Cathechisme or Shorte Instruction which he last put foorth Many other bookes of his are witnesses also penned and written by him with great laboures and watchinges which we are sory could not of him be ouerséene and recognized that so which would haue turned to the great profit of all studious Diuines they might haue come abrode For he had written as well in Philosophye some thinges as Touching the order of Studye Of Logicke Rhetoricke Arithmetick Geometry Cosmography The ScieÌ„ce perspectiue some things of Astronomy and likewise of Naturall causes and Scolies to the ten bookes of Aristotles Ethickes as also in Diuinitie many notable matters as touching The not forsaking of the studies of holy Scripture thrée bookes Of Diuine places fower bookes ObseruatioÌ„s of places vpon those parcels of the Gospels which are vsually read in Churches euery Sonday Againe Of the life and maners of students Of publicke liberalitie towards the poore Of ecclesiasticall Scholes Of the mariage of Ministers of the Church How a man ought to proue himselfe Of the prouidence of God Moreouer vppon all the Epistles of Saint Paule certaine peculiar formes of speaking and the Method of Diuinitie of which hauing appointed six bookes he had not yet finished thrée He had beguÌ„ likewise to write 12. bookes entituled of Scolasticall vacations as touching the Ordering of the Church 6. bookes Which bookes if he him selfe might haue corrected fully accomplished then should haue appered sufficiently out of them his diuine wit theÌ„ should haue shined foorth sufficiently his notable learning theÌ„ would haue bene séene sufficiently his wonderfull knowledge of the auncient histories of the Church theÌ„ would haue bene apparant sufficiently his grounded practise experience of manifolde things togither with his déepe excellent wisdom But euen out of those notwithstanding which he hath already put foorth may all these thinges also be sufficiently perceyued though I should holde my peace We haue maruayled forsooth often times whensoeuer any thinge was propounded in familiar talke as touching Ecclesiasticall matters to heare that he had alwaies in a readines out of auncieÌ„t histories some thing that made for the mater in questioÌ„ how he did so promptly illustrate determine the same But there was no lesse power in the man of teaching and arguing then ther was furniture of learning and erudition With what force and facilitye be taught the selfe same can testify that are witnesses before of his other gifts what dexteritie in disputing what sharpenes of witte he alwayes vsed his bearers doe remember He would not as many are wont to do dally and scoffe at the argumentes proposed neyther handeled he the matter with clamoures and outcryes whereby no profit could redound to the hearers but hée so openly and grauely discussed all thinges that the diligent hearers might receyue thereby most ample fruite And in this his maner as well of teaching as of reasoning he was alwaies from time to time of so great modestye and of so great constancye that neyther woulde he vnaduisedly moue idle questions neyther alter or interrupt the order of teaching that he had once with iudgement taken in hande As touching which thing you remember I am sure right learned Master Chunrade Mathew my very worshipfull kinseman what he sayd the selfe same daye he let his lyfe either of vs both you and I being present with him I sayeth he haue alwayes bene carefull of this in the Schole that I might propound profitable doctrine to my hearers and auoyde idle and superfluous questions I haue taken diligent heede leaste I should giue anye occasion of contentions and haue euermore reteyned one vniforme order of teaching and so long as I liue will reteyne These in a maner were his wordes which when we had heard not without teares we affirmed that we were witnesses of that matter and how that we lykewise had alwaies hitherto kept the fame order of teaching and would kéepe also hereafter But as touching that which perteyneth to his fidelitie and diligence in the office of teaching there is no cause why I shoulde saye much I appeale to the felfe same to testifie of his diligence that were witnesses euen now of his learning and abilitye in teaching This is certaine he was rauished with so great zeale and feruencie in promoting the studies of holy Scriptures that ouer and besides the laboures the were enioyned him he would also ofteÌ„ times â—hoose to himselfe vacant houres wherin he might teach something extraordinarily He diligeÌ„ly procured and set forward the exercises of disputations and declamations wherein as he alone by the space of certaine yeres was alwaies with great trauayle the chiefe so afterward when other of vs also his coÌ„panions kept our course in the order he was both willingly and commonly present As for the forme maner of preaching in the Schole with what great laboure I pray you with what great paynfulnes did he order it He prescribed common places which he thought most néedeful to be handeled he corrected the Sermons written by Studentes before they were recited he hearde also them that were appoynted to preach before they should openly come into the Church to the intent that if any thinge were amisse either in their voyce or in their gestures that also might be ameÌ„ded He praised those that had wel behaued themselues in these exercises he reproued and pricked forwarde the negligent and slouthfull vnto diligence He had adioyned to these kindes of exercises besides an Examining in matters of Diuinitie which he appointed once commonly in two yeres a certain order also of Diuine Consultation where some question béeing propofided either of Doctrine or of rites and matters Ecclesiasticall he would bid euery one in order to put foorth his opinion in a full continewed forme of speaking to the intent that so by diuers sundrye sentences on either side giuen it might be perceyued out of many what was true what false what made for the pourpose and what might be sayd against it All which labours be so willingly tooke vpon him that hauing also no rewarde appointed for his paynes he neuerthelesse most diligently prosecuted the same I omit his priuate studies of which I will now say nothing more then that which I may truely auouch namely that he was neuer at home alone but that he either wrote something or read something or meditated something so far foorth that bée séemed vnto me euen to weaken and debilitate the strength of his body and eueÌ„ to consume him selfe with ouer great studies and laboures There was in him besides all these thinges a most diligent meditation touching the reforming of Churches wherein he was occupied day and night For he coueted greatly to reuoke the people of our Nation to the paterne of the primityue Church he coueted to remoue many
peculiar vices in some one citie reigne diuers enormities which to an other citie are scarce lye knowen Moreouer among some be stirred vp contencions and varieties touching the doctrine of religion againe amongst other some all thinges are quiet Therfore in â—ace thou speakest of crimes and errours to the people in whom those crimes or errours are not to be founde truly thou doest not wisely For it is to be feared least thy sharpe and tedious reprehension bréede offence amonge those that be weake whiche will now beginne to learne some euill of thée that before they were ignoraunt off They that minister medicines to the whole doe rather hurt them then confirme thei health But on the other side if in any place sinnes or straunge heresies doe budde forth thou doest not eftsoones and before they take déepe roote méete with them and endeuour to roote them out all the blame of the euill shall be imputed vnto thée and if wher it behooued thée stoutly to speake thou filthily holdest thy peace thou shalt worthily be reported off according to the sayiÌ„g of the prophet Esay A dumbe dog not daring to barke Furthermore it so chaunceth oft times that diuers and sondrye affaires happen of which it standeth the preacher vppon to frame Orations of diuers kindes as when the common wealth is oppressed with famine pestilence or warre when the fruits of the field lie beaten downe with hayle or intemperature of the ayre when sedition tumults or other daungers are to be feared Againe it is the part of a teacher to comforte the dismayed multitude to induce them to the knowledge of their sinnes to stir them vp to implore and call vpon the mercy of God. To be short how many and sundry soeuer the euentes in humane matters be so many and sundrye Sermons may and ought to be had yea and necessitie it selfe doeth from time to time teach vs to vse now one forme of speaking and now and then another By these thinges therfore it may appeare vnto all men what kinde of matter ought openly to be handled of the ministers of the church Neyther is it to be doubled but the the holy fathers as many as were euer occupied in this most excellent function of preaching had a right dilygent care consideration of these things For vndoubtedly to thintent the auncient Doctors of the Church might at all times propose the like matter that we haue spoken of to the people in sacred assemblies they one while explaned the holy canonicall bookes entirely from the beginning to the ende an other while some parte of the holy Bible nowe and then some certaine chapter or place excerpted out of the same againe somtime they framed their oration of any matter offred and insident by occasion And lest they should be thought not to haue so dilligent regarde and consideration of the publique vtilytie edifying of the whole congregation as was méete and expedient their custome was which custom in many places dothe yet still endure and where it is abolished ought woorthily to bee restored agayne that in euery Churche the pastor with the residewe of the priestes or elders labouryng together as well in the word as in gouernment should méete and assemble themselues and then maturely delyberate and define accordyng to the state of the churche and maner of the time present what books or what parts thereof what places out of the same fynally what matter or what chapters were most expedyent to be handled and illustrated to the people Therefore the ministers of the worde like as the affayres of the faithfull required in euery place after the aduice and determination of the Colledge of Elders were eyther occupied in the interpretation of certen of the scriptures or dyd inculke more exactly frequently then they were accustomed some certayne sounde principles of religion or by reason of rauening wolues that is to say hereticks and hipocrits they impugned and subuerted their absurde opinions or reproued the vices of certain brethrne lyuing rather after the flesh then after the spirit and excited them to diuers and sundry vertues or els they vsed apt consolations for some publique calamitie that had lately happened Neither thought they yt sufficient if an argument proposed were once or twice of one onely speaker entreated off but as many as were there placed in the ministrie prosecuted in many sermoÌ„s the selfe same cause with great and wonderfull consent And of this custome of the more ancient and purer church we finde written by Tertulian Cap. 39. Apologetici Wee came together sayth he to commemorate the diuine scriptures if the qualiti of the times preseÌ„t doth compel vs ether to premonish or to reknowlege any thing certes with holy communication we feede our faith we arest our hope wee fix our affiaunce and with ofte repetitions and suggestions we confirme the discipline of precepts More cleare is that which S. August explaninge the 34 and 139. Psal as he hymselfe counteth them also in his second Sermon vpon the 36. Psalme about the beginning sayth that he was commaunded of his brethrne and companions to interpret those Psalmes Moreouer as touching entier whole bokes of scripture expounded to the people examples ther be nothing obscure Origen opened and interpreted to the people certaine bookes of the olde testament as well out of the law as out of the prophets namly Genesis Exodus Leuiticus Numbers Iosua c. albeit some parcelles thereof are wanting But Chrisostom hath more grace in his homylies vpon Gensis vpon the gospell of Mathew Iohn and on the Epistles of S. Puele S. August also in the beginninge of his exposition of S. Iohns epistle sheweth that he had explaned in order at the whole gospel of S. Iohn when as by reson of feastful daies falling in the meane time necessitie requâ—rod certaine readings out of the gospel to be recited declared he would procéede those daies being past in the traâ—tation of the sayd epistle of S. Iohn Neither want their sermons wherein are opened and expounded certaine partes of the sacred scriptures Basill in eleuen homilies vttered apparauntly the beginning of Genesis touching the creation of thinges and some certayne Psalmes There be extant also certayne percels of Esay Ieremy and Ezechiel in lyke order illustred of Origen We may reade in like maner the most learned homilies of Chrisostom vpon some of the Psalmes If a man require Sermons compacted and applyed to the explication of some one place out of the Scriptures he shall finde euery where inowe In Chrisostom thou shalt sée homilies coÌ„cerning those wordes in Genesis I will put enmitie discord betwixt thee the womaÌ„ also touching the faith of Abraham and offeringe vp of Isaac of Ioseph solde by hys bretherne of the continency of Ioseph of that whiche is written Iudicum 1. Iephthe went forth to battell vowed a vow c. of Anna Elcano of the education of Samuel 4.
retourned home or whersoeuer els they wyl repeate the principall partes and Chapters by hart Truly there is nothyng more vnséemely nothing more perilous then if a man presume to teach in the Church ex tempore and without premeditatioÌ„ or rather rashly without choice to powre out euery thing Wherefore also the most excellent Doctors of the church furnished thorowlye as well with the knowledge of the diuine Scriptures as also with the vse and experience of very many thinges had a customeâ— in times past to write out their whole Sermons made and digested with great diligence before they shoulde come to the sacred assembly That they dyd not onelye bicause they were oft times present in the multitude of hearers learned men and such as were expert in the holy scriptures which marked obserued euery lytle thing that was spoken and in caâ—e any trippe were committed coulde by and by note it and put it vp but also for so muche as all thinges were with great fidelitie diligence receiued of the Notaries by reason of aduersaries namely either ethnicks or hereticks which afterwarde hatefully and disdaynefully reasoned of those thinges that were spoken of the Preachers Some againe declared in writing certayn chapters or els vsing the help of Notaries or Clerkes expounded those things that they had premeditated before Such a Notary had Cyprian being a very stripeling named Paulus Concordiensis such to the number of seuen more were giuen to Origen by Ambrose a learned welthy man as witnesseth Ierom in his worke of Ecclesiasticall writers Augustine declareth in his preface to the .118 Psalme that he had expounded for the most parte all the Psalmes partly by preaching partely by rehercinge to the people There is no doubte therefore but that he committed to remembraunce at home those thinges by wryting that be minded afterward opeÌ„lâ— to vtter Certes we may gather out of the words of Gregory in a certayne homily had vpon the holy day of Easter touching the women that came to the Sepulchre of Christe that euen in that age it was a common matter with most Preachers to wryte their interpretations for good orders sake and the helping of their memoryeâ— and then oute of wrytinge to recite them openly before the multitude of the faithfull Let all Preachers therefore vnderstande that it is theyr partes after the example of these most famous men studiously to digest into papers what soeuer things they haue determined to speake in sacred assemblies to the profyte and furtheraunce of their hearers and at all times let them repute with themselues that in euery frequent audytory are alwayes some present that be more redy to reproue then to allow or follow and that will many times call into question Censorlike euen those things that are welt and most warely spoken Whervpon as the Apostle chargeth Timothy being notablye exrcised in the affayres of the Church to giue attendaunce to readyng exhortation and doctrine Euen so the Byshops of our tyme shall worthyly giue in charge to all those that they preferre to the sacred function of teaching that they also apply themselues to wrytinge that is to saye that they with serious meditation excogitate and searche out those thinges that pertaine vnto Sermons to be hard before the people when they haue found them out reduce them into order and lastly hauynge aptlye disposed them comprehende them in wryting Whiche thing then wyll these men dilygentlye do and accomplish when as the Byshoppes at such time as they yéerely visyte and surueye theyr seuerall Churches shall some what sharpely chastice all those that they perceiue to be negligeÌ„t in this behalfe This dilygence and industrye of the Byshoppes wyll styrre vp and procure diligence in the Preachers whiche will successiuely bring forth incredible profite and vtilyty to all churches ¶ How many kindes of diuine Sermons there bee howe manyfolde the state is and of two sortes of theames Cap. VII THose thinges that haue hytherto bene spoken euery man may perceiue to be agréeable and concordaunt indifferently to all sacred Sermons Now it is requisyte that we distinguishe and poynte oute certayne kindes of Sermons to thintent we may further note what oughte chiefly so be marked and obserued in euery one of them and that wee gather together so farre as may be apt and meete precepts of each of them seuerally apart Sith therfore the action of a Preacher in the Churche of God is much discrepant from the action of a Rhetoritian in the guyld hall I fréely confesse that I can in no wise fancy theyr iudgement that endeuour to bringe those thrée kindes of cases I meane Demonstratiue Delibratiue and Iudiciall oute of the prophane market place into the sacred and reuerend Churche and set them forth vnto preachers to be immitated and folowed Who knoweth not that both the name and action of cases as they are deuided into those kyndes are properly as well of all Orators as also of Lawyers referred to the place of common plea called Forum and that of those very cases sprange the name of Casepleaders But as vnfytting as the name of Casepleader is to hym that deliuereth publykelye vnto the chosen people of God the doctrine of Christian religion euen so absurde and inconuenient a thinge it were that Sermons of diuine matters holden in â—acred assemblies shoulde be called cases We sée moreouer how greatly some labour and toyle and what euill successe they haue whilest they go aboute to wrest and after a sorte to ioyne all the formes of diuine Sermons to the thrée kindes of cases afore rehearced Neither can wee any otherwise iudge then that Diuinitie of all other disciplines the chiefe is moste grieuouslye iniured of those men that suppose hir faculties to be so slender and bare as though she had not furniture and implements sufficient especially for th'ecclesiasticall function in hir owne proper house at home With most soueraigne right therefore shall we endeuour our selues to draw out of the entrailes of the scriptures both what and howe many kindes of diuine Sermons there bée The Apostle Paule of all Preachers the Lode star affyrmeth that al the holy scripture is most chiefly profitable to fyue thinges that is to say to doctrine to redargution to correction to institution and to consolation For thus we reade 2. Timothy 3. All scripture inspired of God is profitable to learning to reprouing to correction to instruction which is in rightuousnesse that the man of God may be perfecte prepared to euery good worke Moreouer to the Rom. 15. What soeuer thinges are written before are writteÌ„ for our learning that thorow patience consolatioÌ„ of the scriptures we might haue hope Doctrine or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth the tractation and confirmation of all true principles and opinions as when with arguments taken out of the writinges of the Prophets and Apostles it is proued that there is but one GOD omnipotent eternall iust mercyfull that God made all thinges
reduced to the kynde comfortatiue vnlesse some had lyuer haue it of the kynde instructiue Howebeit to a SermoÌ„ of mixt kinde no one certain state may bée assigned but accordinge to the varietie of partes it is requisite that diuers states also bée alotted out Moreouer the sentence wherein the State of euery Sermon is expressed they haue accustomed to call the Theme Where if the State be rendred in one worde then is it called a simple Theme as if thou determinest to speake of Faith of works of death of patience these will be simple Themes Faith workes death patience But if the State do consist of many wordes and euen of a iust propositioÌ„ they call that Theme compound as when it is sayde that Faith doth iustify good workes doe obteyne with God the benefit and rewarde as well of the lyfe present as of the lyfe to come the death of the godly is not to be bewayled patience for rigtuousnes sake or coÌ„fession of the truth maketh men happy And when as either a booke of holy Scripture or a part or some place out of the boke is taken in hand to be declared openly it is no harde matter after the words be recited to expresse the State by some Theme especially compound Hitherto concerning the diuers kinds of Sermons States and Themes ¶ That Sermons of euerye kinde ought to be deuided into certian parts and how many those are then of readinge of the sacred Scripture Cap. viii NOw in what kinde soeuer a Sermon shal be instituted it is firste of all to be prouyded that like as it is sayde when we entreated of the forme of diuine sermons it be deuided into certayn parts The parts commonly receiued are in nuÌ„ber seuen that is to say reding of the sacred scripture InuocatioÌ„ ExordiuÌ„ propositioÌ„ or diuisioÌ„ Confirmation Confutation coÌ„clusioÌ„ But when after what sort these ought to be applied and generally to be haÌ„deleâ— we wil in oâ—der oftsoones declare As touching therfore the reading of holy scripture we finde that this was the custome of the auncient Churche Some one to whom the office was appoynted â—â—citod 〈◊〉 â—â—lye and distinctly some parcell out of the holy Scripture and by and by some other learned mâ—n wâ—nt vp into the pulpit to declare those thinges that were read We read Actes 13 when Paule with his companyons were entred into the sinagoge on the sabboth day at Antioche in Pisidia that after the reading of the 〈◊〉 and the prophetes the Rulers of the Sinagoge sent vnto them saying Men and brethren if there be any among you that can speake wordes of exhortation to the people say on Christ Luke 4. went vp hymselfe and reade and then sitting downe interpreted the same to the great admiration of all men Of this laudable custom therfore of the synagog our forefathers learned to appoynt Readers in euery church which should publikely rehearce the bookes of the sacred scripture Socrates lib. 10. cap. 3. of his Tripartite history witnesseth that Iohn Chrysostom dyd for a certayne time supply the office of a reader Epiphanius also in his Summary of the catholike faith maketh mencion of the same order and the maner of ordeyning them is read in the eight cannon of the fourth counsell of Carthage Further out of Augustine touching the words of the Lord in the Gospell of Iohn Sermon 45. may be gathered that the scriptures were first recited of the Reader and then that the elder or Byshop folowed immediatly to expounde them But now for the most part he in the beginninge of the Sermon readeth the Scriptures that declareth them also more at large which thing verily is theÌ„ most conuenieÌ„t to be done when a man taketh in hand to explane some entire booke of the olde or new Testament Albeit thou maist oft times sée also one to reade the scriptures and an other to interprete the same But we suppose it to make no matter at all Howbeit whereas vpon occasion offered the sermon is ordayned there the readinge of the scripture is not accustomed to go before but he that teacheth either choseth out a few woordes onely or some shorte sentence freely out of the scriptures which namly he iudgeth to be most agréeable to his purpose or els making no mention at all of any place out of the Scriptures he beginneth forthwith to speake whereof that very séeldome this very often hath bene frequented of the fathers Examples of the former kinde are these Nazianzenus in his Sermon to the subiectes stricken with feare by reson of the wrath of the Emperour Theodosius the firste vsurpeth the wordes out of Ieremy 4. Ah my belly ah my bowels and the inwarde partes of my body I am sore greued my hart panteth within mee The same Author framing his oration of the holy feast of Easter premiseth the words of Habacuc 2. I will stande vpon my watch Chrysostome entreatinge of the troubled common wealth of Antioche and of his returne out of exile doth ofte tymes inculke in the beginning of hys Sermon that sayinge of Iob Blessed be god Basill beynge desyrous to perswade the people to pacifye the wrath of GOD alledgeth these words out of Amos. 3. The Lyon hath roared who wyll not be afrayde the Lorde God hath spoken and who will not prophesy Agayne where he exhorteth them to fast Blow vp the Trumpet in Sion vpon our solemne feaste day out of the 81. Psalme and Ioel. 2. Of the later kinde that is so say where no words of the sacred Scripture are put before there be examples in them very frequente and common Now let vs ad herevnto this also Namely that no other bookes ought to be read and expouÌ„ded in sacred assemblies but those onely that are accounted to be canonicall concerning which thinge we may reade it established by the 59. canon of the counsell of Laodicia The Preacher must also take héede in any wyfe that when he reciteth the holy scripture out of the Pulpet in hys Countrye language hâ—â— vseth the best and most allowable translation that may be and such a one as is knowne and common to the people For truely a proper and exact translation bringeth so great light vnto thinges that it deserueth to be estéemed in stéede of a commentary Neither shal the preacher vnaduisedly alter or innouate any thing therin least that whilest he is thought of the learned to speake affectiuely and curiouslye of the vnlearned fondly and folshly he so prouoke the offence of many against himsefe Spiridion Byshoppe of Cypres in thassembly of many byshops and in the presence of all the people durst openly rebuke Tryphillus bishop of Ledres who being puffed vp in pryde with the visor of his eloquence when he came to these words of the euangelycall hystory Take vp thy bedde and walke for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he planted in an other to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a course or simple bed Then saith
that may afterward redounde to potterytie And these places verely may be taken as specifyed of the Orators but out of Diuinitie are deryued groundes of greater weight and importaunce as 8 Of that that wee ought not to be so fylthye and vile as that wee shoulde submit our mindes and bodyes to our enemy the Diuell to serue his wicked and diabolicall suggestions 9 Of that that we incurre the crime of disloyaltie yea and of high treason also if we reuolte from the tents of our sauiour Christ unto Beliall 10 of that that it is a great ingratitude and that more is an extreame cruelty to crucify Christ a fresh through our sinnes and to dispise his blood wherwith he hath once wasshed and sanctified vs. 11 Of that that by defylynge our selues with sin we grieue the holy ghost and doe slaunder the holy angells our kéepers yea and the vniuersall church of God. 12 Of the that by the grace of God assisting vs we may be able to refist the temptor and traitor sathan tame our flesh abandon evill thoughts c. 13 Of that that if we harken vnto the Deuill all the fault shall be imputed to vs and vnto our iniquitie neyther shal it bee lawfull to pretende any excuse at all but euen wee our selues shall bes punished for those enormities whiche by the prouocation of the deuill we commit 14 Of the paines that are threatned vnto sinners and the same not onely temporall but also eternall to the auoyding and eschewing wherof there is no way for vs to be founde except we repenting implore the ayde of Christe Somtimes occasion is offered vnto the preacher to sti◠vp his audients vnto loue that is to saye vnto charytie or beneuolence Which truly then chiefely commeth to passe when as entrety is made of some notable vertue or when the excellent déede of some Patryarke Prophet Apostle or of any other man of worthy memorye is celebrated and solempnised For héere it is conuenient to prouoke the mindes of men and so farforth as may be to enflame them to loue and imbrace so excellent and rare a vertue to the feruent study of imitating so notable a déede To the furtheraunce therefore of this matter much auaylable will be the reasons taken out of the places of thinges to be desyred and thinges to be eschewed to witte 1 Of the honestye Of the thinge 2 Of the godlynesse Of the thinge 3 Of the religiousnesse Of the thinge 4 Of the gloryousnesse Of the thinge 5 Of the easynesse Of the thinge 6 Of the necessitie Of the thinge All which thinges may briefely be confirmed and illustrated by reasons sentences examples similitudes deryued out of the treasurie of the sacred scriptures Item 7 Of the causes of thinges 8 Of the circumstaunces 9 Of the signes or accidents as well 10 Antecedent and 11 Adioyned to the matter it selfe as also 12 Conssquent c. Which kinde of places verily and those deduced out of Diuinite we sée the holy Prophets to vse as oft as thei exhort vnto rightuousnesse vnto modestie vnto humilitie vnto the confession of the knowne trueth vnto the diligence obseruation of the true worshippinge of god Neyther dothe any thinge what soeuer appertinent to this kynde of busynesse lesse notably appeare in those Sermons of Chrysostom in which he endeuoureth to traine men vnto pacience sobryetie hospitalytie liberalitie towardes the poore and other such lyke vertues Now to cause that feare of gods iudgemēt to be imprinted in the mindes of the hearers will be a helpe and furtheraunce proofes drawen forth 1 Of the the greatnesse of our sinnes which it behoueth to be amplyfyed out of the law by and through all the circumstaunces thereof 2 Of our owne vnworthynes and proper offence 3 Of our owne imbecilitie and weakenesse We that are voyde and destitute of all kinde of vertues what shall we obiect against the iudement of God 4 Of that that it is necessary the threatninges of God thould be accomplished without any exception 5 Of the grieuousnes of the paynes that are euidentley mentioned and set forth in the threatnings of God. 6 Of that that God executeth those things indifferentlye whereby both his iustice becommeth famous and his mercy also apparaunt 7 Of the examples of those men whō we know to haue bene sharply punished of God for their sinnes 8 Of that that God if he punisheth not by and by and if not in this lyfe yet after a shorte time or at least after this lyfe he repayeth due penalties accordynge to the desertes 9 Of that that no euasion of mans wisdom or industrye will serue to escape and winde out of Gods iudgement It is no difficult matter to accorde also some other places vnto these arguments touched before in the premisses The controlling Sermons of the Prophets and Apostles or of Chrysostome and other holy fathers doe throughlye abounde in this kinde Further to the procurement of hope and desyre of mercy doe conduce a number of places accustomed to be vsed in consolations but especially these 2 Of the confession of sinnes before God. 3 Of our humilytie or mortification 4 Of the continuall imploration of Gods ayde God despiseth not the prayers of them that humble themselues and dispaire of their owne strength 5 Of the power of the spirit assistinge vs in our prayers 6 Of the promises of God. 7 Of the naturall goodnesse of God that is the promiser whereby he will both be prayed vnto and also graciousely graunt our peticions 8 Of that that God delighteth to stande by his woorde and promise and will deceiue no man. 9 Of the intercession of Christ our mediatour 10 Of the effect of the death and all the merits of Christ 11 Of that that our father knoweth our necessities yea euen before the aske 12 Of our election vocation iustification 13 Of that that God neuer vtterly forsaketh those that be his but with fatherly compassion helpeth them before they fall into any extreame daunger To the furtheraunce also hereof let the Sermons consolatory or comfortatiue be read disposed to the fortifiynge and erecting of mindes in the conflicts of temptations and no doubt a much more plentifull matter will offer it selfe in them then can of vs in few words be comprised Lastly if thou intendest to prouoke the mindes of men vnto pitie and compassion which then truely is expedyent to be done when the people is to be admonished and required to be helpfull to the poore and needye to succour them that are afflicted with sicknesse shypwracke casualtie of fyer rage of waters warre or such lyke calamitie to labour with all dilygence to reduce those that erre or those that are almost fallen into desperation into the right way agayne or to pray vnto God for their health and safety thou shalt conueniently gather some reasons of these places followynge 1 Of the age as if it be a childe or an olde man that is afflicted 2 Of the sexe 3 Of
therefore are prudently to be consydered of hym that will preache and compose his Sermon in the kinde didascalick so soone as hauing ended the exordium hee shall come to the pithe and effecte of the matter I First he shall mark whether it be expedient that a certayne forme of confirmatiō be vsed or altogether cōmitted II Secondlye it is necessarye that he haue at hande places of inuencion congruent and correspondent to this kynd by the direction wherof he shall excogitate and vtter those thinges that may holsomelye be put foorth to the multytude III Thirdly he shal haue in a readinesse certayne cautions wherewith being furthered he shall prouide and foresée lest any thing rashly vnsauourily friuolously lest any thing vaine superstuous defectiue or redundant doe escape hym in the sacred assembly Of these thrée poyntes so far forth as they are peculiar to the Didascalick kynde we will orderly entreat It is not without cause that we affirme it expedyent vnto hym that will speake to the people to delibrate whether confirmation ought to be instituted or no. For often times al the order of confyrming is omitted and the preacher can in no case vse the fame though he woulde neuer so feine For when it standeth him vpon simply to interpret the text of the holy Scriptures as it lyeth he is compelled to follow the order in his enarration and to vsurp such kinde of argumentes and proofes agayne to examine those common places which and what maner as well the words as the matters placed in the texte doe apparauntly minister And it were a great offence to passe ouer those reasons and common places vndiscussed whiche are openly touched in the scriptures read before Herevnto is added that this same faithfull explanation of the scriptures is not alwaies conueighed a lyke after one rate in the company of Christian hearers For somtimes many diuers cōmon places are noted in the scripture recited conteyning very godly and profitable matter but amongst them all onely a few supposed to bee most fruitfull are with as great industrye as may be expounded Somtime the whole explanation of Scripture is aptly distributed into two or thrée chapters or partes or common places it maketh no great matter how we tearme them Yea now and then also thou maist sée the whole diuine redynge with all the parts thereof to be directed to a more ample explication of one only common place Moreouer some whiles all and euery member of the scripture is briefely and precisely run ouer to the intent afterwarde some one common place by it selfe may more franckly and abundantlye be declared Which things whilest they are in this wise accomplished certes there is no kinde of thinge héere that may séeme to beare the forme or countenaunce of a iust confirmation Agayne on the other side there is special consideration where lawfull confirmation may seasonably be admitted For whensoeuer any one place or sentence out of the scriptures is openly explaned or a man vndertaketh to handle a Theame simple or compound then worthely is iust confirmation to be adorned furnished with all kynde of preparation and withall are to be heaped together arguments deduced out of those places of Inuention whiche we see to be attributed to the kinde didascalick And that I may speake briefely if the matter so requyreth that a Booke of Scripture or any parte thereof be opened to the people there is no place left vnto confirmatiō but if a place or sentence taken out of the scriptures or a Theame simple or compounde and peraduēture choyce be made of some common place or affaires incydent by occasion of time to bee intreated off then there is no let but that a iust Confirmation may bee vsed Let vs nowe procéede to speake of the places of Inuention Whensoeuer it shall bee thought good to handle a diuine Sermon certaine places ought alwayes to be in a retines by the order and direction whereof thou mayst finde out and as it were drawe out of couerte into light as well the thinges that are conuenient to the explycation illustratinge of thy purpose as also those thinges that are knowne to bée auayleable to the edification of the hearers All the places which wée vse in this behalfe it is requisite that wée deuide into two formes or orders far otherwise truely then the Logicians or Phylosophers haue bene accustomed The fyrst forme compriseth those that admonyshe and showe vnto vs howe and after what sorte wée may gather out of the Scriptures whiche wée haue read the cheife common places touchinge all the doctrine of pietye of faith and touchinge the dutyes of charytye and hope II. The later forme conteyneth those places of Inuention out of whiche are deryued apte argumentes to discribe and set forth the nature and forte of that thinge of whiche wée purpose to intreate The fyrst forme sheweth playnely Theologicall or diuine places and such as are vsurped in no other disciplynes the last comprehendeth places Philosophicall albeit some also Theologicall Of the former order are accounted fyue that is to say I Doctrine II Redargution III Institution IIII Correction V Consolation Which places whence we haue taken them and how it behoueth vs to vse them arighte vnto the ende whiche we talke off it is easy to be knowne by the woordes of the Apostle 2. Timoth. 3. and Rom. 15. All scripture sayeth he is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to doctrine to reproue to correction to instruction which is in rightuousnesse that the man of God may be perfect instructed vnto all good woorkes And what soeuer things haue bene written afore time were writen for our learning that we through patience and comforte of the Scriptures might haue hope Lyke as therefore we may briefely learne out of these wordes how and by what meanes the kinds of diuine sermons ought conueniently to be deuided euen so the Apostle in the same wordes playnly sheweth how and after what sort we may pick not out of the scriptures which we shal fortune to reade fruitfull plentious matter of speaking whereby faith hope loue and al the duties of sincere godlynesse may amonge true christian hearers be aduaunced and promoted Which thinge to the intente all men may the more easely vnderstand I will not let somewhat more exactly to speake of euery of them in order I Doctrine which compriseth an assertion and comprobation of true opinions admonisheth vs that we should diligently ensearche whether in the wordes of Scripture which we haue in hande any thing be either openly affirmed or couertly signifyed that ought to be referred to some article as they tearme it of fayth or to a principle of christian religion For it can not be but that when we haue some space together stirred vp the powers of our minde in musing and consideringe of things some such matter will come to remembraunce if in the meane tyme we beare about fixed in our memory all the articles
therof Abraham staggered not at the promise of God through incredulitie but being made strong by faith gaue the glory to God conceiuing a certaine perswasion that he which had promised was able also to performe So is it read Rom. 4. we may therfore argue in this sorte God hath promised ergo hee will vndoubtedly performe Héere also must héede be taken whether any maner of condition be annexed to the promise 17 Of a prophesy or propheticall prediction The Euangelistes doe very frequently commend vnto vs this place of inuention so oft namely as they shew this or that thing to be therfore accomplished in or by Christ forsomuch as it was necessary those thinges shoulde be fulfilled which were spoken before of the Prophets touchynge the same 18 Of the truth of a diuine or propheticall determination The thinges that are once pronounced and decreed of God or of some notable Prophet by Gods commaundement those thinges must of necessitie be accounted certain and sure He that vnderstandeth how to argue conueniently of a generall sentence shall also well perceiue the vse of this place 19 Of the person of one good man to the person of all the godly So gathereth the Apostle Rom. 4 Abraham was iustified by faith therefore shall all that beléeue lykewise be iustifyed by faith It is not written saith he for his cause onely that it was imputed vnto him but also for our sakes to whom it shall be imputed if we beleeue c. 20 Of the person of one vngodly man to all The hardeninge of Pharao came of God therefore commeth the hardenyng of all other wicked persons of GOD likewise 21 Of a type or figure to the truethment thereby The bones of the lambe that was eaten at Easter might not be diminished ergo neither ought the legges of Christe hanging on the Crosse to be broken And the tipes of the prophet Ionas and of the brason serpent erected in the wildernesse Christ interpreteth of hymselfe So then we may elegantly gather they that behelde the serpent in the desart were healed ergo those also that beléeue and hope in CHRISTE shall obtayne saluation 22 Of an allegory to the thing signifyed The prophet Esay Cap. 54. by an allegorye and in many wordes teacheth how wonderfully the Churche encreaseth Reioyce thou baren saith he that bearest no Children breake foorth and cry thou that trauailest not for shee that is desolat hath many mo children then she which hath an husband And the Apostle intending to demonstrat that albeit the Iewes raged neuer so much yet it would come to passe that the churche collected of the Gentiles should be increased and amplyfyed yea euen then when by reason of troubles and contentioÌ„s if should be supposed to be vtterly destroyed applyeth the same allegâ—ry very fifly and saith If she that was baren despised as Sara doth yet bring forth children and hir posteritie encreaseth beyonde all mens expectation why shoulde we not beleeue that the Church though small and abiecte receiueth dayly encreasement also These places therefore if not alwaies all yet at the least a greate sorte of them and one while these an other while those doe they rightly vse that haue to speake in sacred assemblies And then verily do they vse them when as they shall entreate either of a certaine place or sentence of holy Scripture or of busines offred by occasion of time or else of a theame simple or compounde like as afterward we will once againe admonishe when wée shall come to the addinge to of some peculiar examples They haue néede vndoubtedly of a right iudgement and of some wisdome and experience in this behalfe gotten by the continuall readinge and â—earinge partly of the Scriptures partly of some faithfull and probable interpreters He truely shall beste prouide for himselfe and may at the length be able to performe some thinge worthy of prayse and commendation who so will dilligently obserue the profes and reasons extant in the didascalick Sermons of the prophetes Christ and Apostles and will enserch the places out of which they are taken and deduced and fynally beinge night and daye studious of imitation will endeuour after hys power and abilytie to practise the same Now vnto this kinde forsomuch as it is weighty and diffyculte and no small wisdome is required therein wée will worthely adioyne like as wée vndertooke to doe certayne Cantions whereby euery man may bée premonisshed to vse dilligent héede and circumspection in his procedings Which wée haue in lyke maner determined to doe in the other kindes followinge I In doctrines or princyples of relygion to bée taught before the people it is very requisite to be considered what maner of persons the hearers are how far forth traded in the knowledge of diuine matters For it is necessary that all the order of teaching so oft I saye as it is thought good to examine any sentence be tempered accordinge to their capacitie Christ himselfe that we should be circumspectâ— in this behalfe hath admonished vs when as he said to his Apostles I haue many thinges to saye vnto you but ye can not beare them away now And the apostle I could not speak vnto you brethren as vnto spirituall but as vnto carnal as vnto babes in Christ I haue nourished you with milke and not with meate For ye could not as yet away with it neither can yee as yet It is certayne therfore that the thinges whiche are true vndoubted and taken out of the worde of God are to be taught and set forth vnto all men And albeit a man taketh in hand one and the selfe same doctrine to handle and entreate off yet truly ought he to attempt all thinges far otherwise among the hearers and Citizens of an ample citie hauing now of long time ben accustomed to hare men excellinge in learninge and eloquence then in an obscure place where men of rude wits and maners can neuer attayne to any thing but that which shall very grosly be inculked and beaten into their heades To whiche effecte well nere S. August hath somewhat in his treatise 98. vpon the gospell of Iohn II What hearers soeuer shall betide let the tractation of those poyntes be eschewed and pretermitted whiche doe smally conduce vnto godlynesse and the inquifition and knowledge whereof doe make the hearers rather curious then godly disposed Whervnto pertayneth that whiche Thapostle writinge in diuers places vnto Timothye and Titus forbiddeth any place to be giuen in the church to doctrine which is not after godlynesse to foolishe and fantasticall questions to contencions and striuings about the law which are vnprofitable and superfluous and which do rather procure deuision then edifiyng III After thou hast chosen out suche a sentence or assertion as is holsomelye to bee handled and entreated off it is requisyte that thou dilligently enserche and perpende the doctrine contayned in the bookes of the prophetes and Apostles touching the same whiche onely is
adioyned with them sifted out and brought to light The wise men verily declare their opinion of the Starre the Iewes searche the scriptures and whâ—lest in this sorte as well natural reason as the word of God are with iudgment and dexteritie conferred together a certayne definitiue sentence is gathered out of them both XXII XXIII Institution and Correction Herode asking counsayle of the chiefe priests scribes opportunelye admoniseth vs that in all matters of doubte we shoulde craue aduice of those men that are perfectlye séene in the same It is not without cause commonly spoken abroade Let euery man exercise himselfe in the arte which he knoweth But now adayes a greate number of men doe ouermuche offende in this behalfe They presume to giue sentence touching matters of religion that neuer had any â—aste in the sacred scriptures yea that as well in maners as in opinions are cleane voyde of all godlynesse and pyetie What good shoulde we hope for at their handes And they saide vnto hym At Bethlem in Iury For thus it is written by the Prophet And thou Bethlem in the lande of Iuda art not the least amonge the princes of Iuda For out of the shall there come a captaine that shal gouerne my people Israell XXIIII Doctrine Right excellent is the dignitie of the Scriptures For the scripture alone is vnto vs a certayne and assured rule faythfully shewing the truth as touching Christ and all thinges necessary to saluation Philosophycall proofes flowing out of the riuers of mans reason are of great weight and bringe no small light to things darke obsecure But in cace they be compared with the scriptures they ought to giue place as farre vnmete to match with them Like as truely when the wise men were come to Hierusalem where the scripture had hir place as ye woulde saye hir mansion house the starre whiche they had séene in the East forthwith disappéered and withdrew it selfe XXV and XXVI Doctrine and Institution In Micheas the Prophet cap. 5. it is thus reade worde for word And thou Bethlem Ephrata art little among the thousands of Iuda out of thee shal he comforth vnto me which shal be the gouernour in Israell whose outgoinges haue bene from the beginning and from euerlasting It appeareth therfore that the Euangelist expressed the prophesye so farre onely as was agréeable to his purpose Howbeit in the words of the prophet not onely the humanytie of Christe but also his diuinitie is playnely described and set forth And héere againe lykewise in this place is suggested vnto vs the wonderfull goodnesse of God to be considered and the holy Scripture most highly commended For it pleased God euen immediately at the beginning to open and manyfest his purpose touching the procuringe of the saluation of mankinde by his sonne and to the inient men should become daylye more certaine and sure of so great and worthy a thing and their faith by that meanes be nourished and encreased he vouched safe also to declare long before all the whole maner and the very circumstances how euery thing should betide Hitherto it pertayneth that the prophet Micheas so longe time before shewed as it were with his finger the place where Christ should he borne It is our parte to giue vnto God continuall thanks and perpetually to prayse hym which would haue as well the holy fathers as also our faith by that meanes to bee established And as for the holy scriptures in whiche those premisses and prophesies are contayned and is declared how and after what sort they all at the length were accomplyshed and performed let vs haue them euermore in high estimation reuerence them read and reuolue them without intermission from the iudgement whereof to swarue but a haires breddthe as they saye is to be counted a very wickednesse XXVII Doctrine By the words of the Prophet Christ is described to be a Kinge and Lorde but such a Kinge as whose kingdom is not carnall but in déede spirituall consisting in the hartes of the faithfull and streatchinge so farre as the limites of the catholike and euerlastinge church doe extende This church compriseth all the saintes and electe and is an eternal churche the boundes whereof are contayned partly in heauen and partely in and aboute the whole worlde This honour therfore and title of a kinge we finde attributed to Christ both nowe at his natiuitie of the Gentile wise men and againe at the time of his death of the president Pilte a Gentile also albeit not knowinge what he did But the Iewes both first and laste in such wise employed their diligence that from them the doctrine of saluation was deriued to the Gentiles Nowe what maner of kingedome this is it is of Christ in many places as in the parables wherin he calleth the church the kingedome of heauen likewise when he fléed leaste he shoulde haue bene made a Kinge of the people againe before Pilate c. Playnely and euidently declared XXVIII Redargution The false and trecherous Iewes doe nowe impudently interprete these wordes touching the kingedome and principalitie to concerne Zorobabell of whom mencion is made Esdr 2. Heggeus 1. c. And yet besides that they are conuinced by the authoritie of their owne auncitors into whose head duringe the time that Herode reigned and enquired the truth of the matter no such things euer came it can by no meanes be vnderstanded of Zorobabell which is added of the Prophete namely that his outgoinges haue bene from the beginninge and from euerlastinge This was very well noted of Chrysostom And thus doe the Iawes reiecte the veritie explaned vnto them of their doctors and dayly deuise absurd and false interpretacioÌ„s of the diuine oracles in such sorte that nowe it is euident that they are giuen vp of god into a reprobate sense and that as well the scriptures as euery other thinge besides yet thorough their owne deseruinge is become pernitious vnto them XXIX Institution But goe to let vs by the example of the wise men submitte our selues wholy vnto Christ our kinge and acknowledge the incomparable benefites which we may receyue of him if so be we will beléeue in him with our wholle harte and with such fidelitye and diligence as is méete obeye his commaundementes Where as if wée beléeue an obey him in déede then are we true Israelites and citizens regestred in the kingdome of heauen Not all that are of Israell are Israelites but they that are the children of promise Then Herode when he had priuily called the wise meÌ„ enquired of them diligently what tyme the Starre appered And he sente them to Bethelem and saide Goe and search diligently for the younge childe an when yee haue founde him bringe me worde againe that I may come and worshippe him also xxx Correction The vngodly albeit they haue rightly bene enstructed as touchinge the trueth yet is their conscience neuer in quiet They giue no credite to the Scriptures and therefore they turne themselues to
be forbidden to return to Herode But they in no wise troubled themselues with any such curious inquisition yea vtterly excluding al such cogitations they accomplished with chéerfull minde the which they were commaunded Let vs therfore also enure our selues without backslyding to obey the voyce of god which we oft times heare if not in dreames yet certes in the holy Scripture in the vniuersall engine of this worlde in our vnderstanding and perfect reson in those thinges that teache vs publyquely in the â—hurch and that priuately prouoke vs to the thinges that 〈◊〉 good and iust fynally in the notable déedes and examples of holy men For by these and such like meanes God at all times talketh with vs and prouoketh vs to obedyence and all kinde of vertues L. Institution What other thing shal we suppose the godly wise men to doe after they were returned into Persia then all the dayes of their life with great gladnes and fauour to haue preached vnto their nation this Iesus whoÌ„ fyrst they had learned by secrete reuelation and by the starre afterward by the Scriptures and had beléeued and worshipped him both as very God the sonne of his heauenly father and also as very man the sauiour and redemer of mankinde In lyke maner therfore if there be any of vs whiche are before the residew of our brethren lightned and aduaunced of God to an higher knowledge of spirituall thinges let vs not suffer our selues by any meanes to bee letted but that we may preache Christ sincerely faithfullye enforme al others confyrme and strengthen those that haue any whit profyted and lastly direct all our thoughts wordes and deedes to celebrate the glory of CHRIST and procure the profyt and vtilytie of our brethren Now if according to the maner of the time presente and according to the state of the Churche it séemeth good to selecte a few places amongst so many then chiefely shal be vrged with great fruite those that excite men to make confession of Christ both true God and true man Such places are 4.6.7.13.16.17.41.42.43 In these if a man stande somewhat longe and spende the principall parte of his sermon he shal very much profyt his hearers especially the slow and duller sort Amonge the people giuen to the supersticious obseruation of celestial motions of dayes of howres or to diuinations the 9. and 10. place shal prudently be discussed whervnto it behoueth those thinges to be applyed whiche are iudged conformable to the same argument accordyng as thou shalt déeme it profytable to the capacities of the hearers For so doth Chrisostom also vpon this place refel in many words iuditiall Astrologie Yf it be expedient to inueigh with sharpe speaking against the enemies of the euangelicall veritie the 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 28. 29. 30. 31. places will minister large and sufficient matter ynough Finally where the people neglectinge Gods worde and diume affaires is to bee stirred vp and awaked from their fylthye sluggishnesse and to be induced to the hearing and loue of Gods word it shall be conuenient to sticke some what the longer in the enarration of the places 3. 5. 8. 9. 11. 12. 13. 14. 16. 17. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 30. Thus muche to haue admonisshed is sufficient Héere followeth an other example out of Luke 2. And his father and mother marueiled at those thinges which were spoken of hym And Simeon blessed them and saide vnto Mary his mother Beholde this childe is set to be the fal and vprising againe of many in Israel and for a signe whiche is spoken against And moreouer the sword shall pearce thy soule that the thoughtes of many hartes may be opened And there was a prophetisse one Anna the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Aser whiche was of a great age and had liued with an husbande seauen yeares from hir virginitie And she had bene a widowe about fower score and fower yeares whiche departed not from the temple but serued God with fastinges and prayers night and day And she came foorth that same hower and praysed the Lorde and spake of him to al them that loked for redemption in Israel And when they had perfourmed all things according to the law of the Lord they returned into Galile to their owne citie Nazareth And the childe grewe and waxed stronge in spirite and was filled with wisedome and the grace of God was vppon him This narration conteineth a double confession of Iesus Christ namely that he is the true Messias promised to the fathers and true God for this is the state and summe of this present reading the one made by Simeon the other by Anna the prophetisse two persons of great estimation and of notable sanctimony of life Whatsoeuer therefore is héere rehearsed perteineth to the kinde didascalick And his father mother merueiled at those things which were spoken of him These words are thus added to the sermon thankes giuing of SimeoÌ„ going next immediatly before we ought in the meane time to obserue héere dilligently what things conduce to the coÌ„mon places of christian doctrine These are such as follow I. Doctrine The foundation whervpon our faith in christ doth stay are the reuelations sent of God to the godly or the church For by this meanes were taught enstructed the shepherds SimeoÌ„ Anna Zacharias Elizabeth many other more eÌ„flamed with holy the ghost which al coÌ„fessed testified the Iesus is the promised Messias sauiour of our soules Therfore albeit many other reasons do coÌ„cur which may worthily induce vs to beléeue in Christe yet ought these testimonies to be of great weight importance w vs to stir vp faith in vs For which cause also it is euident y they were registred amonge the sacred scriptures II. Institution It becoÌ„meth vs highy to estéeme of the holy scriptures whiche conteine those notable testimonies of Christ our sauiour out of theÌ„ to séeke the ground confirmatioÌ„ of our faith And moreouer we must dilligently enserch heare obserue reuolue the witnesses of all famous men touching Christ and the vniuersal doctrine of religioÌ„ whether the same be newlye reuealed by the holy Ghost or taken out of the Srpitures For by this meanes Faith hath euen from the beginninge bene planted in the church and yet still groweth and is nourished lyke as in déede there haue bene bee and will bee some at all times which are not afrayde to beare witnesse of Christ euen when the hazarde of their life is set beefore their eyes For whiche cause they are called Act. 1. and els where Confessors and Martirs that is to saye witnesses Therfore with their testimonies also oft times reuoked into memory we ought to strengthen and fortify our faith III. Redargution Forasmuch as both héere in this place and also els where Ioseph is called the father of Christ a great sort gathered that Christ was borne of the séede of Ioseph and that Mary remayned not an vndefyled virgin
as it were certayne steppes and degrées whereby the godly are brought vnto true and perfect knowlege Which thinge how it may with ease be accomplyshed I will in few words rehearce and as ye would saye with certayne poyntes added declare They talked together I The first degrée to come to an absolute knowledge of the trueth as touching Christ and the will of God is constituted in holy and godly meditations and in a feruente desyre of perceiuing the trueth Whiche desyre or study GOD hymselfe other whiles graffeth in the mindes of men ministringe of hys owne accord occasion of godly meditations like as those thinges that were done at Hierusalem gaue cause to the disciples to talk and common of Christ And Iesus himselfe drew neere II Assoone as any doe earnestly begin to applye theyr minde to thatteynement of diuine knowledge God hymselfe vouchsafeth to be present with them and to fauour their godly desyres Wherefore they easely perceyue their mindes to be wonderfully and in a certaine secrete maner inflamed their counsayls to vs directed and a meane wherby they may profyt to be opened By meanes whereof we may learne that the second step or degrée whereby the way is laide open to the knowledge of thinges diuine consisteth in the sincere callinge vppon the name of GOD and in the present aide and helpe of the same There is no cause why any maÌ„ should perswade himself that he can happily attempte the study of holy thinges if he first implore not humbly the diuine ayde and féele the same to be present with hym And for this cause doth Iames cap 1. grauely admonish vs that we should aske spirituall wisdom of him that giueth it namely god c. One of them aunswered whose name was Cleopas III The third degrée of profyting in thinges spiritual is the diligent conferrence with others especiallye with the learneder sorte And God is wont alwayes to those that with all their harte long after the knowledge of heauenlye thinges to minister apt helps and instruments of all sortes For the holy ghoste commaundeth Phillip to approche more néere to the chariot wherin the Eunuche quéene Candaces chief gouernour was caryed to the intent he might cléerely interpret the scriptures read but not vnderstanded God by an angell willeth Cornelius the Centurion to send spéedily to Ioppa for SimoÌ„ Peter of whom he mighte be instructed in the doctrine of true religyon And héere in this place Christ himselfe commeth forth in this owne person rather then those his disciples shoulde be destitute of a faithfull instructor What that a place very profytable to the commendation of the heauenly doctrine falleth in where it is sayde That Iesus of Nazreth was a prophete mightye in deede and in worde before God and all the people Truely very notable effects of the celestiall doctrine are héere set forth before our eyes Yea and certaine women amonge vs. IIII They that couet to profyt in sound holy doctrine what time they haue diligently conferred as touchinge the trueth with other godly menne of all sortes and degrees in the forrth place they shal exactly weigh and perpende all mens opinions sayings interpretations disputations yea they shall marke also visions reuelations dreames of whiche the Prophete Ioell speaketh capi 2. signes and wonders and of al these thinges so farre forth as in them lyeth they shall prudently shewe their iudgement Finally they shall trie all thinges as the Apostle sayth 1. thess. 5. and holde that which is good But that all sorts of men ought worthily to employ their endeuor to the doctrine of piety it is plaine and euident forasmuche as we sée the care and dutie euen of women also toward Christ crucifyed dead and buryed to be héere vehemently praysed and set forth They found it euen so as the women had saide There is good hope that the godlye may there verye well profyt and goe forwarde where as consent and agréement is founde in sounde doctrine which alone is of great importance to the establishing of Gods church and to the amplyfying therof And he saide vnto them O yee fooles V Ater the opinions of other men heard and prudently weighed there remayneth an other marke or fyft step whiche the disciples must climbe That is that the iudgement of the Scriptures themselues which is most perfect and aboue all other may alwayes be harkened vnto For vnto these must of necessitie be referred whatsoeuer is at any time produced as touchinge the doctryne of trueth We sée how Christ and the Apostles doe fortyfye all their assertions with the testimonies of the lawe the prophets how much more méete is it therefore that we stick fast for the authorytie of the lawe 〈◊〉 thee 〈◊〉 be set Christ and Apostles vpon this foundation whatsoeuer is builts that shal be certaine sound and stable in the churh and he shall be iudged to haue more profyted others whosoeuer shal build in this sort Againe it can nothe chosen but that it muste néedefull whatsoeuer is taken from any at 〈◊〉 and obtruded for sound 〈◊〉 And they drew 〈◊〉 to the towne VI 〈…〉 all times the thankfulnes their 〈…〉 God that distributeth to euery 〈◊〉 hys gift◠〈◊〉 measure as pleaseth hym as also to 〈…〉 by which they know and confesse themselues to be holpen for 〈…〉 For to those that are thankfull and doe rightlye vse the gifts graunted vnto them â–ª God willinglye 〈◊〉 more and committeth vnto them as it were new tallents But from the vnthankfull and those that either knowe not or wyll not vse them aright are taken a waye agayne such those that they haue already gotten And their eyes were opened Truely they that are thankfull do féelâ— in themselues manifest increasements of knowledge God vndoubtedly augmenting and be wâ—ifying his gifts in them And in this behalfe we sée the Apostle Paule praying with great effect to God the father that the loue of all his heaters might yet more and more abounde in knowledge and in all spirituall vnderstanding c. And they rose vp the same howre and returned VII Moreouer when a man is come to the exact knowledge iudge of the 〈…〉 shall 〈…〉 â—â—ught to 〈◊〉 but shall indeâ—â—◠〈…〉 all 〈◊〉 possible to bring others also to 〈…〉 Therfore we shall fréely and â–ª but a 〈…〉 confesse the knowen trueth he shall labour to 〈…〉 other both priuate and publickly 〈…〉 forth as oportunitie will serue 〈…〉 and friendly confer with other learned men moued not so much with desyr of teaching as of learning and fynally in al his actions hee shall set before his eyes both the edyfying of his hearers and increasement of the church For to thèse â—â—des most thief 〈…〉 God giueth to the faithful the 〈…〉 of thinges spirituall with these â—â—tion the 〈…〉 good will towardes God and men by this 〈…〉 concorde and agréement in doctrine in nourished in all Churches and to be shorte by such diligence is the Church of God confirmed encreased
receyued by the Lawe Of which thing he rendreth also in the causes For where the lawe is there imediately followeth transgression for such is our imbecilitie and weakenes that wee can neuer exactely fulfyll the lawe And where transgression is what I beseech you is to bee loked for but the wrath of god By the lawe therfore or by workes wee can by no meanes atteyne vnto rightuousnes But to the intent he might the more easyly perswade the same thinge he inserteth two inconueniences which if rightuousnes were not to be loked for but by the lawe should of necessytie follow If rightuousnes or the inheritaunce of spirituall benefytes shoulde then onely be receiued when the law were of vs throughly fulfilled our faith no doubt should be void the promise of god of none effect But that it is a very absurde matter in cace any should auouch it thus to be euery man perceyueth For GOD vndoubtedly performeth that which he promiseth as he that neuer ceasseth to be true and iust of his worde And where as is the certaine fyrme infallible promise of God ther our faith ought in no wise to wauer or doubt Let these thinges therfore he taken in steade of the eight argument But nowe againe the Apostle stayeth somewhat at this that the holy scripture testyfieth that the promises belong not onely vnto Abraham but also vnto an his séede In which consideration beinge occupyed he remembreth that in the olde Testament the Gentiles also are conteined in the séede of Abraham For it was saide vnto Abraham Gen. 17. I haue appointed thee to be the father of many nations Wherfore herevpon also he produceth an other argument which is framed in this sort The promised spirituall benefyts shal redound also to the seede of Abraham But the Gentiles are knowen to be the seede of Abraham Ergo the promised benefits shal come in like maner to the Gentiles though destitute of the lawe and voide of good works Be this therfore the ninth argument taken of the proper signification of the worde Gentiles or Nations and it belongeth to the places of inuention of whiche mention was made in the fift obseruation X The tenth argument is added to deriued of the nature of the things themselues which kind of proofes we shewed to be méete and requysyte in the fourth obseruation Abraham saieth he aboue hope beleeued vnder hope that hee shoulde be the father of many nations according to that which was spokeÌ„ to him So shal thy seede be And he not weake in the faith considered not his owne body c. The apostle in déede describeth the nature force of the faith which is imputed for rightuousnes and sheweth that it was very excellent in AbrahaÌ„ and far greater then any man could beléeue He saith the true and perfect faith doth assuredly vndoubtedly lay hold vpon those things that excéede mans reason the by no menes are iudged to be hoped for besids that it neglecteth dispiseth vtterly remoueth al things that are thought to be a let or hindraunce vnto it For it alwaies leaneth vpon God to when nothinge is impossible to be done Such and so great a faith therefore seeinge it shined forth in AbrahaÌ„ it pleased god with merciful eyes to behold it before al other works to impute it for rightuousnes XI Last of all the holy Apostle going about to bring his explanation to all end auoucheth that the same meane or way that Abraham was iustified by ought also to be applyed vnto vs for therefore were those thinges writen of Abraham to the ende we might know that we in like maner by the example of Abraham shoulde without workes be iustified by faith And thus much touching the interpretation of one short sentence The seconde example being no lesse notable then the first is extant Galat. 3. where euery word of the most knowen promise made vnto Abraham Gene. 22. In thee all nations shall bee blessed is so expounded and declared that it likewise teacheth that men are iustified before God not by the workes of the law but by faith sBut yet far away surmounteth the third example which occurreth Heb. 5. 7. where euery member of the fourth verse of the Psalm 110 The Lorde hath sworne and will not repent thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedec is with such great arte industrye grace opened and explaned that I néede not doubt to affirme that no mans wit without the speciall direction of the holy ghost is able to immitate the like For truely the apostle with many diuers proofes takeÌ„ out of the one testimony of scripture plainly teacheth in the same chapter in the thrée following first that Christ is the true priest after the order of Melchisedec and the the said prophesie of the Psal. 110. doth most chifely agrée vnto him secondly that the priesthod of Christ is far more excelent theÌ„ the priesthod of the law which was after the order of Aaron or Leuiticall thirdly that by the priesthod of Christ appointed established through the patefaction of the Gospell the priesthode of Aaron is abolished fourthly that by the priesthod of Christe once constituted and confyrmed the olde ceremonies and sacrifices yea and the law it selfe take an ende What man would haue thought that out of one verse or clause might haue bene drawen matter of so many weighty poyntes of Christian doctrine and so diuers and sâ—ndry proofes for euery poynte But thus it is to whom the holy ghost becommeth a scholemaster vnto those all things are easye playne penetrable and ready The thing it selfe speaketh that all that are placed in the Ecclesiasticall ministerye are not so far for the enstructed of the holy ghost that they may be counted equal with the Apostles or other pillers of the Church wherfore it is very requisite that the study diligence of immitation should appéere and shine forth in them and when they perceyue themselues not able to atteine the vertue and maiesty of the Apostolike phrase of speaking then let them diligentlye next after the Apostles follow the steppes of the holy fathers whiche we know with great laude and fruite in the kinde didascalick to haue explaned sentences or single places of scripture in the Church Chrisostom in his first Tome learnedly expoundeth in a iust homilie those words of Gene. 3. I will put enmitie betwixt thee and the woman betweene thy seede and hyr seede c. There is also an homilie as touchinge these words of the Psalm 9. I will declare all thy wonderous works Another of the words out of the Psalm 25. Leade mee in thy trueth and teache mee Agayne of the wordes out of the Psalm 27. The Lorde is my light and my saluation whom then shall I feare Moreouer of these wordes out of the Psal. 85. Be not angry with vs O Lord for euer Item out of the Psalm 122. Peace be within thy walles and plentiousnesse
well the wordes as matters be agréeable and correspondent to our purpose â–ª For thou séeste how the prophisies and promises of the prophetes are of Christ Peter expounded of those things that then came to passe in Iudea thou séest Rom. 4. a very shorte sentence touchinge the maner whereby Abraham was iustified to be applied to the interprised disputation thou séest Rom. 10.1 Corinth 10. Gal. 4. historicall examples to be added to And in the place where the apostle 1. Corinth 9. goeth about to proue that to the ministers of the Gospell all thinges necessary for this lyfe are duly to be ministred of the hearers he taketh out of Duet 25. a certaine precept and showeth it to agrée very well with the cause that he hath in hande Speake I these thinges after the maner of men Saith not the lawe the same also For it is writen in the lawe of Moses Thou shalt not mosell the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the Corne. Doth god care for oxen Sayth he not this altogether for our sakes Yea for our sake is this writen that he which eareth might eare in hope and he which soweh in hope might be partaker of his hope It is no harde case to note in readinge many moe examples in which diuers things that are spoken off may aptlye be ioyned together and may aunswere accordingly to the purposed matter For like as the Prophets doe take and apply those their sayinges out of the law Christ and the Apostles both out of the lawe and the Prophets So haue we frée lyberty to borrow all maner of sentences whatsoeuer out of the law prophets and apostles And not onely olde and auncient matters out of the holy Scriptures but also late and new not much past our memory or the memory of our fathers yea and such daily as styll come to passe adde also thinges taken out of other writers as Poets Historiographers and such like may somtimes fittely and opportunly be adioyned to the confirmation of any thing belonging to the present state of thinges For Christ when he laboured to moue all men alyke to repentaunce to the entent they might so with feare and trembling looke for the comming of the Lorde and some were then present that shewed hym of the Galilaeans whose bloud Pilate had mingeled with their sacrifices he aunswering them that told him such newes sayth Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners aboue all other Galilaeans bicause they suffered such thinges I say vnto you no for except yee repent yee shall all likewise perish Either els suppose ye that those eighteene persons vpon whom the towre in Siloe fell and slew them were detters more then al the inhabitaunts of HierusaleÌ„ I say vnto you no but except ye repent ye shal al likewise perish And Mat. 11. Luk. 7. Christ speaking of the stiffenecked Iewes which would neither admit his preaching nor the preaching of Iohn Baptist To whom shal I resemble saith he the men of this generation whoÌ„ are they like They are like vnto childreÌ„ sitting in the market place crying one to an other saying we haue piped vnto you ye haue not dauÌ„ced we haue song vnto you a mournful song and ye haue not wept For Iohn Baptist came neihter eating bread nor drincking wine and ye saye he hath the diuell The sonne of man came eating and drincking and ye say Behold a great eater and drincker of wine a friend of Publicans and sinners And wisedome is iustified of all hir children Likewise the interpretations of the parables as they are of Christ hymselfe made and put forth be replenished with this kinde of craft and workmanship of applyinge And how the Apostle in his most graue Sermons and Epistles hath vsed the testimonies or sayinges of the Poets to witte of Aratus Act. 17. of Menander 1. Cor. 7.15 of Epimenides Titus 1. it is better knowne then that it shall be needefull to reherce the places themselues But out of this admonition touching the heaping together of proofes or argumentes to be skilfully and conueniently applyed to the businesse of which intreaty is made or to the present state of the Church floweth an other exhortation as holesome and necessary as any other That is that all men would wisely weigh and consider with themselues how farre forth it shall be expedient to vse the holy sermons whiche other haue made and setle forth The causes of this exhortation when thou shalt heare whosoeuer thou art I knowe thou wilt pronounce theÌ„ to bée iust and lawfull Wée se which is greatly to bée marueled at the minysters of Churches euery where to be so tied and fastened wholly to the bookes that conteyne the diuine sermons coÌ„piled with no litle study by others that by reason therof they neglecte to reade the sacred Byble there wanted litle but I had sayd plainely contemne it But it can not be dissembled that the authors of those sermons doe ofte times adnixe long and tedious digressions also interlace without order reasons and argumeÌ„tes somwhat discrepant from the scriptures openly recited namely forasmuch as they iudged them in especially to be méete and conuenient for the place and time Now it can not be that those selfe same thinges shoulde be apt and correspondent to the present state of the church wherein thou supplyest the office of teaching Howbeit let vs admit that there be no digressions at all and that the holy scriptures are simply and sincerely expounded in them but what maketh that to thy purpose I praye thée if the whole explanation as it lyeth be directed most chifely to those poyntes of Christian doctrine whiche in those places and times were in déede very aptely and with great grace handeled of the Preachers and fauourablye receiued of the hearers where as nowe in these dayes and with thy audienâ—es they will all bee out of season To what ende serueth the explication of that portion of Scripture wherein are confuted the mayntayners and defenders of two contray beginninges the Manichees or other hereticks whose assertions haue now no where any place What shall it profyt to inueigh against those that gad to the Lystes or Theater to beholde playes and games before that people whiche is vtterly ignoraunt what those termes meane Moreouer it is no poynt of wisdome nor conuenient to vtter straight wayes euery thinge openlye especially in diuine matters that is gathered together by the labour and iudgement of other men For they doe alledge in déede out of the Scriptures sentences examples proofes and probations of all sorts but forasmuch as some of them doe note the same very briefly and onely as ye would saye by poyntes or titles some also doe scrape them together at all aduentures out of others whiche haue lykewise lately published and put forth Sermons it is very requisite except thou wilt cast as well thy selfe as thy hearers into open daunger that thou shouldest diligently examine euery thing takynge a narrow new of the
toucheth them at all or if he doth touch them yet is it beside the purpose and not but to teach by the way how that blessed man trusted not or abused not those giftes and benefites III. Moreouer the Preacher many times expoundeth some Chapter of the holy Scriptures recited in the publicke assemblie in which also he standeth somwhat longe and at length by litle and litle he taketh in hande one or two or certes not lightly aboue thrée places as touching his lyfe whose memory they wish with all honour to be preserued commendinge in them some vertues of his more eminent and perspicuous IIII. Last of all the Ecclesiasticall Teacher doth with more earnest endeuour enforce himselfe to this that hée may direct all his discourse to the correctinge and amendinge of mens corrupt maners and to frame in the mindes of his hearers impressions of true godlynes also to illustrate and séet forth the glory of the heauenly Countrey then howe he may make that blessed man to be had in admiration to be wondered at or worshipped For he that is occupied in praysing of any vertuous person ought to prefixe to himselfe a double scope or ende The one that by hearinge the gracious and excellent déedes of worthy and famous men the godly hearers may be prouoked to prayse and magnifie GOD who vouched safe to elect and call them and to brings to passe through them great and mightye thinges wherby his name might be sanctified and celebrated vppon earth The other that the multitude maye be stirred and enflamed to the imitation of their so notable déedes Either of these scopes is euidently set foorth in the Scriptures Touching the former Christ sayth Math. 5. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen To the Galath 1. Thapostle In me saith he they glorified God which preached the fayth that before I sought to destroye As touching the later likewise Christ Math. 11. Learne of me for I am meeke and humble of hart Againe 1. Corinth 11. Paule sayth Be yee the followers of me euen as I am of Christ And Heb. 13. Remember them that haue the ouersight of you which haue spoken to you the worde of God whose fayth followe ye considering the ende of their conuersation Hitherto touching the prayses of persons or holy men Moreouer whosoeuer desireth in his Sermon to praise an acte or déede as the acte of kinge Iosias breaking in péeces the Idoles and restoringe the true worship of God or of Elias stoutely striuing against the priestes of Baal or of the Machabees valiauntly venturing their liues for the dignitye of the truth and the ordinances of GOD or of them that a litell before these times prouided by all meanes that sincere doctrine might be aduaunced in churches that the necessitie of the poore might be relieued c. ought to haue in a readines those thinges that serue to this purpose I. He shall declare before all thinges that the facte or déede which he speaketh off is honest iust godly profitable prayse worthy agreable to the worde and wil of God. II. Further he shall not neglecte to encrease and amplify his furniture by the causes and circumstances thereof III. But he shall bestowe his chiefe and principall labour in exhortinge vnto imitation or if so bée his hearers haue already attempted the like déedes then to goe forwarde in their good beginninges Good déedes are to be adorned with due commendation but yet the chiefest care of all ought to bée employed about the profit and vtilitie of the hearers Wherefore it is expedient that those good déedes be inespecially praysed and set forth wherevnto we chiefely couet hauing regard both of the time state of the Church to stirre and prouoke them that are committed vnto vs to be taught The maner of praysinge of thinges is all one with the maner of praising of déedes and the selfe same places are founde very aptly applied to either purpose For the thinge is honest and iust that hath God for the author which is commaunded of God which he cōmendeth with diuers promises and whereby the knowledge that wée haue of God receyueth encrease or furtherance That thinge is good godly which auayleth to the stirringe vp of mindes to the study and embracinge of godlynes or whereby godlynes is declared Profit and vtilitie is deriued into many partes First that is profitable which helpeth to the settinge foorth sanctifying of gods name on earth then that whereout commodities also doe flowe vnto miserable mankinde Besides ther is one cōmoditie cōmon to the whole Church an other peculiar to euery priuate beléeuer Againe one consisteth in spiritual and internal giftes an other in corporall and externall giftes But it is not necessary that we should deuide al the places in this order The chiefe thinges that are accustomed to be praysed in the Church are the word of God the continuall reading and meditation thereof the sondry kindes of life the ministery of the word virginitie matrimony likewise the gifte wherewith God voucheth safe to adorne his Church as those that be rehersed Rom. 12.1 Corinth 12. Ephes 4. finally ther are praysed almes déedes hospitality patience c. As touchinge funerall Sermons what the auncient fathers were accustomed to doe and what the maiestye of our Churches and religion requireth to be done we will briefely declare There be extant in the workes of Gregory Nazianzene diuers and sondrye funerall Orations as those had at the buriall of Basilius magnus likewise of Athanasius Alexandrius againe at the buriall of Gregorius his father Cesarius his brother and Gorgonia his sister Ambrose hath left behinde him fower such orations one of the Emperour Theodosius an other of Valentinian and two as touching the departure of his brother Satyrus albeit Ambrose himselfe doth entitle these last rather by the name of bookes And like as it appereth those fathers to haue borowed this example of pronouncinge orations in funerall solemnities of the Gentiles whose custome as we reade was to prayse men when they should be buried especiallye such as were noble and famous in an oration before a great assembly of people Euen so they followed also their trade and fashion when as ye would saye sticking fast to the rules of the Rethoritians as touchinge the prayses of persons they rehersed many thinges of his lyfe that was fallen a sléepe in the Lorde repeatinge all thinges from his very childehod euen to his olde age And certes who séeth not this practise to sauoure of the very rites and institutions of the Ethnickes But the ecclesiasticall Teachers of our time in my iudgement as I may speake without the displeasure of the godly doe in this behalfe goe more sincerely to worke and more accordinge to sounde religion whilest they duly execute theyr office in that order that followeth I. If when they commend a funerall with their Sermon they handle not prayses curiouslye
requisite vndoubtedly that we distinguishe and deuide in order the kyndes of diuine Sermons which are preached to the multitude in sacred assembles after the sayde Chapiters and conclusions And the firste kynde verely may be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say doctrinall or didascalick The seconde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 redargutiue or reprehensiue The thirde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 institutiue or instructiue bée it lawfull for vs to vse these termes in this our profession not vnaptely expressinge the sence of our mynde the fourth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 correctiue The fifte 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comfortatiue Neyther shall it nowe bée harde or difficulte to define euery kynde and to shewe what sortes of Sermons are correspondent to the same Let the kynde Didascalicke therefore bée that wherein any one true sentence or moe are proued confirmed and declared â–ª Of this sorte is the assertion of the resurrection of the dead disscussed after a familyar kynde of spéech 1. Corinth 15. Moses Deut. 9. and 10. teacheth the people in a graue oration that all benefites receyued are to bée ascribed onely vnto God. The kynde Redargutiue is that wherein a false sentence or opinion is destroyed and subuerted Esay Cap. 44. preacheth agaynst Idolatrye Christ Math. 15. impugneth and assaulteth the traditions of men and theyr prâ—posterous iudgement in them Math. 22. Hée refelleth the Saduces which deuided the resurrection of the dead The kinde Instructiue is wherin men are induced to lead a godly and holy life Deut. 11. Moyses exhorteth the people to obserue dilygently the law of god Thappostle 1. Cor. 16 and also 2. Cor. 8. admonisheth that they woulde collect their almse and sende it to Ierusalem Howbeit when the same Apostle 1. Cor. 10. to the same effect sayeth that the things which are written are written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for our admonityon nothinge letteth but that this Instructiue kinde may be called also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to saye admonitory The Correctiue kynd is that wherin the corrupt maners of men are reproued and chastised Esay cap. 28. inueigheth bitterly agaynst the excesse and superfluitie of the Iewes The same prophet Cap. 58. condemneth the sightly works of the hypocrits and requireth of them the true fruites of godlynesse Christ Math. 5. and in a good parte of the. 6. conuerteth his oration inespecially to the hypocrits and with lyke diligence declareth in what poyntes true perfection and rightuousnes doth consist Of the kinde Comfortatiue are al Sermons prepared to the erection of daunted and desolate mindes There bee extant comfortable sermons in Esaye cap. 40. and in the eight folowing where he biddeth the people being in the captiuytie of Babilon to be of good courage and comforte Of the lyke argument we may reade a sermon of Ieremy 29.30.31 Christ Iohn 15. comforteth and fortyfieth his disciples against the stormes of persecution to come Therefore to these fyue kindes of sermons all men shall worthyly giue place in the Churche and syth they are so playnely noted and distinguished of the Apostle hymselfe Let no man be to buysy eyther in diminishing or increafing of this number Some man peraduenture wyll contende that all these thinges may be reduced to the number of thrée as that the first should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in whiche might be included the kynde didascalick and redargutiue the seconde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which should contein institution and correction and the thirde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but as well for other considerations as also by reason of thauthorytie of thappostle the greater perspicuities sake it is muche better to reteyne both the number and order whiche we haue already spoken off Sometime ouermuch subtelty in handlyng especyally of the sacred scriptures doth sooner hurte then profyte Neuer the lesse no man can deny but that there may decently be added an other certaine kinde also namely Mixte in which the partes are taken and compacted out of the sondry kyndes before specified Wherefore in care wee in the sequell hereof shall entreat of these sixe kindes of dyuine sermons I meane didascalick redargutiue Instructiue correctiue comfortatiue and Mixte notinge by the way what ought to be obserued in euery of them we shall séeme to haue taught that whiche may be sufficient and fully to haue accompllished our duty in this behalfe Now what the State is and how many formes therof what also â—how manifolde the Theame it is méete further that we compendiously declare The State is a bréefe suÌ„me of the whole matter wherof a man purposeth to speake and euen the argument and fountaine of the whole oration For if thou be determyned in thy minde either to write or speake of any matter thou considerest and definest with thy selfe what thing inespecially thou couetest to bring to passe Thou sayst therfore that thou wilt entreat of the prouydence of God of the finall blessednes of man of the resurrection of the dead against dronkennes against excesse in apparell and so forth Agayne if thou wilt make a tryall of an other mans writing principally taken out of the holy Scripture it is necessary that thou exactly and perhaps oftener then once reade ouer the whole or a part or els some certaine place therof as the case shall require whiche when thou hast doné thou pronouncest that the author entreateth of this or that matter Therefore this shorte and absolute comprehension of the whole place or forme of speakinge is called the State. And often tymes the State is conteyned in the very titles or inscriptions of the Sermons which are prefixed to the homilies of the holy fathers Chrisostom Augustine and others In Chrisostom wée reade these inscriptions which doe signifie vnto vs the State of the Sermons â— as that it behoueth a ChristiaÌ„ to lyue vertuously and godlily That vertue of euery small occasion is to bée enterprysed That almose gyuing is an arte most gaynefull Of those that beléeue not the paynes of hell Of them that receiue the Sacramentes vnworthily That sinnes whither they bée aliue or dead are to bée lamented That pouerty is profitable That it is better to suffer wronge then to doe wronge Of prayer Of repentaunce Of vayne glorie and ambition Of enuy Agaynst ryot and superfluitie c. Looke therefore howe many kyndes of Sermons be prefixed so many formes of States also shall appere Assoone as thou perceyuest what the State is thou mayest easely pronounce to what kynde of Sermon it ought to bée referred The State touchinge those that beléeue not the paynes of hell is of the kynde redargutiue Wher wée entreate agaynst enuy vayne glory ryot c. The State is of the kynde correctiue That a Christian ought to lyue deuoutly and holily the State is of the kynde instructiue In lyke maner is it to bée iudged of that that pouerty is profitable That it is better to suffer then to doe iniury may bée
Spiridion vnto hym art thou better then he that sayde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in as muche as thou art ashamed to vse his words It is not much vnlyke vnto this that Augustine in his 10. epistle writinge to Ierom telleth how a certaine bishop in Aphrica when as he recited a place in Ionas the prophet otherwise then was contayned in the vulgar translation of that time was in great peril thorow the rage of the people offended with the strangenes of the phrase and had almost bene thrust from his Sea if he had not promised eftsoones to render an account of his doing Albeit that Preacher shat doe very well who at such time as he premeditateth at home by himselfe those thinges that he shall afterwarde vtter a brode hath alwayes at hand most perfect sounde exemplars which agayne let hym confer one with an other and the matter so requiringe compare the Latin with the Greeke and Hebrew and out of all these together drawe forth apte and peculiar sentences to be proponed in the vulger speach to the multitude in the time of his sermon This diligence this honest and gentle curiositie is so farre absent from incurringe reprehension that it is reputed worthy to be prosecuted of all men with prayse and commendation ¶ Of Inuocation Cap. ix THe maner of Inuocation vsed in the beginning of sermons is shewed also vnto vs of the Apostles Actes 4. where they pray vnto God that he would giue them vtterance to speake the word with all boldnes Lykewise where the Apostle Paule willeth and beséecheth that prayer be made vnto God for hym and for the course of the Gospell For verely as well in the whole busynes of syncere religion as also most specially in doctrine the ministers doe in déede plant and water but god giueth the increase And certes the auncient fathers made theyr prayers before the Exordium or beginninge of their Sermons as Augustine playnely testifieth lib. 4. Cap. 1 of christian doctrine The Preacher prayed which Augustine doth not obscurely signify that the spirit of God might be giuen hym to teache fréely and sincerely then that his hearers might conceyue all thinges aright and conuert them to the institution of a spirituall life The auditors they agayne praied both for the Preacher and for themselues to the same effect But now in some Churches we sée that prayer is put immediately after the Exordium There be Churches also where prayer is made before the place of scripture be recited And agayne in some place the whole multitude maketh inuocation with a song and Psalme and some other wher euery one praieth in silence by himselfe But whatsoeuer the custome of Churches and congregations is it behoueth inuocation to be briefe pure and dyrected to th'attainment of the ayde of the holy ghost that he would vouchsafe to informe and enstructe the minde as wel of the teacher as also of the hearers ¶ Of Exordium Cap. x. EXordiums in all kindes of Sermons are very frée and at lybertye Wherefore the apte maner of exordinge may rather bée shewed in th'examples of the Sermons which the Prophetes Christe Th'appostles and holy fathers haue set forth then comprehended in preceptes and rules Neither is it alwayes néedefull that the beginnings of sacred Sermons be so instituted as that we shoulde make our hearers attentiue apte to be taught and beneuolent For the matters of which we entreate may and ought of themselues to cause the hearers to be so enclyned Neither dothe any man for the most part set his foote toward the church but that he is already perswaded that he shal heare those thinges that hee ought worthilye and gréedely to learne yea and beare away to his owne profyte and commodytie Therefore the verye circumstaunces and causes incident of thinges doe minister now one now another matter of Exordium In the meane time wee wyll note certaine poyntes accordinge to the diuersite of the argumentes whiche are handeled to be obserued in generall When as a whole booke is expounded to the people ofte times Exordimus are taken of transition Chrysostom vpon Genesis homilie 16. I suppose saith he that we haue sufficiently yester day to our power interpreted and explaned the place touching the trée For we haue taught vnto your patience wherfore the diuine Scripture calleth it the trée of knowledge of good and euill therefore thys day we intend to procéede to the matters folowing to th' intent ye may learne the vnspeakable mercye of God and how great moderation of speache he hath vsed hauynge regarde and foresight of our nature homilie 17 he beginneth with rehersall or repetition of those thinges which the day before were expressed and admonisheth his auditors that they shoulde conuert them to spirituall fruite Oftentymes hée vseth similitudes touchinge deynties or delicates of feastes to bée prepared touching disseases of bodies to bée expelled and many moe of lyke sorte declaringe in the meane tyme that in spirituall affayres and in refection and care of the soule all those thinges are to bée considered and obserued which are accustomed to bée done in corporall matters or in conseruation of the body Homily .5 and .6 hée by and by in the beginninge reproueth and sharpely rebuketh those that vsed to gadde to the beholdinge of combates in the Theater and cared not for comminge to diuine Sermons Agayne the ninth homily hée beginneth with chidinge bicause hée sawe very fewe or none resorte to the scacred assembly Moreouer in his .12 and 14. homily hee prayseth them yea in the later hee thanketh them also for that they came chéerefully to heare the interpretation of the holy Scriptures For hée hoped that no small spiritual fruite should ensue therevppon These thinges bée therefore of vs remembred to thintent all men should vnderstande that when an entier booke is expounded it is in our lybertie to prepare Exordiums of sundry sortes accordinge to the maner of circumstaūces and causes incident It is a very familiar thinge with Chrysostom eftsoons to approue or declare the propositiō of his Exordium or else to illustrate the same with some similitude or comparison and then to ad to some thinges whereby hée may make his hearers either attentiue or beneuolent For verily in trayninge and excitinge the myndes of his auditors he is both a dilygent and wonderfull artificer But in cace the liberty of Exordiums be so great in thexplication of a whole booke It is an easy matter to iudge that they may no lesse franckely order the matter which take in hande to expounde onely a part or fragment of the booke or any one place whatsoeuer takē out of the Scriptures But most commonly in those Sermons which are framed of a parcel or some certaine place of a booke Exordium are deriued of the commendation of the Author out of whome the Reading was recited Nowe and then of the vtilitie of the doctrine which shineth principally in the same lesson
an other to be frequented of citizens wherof the greater part is giuen to husbandry to be short in an other some other kinde of men to abounde and beare rule Therefore so farre forth as is possible it is requisyte that thou accomodate the whole comming and experience in expounding of common places to the maners and conditions of the people that are present and to the state of the whole Citie namely so that examples similitudes comparisons Item reprehensions of vices and enormities be in such sorte prepared and handeled as that it is most lykely they shall best perceiue them To thaccomplyshing of which thing we haue néede of a certaine cyuill policye and prudence III It is a very common matter with Chrysostom and other holy fathers wheÌ„ they take in hand any other place at large to expounde in the beginninge with apparaunt wordes the summe of the whole busines and euidentlye to interprete the same to the intent all the hearers may perceiue what theyr meaning is and whither that parte of their sermon doe tende IIII Somtime also they render a reason of their deuice and shew how necessary and profitable it is for them to entreat presently of that very matter and argument V Herevpon they gather togither certayne speciall proofes taken out of the sacred Scriptures and doe brieflye declare how they agrée to their purpose whether they be prepared to proue or confute an opinion or to moue and exhort VI But as touching the order of proofes the Rhetorytians haue giuen precepts that the firste and last place is to be giuen to the most effectual the slendrest to be placed in the middest but surely we perceiue that the holy Fathers haue vsed herein theyr lybertye and accordynge to the qualytie of their businesse haue diuersly disposed their proofes Wherefore we will héere prescribe nothyng at all but onely admonishe that no man bring forth any without iudgement VII Nowe and then also one or other proofe if peraduenture there be any that séeme to be obseure or if we couet to haue any as most firme and cléere to be déepely fixed and setled in the mindes of our hearers is somwhat more fully and euidently to be discussed and examyned VIII Then after may be mingled similitudes of all sortes hat is to saye scraped togither out of affayres politike domesticall and dayly actions of men yea and of all kynde of thinges as well in life as without life which doe both bring excéedinge much light and also are most apt of all other to teache and enstructe the common people Thou shalt finde very few Sermons in Chrysostom in which are not a number of similitudes and that in euery part of his Sermon conteyned Neither may and man lightly be compared vnto him in this practise So also are the Sermons of Christ and the Prophets to be séene bewtified and adorned with the frequency of similitudes or parables IX Opportunely next are adioyned certaine examples or historyes taken out of the sacred Scriptures wherin is declared the trueth and certayntie of that thinge whiche we chiefely couet to inculcate and make knowen For the very rude senseles and vnciuill people also doe easely vnderstand histories and euen with a certayne pleasure heare them X If it be thought conuenient now and then some hystory by adding amplyfications or deducing out of it some sâ—raunge probations more delectable to the eare is set forth to the hearers In which practise how skilful Chrysostome was each man may perceiue as well in other places as also by his homily 19. to the husbandmen touching othes to be eschued where he declareth the history of king Esechias vanquisshed taken prysoner of Nabuchodonosor kinge of Babilon by reason of his othe and promise violated and broken XI After proufes and examples alledged out of the Scriptures somtimes may rightly be added to other proufes also apt to winne credit and perswade whiche by the very sence of nature or by the iudgement of Phylosophye or of humane reason doe brynge with them probabilytie and lykelyhod Of which kinde is it that Chrysostom and other of the fathers do successiuely inculcate many things touching the frame of the world and the wonderfull bewty thereof of diuers and sundry creatures and the effects of the same and out of these do collect a manifold doctrin of the good wil of God towarde vs or of our duties both towardes God and towards our neighbour Agayne somtimes and yet scarcely the opinions and sentences of philosophers and poets are alledged and brought forth But least any man should despise that which we héere say as a thing either fryuolous or suspicious we haue examples of this study and dilygence set forth in the sacred scriptures For next after the Prophets vsing oftentimes reasons deriued of nature we may see Christ himselfe to preache of grasse of Lilies of Sparowes c. and out of these thinges to proue how admyrable the prouidence of God is in the furniture and preseruation of all thinges The Apostle Paule 1. Cor. 11. Nature it selfe saieth he teacheth you this that to a man if he haue longe haire it is a reproche contrariwise to a womaÌ„ if she haue long haire it is a praise for so much as hir haire is giueÌ„ hir for a couer In the same Epistle Chap. 15. prouing the opinion touching the resurrection of the body he produceth examples of séede cast into the earth and there putting on a newe forme or fashion Then of the diuersitie of flesh where he distinguisheth the flesh of men of beastes of fishes of foules and also of bodies wherof he maketh some celestiall other sâ—me terrestriall The same apostle in the Acts cap. â—7 alledgeth halfe a verse out of the poet AEratus 1. Cor. 15. a verse out of the Comical poet Menader to Titus Cap. 1. an other verse out of Epimenides And albeit it is not conuenient to take witnes tryall of those whom we know to be estraunged from our relygion yet as we saide is it tollerable so that it be done sparinglye and selde and to conuince stifnecked and harde harted men further in vsing now and then this cantion to saye that we vsurpe those kinde of reasons deryued of mans wisdome to the entent christian hearers may be ashamed of their ignoraunce slouth dulnesse incredulitie or that they maye knowe themselues to be conuicted euen of the heathen and prophane sort vtterly voyde of all spirytuall knowledge Which thing truely we haue obserued now and then to be vsually done of the fathers immitatinge the Prophetes Christ and Thappostles Chrysostome in his homily 28. touching swearing to be auoyded After that ye can not saith he be perswaded by the scriptures I will admonishe you by forreine and externall examples This dyd God also among the Iewes saying Goe into the Ilandes Cethim and Kedar sende and knowe if that nation haue chauned hir Gods which neuerthelesse ore no Gods. And vnto the brute beasts he oftetimes sendeth them thus
vpoÌ„ which produceth a place of constaÌ„cy and fortitude in the confession of fayth this place certes shall worthily so much the more amply bee declared by howe much very fewe are to be founde in these dayes that by reason of publike daungers but especially for the perturbatioÌ„ of the Church dare constaÌ„tely abide by the truth And verily in this selfe same argument shall all the cunning in mouing of affections be seasonably set abroch and men prouoked with great sharpnesse of wordes and sentences to constancy and fortitude in the confession of the truth Somtymes also beside the tractation of common places or explication of the scripture there is mingled either in the beginninge of the Sermon or in the ende or else by digression in the middest some exhortation or obiurgation in which the oration assurgeth euen to the styrringe vp and concitation of affections Examples thou mayst finde not rare in Chrysostom and other ecclesiasticall writers By these things it is euidently to be perceyued in what parte of the Sermon affections ought to be moued Not in confirmation onely but also in the Exordium and conclusion Not onely where the confirmation drawethe to an ende but also wheresoeuer else the consideration of those thinges that are touched will séeme to require shall it bée conuenient to styrre vp the motions of the minde To the Preacher oughte a greater liberty to bee gyuen by all meanes then to the Orator lyke as also the Preacher may doe many other thinges with comlynesse that are not in the meane time to bee attempted of the Rhetoritian For the Preacher chargeth commaundeth sharply rebuketh threateneth pronounceth as one in place of authoritie and as a Iudge the sentence of excommunication But the Rhetoritian supposeth none of these thinges to bée lawfull vnto him but rather he is compelled nowe and then fowly to flatter and fawne vppon the Iudges somtymes also to prostrat himselfe as an humble supplyaunt before the tribunall seate and what not Chrysostom in his Homilie 26. entituled That wee ought to bée vertâ—â—â—sely occupied in the leaste thinges and that wee ought not to sweare forthwyth in the very entry of his Sermon repeateth many things grauely and with a certayne Episcopall dignitie wherby he induceth the hearers to feare the iudgement of God and also the seueritie of ecclesiasticall discipline Howbeit in whatsoeuer exhortations reprehensions or obiurgations it be that place ought chiefely and frequently to bée giuen to the mouinge of affections of myndes it is much better knowen then that it is needefull here to bée admonished the dayely custome of teachers in the Churche not obscurely prouinge and confirminge the same Moreouer with what furniture of arguments or with what kinde of arte the Preacher may conueniently moue and styrre vp the myndes of the hearers wee will eftesoones declare Before all thinges it is very necessary that hée which speaketh doe conceyue such lyke affectioÌ„s in his mynde and rayse them vpp in himselfe yea and after a sorte shews them forth to be séene vnto others as hee coueteth to hée translated into the myndes of his auditors For hée that both in wordes voyce countenaunce and apte gesture declareth himselfe to lamente and bée sory either for the perill of some or for the common misery of all men â—ée alone séemeth forthwyth to prouoke the residewe to pitie and compassion Hee that burneth wholly in himselfe and is altogither inflamed to attempt some notable thinge hée by his oration and as it were by his owne example may incense others to enterprise the lyke Hée that doth vtterly abandon vices himselfe and expresseth the same accordingly by the testimony of his mynde hée vndoubtedly at the length shall trayne others to the hatred and detestation of the same A man may stirre vp affections in himselfe diuers wayes First by the dilligent consideration of the things the are before his eyes as namely wheÌ„ a man very exactly discusseth and ensercheth in his mynde all and euery point annexed to the matter it selfe Which thinge neuerthelesse cannot bée done but of him that knoweth perfectly the nature and kynde of the businesse in hande Secondely by a vehement imagination or fantasy when a man with most atteÌ„tiue cogitatioÌ„ apprehendeth and depaynteth to himselfe the formes and simylitudes of the thinges whereof hée entreateth which afterwarde he so fixeth setleth in his minde as if his owne priuate cause were in handling and as though hee shoulde perpetually muse vppon that thinge alone Thirdly these thinges are furthered yea and increased also if a man shall attentiuely reade and peruse some one place especially in the sacred Scriptures wherein the affections are iudged to be most cunningely and artificially moued in which it shall bée conuenient so longe time to staye as the mynde may fully conceyue those thinges that agrée with the purpose After which sorte certaine Emperours bée reported amonge these also Alexander of Macedony as ofte as they entended to ioyne battaile with their enimies to haue enflamed themselues by the readinge of certayne verses wherein some horrible conflicte coÌ„mitted was of some Poete described set forth Fourthly in cace thou desirest earnestely to be moued and affected thy self it is requisit that thou laboure to obteine that of God who turneth and enforceth the hartes of men at his pleasure and saye wyth the Plalmist Inclyne my hart O God vnto thy testimonies And herevppon is nowe opened vnto vs also the seconde meane wherby a man may mou the mindes of his hearers For it behoueth him in the beginninge of his Sermon to pray vnto God with feruent prayer that it woulde please him by his holy spirit so to frame and direct the hartes of all men that they may both easely perceyue those things that are spoken of the truth and also by all meanes embrace and accomplyshe the same Full well sayde Augustine that all the preachinge of the veritie profiteth a man nothinge at all vnlesse God by his interior grace gouerne and worke in the harte Thirdely it cannot bée dissembled but that the moderate pronunciation of a lyuely voyce togither with a decent and comely gesture of the speaker doth adde greate force and importaunce to the mouinge of affections Which thinge to bee true the very Gentiles also themselues doe testifie Demosthenes beinge oftentymes demaunded what the chiefe and principall poynt was in the wholle kynde of well speakinge woulde alwayes make aunswere that it was gesture and ponunciation Agayne Aeschines his aduersary affirmed that the oration of Demosthenes which hée had with great grace rehearsed woulde deserue incomparable admiration wyth the hearers in cace it myght fortune them to heare Demosthenes himselfe but pronouncing his owne woordes So far forth is one and the self same Oration by diuers men pronounced perceyued to bée one while of more an other while of lesse power and strength Fourthly most effectually of all doe they moue the mindes of men to whom is giuen of God
3. of the Actes where hee fyrst of all proueth that they ought to haue acknowledged Christ to be very God and forthwith imbraydeth theÌ„ with their insatiable crueltie which they practised towardes the same Christ Loue or beneuolence the Apostle Paule vehemently exciteth Actes 20. and 1. thess. 2. Of which Sermons mention is made aboue where wée entreated of the spirite or power in teachinge The feare of gods iudgemeÌ„t Esay stricketh into the myndes of his hearers Cap. 1. likewyse where hee describeth the miserable desolation of the prouince of Iuda saying Euery heade is pearced with pensiuenesse c. Also where hée desirous to exaggerate their sinnes as the causes of the desolation calleth the princes of the Iewes the princes of Sodome and the people the people of Emor c. Of the same kynde of Sermons there bée certayne partes Cap. 3.10.13 Also Heb. 3. and. 4. To the hope of mercy Esay induceth and the rest of the prophetes in which places after sharp controlmentes they descende to coÌ„solations doo prophesy and promise remission of sinnes to be obteyned through Christ Notable is that Sermon touching the deliueraunce of the Church by Christ and that through the frée mercy of god Cap. 52.53 In like maner of the effectes of iustifycation to be receiued after this lyfe Rom 8. For we suffer togither with him sayth he that we may togither with him also be glorified and so forth to the ende of the Chapiter Among the Sermons of Chrysostome thou shalt fynde very fewe or none wherein he handeleth any one commoÌ„ place and either prouoketh vnto vertue or disswadeth deterreth from vice or else entreateth of some businesse offced by occasion of time but that in them he vehemently moueth affectioÌ„s and that truly one while by the weight and dignitie of the thinges themselues an other while by his singuler eloquence grace in speaking wherein he surmounteth a greate number of his order and callinge Reade inespecially the 20. homily of his fifte Tome touching the returne of Bishop Flauianus who was sent forth to pacifie the Emperour where he introduceth an ancient reuereÌ„d Bishop with incredible endeuoure swéetnes of spéech turning the mind of the wrathfull prince vnto mercy compassion Reade also in the same Tome the Sermon which he made when coÌ„sultation was had touching his banishment a Sermon in déede very briefe but to the stirring vp of loue affectioÌ„ both in mater wordes excellently well furnished and appoynted Finally let the Sermons be read entituled against the cursed and detestable custome of swearing and periury agaynst ire agaynst enuy backbitinge detraction ryotte couetousnesse and other of the same kynde And hitherto as touchinge those thinges which are common to all kyndes of Sermons and maye bée taken as generall Rules and preceptes of the whole faculty of Preachinge It remayneth that wée compendiously declare what poyntes are proper to euery kynde that is to saye howe and by what meanes it maye bée discerned vnto what kynde euery Sermon is to bée referred then what speciall places of argumentes ought to be in a readinesse to the apte preparation of Confirmations agayne what Cantions are to bée obserued in euery of the kyndes for the auoyding of inconueniences and whatsoeuer els is semblable herevnto FINIS ¶ Of framing of Diuine Sermons or popular interpretation of the Scriptures the Seconde Booke ¶ How and by what meanes a man maye perceyue vnto what kynde of Sermon euery sacred Sermon ought to bee referred Cap. I. LIke as those men that intende to make any sumptuous buyldinge or to pitche their Tentes before all thinges are very circumspect where they may haue a fitte and conuenieÌ„t place for their purpose and of this one thing alone are carefull aboue measure as beinge certaynly perswaded if they here chaunce to erre and goe amisse that it will bee vnprofitable whatsoeuer they shall afterwarde take in hande Euen so it standeth hym greatly vppon that hath determyned to Preach in thassemblye of Christian people eftesones to obserue vnto what kynd of Sermon the matter which he will chose to entreate off ought to be referred for vnlesse he be assured at the beginning touching the kynde of his Sermon he shal neuer atteyne to an apt and perfect order of inuention and disposition of his argumeÌ„ts but of necessitye they will appere confused inconuenient vnordered and as it is sayd in the prouerbe Loose shreddes and sand without morter whatsoeur shal be heaped togither Neither truely can any man fruitfully speake of any matter vnto others neyther shall the hearers perceyue what his meaning is except he first of all prefixe to himselfe a certain scope acording to the which al his reasons may be directed That the cace standeth thus least we should staye any longer herein experience it selfe doth teach Therfore he that deuiseth to entreate of religion to the people let this be his firste care euen to finde out the kinde of his sermon following That is brought to passe in this wise If thou takest in hande any parte of the sacred Scripture to expounde it is verilye thy dutye to bestowe somtime in readinge and perusing it ouer oftner then once or twise attentiuely weighing and considering euerye part and parsell thereof with all the causes and circumstances of the same Then thou shalt dilligently recount and gather with thy selfe what the authors meaninge is in the whole and so far forth as may be thou shalte in a briefe senteÌ„ce comprise the summe and effect therof This sentence shal be the state of the whole Sermon Againe when thou hast once expressed the state it is an easye matter to be seene whither in it bee commended any true doctine or any false doctrine confuted whither menne bée excited to the doinge of good actions or reproued for their euill déedes to bée shorte whither there bée any thinge therein prepared for consolation Therefore when thou perceyâ—est true doctryne to bee established thou shalte pronounce the Sermon to bee of the kinde Didascalick when any false doctrine is refelled thou shalt affirme it to perteyne to the kinde Redargutiue But if men be induced to those thinges that doo set forth sanctimony of life and integritie of manners the SermoÌ„ shall then be of the kinde Instructiue If the corrupt state of lyfe be founde faulte with and condemned it shabe reduced to the kinde Correctiue Againe if in the state it self there happen to be founde matter of consolation the Sermon may be auouched to be instituted in the kinde comfortatiue or Consolatory Howbeit to collect the state of an intire booke of scripture it is a thinge very difficulte séeinge fewe or none are to be founde whereof the summe may be reduced in one sentence The state of the booke which is entituled Ecclesiastes is that the souereigne felicitie is the coniunction with God and the perpetuall fruition of the dietie The state of the Songes of Salomon Sainct Paule hath expressed as it
by the death of Christ I gladly sticke in the same example why may not I say a man auouch that miserable men are well delte withall and that greate occasion is offred vnto them to hope for all good thinges at the handes of GOD when as they beholde God as well by his worde as by the sacramentes by him instituted to certifie and assure them of the remission of their sinnes by his sonne Iesus Christ And that there is no cause why they shoulde cast themselues hedlonge into the whirlpoole of desperation so longe as they fixe their mynde vppon the promysses of GOD and the couenaunte which hee hath made with vs. Hitherto touchinge the fiue principall Diuine places of â—â—â—ention wherevppon the mynde ought with all enforcement and dilligence to bee intentiuely sette so ofte as out of the Scriptures which are openly explaned we intende to excerpte certayne common places profitable for the Church Seing the Apostle himselfe so euidently affyrmeth that we ought to gather euery where out of the readinge of the Scriptures whatsoeuer is auayleable to doctrine to reproue to institution to correction to consolation whom may wee rather followe for our author then him And why shoulde nto wée I meane so many as are conuersante in the ministery employ our wholle laboures and studyes vppon this that wée maye drawe forth of the Scriptures these most holsome and profitable thinges Certes this inuention of common places is as ye woulde saye the grounde worke and foundation wherevppon the wholle frame of all Diuine Sermons doth consist For vnlesse thou shalt in this wyse note the common places accordinge to the diuersitie of the members of Scripture thou endeuourest in vayne to vtter any thing whereout any fruite may bée hoped for to redounde to the hearers But he that will followe this order and method of inuention after the fine places afore goinge shall neuer bée destitute of plenteous godly and profitable matter of speakinge Verely I suppose there bée some will say that this deuice is straung and very difficulte But forasmuch as we haue the Apostle Paule the ringeleader of all preachers as the teacher thereof who can worthily suspect it or lightely esteeme of it Moreouer I dare warraunt to those that shal be buâ— meanely furnished with the knowledge of common places perceyuinge to Christian religyon that it will euen forthwith béecome easye well lyked off and fruitefull There is no man I am sure will euer repent him of his paynes taken That which is attempted to the aduauncement of godlynesse commeth alwayes of necessitie vnto good successe And we a litell after will add some examples which shal open a way vnto all men and make it very playne and easy all impedimentes set a parte Neither in this didascalik kynde â—ons but also in the other kyndes of Sermons those thinges that are spoken touchinge these places may conueniently bée applyed to all and euery explication of Scripture lyke as so ofte as it shall bée requisite we will agayne admonishe Now let vs entreate of the places of inuention apperteyninge to the seconde forme or orded These declare vnto vs howe and after what sorte wee maye more néerely trye and axamine the nature of euery thinge of which at the least any thinge in Diuine Sermons may truly bée sayde or discâ—â—rsâ—d and heape togither proofes or argumentes meete to the accomplishement thereof For by them we easely learne what euery thinge is howe many partes or formes be thereof what the causes what the offectes or duties what thinges bée of alyaunce what Contrary therevnto as those that playnly appere to be destinate to the explication of these questions He that shall diligently discusse the sayde questions is supposed to haue amâ—ly and thorowly atteined whatsoeuer is worthy to be knowen as touching that thing Which thing is the cause why the Logicians and Philosophâ—â—s doâ— very highly esteme them and maruelously commend â—heÌ„ Théen both the 〈◊〉 vse 〈…〉 them to be agréeable to his treatise takeÌ„ in haâ—â— We wil therefore reherse them doo nothing else then â—eherse theÌ„ for hint that is desirous to know more we remit to the masteâ—s teachers of Logicâ—â— But 〈…〉 they profit to the 〈◊〉 indagatioÌ„ of diuine affayr 〈…〉 at large sufficieÌ„tly inough declared in our Theologicall Topicks At séemeth good héere onely to dispose them in such wyse as by the same dilligence I maye set forth vnto the eye to the explication of what questions euery of them may and ought to be applyed To the declaration of the question what the thinge is are referred I. Definition of the name II. Definition of the thinge III. Generall kinde IIII. Speciall kinde V. Difference VI. Propertie To the discussion of the question Howe many partes or how manyfolde the thinge is be annexed VII Diuision VIII Wholle IX Partes To the question of causes doe accorde X. Matter XI Forme XII Effect XIII Ende He that will explane the question what be the effectes or offices of the thinge must haue regarde to the XIIII Euentes XV. Effectes XVI Destinata XVII Adiacentia XVIII Actes XIX Subiecte For a man to finde out what be of alyaunce or aiffinitiâ— to the thinge he ought to respect XX. Coniugata XXI Contingentia XXII Signa or Signes wherein for the most parte Contingentia doe consist XXIII Circumstaunces XXIIII Pronunciata XXV Similia XXVI Comparata The question what be the contraries of the thing is absolued by searchinge out XXVII Opposita XXVIII Disparata The sayde places are taught of the Logicians who as it is méete and conuenient those artes to serue the turne of more worthy actes doe minister the same to the professors of other disciplines but especially of Diuinitie to be vsed Moreouer Theologie is accustomed to produce other places also to the explication of thinges in the kynde didascalik and in the bookes of the prophetes and Apostles we may perceiue no small number of probations deriued of the places followinge 1 Of the vsurpation of the voyce of any man in the sacred Scriptures Thapostle in that promise made of God vnto Abraham Genes 17. I haue appointed thee to be the father of many nations weighinge the worde Nations he reasoneth in this sorte Abraham is the father of many nations Ergo the Gentiles also séeinge they are the children of Abraham shall be pertakers of the spirituall benefites purchased by Christ which were promised to Abraham and to his séede 2 Of the certaine forme of speaking or of the phrase of holy Scripture Mans iustification or beatification the Apostle interpreteth to bee the remission of sinnes the not imputinge thereof which hee confirmeth by the wordes of the Psalmiste taken out of the 23. Psalme Blessed are they whose iniquities be remitted and whose sinnes are couered Blessed is that man to whome the Lorde will not impute sinne Christ affirmeth himself to be very God out of the wordes of Dauid Psalm 109 The
vtilitie of many that shall determin with himselfe to tary somewhat long in those thinges that are briefely touched in the 29. 30. 31. 32. places What néede many words Out of the places hytherto declared thou shalte chose now these now those to bee more at large discoursed and illustrated which thou shalt déeme most conuenient for the state of the Churche the time places and persons We haue exhybited thrée examples of the kynde didascalike deriued out of historycall narrations and howe it behooueth to excrepte and digeste common places oute of euerye member thereof I suppose it is of vs sufficiently declared Now reason requireth that we adde also an example of the other forme in which namely no continuall narration is knit together but some doctrin is simply expressed and the same also with certaine argumentes and reasons confyrmed It is dilligentlye to be prouided and foreséene in this forme that the scope and certaine meaning or doctrine of that part or parcell which is taken out of the holy Scripture to be declared to the people be before all thinges thoroughly knowne and perceiued And that alwaies for the most part is expressely to be founde either in the beeginning or els in the ende of the reading Iohn Baptiste seeing Iesus comminge vnto him had in déede a very briefe but yet a graue and and high Sermon as touching Christ whereof he himselfe maketh this the ende saying I haue seene and testified that this is the sonne of God. It is plaine therefore that all that Sermon of Iohn tendeth to this ende that he might declare Chrst to bee God the sonne of God. In the epistle to the Hebrues it is learnedly declared that Christ is both God the sonne of God and also man and that two natures doe consist in one person Wherfore in the very entrye of the Epistle it is cléerely sayde That God the father as he spake in times paste to our forefathers which beleeued by his Prophets so in these later daies hee hath spoken by his sonne verye God and verye man. And that this scope or state ought alwaies first to be found out before it be pronounced as touching the kinde of the Sermon it is aboue rehearced Secondly in the examples of this forme many and diuers arguments are founde for the most part orderly disposed and applyed to confyrme one and the same state or article of doctrine Those it behooueth alwaies so to be taken and expounded as that they may be vnderstoode to tende directly to the selfe same state For it is necessary that all thinges be directed to one and the same scope which the Scripture it selfe proposeth Further hereof it foloweth thirdly that in examining of euerye argument many and diuers places ought not rashelye to be drawne oute of the partes or members of them and that least suche plentye and diuersitie might withdraw the mindes from the chiefe and principal state or scope of the matter Lastly albeit some places also may be drawne forth such inespâ—ciallye as are diuers and some what differente from the state it selfe yet shall it not be expedient to stand ouerlong in the enarration therof For it would be very absurde to turne away the oration from that whiche is the head and fountayne of the busynesse These thinges it séemed good thus briefely to premise Let vs take in hande therefore the short Sermon of Iohn the Baptist touching our Lorde Christe as it is read Iohn 1. Iohn seeth Iefus comminge vnto him and saieth Beholde the lambe of God which taketh awaye the sinnes of the world This is he of whom I saide after mee commeth a man which went before mee for hee was before me and I knew him not but that he shoulde bee declared to Israel therfore am I come baptisinge with water And Iohn bare recorde sayinge I sawe the spirit descende from heauen like vnto a doue and abode vpon him I knewe him not but he that sent mee to baptise in water the same saide vnto me Vpon whom thou shalt see the spirite descende and tary still on him the same is hee which baptiseth with the holy ghost And I saw and bare recorde that hee is the sonne of God. In this briefe Sermon Iohn the Baptist affirmeth and proueth that Christe is not onely man but also God the sonne of god For this is the conclusion likewise the state of this present Sermon Wherevpon euery man may easely consider séeinge there is handled héere a doctrine as touching the diuinitie of Christ that it is of the kinde didascalick The argumentes or proofes how and after what sorte they are distincted and deuided we will eftsoones declare And héere we saye againe that our faith in this place ought greatly to be confyrmed as touching the diuine nature in Christ Yea and the example also of Iohn Baptiste doth not a little excite vs to make confession of our faith But let vs examine euery parte and member by it selfe Iohn seeth Iesus comminge vnto hym I. Doctrine Iesus came to Iohn as well that by his presence he might cause him to be strong couragious and constant in the office of teaching as also that by such an occasioÌ„ the people might more fully be taught of Iohn that Christ is the Messias promised in times paste to the fathers and that the same also is both true GOD and true man by whom mankinde shoulde be deliuered from sinne and euerlasting damnation Wherevppon truely it becommeth plaine and euident that GOD like as he determined from euerlasting to sende his sonne into the world to the intent those that beléeue in hym might likewise bee made the children of GOD and obtayne saluation euen so when the same his sonne was come downe to the earth he ordayned and woulde haue to be extante certaine fytte and conuenient meanes by which men might bee moued and perswaded to beléeue In these poynts therfore ought to be put the comming of Christ vnto Iohn the Sermon of Iohn that followeth immediately of Christ II Institustion Herevppon we learne that we ought both to minister vnto other all occasion of promotinge the trueth and of preaching Christ and also to take it beinge offred of others Certes where the same may be had â–ª we must in no wise suffer it to slyp away Wherefore the Apostle to what place soeuer he came assoone as he was entred into the Synagogs or Schooles preached Christe with great and inuincible courage and refuted the Iewes that withstoode and contraryed his doctrine III. Correction They are reproued indifferentlye as well that get oportunitie and yet dare not vtter any thing oâ—enly as touchinge the Gospell neither giue any ynckling or signifycation that they haue any knowledge thereof as also that labour by all meanes to hynder the study of the holy Scriptures and to stop the course of gods worde For in déede eyther of them doe sufficiently declare themselues to be vnwillinge that Christe
sort out of any readyng of the Scriptures offered manifold and sondry common places ought to be drawen I suppose for this time to be sufficient And I truste verilye that of those thinges whiche are to this ende and purpose of me sette forth many shall reape no small fruite and commodytye as the thinges that maye woonderfullye profytte not onelye such as teache the people in the churche but also that instruct yonge Scholers of good towardenes in common and publike Scholes That al the whole reding of holy Scripture which is offered to bee declared is somtimes aptely distributed into two or three chapters only or parts or principal common places Cap. IIII. MOreouer they to whom the preceding◠order of drawyng forth so many common places séemeth to be ouer busye and painfull shall haue now an other muche more easy exhibited vnto them And that is when the sacred Sermon it so appointed that the whole readyng of scripture which◠is in hande may be distributed into two or thrée chapters onely or parts or common places For as we haue said alreadye how we terme these partes it maketh no great matter And héere certes those generall diuine places of Inuention which we before rehearced are not so muche to be put in practise as a certayne Rethorical or Logical maner of deuiding when as of the present reading only some of the larger partes are examined of which intrealy may orderly be made Neither is it alwayes néedeful to be consydered whether in the text of the holy reding there be already extāt a lawful deuision of the partes made by the authour himselfe but it is ynough if euen wher al things are coherēt together a distinction be in such wise made as that two or thrée cōmon places which we shal suppose wil be most profitable to the hearers may be drawē forth more fréely at large to be declared whiles in the meane time digression be in no wise made from the natiue sence and meaning of the sacred wordes And further these partes or places are so deuided that sometime they are all referred to one and the same fountayne of doctrine somtime agayne they be not of one sorte or matter but may be ascribed to diuers fountaines Therefore in this behalfe there is left no small libertie which truly euery man may more easely perceiue by examples that shal forthwith be added then we can declare by any maner of precepts or rules Neither is it to be doubted but that he which in that order that is spoken of in the Chapter next before hath once learned out of one reading of holy Scripture to collect many and diuers places may easely also note and excerpt a fewe notable partes or places before the resydewe And certes to say that this forme of Sermons floweth out of the former and that they haue great affinitie together the one with the other we shall not speake much frō the purpose And of these Sermons that are resolued into certayne partes or places there occurreth in the sacred scriptures examples very notable and famous I Christ himselfe of one sermon in the kinde didascalick maketh thrée distinct parts For in the first place he teacheth in what poyntes christian perfection and the true beatitude consisteth In the second be addeth some things touching their duties that aspire vnto perfection and chiefely how they ought to surmount all other in sanctimony of lyfe Ye are sayeth he the salt of the earth c. In the last place he sheweth by dyuers examples heaped together what the right vnderstanding of the law is and how it ought to be obserued of those that are perfecte And that these partes are in this wise to be ioyned together Chrisostom doth not obscurely signify when in hys homily 18. vpon Mathew expounding the last part he reduceth into memorye certayne thinges before spoken as touching the beatitudes II Those things that follow immediately in Mathew cap. 6. it is plaine that they belonge to an other kinde of Sermon to wit Redargutiue or rather Correctiue forasmuch as Christe there manifestlye reproueth the abuses and imperfections that doe commonly spring about almes giuing prayers fastings c. III To our purpose more agréeth the Sermon extants Math. 24. and 25. Which Christ being required of his disciples had in the kinde didascalik as touchinge the ende and consumation of the world He deuideth it into thrée partes whereof in the fyrste he digesteth and recounteth diuers signes whiche goe before and prenunciate the time of Christes comminge to iudgement In the seconde part he exhorteth all men to be vigilant and sober in their office and that whilest they looke for the Lorde they rightlye dispose both themselues and all their affaires Watche sayth he for ye knowe not what hower your Lord will come In the thirde parte he declareth after what maner and order the saide iudgement shall be executed by Christ What time the sonne of man shall come in his glorye and all the holy angels with hym and so forth as it followeth euen to the ende of the chapter We may reade moreouer many Sermons of Christ composed of diuers parables whiche are founde not alwayes to be of one argument For Math 13. Christ vseth a parable of a man scatteringe his séede which fell in diuers places wherein he noteth that like as the mindes of the hearers are affected so the doctrine published to some truely becommeth holsom and to othersome nothing profytable at all He addeth forthwith the second as touching the enemy that in the night time sowed cockle amongst the wheate which parable may very well be vnderstoode of the corruptions as well of false opinions as also of peruerse maners créeping by little and little into the church Then followeth the third of a little grayne of Mustard séede growing vp into a trée whiche I doubt not may be interpreted of the wonderfull effect and fruite of the euangelycall doctrine spreading it selfe most largely abroade The fourth is of a little leauen quickly sowerynge the whole lump of dough whereby I suppose to be signifyed after the iudgement of the apostle that through a little error once admitted all thinges are forthwith infected though neuer so well deuised or religiously appoynted Amonge these Sermons therfore of Christe that whiche we reherced in the seconde place hath partes belonginge to one and the selfe same place But in the fyrst and second the partes séeme not in like maner to agrée on euery side betwixt themselues but thou mayste auouche that they are rather after a sort disioyned and to be referred vnto diuers chapters Howbeit lyke as in the precéedynge chapter o also in this we repeate agayne to be obserued that certayn parts or notable cōmon places may no lesse aptly to be drawen out of the sacred historycall narrations then out of those readings which conteine a simple doctrine But all these thinges shall become more cleare and euident in case the
wherevpon also it pleased Chrysostom to touch them only in few words and as it were beside the purpose These thinges therfore being duly considered it wyll be very easy to giue a right iudgement as touchinge the interpretations which wee haue vsed in this present Chapter First is briefely playnly expounded in passing through all the partes whatsoeuer belongeth to the sacred narration Then to euery parte is ioyned an interpretation in which appéereth nothing hard wrested or farre fet but out of the aduised consideration of the words and senteÌ„ces are those thinges deduced which ingender holesome institutions or instructions of lyfe And to make the matter more cléere and lightsom euery thing is in such sort disposed that all thinges are directed to the nature and true vse of one common place In which respect no doubt the hearers capacitie is better prouided for then if many thinges and the same diuers and not euident should be obtruded Who therefore will deny this maner of interpretinge with great fruit to be exercised and to be both godly and profytably produced to the people in the Church And as I admonished in the beginninge to those that in the partes of the historycall narration can not by obseruing a certayne course and order of causes effectes contingents and suche lyke places it is no harde matter to make and adorne these kindes of interpretations But from allegories such inespecially as very necessitie it selfe doth not extort in those places of Scripture which of themselues sygnifye otherwise some inconuenience euery man shall by mine aduice so far forth as may be absteine We sée in so great a worke of the propheticall and apostolycall bookes how fewe are vsed It is playne that they are more apt to delight with then to teach and that none but very slender proofes are deriued out of them therfore that place is to be giuen vnto them onelye after other arguments whiche haue in them more pithe and strength They haue very litle or no graâ—e at all if they be diffused through all the partes of an oration yea the sacred SermoÌ„ which is on euery side powdred with allegories is iudged verye slender and barren And in a matter little fruitfull to tâ—uet to séeme witty and to spend much time no man will iudge it to be the part of a wise man and of one that séeketh the profyt of his hearers Wherefore I purpose not to adioyne vnto this our work any Chapter at al touching allegorycall sermons These thinges that we should in this maner somwhat more proâ—ixly theÌ„ we thought for prosecute and discourse we were by the temeritie that we speake nothing more bitterly of some mens iudgement vehemently compelled That somtime the whole reading of the sacred Scripture is briefely runne ouer to the intente some one common place may afterwarde more at large be declared Cap. VI. WE finde commonly in the sacred Sarmons of the holy fathers had vnto the people the whole reading of scripture euen so muche as had bene recited to be discoursed with a compendious paraphrase or some other lyke apte forme of enarration and that parte which remaineth whole and principal to be consumed in the explication of one common place And that commeth to passe not onely when an historycall narration but also when a tretise of doctrine taken out of the holy scriptures is in hand Examples almost infinit are extant in Iohn Chrisostom especially in his expositions vppon the sacred bookes as Genesis the Gospel of Mathew Iohn and the epistles of S. Paule For in his homilie 3. vpon Genesis whilest his intent is briefly to reproue y Gentiles which supposed that al things created were gouerned by chaunce fortune he handeleth a common place at large as touching the reducinge of those that erre into the right way whence lastlye he falleth to the commendation of almes Againe in his homiles 7. 8. he entreateth of reclayminge the Gentiles from their error albeit in the later some thinges are added as concerning fasting In his 4. homilie after the partes of scripture before read declared he toucheth the right vse maner of fastinge and the restraynt of wicked lusts A good part of his 26. homilie is spent in stirring vp the hearers to render thanks vnto God for hys benefits receyued Homilie 27. hee reasoneth al large touching the remitting of wrongs and that not coueting of reuâ—gment In the greater part of his homilie 30. he intreateth of fasting and praier Vpon the Gospell of Math. homilie 4. ChrisostoÌ„ declareth in many words what maner of people that people of god is that should be deliuered from their sins 〈◊〉 Christ withal admonisheth euery man to study â—o shew hiÌ„selfe faithfull to be one of the nuÌ„ber of Gods people We might out of the gospel of Math. which conceiueth hystorycall narrations out of Paules epistles in which is plainly exhibited the handling of manifold doctrine produce and bring forth no few example 〈◊〉 séeing euery man sufficiently perceiueth vnto what ende our discourse tendeth no man will think it needful Onely therfore héere we wil admonishe how it commeth to passe two maner of waies that a commoÌ„ place after the scriptures expounded may be declared at large I Somtime occasion is taken of those things that in the in self text of the scriptures read are spoken or touched In the homilie vpon Gene. 26. to speak of thanks to be giuen vnto God after his benefyts receiued he is moued by the example of the gratitude which he saw in Noe. Homilie 4. vpon Mathew is in good time prosecuted the long discourse touching the people of God forasmuche as the angell had sayd that Christ should saue his people from theyr sinnes Homilie 67. vppon Mathewe it is reported in the texte that the disciples put their clothes vpon the beast whereon their Lorde shoulde be caried Herevppon therefore taketh Chrisostome occasyon to speake at large of clothing and reléeuing euery way the poore II Again somtimes a common place is handeled in the seconde parte of the Sermon not for that in the Scripture read beefore there happeneth any mencion thereof but bycause the order of time and the state of the Churche doe greatly require it Wherfore when Chrisostome in the time of a publyke fast tooke in hande the interpretation of the booke of Genesis hee diuers times with verye good cause breaketh forth into a common place of fasting So in an other place also in the chiefe and greatest part of his Oration he reproueth certayne vices or doth some other thinge not vnlyke But howsoeuer it shall séeme good to deale it behoueth wise deliberation to be had at all times as touchinge the choice of the places that are in this sorte to be handeled For other thinges serue for other times places persons which also is a thing commonlye knowen Howe and after what sorte one place of Scripture or some certaine sentence ought conueniently to be handeled Cap. VII NOt
lybertye and delighteth in mature deliberation and in sage aduice taking among many choseth not aboue two or thrée questions to be declared in the sacred assembly The Logician and Philosopher doe gladly trye what they are able to doe and doe take pleasure in vauntynge of their wit but the Preacher for his parte weigheth and considereth what is moste expedient to be done accordinge to the place and time for the godly enstruction and information of good men Where fynally if it bee greatelye for the behoofe of the Churche to haue many questions expounded yet shall it be the parte of a wise teacher to reserue some tyll an other time II After thou hast disposed and set in order the questions which thou iudgest will serue thy turne thou muste haue recourse to the places of the second forme those inespecially which the diuines receiue out of the schole of the Logicians to be vsed and according to their direction thou shalt excogitate whatsoeuer may conueniently be sayd of the purposed theme But in such sorte shal these thinges be gathered together that so farre forth as may be eache thinge may bee drawen out of the fountaines of the scriptures or at the least confyrmed by the testimonies of the same And albeit there occurre no where in the sacred Bookes common places explaned in that order whiche the questions and places to them attributed doe prescribe yet may it truely be affirmed that some diuine common places are to be founde of which so many and diuers thinges héere and there scattered in the Canonicall Scriptures are put in writinge that if the same were bounde together as ye woulde saye in one bundell and broughte forthe vndoubtedly we should sée those places handeled in a iust method For héere certes is founde that out of which maye be framed a definition there that conduceth to the furnishing of a diuision or partition elles where are distinguished certayne causes there is agayne where are shewed duties and effectes in some place occurreth that which is to bée counted for a contrary fynally there can scarcely anye thinge be required necessary to the openinge of the nature of a common place which a painefull man and one exercised in the holy Scriptures may not drawe out of them And by this meanes it is brought to passe that those thinges which are put in order and alledged as touchinge a common place all men may perceyue to be deriued out of the Scriptures and for that cause to bée of great weight and importaunce III. Moreouer the places which in the second forme we called diuine or Theological are in like maner to be cōsidred For euen these also doe minister vnto the minde very high and excellent things Neither truely can it bée chosen but that he that hath bene some deale envred in the readinge of the holy scriptures shall receyue of them great helpe and furtheraunce to apte teachinge And whatsoeuer thinges are deuised and inuented by the direction of these places ought to be referred vnto those questions which wee determined in the beginninge to goe thorough with and with rype iudgemente to bée placed in their order IIII. Furthermore he shall in no case thinke himselfe to haue sufficiently done his dutie that accordinge to the places reherced in the second forme hath found out those thinges which after the order and nature of the questions may bee saide except also hee endeuour further to illustrate the same thinges beinge founde out with diuers respectes as namely by producinge certaine groundes or testimonies certaine examples similitudes and other of the same kinde and that so much as in him lieth taken out of the holy scriptures or els out of the commentaries of the moste famous writers For truely ech man perceyueth that the proofes gathered together in such breuitie and straightenes as is vsed of the Logicians doe make the treatise to become bare slender and to breath foorth onely the ecliptick kinde of speakinge of the Scoles but if there be added further some certaine lightes and ornamentes of thinges together with a certaine cleannes at the leaste waye of speach then will the honour seemely for the Church and congruent to the mindes and eares of the frequent auditory appere For it is not méete that the teacher of the multitude should stand altogether vppon simple and bare inuention but he at his libertie breaketh through and interrupteth the order prescribed of the Lorgicians accordinge in déede as it is expedient yea and where all thinges are most chiefely instituted by arte there he studiously hideth and dissembleth arte And we maye sée euery where in the sacred Scriptures the wonderfull libertye that is vsed in orderinge the propositions of argumentations reasons confirmations of reasons exornations complexions and howe holy men bestowe greate laboure and diligence in this behalfe namely the their indifferent oration should not abhor from the popular coustome of reasoninge V. Last of all this diligence is also required that the manifolde spirituall vse of those thinges whch are duly collected to the explication of any question be added with out delaye For as many arguments as are handeled for the explaning of any question it is very méete to be declared and it is greatly for the behoofe of the godly to knowe what fruite they may reape out of them For certes which maketh maruelously to the prayse an dignitye of the holy Scriptures there is nothing occurrent in them neyther doe we attempte to discusse any thing out of them in which is not layed vp some notable doctrine very profitable to the confirmation of our faith hope charitye to the stirring vp of our mindes that we maye acknowledge the good will of God towarde vs that we maye gyue him thankes for his incomparable benefites that we maye be made prompt and chéerefull to render vnto euery man the duties of loue also that we maye priuatelye leade an holy and blamelesse lyfe that we maye timely and moderately correct those that erre either in Doctrine or maners and finally that we maye obteyne comfort and redresse in publicke or priuate calamities And this order of openinge the vse of those thinges which shall be explaned in the kinde didascalick as touchinge any common place we may finde euery where in the Sermons of the prophetes Christ and Thapostles yea and in the Epistles themselues Where truely vnlesse the lawfull vse be kept and all things transfered to the proofe of pietie and amendement of life the knowledge doubtlesse of most excellent thinges remaineth very barren and vnfruitefull Of this kinde it is that in the Epistle to the Romains the beginninge of the fift Chapter is discouered the spirituall vse of the doctrine touchinge the iustification of man by faith whilest many notable effectes are repeated which accompany iustification by fayth and doe wonderfully extoll the dignitie of Faith that also in the sixt Chapter after hee had spoken of Baptisme and the effectes thereof hée annexeth a graue exhortation that they should recken themselues
is this knowledge touching the condemnation of wicked affections imprinted in the mindes of al men that euen the heathen lawe makers and iudges doubted not to pronounce that the will somtimes is to be estemed as the déede it selfe Which thinge also the Satyricall Poete in his Satyre 13. noted in these verses followinge These paynes and penalties of sinne the onely will sustaynes For looke in whom a secret thought on mischiefe sette remaynes Hee guyltie is of thactuall deed c. Now hitherto doe these thinges tende and therefore are they thus appointed to the intent we may know how that God like as he would haue man by him created to consist of two most excellent partes that is to saye of minde and body so also that he would perpetually kéepe and reteine him wholly adicted to himselfe and bee of him deuoutly worshipped in eyther of the said partes But God veryly is a spirite and therefore that kinde of worship chiefely pleaseth him which procéedeth from the moste noble part of vs to wit the minde the spirite or soule And to the ende this thinge might the more conueniently be in this wise of men accomplished it hath pleased God to impart his spirit also to the faithfull by the which their spirite may be stirred vp gouerned and holpeÌ„ forward to the right exhibitinge of spirituall worship By meanes whereof the spirite of god also witnesseth together with the spirite of the faythfull that they are the sonnes of god by like indeuoure induceth them to crye Abba Eather Moreouer by this meanes the minde the harte the soule the spirite the affections thoughtes will study and by what name soeuer it may be called whatsoeuer is found to be most excellent in man doe procéede further in the internall and true spirituall seruice of God and in the same are exercised without intermission Againe forasmuch as the same God is the creator also of mannes body it is very méete doubtles that this wonderfull worke in like maner doe acknowledge reuerence and celebrate his maker Wherefore it behoueth vs also to worship God in our body This thinge is the cause why the Apostle Romaines 12. beseecheth all the beleeuers that they woulde make their bodies a quick sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God their reasonable seruice And Rom. 6. he exhorteth them in this maner As you haue giuen your members seruauntes to vncleaÌ„nes and iniquitie from one iniquitie to an other Euen so nowe giue your members seruauntes vnto rightuousnes to holines Which thinges forasmuch as they are so consider O maÌ„ and applye thy selfe vnto this that thou maist with all thine indeuour consecrate thy selfe wholly vnto god serue him with all thine harte with all thy soule and with all thy strength yea and with all thy bodye also Kéepe thy handes and beware least thou commit anye wicked acte with them Refraine thy tongue neither let any reproch filthy speakinge leasinge scurrilitie or euill language procéede out of thy mouth last of all studye also to bridle thy corrupt affections and cogitations Take héede thou be not brought into that beliefe that thou maiste followe thy fancye as touchinge thoughtes for that they are not séene neither can any man reproue thée for them Inasmuch as out of theÌ„ all maner of offences whither they be coÌ„mitted with the tongue or any other members doe take as Christ witnesseth Marke 7. their beginninge But when thou féelest thy selfe ouer weake and almost destitute of strength knowe that it is thy part duty to cal coÌ„tinually vpon god thy heauenly father and with inwarde groninge teares to praye vnto him that he would create a pure harte within thée that he would turne awaye thine eyes least they behold vanytie that he would apply thy tongue to speake that which is good and godly that he would direct thy handes to the doinge of laudable actions and such as are acceptable vnto him that he would kéepe thée wholly both in minde and body harmeles and innocent and that he would alwaies further thée to the exercising of the duties of godlynes and pietie For vndoubtedly except God of his mercy doe prouide that thou be not tempted or if temptation come that thou bée spéedily deliuered from it thou canst in â—o wyse be frée from sinne But thus far touchinge the question what the thing is I feare least ouer much For in case wee should séeme to proséede in this order our discourse would grow to be ouer tedious It is requisite therefore that we vse henceforwarde breuitie and note onely certayne poynts of things briefely as touching the seconde question The sinne in which we are borne is by the fall of our first parentes deriued into all their posteritie wherof so great is the force that we can neuer be inclyned to that whiche is good nor obey the law of God wherefore we are founde guilty also through our owne offence There is a sinne the euery man wheÌ„ he is now come to perfect reasoÌ„ vnderstanding coÌ„mitteth of his owne wil by transgressing the law of god either in thought word or déede That sinne they cal oryginall this actual of which chiefely we haue hitherto entreated Moreouer the holy scripture coÌ„memorateth sins of omission ignoraunce as namely when one is founde to be gilty for that he hath not perfourmed those things which he ought or in such order as he ought to haue done agayne when he sinneth where he least thought yea supposed also the he had done well after which sorte S. Paule confesseth in moe places then one the he had grieuously offended Furthermore some sins are called straunge or extraordinary as when a man commeth into daunger sustayneth blame for an other mans offence And what wil ye say to that sinne where Christ pronounceth him worthy of most grieuous punishmeÌ„t which shal minister to an other an offeÌ„ce occasioÌ„ of falling But how hard a thing is it to know whether the brethren the are present be weake soone offended or whether they be strong throughly instructed Againe further the sin committed against the holy ghost is saide neuer to be forgiuen Now among so many sundry sorts of sins Iohn teacheth 1. epist. cap. v. the there is one kinde of sin vnto death an other not vnto death But what shal néede many wordes We are compelled to â—btles to say with the prophet Our errors or sinnes who may comprehend So great therfore is the varyetie in sinnes that it enforceth vs to confesse the law of god to be most largely spred abroad neither that we can so easely attayne the sence and effect thereof as a great number doe suppose For what soeuer thinges are any where discoursed or rehersed in the sacred scriptures as touching good or euill déedes those thinges ought with very good right to be taken of vs for a commentary and interpretation of the same law Moreouer it behoueth vs héere to consider the seuerytie of Gods
as it is required of vs that we should expound a parte of an holy boke or also some certaine place taken out of the holy Scripture it is by all meanes very requisite that we expresse the state or summe of those thinges whereof wée will entreate in one theame compounde And that the like thinge happeneth somtimes when entreatie is made of an entier booke of Scripture wée haue already by examples brought as touchinge Ecclesiastes Cantica Salomonis and the Gospell after Iohn aboue declared Besides when any thinge falleth out by occasion to be talked off in the pulpit it is necessary that the same be propounded in a theame compounde Of this sorte it is if I say Honger or drouth is paciently and quietly of vs to be endured God by his iust iudgement sent the calamitie that fell through haile Of the one Theame Basilius Magnus most grauely entreateth of the other Gregorius Nazianzenus Now hereby it maye plainely appeare that the vse of those thinges which are to bée touched in this Chapter is of very great importance in the Church of god In the meane time it shall be lawfull briefely to absolue these thinges forasmuch as very many pointes doe accorde herevnto which are sufficiently at large discussed in the former Chapters I. Where if so bée therefore thou be determined to handle a theame compounde when a whole booke is taken in hande to be declared or a part out of any booke of scripture is proposed to the multitude there is no man that seeth not the very text of the diuine wordes which are recited in the sacred assembly to minister and suggest by it selfe many and diuers things which may both godly and relygiousely be vttered and through euery part thereof be aptly dilated and amplified It shall then therefore be best to imitate followe some one of those orders of expoūding which we haue comprised in the 3.4.5.6 chapters of this present boke II. But where as no reading or lecture of holy Scripture ouer longe shall goe before but onely either a briefe sentence or a place out of some sacred booke shall be taken in hande or els no wordes at all be premised out of the scriptures thē truely it shall be expedient thoroughly and exactly to consider all those thinges in order which we haue in certaine obseruations comprehended noted in the seauenth Chapter as touchinge the maner of handelinge one place or sentence of scripture For it is conuenient that the same consideration be had as well of a sentence as of a theame compounde A proufe hereof is this that oftentimes those that are purposed to declare a theame compound doe gladly borrowe some sentence out of the scriptures which may be agreable to their purpose doe prefixe it before their Sermon or in any wise insert it The Apostle to the Romaynes 4. intendinge to proue that man is iustified by faith taketh that sentence out of Gene. 15. Abrahā beleeued god it was imputed vnto him for rightuousnes In the Epistle to the Galathians handeling the same matter he produceth out of Geneses 22 the promise of god made vnto Abraham In thee or in thy seede shal al the nations of the earth be blessed Moreouer in the two sayd Epistles in that to the Hebrues is prefixed a theame compounde or briefe sentence out of the prophet Abacuc 2. The iust man shall liue by fayth That the same craft or cunning therfore is aptly to be applied to the tractatiō of a theame cōpound which a litell before we shewed to be requisit to the discussing of a sētence or place of holy scripture ther is no cause why any man should doubte III. And forasmuch as wée then also admonished that it is somtime very necessary in case a resolution of a sentence or place taken out of the Scriptures be had and all the partes therof examined a parte it shall be profitable also to vse the like experience in the tractation of a theame compounde When this thinge is to be done it shall be conuenient not onely to goe that waye to worke which we haue shewed to bee open vnto vs in the holy Scriptures and that truely very excellent but also wée shall gette furniture of teachinge both substanciall and plentious out of those thinges whiche in the former Chapter bée of vs declared as touchinge the explanation of simple theames For certes the places which deuided into two formes or orders we shewd to be attributed to the kinde didascalicke doe giue occasion of deuising and finding out great and weightie thinges of euery theame that is offered Wherfore wee shall not without cause require ayde and succoure of them As touching all which thinges here to repeate againe with many wordes that which hath bene already sayd would bée very superfluous IIII. And surely séeinge the multitude and varyetie of thinges is infinite that are treated off in the Church so ofte as the vse and order of time doe require there can no better counsaile or aduice be giuen then that euery man haue a speciall regarde vnto their Sermons which haue most aptely and holily handeled theames compound and that he endeuour so far forth as lieth in him to render and expresse in his sermons that which he perceyueth to haue most force and grace in them Such Sermons are with great care and exacte iudgement to be pervsed to the intente thou maist examaine euery thinge occurrent in them and that which is best to bee liked choycely digest and put in order as things to be adioyned to thy household stuffe to be vsurped as thine owne when time and occasion shall serue To make any futher declaration it is not necessary But examples wherein theames compounde of the kinde didascalick are most learnedly explaned these inespecially be commended in the sacred Scriptures In the Epistle to the Romaynes the Apostle declareth at large that men are iustified by faith without the workes of the lawe Againe cap. 9.10.11 That the Iewes are reiected of god and the Gentiles called to be the people or Church of god In the first Epistle to the Corinthes cap. 15. it is proued by stronge argumentes that the deade doe all rise or reuiue againe In the Epistle to the Galathyans it is againe confirmed that men are iustified by fayth without the workes of the lawe in the last part of the second Chapter and also in the 3.4 and some parte of the 5. Chapters In the Epistle to the Ephesians Thapostle teacheth in thrée Chapters that men by the onely grace of God in Christ are elected called iustified and glorified The author of the Epistle to the Hebrues in two Chapters declareth with wonderfull perspicuitye that Christ is true God and true man. In the same Epistle cap. 7.8.9.10 out of one sentence of scripture are drawen fower distinct theames compounde and euery one of thē is with certaine and assured reasons established and explaned whereof the first is that Christ is a preist after the order of Melchisedec
inuentione entreatinge of reprehension and Fabius Quintilianus in his fifte booke cap. 13. touchinge confutation doe teach some thinges not to be refused In which notwithstanding the preacher must prudently disâ—earne what may rightly by introduced into the Church where all things ought to be accomplished with great reuerence and without the breach of charitie and what is to be left to the brabbelinge pleadinge place VIII Diuinitie sheweth also certaine formes of solutinge or assoylinge peculiar in a maner to it selfe and very much vsed and frequented Chiefely and principally the iudgement of God is oft times set against the iudgement of men or the sayinge of the superior against the sayinge of the inferior In which respecte verily Christ Math. 15. infringeth the opinion and tradition of the Pharises by opposinge against them the worde assertion of god him selfe when he proueth them guilty by reason they transgressed the commaundement of God through their owne traditions IX The true and natiue interpretation of the Scripture is alleadged against that which was of other peruorstly put forth Christ Math. 4. vnto that that the diuell saide If thou be the sonne of God cast thy selfe downe headlonge For it is writen he shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee and with their handes they shal beare thee vp least at any time thou hurt thy foote against a stone answereth eftesâ—nes by bringinge a true interpretation It is writen saith he Thou shalt not tempt the Lorde thy God. X. To the sentence by an other alleadged is sometime added or opposed that which in the same matter is chiefely to be considered When the diuell had sayd vnto Christ If thou be the sonne of God commaund that these stones be made bread Christ maketh aunswer Man liueth not by bread onely but by euery worde that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. As who sayth Christ addeth that wherevppon dependeth chiefely the sustentation and preseruation of our lyfe and opposeth and preferreth spirituall nourishment to that which is corporall XI Necessitie requireth often times the a concilement of the places outwardly repugnant be vsed made as touching which matter Augustine hath copiously entreated in his bookes de consensu EuaingelistaruÌ„ likewise against Adimantus the disciple of Maniches we also haue briefely touched some thinges in our second booke de Theologo coÌ„cerninge the order of diuine study XII And moreouer the same places may stand vs in great stead be oft times applied to redargution which in the preceeding chapter we recounted fit to the confirmation of true doctrine The diligent reading and examining of confutations which doe here there occurre in the sacred scriptures will euidently demonstrate many moe thinges perteyning to this effect XIII And like as to the solutions of argumentes and reasons are very opportunely and fitly added those thinges that may stirre vp and prouoke the mindes of men to assent euen so at the ende of that part or whole Sermon which is ordeyned to reproue shall not vnprofitably be heaped togither certen perswasiue or rather dehortatory reasons wehreby men may be deterred froÌ„ embracing false assertions premonished to take diligent héed of the infection of hipocrites Such are reasons deriued of the study scope of false teachers after which sort Christ and the Apostles doe oft times forewarne the belieuers lykewise of the unprofitablenes of the unrightuousnes of the perill and daunger of the thing c. Whereby are declared the dammages inconueniences which out of errors and dissentions doe redounde as well publikly to the Church as also priuately to euery mans conscience In which behalfe may some thinges lawefully be entermedled méete for the mouinge of affections But like as in the former kinde so in this also are certaine Cantions very requisite and necessary I. The preacher shall endeuour himselfe with all industry and diligence to bringe to light the subtill sophistry and fraudulent workinges of the aduersaries but with such pollicie and discretion that he againe be not thought to vse like sophisticall dealinge The talke of truth ought to be playne and simple For in case thou doest nothinge els then subtelly inueigh against subteltie thy tale will be as much suspected and disliked as their tale whom thou impugnest and the hearers will iudge none other but that there is come before them som noble payre of sophisters as if they behelde Protagoras and Euathlus on a day appointed brauling in the brabbelinge consistory II. Howbeit neither is it necessary nor expedient publikely to ensearch and narrowely to examaine all thinges which are produced of the authors of false assertions whither they bée Ethnickes or heretickes leaste verily whilest we goe about to withdrawe men from error wee minister occasion to some amonge the hearers especially to the curious to enquire more scrupulously after them and by this enquiry as it commonly commeth to passe to slide and fall into erroure Counsell not much vnlike to this giueth S. Augustine who in this booke de catechizandis rudibus cap. 7. hath these wordes Then is mannes infirmitie to be enstructed and encouraged against temptations and offences whither they be without or in the Church it selfe without against the Gentiles or Iewes or heretickes within against the chaffe of the Lordes floore Not that discourse shoulde bee made agaynst all kindes of frowarde and peruerse menne nor that all their crooked and fantasticall opinions should by questions propounded be refelled but it is to be declared according to the shortnesse of time that it was so sygnified before and what the profit of temptations is in teachinge of the faithfull and what holsome medicine there is in the example of Gods pacience who hath determined to suffer these things to the end That whiche Augustine therefore thought good to be done in teaching the elder sort that I suppose in consideration of our times wyll be profytable to the whole multitude in which no doubte a number may be founde more rude and ignoraunt then those rude and simple of whom he maketh mention III Moreouer the Preacher shall take diligent héede least he be thought to vtter and pronounce any thinge of a corrupt affection of which sort it is in case he immoderately flattereth himselfe or those that fauour his opinion if he commendeth all his owne stuffe more then is méete or if so bee hee inueigheth ouer bitterly against any of his aduersaries as though he were more incensed with hatred of the persons then with desyre of defendinge the trueth In déede he may touch the persons sometimes also sharpely after which sorte we sée the Pharisies to be handeled of Christ but â—e must in no wise pretermitte grauitie wherevnto it behoueth a godly zeale to be ioyned and that as the Apostles speaketh accordinge to knowledge finally thorough loue he ought to auoyde all offence giuinge IIII Againe in the whole Sermon behoueth great moderation to be vsed whereby all men may be giuen to vnderstande that their saluation and repentaunce is ernestly
comfort with all as the Apostle witnesseth to the Romains 15. Such places therefore wée haue héere I. Of the prouidence of god No man knoweth better then God himselfe what thinges wée haue néede off Hée doth nothinge without speciall consideration Not so much as a haire of the beléeuers perysheth without his will. II. Of the ayde and succour of the holy angels vnto whâ—m is committed the Charge of vs God so commaunding it Psal. 91. He hath giuen his angles charge c. III. Of the iustnes of the thing God being displeased with our sinnes iustly laieth vppon vs present afflictions Where if he would call our dooinges to a straight accompt we should be found to haue deserued far greater plagues IIII. Of that that all thinges worke for the best to the faithfull God when he sendeth aduersitie exerciseth his children prooueth them and finally crowneth them And Affliction ingendreth pacience pacience proofe proofe hope hope maketh not ashamed V. Of the vprightnes of the conscience An vpright conscience is a most ample comfort in aduersitie VI. Of that that afflictions doe minister cause vnto vs of humbling our selues of calling vppoÌ„ god of exercising the duties of loue towardes our neighboure of contemning earthly thinges c. VII Of that that God dayly recompenseth the euiles which we suffer with newe benefites doublefold He inflicteth aduerstities beneath our deseit but he giueth vs benefites far aboue â—uâ— deseruing The mercy of God surmounteth his iudgement VIII Of that that affliction is an euident token of the fatherly loue where with God imbraceth vs and that we are the lawefull sonnes of God and no bastardes IX Of the promises of God touching the deliueraunce out of vaungels in this life God neuer forsaketh those that be his neither suffereth them to be tempted aboue their strength The Prophets doe in their consolations enterlace promises of diuers thinges to come of the comming of Christ of deliueraunce by the same from spirituall tiranny and thâ—aldome now and their of restoring the common wealth of the Iewes c. It is a wise mannes parte diligently to enquire howe the same places may bee applied to our matters That shall most conueniently bée done by comparinge the thinges that haue happened vnto vs with those that in times past befell vnto the Iewes X. Of the necessary effecte of gods election Whom God hath chosen them also hee hath glorified If God be on our side who can bee against vs. XI Of the example of Christ which is set foorth vnto vs as a Captaine to be followed in humblenes mortification c. XII Of the examples of holy men whose wonderfull pacience hath appéered but yet more maruaylous séemed their deliuerance accomplished by the power and goodnes of God. XIII Of the certainty of rewardes after this lyfe Through afflictions is opened a way vnto glory and to the kingdome of heauen XIIII Of the excellency of the rewardes that doe remain for vs after this life The afflictions of this life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to come The afflictions be momeÌ„tany but the glory is euerlasting XV. Of the gloryfication of god God is glorified by the fortitude and constancy of the godly XVI Of the edifyinge of other brethen The rest of the godly are confirmed by our example XVII Of the present ayde of the holy Ghost in helpinge our infirmitie XVIII Of the nature of hope and pacience By hope wee are saued XIX Of the effecte of Christes merites For the fruites thereof are applyed at all times to the Faithfull XX. Moreouer of the very kinde of daunger against which consolation is required diuers and sondry proofes may be gathered if the causes and circumstances be wisely serched and considered If the pestilence or sicknesses which the Phistitions call Epidemiales doe rage and ware rife this is no small comfort that these sicknesses spare none neither ritche nor poore that the life passed in riot and excesse hath iustly caused them that Dauid when God pronounced his grieuous iudgment against him chose rather to be striken with this rod then with warre or hunger If men suffer for the confession of the truth that also must we construe in good part according to the saying of Peter and interpret it to be a glorious thing in these daies especially wherein the trueth of the Gospell is eftsâ—nes most plentifully reuealed to the whole worlde Iudging our selues happye and reioysinge wee ought to giue thanks vnto God which are counted worthy to suffer rebuke for his names sake If honger destroyeth our Countrey yet that succour is to be hoped for of our neighbours the people next adioyninge vnto vs that there is some where vndoubtedly a Iosephe remayninge which hath garners and Barnes full of corne and graine for many yeares that the LORDE which feedeth Rauens which nourished innumerable people in the wildernes which by his angells caused meate and drincke to be ministered to the wanderinge Elias and likewise to Agar may also be intreated to minister thinges necessary for our liuing that he is able to bringe to passe that a litell meale if any be left as we knowe it came to passe to the widowe of Sarepta shall neuer faile or be wantinge Some of these reasons are deriued of the power and goodnes of GOD some of notable examples and other some of other places And that I may briefely knit vp the matter the holy Scripture is like vnto a large and mighty sea whereout in maner of waues one wallowinge after an other by course doe steame vp and flowe ouer wonderfull Consolations profitable for all purposes which the Preacher digestinge into certaine places shall alwayes haue in a redines to the intent that as oft as any temptations shal assayle and inuade wretched men he may as well publicklye as pryuatelye deale and distribute the same To note onely a fewe cautions in this kinde shall be sufficient For consolation is not lyke to correction subiect to the hatreds and abtrectations of men I. Hée that is determined to comfort others must of necessitie so frame himselfe in all thinges that he make them beléeue that he is earnestly touched with the griefe of the common calamitie that he is in the meane time ready bent to confirme and establish the mindes of other I know not how it commeth to passe he talketh a great deale better to our contentation whom we perceyue to bee endued with the lyke affection that wee are endued withall II It shall be alwayes better and more conuenient to collect many reasons taken out of spyrytuall and eternall thinges then out of carnall and momentanye like as it is méete and requisite that those thinges which doe issue out of the liuely fountaine of the sacred Scriptures shoulde be preferred before those that are dreyned out of the standing lakes of Philosophy For after that sorte we may sée the Prophetes oft times to digest
it was also conuenient to the intent all men might clerely vnderstande that Esay prophesied simply without any ambiguitie of Christ himselfe and of that very state of thinges which then was And albeit the applicatioÌ„ as Christ did exhibit it be not committed to writinge but onely the summe or state thereof expressed yet that it was very fitly and congruently prepared it appereth sufficiently by the wordes that the Euangelist addeth And all saith he gaue witnes vnto him and marueled at the grace of his wordes which proceeded out of his mouth Moreouer when the vngodly scoffers and deriders harde the Apostles speake with diuers tongues they were not ashamed to say that Thapostles were droncke and ouerladen with wine But Peter remoueth the vice of dronkeÌ„nes both from himselfe and from the rest of the Apostles and as the case then required interpreteth the prediction of Ioell the prophet to be fulfilled These are not droncke as yee doe suppose seeing it is but the thirde hower of the daye but this it is that was spoken by the prophet Ioel And it shall bee in the later daies sayth God I will poure out my spirit vppon all fleshe c. And so a litle after he applyeth them vnto those thinges that had happened sayinge Yee men of Israell here these wordes Iesus of Nazareth a man approued of God among you in miracles in signes and wonders which God did by him in the middest of you as you your selues also know him by the determinate counsell c. And againe Hee beinge therefore axalted on the right hande of God and hauinge receyued of his father the promise of the holy ghost hath shed forth this which ye now see heare c. But least any man should obiecte and saye that those prophesies were in such sort vttered in times past of Esay and Ioel as that they could not be expounded of any other thinges then those the happened in the time of Christ I will produce other examples that stretche further and may not vnaptly be referred to all times Saint Paule entending to shew how that men are iustifyed by faith without the workes of the law taketh a most strong and valyaunt reason of the example of Abraham whom the scripture pronounceth to be iustified by faith saying Abraham beleeued in God it was counted vnto him for rightuousnes And after diuers sundry reasons deduced out of the same testimonye he applyeth the very order of iustification to all sorts of men vniuersally of euery age and time in these words It is not written saith he for him onely that it was imputed vnto hym but also for vs to whom it shall be imputed if we beleeue in hym that raysed vp our Lord Iesus froÌ„ the dead Agayn to the Rom. xi Thapostle confirming that God hath not vtterly forsakeÌ„ the people of the Iewes whoÌ„ he knew before but that alwayes some of them shall be saued Knowe ye not saith he what the scripture saith of Elias How he maketh intercessioÌ„ to god against Israel saying Lord they haue killed thy prophets subuerted thine altars I am left alone they ly in await for my life But what saith the answer of God vnto hym I haue reserued vnto my selfe seauen thousand men that haue not bowed their knees to the image of Baal So therfore eueÌ„ at this time also are some left according to the election of grace And we sée the same example to be transferred of writers to the elect and true Church of all times But a most proâ—er and elegant forme of appilcatioÌ„ Saint Paule hath left vnto vs i. Corin. x. where he affirmeth that the fathers in the olde Testament vsed in déede holy misteries which might worthily be compared with oures but when they abstayned not from wickednes they were seuerely punished according as thei had deserued and were ouerthrowen in the wildernesse And these were figures saith he to put vs in remembraÌ„ce least we should couet after euill thinges as some of theÌ„ coueted And least wee should be worshippers of images as some of them were as it is writen The people sate downe to eate drinck and rose vp to play And that we should not be defyled with fornication as some of them were defyled with fornication and fell in one day three and twenty thousand And that we should not tempt Christe as some of them tempted and were killed of serpents Neyther murmer as some of them murmured were destroied of the destroyer Al these thinges happened vnto them by figures But they are writen for our learning vpon whoÌ„ are come the ends of the worlde Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heede least he fall c. These therfore and many other examples moe in like maner handeled we may perceiue to be applied to exhort and perswade men of all ages which through a certayne confydence they haue that they are once registred in the Church of God and doe vse in common the Sacraments are séene to become the more boulde vnto all kindes of sinne With no lesse diligence the Apostle to the entent hée might proue them the beléeue the Gospell and are iustified by faith to be frée from the burdens of the law declareth that it was long time before signified by an exquisyt type or figure of the two sonnes of Abraham the one borne of a bondmaid the other of a frée woman Of whom neuerthelesse he we omit many thinges for breuities sake betokening the law and those that séeke to be iustified by the lawe is commauÌ„ded with his mother to be cast out but to this imbracing the Gospel is the inheritaunce giuen to enioy He applyeth those wordes to his purpose in the beginnng saying Tell mee yee that will be vnder the law doe ye no heare the law For it is writen that Abraham had two sonnes c. Very wittely doubtles and pythyly to make them attent Againe in the ende Wherfore brethren we are sonnes not of the bondwoman but of the free womaÌ„ Stand therfore in the lybertie that Christ hath purchased for vs and bee not againe tangeled in the yoke of bondage Thapostle likewise by the way in serteth somwaht touchinge the vnquencheable haters and contentions of the same brethren and transferreth it to his yea and to our times and to all the posteritye of the Church saying Like as then he that was borne after the flesh percecuted him that was borne after thâ— spirite euen so it is nowe But ther is no néede that any thinge should further bée added séeinge euery man nowe may easely perceiue how and after what sort it behoueth vs to followe and imitate holy and diuine writers Howbeit if any man be desirous to knowe what maner of sayings chiefely out of the scriptures may and ought to be applied vnto things present and matters incident We briefely make him this answere that what thinges soeuer are occurrent in the canonicall Scriptures are rightly and duely to bée vsed so that as