THE ART OR SKILL, WELL AND FRVITFULLIE TO HEAR the holy Sermons of the Church.  
Written first in Latin, by a godly Minister, named CV●●LMVS ZEPPERUS, and now truly translated into english by T. W. For the religious edification of such as unfeignedly fear the Lord amongst us.  Eccles. 4.17. 
Take heed to thy foot, when thou interest into the house of God: and be more near to hear, than to give 〈◊〉 sacrifice of fools for they know not that they do evil.  Mark. 4.24. 
Take heed what ye hear.  Luke. ●. 18. 
Take heed how ye hear.  
Imprinted at London by Felix Kingston. 1599   

To the Christian Reader, grace and peace from God the Father, and from his Son jesus Christ our Lord, etc.  
WE that now live (brethren) may truly say, both that our times are good, and yet that our days are nought. If any will demand how this can be so, seeing it implieth a flat contradiction, the answer is easy, ready, and right also. For if we consider God, 
jam. 1.17.  the only giver of every good and perfect gift: or weigh his blessed bounty in all sorts of graces, or respect the long continuance of these singular favours, we cannot but plainly perceive, and openly confess the truth and certainty of the first part of this sentence. For first touching God, we may speak it, and that truly also, to the glory of his great name, that he hath opened his hand, 
Psal. 14●.  and filled with his blessing all sorts and degrees amongst us. No man's sight (as I take it) is so bleared, or his heart so brawned, or his mouth so stopped up, but that he must of necessity evidently see, sensibly feel, and freely lay out the same. And for his graces generally, we may safely acknowledge as the Prophet in a certain place doth: they are so many, that none can count his thoughts towards us, yea though we would declare and speak of them, 
Psal.  yet are they more than we are able to conceive in our understanding (so much are our hearts straightened within us, and therefore greater also, than we are able to express by speech. Now particularly, if we could consider as we ought outward and bodily blessings, either for the number or variety of them, have we not just cause to say, that God hath bountifully vouchsafed us, that which the Prophet hearty desired might be given to his people, 
Psal. 122.7  namely, that peace is within our walls, and prosperity within our palaces? And that he hath powered that upon us, which Izhac wished unto his son: He hath given us of the dew of heaven, 
Gen. 27.28.29  and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of wheat and wine, and so forth as it followeth in the patriarchs words? And touching spiritual graces, we may doubtless speak no less liberally, than the faithful do in another Psalm: He showeth his word unto jacob▪ his statutes and his judgements unto Israel: he hath not dealt so with every nation, 
Psal. 147.19 20.  neither have they known his judgements or as it is in another Prophet, I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophecy: 
joel. 2.28.29  your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. And also upon the servants, and upon the maids, will I in these days pour cut my spirit: yea they shall know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord. 
jere. 31.34.  And concerning the continuance of them, we must acknowledge, unless we will rob God of his praise, and other men of great good, and ourselves of special comfort, that we have had the Lord, not only forbearing us a year, two, or three together, but digging round about us, yea digging and dressing us, not three or four years, as in the parable of the figtree planted in the vineyard is declared, 
●. 13.6.7  but full forty year at the least, be having not only made our wheat and wine to abound all that while, 
●. 6.7.  but daily lifting upon us the light of his countenance: On the other side, if we weigh either how blind we have been in these blessings, not seeing them at all: or consider how careless to perform duties for them after light received: or else regard how hypocritical we have been in the services which we made show to accomplish, we shall then evidently see in others, and sensibly feel in ourselves the truth of the latter part of that sentence. For how many be there in the land, who (whether they deliver it of ignorant malice, or malicious ignorance, we will not stand now to determine it) say as the people did in the time of the Prophet jeremy. 
jere. 44.16.17.  The word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord, we will not hear it of thee. But we will do whatsoever thing cometh out of our own mouth, as to burn incense to the Queen of heaven, & to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, etc. Other some again there are amongst us (and I fear me there is no small number of them) who, whether they do it of carelessness and carnality of heart in themselves, or presuming before hand, 
Deut. 29.19  that notwithstanding iniquity, God will be gracious unto them, the Lord best knoweth) abusing Gods mercy, and turning his grace into wantonness, 
Rom. 2.5.6  do in themselves despise the riches of his bountifulness, patience & long suffering, forgetting that the bountifulness of the Lord should lead them to repentance, and so from God heap up unto themselves, as if it were treasure, wrath against the day of wrath, and of the declaration of the just judgement of God. Besides what swarms of hypocrites be there in the lap and bosom of the Church, of whom we may justly say, either as the Apostle doth, they have a show of piety, 
2. Tim. 3. ●  but have denied the power thereof, or else serve him for bread and water, wool and flax, oil and drink, corn, 
Hos. 2. ●  wine, 
Hose. 2.5. etc.  gold, silver, etc. as the idolaters did their Idols in Hosea his time: or at the best, as our Saviour himself saith out of Isaiah, touching the age in which he lived: This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, 
Mat. 15.8.  and honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me? By all which we may not only clearly behold the truth of our first sentence, in both the parts of it affirmative and negative, but may further see and learn, that it is very apparent, that we have many ways given the Lord just cause not only to exclaim, or complain of us, as in some of the Prophets he doth touching the nation of the jews, saying, O my people, what have I done unto thee? 
Micah. 6.3. Esay. 5.4.  or wherein have I grieved thee? And again, what could I have done any more to my vineyard, that I have not done unto it? but also as it is in another Prophet, to write a bill of divorcement, to put it into our hands, and to cast us off, even for ever and ever, we are then carefully to consider, what is now to be done this dung of our iniquities being cast in our faces, our sins also being thus set in order before us: and the fierce wrath of the Lord being so justly & sharply also kindled against us. Shall we persist and hold on in a course of evil? So Satan in his malice against us would suggest, that is not to be doubted. And so wicked ones would teach us, both by their persuasion and practice, as the Apostle showeth, saying: 
Rom. 6.1  Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Yea it may be the corruption and naughtiness of nature would easily yield to it, as to a point pleasant to flesh and blood. But this and all such like wicked conceits and assaults, from whence, or from whom soever they come, we must cast far from us, and speedily and unfeignedly return unto the Lord, who graciously calleth us, saying: 
Ezech. 18.30, 31.  Return and cause others to turn away from all your transgressions: presently after showing, how and in what sort we should come unto him: Cast away from you all your transgressions whereby ye have transgressed, and make you a new heart, and a new spirit, for why will you die, O house of Israel? which also Saint james expresseth notably, saying: Submit yourselves to God, resist the devil, and he will fly from you. Draw near to God, 
jam. 4.7.8.  and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands ye sinners, and purge your hearts ye double minded men, etc. But herein always we must take heed of, and according to our uttermost, seek to avoid two dangerous, yea deadly rocks. The first is delay and putting off from time to time, which as in other things, so here is very perilous. Which also the holy Ghost insinuateth, by stirring us up, whilst it is called to day, 
Hebr. 3.7.  to hearken unto his voice, and assayeth to cause us more plainly to understand it, whilst in another place he provoketh us, to redeem the season, because the days are evil. 
Ephes. 5.16. john. 12 35.  And Christ very earnestly presseth it, saying: walk whilst ye have the light, adding thereto for a better encouragement this reason, lest the darkness come upon you, and very perspicuously in another place of that Gospel mentioning the like, saying: 
john. 9.4.  the night cometh when no man can work. All which plainly bewrayeth our strong inclination to this great evil, and how hard a thing it is to recover us therefrom; otherwise it had been sufficient, by a word and away to assayed to reclaim us. The second is a conceit which we have, that God's great holiness, and our gross iniquities, will well stand together, men many times supposing that God either doth not regard things, or sin done upon the earth: or hareth them not, as is pretended he doth: or cannot, or will not punish according unto demerit. But if we knew the truth of God, as it is contained in the scriptures of God, and how mightily there and else where, it opposeth itself against the same, we would quickly alter our mind. What? Shall not he that hath planted the ear, 
Psal. 94.9.10.  hear? or he that hath form the eye, shall he not see? or he that chastiseth the nations, shall he not correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, shall he not know? 
Psal. 5.4.  Again: God loveth not wickedness, neither shall evil dwell with him. Nay which is more: 
Habba. 1.13.  He is of pure eyes, and cannot see evil, or behold wickedness. And in another place: In the hand of the Lord is a cup, 
Psal. 75.8.  and the wine is red: it is full mixed, and he poureth out of the same: Surely all the wicked of the earth shall wring it out, and drink the dregs thereof: All which we must acknowledge, unless we will with the Atheists blasphemously deny God to be, or with the Epicures grossly suppose him to fit idly in heaven: or with the profane, carnal, and careless, presume of his mercy before hand. But this we must assure ourselves of, that if we foster these & such like conceits within us, as the wicked continually carry about with them, it cannot be avoided, but living their life, we must die their death, and that as we have been fellows with them, and followers of them in their transgressions, so also we must become partakers with them in their punishment. Which if we would be sure indeed to avoid, we must carefully do that that Saint james earnestly provoketh us unto, namely: To be doers of the word, 
jam. 1.22  and not hearers only, deceiving our own selves and others also: and to labour to have our hearing mixed with faith, which because the people in former time had not regard of, 
Hebr. 4.2.  that which they heard profited them not, as the Apostle showeth in the Epistle to the Hebrews. For your help therefore (dear Christians) that way, and furtherance in other good works also, there cometh out now, and is published in print, this worthy work and godly treatise following. Concerning which, I will say no more but this, that if you will read it reverently as you should, labour rightly to understand it as ye ought, and endeavour religiously to practise it in all the parts of it, as in duty and conscience you are bound, you shall find, not only a gracious redress of those things that either in times past have been, or presently are amiss in you, but also feel, a preventing power, of and against future evils: yea I dare assure you in the word, not of man, but of God, that you shall be carried along by the hand in the spirit, 
Rom. 7.22.  to delight in the law of God, as in regard of your inward man, and to be enabled by the mighty working of the same blessed spirit, 
Rom. 7.15.  no more to do that evil which you hate, but to accomplish those good things which you unfeignedly love: that so being filled with the fruits of righteousness & religion, 
Philip. 1.11  which are by jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God, you may even here in your hearts continually feel, and else where, in the life that is to come, particularly and comfortably also hear, that sweet sentence from our Saviour Christ's own mouth: 
Mat. 25.34.  Come ye blessed of my father, take the inheritance of the kingdom prepared for you, from the foundation of the world. What shall I say more? What am I able to do else? 
Phil. 2.13.  It is God that must work in you both the will and the deed according to his good pleasure. For my part, I can but exhort you to well doing: I can but pray for you, that you may begin, continue and increase in the same. In these duties I have not been wanting according to such measure of mercy, 
Hebr. 13.22  as I have received from God. It lieth in you, that have been blessed from him, with the first fruits of the spirit, and the beginnings of regeneration, not only to suffer with patience the words of exhortation, but to profit by them. And God it is that of his free favour only towards us in Christ, must grant the requests and desires of his servants. Wherein surely he will not fail us, 
Hebr. 13.20 21.  if we be not wanting to him & to ourselves. Now I beseech even him that is the God of peace, and that brought again from the dead our Lord jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant, to make you perfect in all good works to do his will, be working in you that which is pleasant in his sight, through jesus Christ, to whom be praise for ever and ever. London the xii. of December. 1599   

The Book or Treaty itself, and the sum thereof: Touching- hearing of Sermons.  

CHAP. 1. And the sum of it.  

THat it is a point of great skill, not only to make Sermons, but also rightly and religiously to hear them. Pag. 1  
How great art or skill is required to make Sermons. ibid.  
Again, to hear them well, and with profit, is a point of no small skill and labour. 2  
The hearers duty 

Before the Sermon.  
In the Sermon while.  
And after the Sermon.   3    

CHAP. 2. And the sum of it.  

TOuching the hearers duty before the Sermon. 4  
That men's minds must with great religion and devotion be disposed and prepared to the hearing of God's word. ibid.  
That this preparation to that exercise, is in the Prophets called sanctification or sanctifying. 7  
That this sanctification or sanctifying, doth require that all impediments of it or to it, should above all things (even as they were corrupting causes) be removed and taken away. 8  
Of this sort and kind are.  
1 Surfeiting and gulling in of wine and strong drink, the day before the Sermon. ibid.  
A remedy set against that impediment. 11  
2 Too much care for present or worldly things. 12  
The remedy thereof. 13  
3 An imagination of some singular knowledge in God's word: and that men may at home read the Bible, or some certain Postals. 14  
The remedy against it. ibid.  
4 Schismatical and partial choice of Preachers or ministers of the word. 18  
The remedy against it, where also there is mention made, 20  
Of the inequality of gifts in the Church, and in the ministery. 23  
5 Hatred against the ministers and ministery. 27  
The remedy, where also is declared with how great hazard of eternal salvation this hatred is joined. 28  
6 The largeness of parish Churches 34  
The remedy. 35  
7 The security of the old & carnal man. 40  
1 The remedy, or, remedies rather against it 42  
2 The master or father of the family must not go alone to the holy assemblies of the Church, but must be attended upon, or accompanied, with his familiy, & those of his household. 42  
The duty of those that must call upon others to go to Sermons. 

Neighbours. 43  
Elders. 44  
Magistrates. ibid.    
3 That every hearer whiles the bells ring, and by the way as they go to Church, must be occupied with religious & holy meditations. 45  
Causes compelling as it were men to the diligent hearing & study of God's holy word. 46. 47  
4 Men must at home read before hand, and diligently think upon the text that is to be expounded in the Church. 50  
A Christian man's duty in reading the Bible. 51  
5 The bearer must pour out prayers for 

the Preacher. 55  
himself. 56      

CHAP. 3. And the sum thereof.  

TOuching the hearers duty in the Sermon time, & that in the holy assemblies also. 57  
This duty standeth principally in these points,  
1 That such as are learned & can read, have the holy Bible always in a readiness. 58  
What commodities this custom will bring with it.  
2 That all of them be present, not at half the Sermon only, but at the whole. 65  
3 That sleep, talking together, and curiosity be far removed and driven away. 63  
Remedies against sleep in the holy sermon time 65  
Also against talking together. 66  
Also against curiosity. 68  
Also against reading other things in the Sermon time. 70  
4 That the whole drift and body of the whole Sermon be diligently observed & marked. 71  
5 That men's minds be free from prejudice and preconceived opinions. 74  
What great hurt, pertinacy in prejudicate opinions may bring to the truth. 76  
6 That men be present with a mind to learn, and not to dispute and reason against things delivered. 77  
After what sort, & how far forth the Church may judge touching sermons made or heard. 79  
7 That hard things propounded in Sermons should not breed loathsomeness or tediousness, but a desire rather more and more to search out the points themselves. 81  
Why God in some places of his word, here and there doth intermingle hard points. 82  
The searching out of holy things, doth freely and indifferently belong to all men. 85  
8 That hearers must know & observe the 

method of the sermons. 86  
sorts or kinds of them. 87    
How the ministers may and should be holpers forward of their hearers, as in this behalf. 89  
9 That the things heard, must be converted to the exercises of faith, prayer, repentance, etc. 90  
That this may be done? both the ministers must be truly touched, whilst they are preaching, and the hearers must be transformed into the affections of the ministers. 91  
10 That if happily the Sermon be somewhat long, yet they think it not tedious or troublesome to them. 93  
11 That parents, schoolmasters, and elders do every one of them in the sermon while, diligently observe them that are under their charge. 96  
12 That scholars be accustomed by writing to take Sermons. ibid.  
What great profit, & sundry commodities, this writing of Sermons carrieth with it. ibid.    

CHAP. 4. And the sum of it.  

Touching the hearers duty after the sermon. 100  
1 Men must not go out of the Church before all the parts of gods worship & service be ended. 101  
Wherefore the whole Church indeed should be present at the 

Public prayers. 102  
Administration of Baptis. 105  
Celebration of the holy sup. 107  
catechizing of children. 110  
Blessing of the congregation. 113    
2 Things heard in Sermons, must at home be deeply thought of. 114  
3 Household governors and schoolmasters must demand of them that belong unto them, repetition of the Sermons. 116  
4 Every one must godlily confer by the way as they go homeward, in their talks, and at their tables touching the Sermons heard. 121  
The profits that come by such conferences. 122  
chrysostom will have the Sermons heard to be communicated to them that were not present at holy assemblies and exercises. 123  
5 No worldly businesses are upon the Lord's day to be taken in hand after we have heard sermons, but they must be wholly spent in heavenvly things, and in private exercises also. 125  
What worldly businesses, and at what time also worldly businesses may without sin be dealt withal on the Lord's day. 130  
6 That either the ministry, or other that are skilful in holy matters must be counseled withal touching points that are dark, or not sufficiently understood. 132  
7 That according to the sermons heard men must make a censuring & an anatomy of themselves. 135  
8 That parents, schoolmasters, & elders, must correct the offences and 'scapes of such as are committed to their charge, according to sermons made, touching such offences. 137  
The conclusion of this treatise. 138     

CHAP. 1 It is a matter of much skill, not only to make, but to hear Sermons well.  
NO man that will well consider of, and uprightly weigh, 
What great skill is requited to make Sermons.  the things that hitherto have been delivered, will, or can doubt, but that it is a point of excellent skill, to preach with fruit in the public assemblies of the Church: for a man to fetch out of that most large sea (and which indeed can never be drawn dry) of holy divinity, matters that may be fitly applied to the point and business that is propounded; and to take no more but such as are indeed profitable and necessary for the true edification of the Church: and when he hath thus found them out in a sit & meet method, well and orderly to digest and dispose them, as may best serve for spiritual profit, and having disposed them well and readily out of the holy chair or pulpit, to render them, and then and there, before a public and solemn assembly of the Church with present courage, and a tongue that doth not stut or stammer, to speak & utter them: and with such countenance, habit and action or gesture of the whole body, to  and deck his speech, and to cause it to become as it were lively, that so, not only delight, fit and convenient for holy things and place, may be yielded unto all men, but also that all things may be performed, even with a certain demonstration and evidence of spiritual power: & that they may not be spoken only, but taught also: yea and not taught alone, but the hearers may be affected therewith, and their minds bowed to obedience: all these things (I say) a man cannot causelessly doubt of, whether they require more skill and cunning in the word of God, or more judgement, wit, wisdom, eloquence, courage and aptness, in them that shall teach and deliver the same.  
But yet withal we must know, that it is a point of no mean or common skill and pain also, 
It is no small cunning to hear them well.  to hear holy Sermons well. Of which howsoever some men may doubt, and the thing itself may to many seem very strange, specially at the first blush, and the rather because it is not usually propounded or heard, yet will I assay to say somewhat, and to prove it also, because the order and course of this present work and treaty craveth and calleth for the performance of it.  
Now because to make Sermons, and to hear them, are (as we say in schools) relatives, that is, the one importing and implying the other: and because as all men know it is no easy matter to perform that high duty well, here being required to the doing of it before they come to it, preparation, reading, meditation, prayer and sundry such like: and beside faithful performance of it, with many other things when they have accomplished that duty, any man that hath but a crumb of sound judgement, may hereby plainly perceive, that many excellent duties are required also in hearing of Sermons, wherein me thinks these three following, are principally to be respected, showing indeed what he is to do.  

1 Before the Sermon.  
2 Secondly in the very Sermon time. 
The sum of this book.   
3 And lastly after he hath heard the Sermon.   

CHAP. 2. Touching the duty of the hearers before the Sermon.  

Man's minds are with great religion to be framed and set to hearing of Sermons.  THE very heathen themselves, did in former time so reverently and uncorruptedly esteem of, come unto, & perform their idolatrous services & worships, that they ever took it to be a very wicked thing, to touch them, as it were, or to handle them with unwashen hands. Whereupon grew that proverb amongst them, with unwashen hands, so often as they would signify, that men repaired to, or dealt in some holy thing, or matter otherwise of great moment, irreligiously, negligently, or unprovidedly, as we say. How much more then, both in hearing Sermons, & also in handling of the holy word of God, as likewise both in administering, and in using holy things, and God's service especially; shall we have just cause to think that we have need of, as much religion, reverence, and devotion of mind, as we can attain to, that so we may the better prepare and dispose ourselves, to so holy and heavenvly things, in which consisteth the only top, as I may say of our felicity and chief good; and the better take heed to, and keep our foot, when we shall go to the house of our God: as Solomon admonisheth us in the book of the Preacher, chap. 4. vers. 17. for in this case whether we consider that most holy and most excellent majesty of almighty God, which treateth with us, and speaketh unto us, 
Psal. 18.7 joh. 15.15.  at the presence whereof even the mountains tremble, and in whose sight not the heavens themselves verily, no nor the Angels indeed are clean: or regard the height and the excellency of those heavenly things, which in the holy assemblies and meetings of the Church are performed, and at which all our senses cannot but fail, and the very eyes of our minds wax dim, which the Apostle meaneth (as I take it) in his first Epistle to the Corinthians: 
1. Corin. 2.9.  or respect that exceeding great misery corruption, yea nullity, which through our nature cleaveth unto us, of which the Apostle saith: 
2. Cor. 3.5.  Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God: or weigh the most high Gods unmeasurable goodness, mercy, and gentleness, which openeth his most holy mouth unto us, 
Isay. 54.10.  and vouchsafeth to make with us a covenant of grace and salvation, not disdaining that our exceeding misery and unworthiness: or in a pair of just scales uprightly balance, how much it presently behoveth us, and hereafter shall be beneficial for us, rightly to handle such great matters, and well to perform them for God's glory, and the salvation of our souls, I say, all or any of these things well considered, it cannot otherwise be, (sure I am it should not otherwise be) but that we should go to the holy assemblies and meetings, not with snails paces, that is, creepingly and slowly, but with wide and large steps, as those that go upon stilts, and to come to them, and to be present and conversant in them: not having our hands and our garments washed only, but our minds & our hearts also, 
jam. 4.8.  as Saint james saith: Cleanse your hands ye sinners, and purge your hearts ye double minded men, and so draw near to God, and he will draw near to you▪ Considering and remembering, that in this case especially, that common saying must be true: Touch not holy things with unwashen hands. From whence also it cometh to pass (as we see) that so often as either prophets or godly kings among the people of God, did call together either their household servants and families, or the priests, or the whole people, either to hear God's word, or to offer up sacrifices, or to entreat God, when common calamities were at hand, they exact, demand and call for nothing more than sanctification, cleansing and preparation thereto: 
Places proving that preparation or sanctification should go before the word.  as in many places of the scriptures, examples touching this point present themselves unto us. Amongst others see, Gen. 35. vers. 2. Exod. 19.10. 1. Sam. 16.5. 2. Chro. 15.12. 2. Chro. 29.5. joel. 2.15.16.  
Hear we are to mark, that this one word of sanctifying, or sanctification comprehendeth under it all that duty, which a godly hearer (that should prepare and fit himself, to the saving hearing of God's word) ought to bring with him: yet because that is very large, I will for more perspicuity and plainness sake, more straightly aim at those things, and more particularly put them down, which are comprehended under this term of sanctification, as also what things are contrary thereto, and indeed should be removed and amended, For so by one and the self same labour, it shall manifestly appear, that not only the very hearing of holy Sermons, but that preparation also, to that saving & healthful healing is not some light labour, as sundry suppose, but a matter of very great skill, industry & travel.  
For even as in the brittle & frail things of this world, there is almost nothing that is not stopped as it were, with certain his own lets & hindrances, for the removing whereof men must especially labour and toil, lest both the thing itself, and all the fruit and profit of it, even whilst it is green (as we say) perish and come to nothing: so to the hearing of God's word, and to the performance of God's worship, the most great, grievous and hurtful difficulties of all others are objected and set against the same, yea shackles, and more than iron setters, which either altogether banish and withhold men from holy assemblies, or else verily so snare and keep their hearts in thrall, that they make them that are present, absent, and rather shadows of men than men, & in the holy places of praierleave them (we may more truly say it) living images, in stead of those deaf, dumb & dead pictures that were wont to be there before. But these lets & obstacles must first of all be removed. And though by the things which have already been spoken, a man may easily conjecture and conceive that they are of two sorts: yet because for the most part they come together, as if it were in troops, I will one after one rehearse them, & withal declare the remedies of them.  
On the day therefore before the Sermons, as also at other times, 
Surfeiting must be avoided.  yea continually, men must abstain from drunken feasts and gulling in of wine: likewise in the morning before the Sermons, they must abstain from  wine, which in some places a man may see ready to be sold either at the gates and entrances into the Church, or very nigh to Churches. On the other side, it is meet carefully to strive unto sobriety and temperance, which a man may not unproperly call, the perpetual fast or abstinence of Christians: for surfeiting in meat, 
A reason.  drink or otherwise, as also the fullness of the former days wine, either toeth men wholly to their beds and chambers, and so draweth, yea driveth them away from holy assemblies: or else in them causeth them to do nothing but sin. This we may assure ourselves of, that drunkenness and surfeiting take from men reason, and the use of understanding, in which consisteth the chiefest duty of man's reasonable soul. Whereupon the prophet Hosea pronounceth: That wine & new wine or strong drink take away the heart. 
Hose. 4.11.  Wherefore that utterly taketh away the serious meditation and thought of God's word, his works and judgements, (whether they be mercies or miseries and afflictions) yea it removeth the meditation of everlasting life: which thing also Isaiah observed, when unto them that were given over, to continual quaffing & drinking, and were mighty to drink wine, and strong to mingle things which would make men drunk, he ascribeth this, that they regard not the Lords work, nor consider or behold the work of his hands, 
Esay. 11.24  but despise the law of the Lord of hosts, and contemn the word of the holy one of Israel. With which agreeth that which our Saviour Christ telleth us, 
Luke. 21.34.  when he affirmeth: That by surfeiting and drunkenness, men's hearts are become heavy and oppressed: so that they are not able to rise up to the contemplation and beholding of heavenly things, that so they might delight in God (who is that chief and eternal good) and in the sight and sense of his eternal salvation; than which what can be spoken or thought more grievous; or that is or can be more hurtful to man's salvation, or more estranged from the end, to which he was created? Whereupon Saint Paul also dehorting Christians from drunkenness, doth by a certain opposition set, as directly contrary one of them to another: the spirit of wine, and the spirit of the Lord, as also the effects of drunkenness, and of God's spirit: and on the other side exhorting men to the effects, fruits, or works of the holy ghost, and even unto those exercises also, which should be performed in the holy assemblies of the Church, dissuadeth them from drunkenness, 
Ephes. 5.17 18.  as a most present infection and destruction of them all, saying: Be not unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine wherein is excess, but be fulfilled with the spirit, speaking mutually among yourselves, in Psalms & Hymns & spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks always for all things unto God the father, in the name of our Lord jesus Christ.  
It shall not therefore be besides the purpose, 
Remedies against the hindrance or let of surfeiting.  if, as at all times generally, so particularly the day before the Sermon, and chiefly before the Lord's day, men do utterly and altogether abstain from more long, and intemperate feasts and banquets: yea if by some law and authority of the magistrate, wine-sellers and victuallers be forbidden, that the day before the Lord's day, they should but for a certain time and space set them, sell wine or victuals to any: and the like to be laid upon them also in the Sermon while except, 
An exception.  notwithstanding it be to women in childbirth, and to sick persons, for by this same very law, strangers and travelers also should be bound & restrained: and so every man might come soberly, and well prepared to the sober meditation of God's word, and the performance of the whole worship and service of God: even as Saint Peter also will have us to be sober and watching unto prayer. 1. Peter. 4.7.  
Secondly men must before hand purge and empty their hearts from cares, 
Too much care of present things.  and from the uncertain things of this world, that so they may be made able to receive holy & heavenly things: and before they go out of their houses, they must as it were bind them together in a bundle, and if not altogether cast them away, yet for a time lay them aside, & leave them at home. For in worldly affairs & endeavours, it continually almost fareth with us, as one well said: be that bendeth himself to many things shall have his senses less busied about some one. And again Our hearts are such, as they cannot at one time admit two divers cares. 
A double reason.  much less can we handle well, and as we should, worldly & heavenly things together, as well by reason of the excellency of heavenly & holy things, and the baseness of earthly matters: as also because not only of the great diversity, but also of the contrariety and repugnancy, that is betwixt them: for cares, heavinesses, and the riches of this life, 
Luke. 8.14.  are those thorns which cheake up the seed of God's word, that it cannot bring forth his fruit. 
〈◊〉. 8.7.  And the wisdom of the flesh is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.  
How much better therefore were it in this behalf for Christians, 
Remedy against excessive care.  to imitate that same Crates of Thebes? who cast his goods into the sea, because he supposed that by them he should be pulled back from the study of philosophy, saying: I had rather lose them, than that they should destroy me, or cast me away: 
A reason.  for how great folly and blindness is it, so to embrace and college the mutable, uncertain, and brittle things of this life, (yea such as have adjoined unto them infinite vexations and troubles) as that a man will prefer them before the hearing and study of God's word, yea & before such things, as are sure and stable, and do bring with them, to them that have them, perfect both pleasure and blessedness? which what is it else, but after the example of our first parents, 
Gen. 2. & 3. Chap.  for an apple, to leave Paradise, and the same not earthly but heavenly? and as Esau, to sell our birthright, & the privilege of the first borne for bread & pottage of lentils? 
Gen. 25.34. Num. 11.5.  and more highly with the Israelites to esteem the garlic & onions of Egypt, than that holy land of Canaan? And with the prodigal son, to choose rather to feed with the shells and busks for hogs, than in his father's house, 
Luke. 15.16  plentifully and daintily to eat the meat of Angels? And more eagerly to desire the filthy and infamous pleasures of the Sodomites, than leaving them to follow Gods holy calling, even to everlasting life?  
Thirdly there are some also found, when some singular (I cannot say persuasion but) imagination of learning and knowledge in God's word, 
Singular conceit of knowledge.  withholdeth from the bounds and borders of the Church, and from hearing of God's word. And herein they do the more foster and feed themselves, because they have the holy Bible at home in their houses, and some one or other postil, as also other profitable books, by the reading of which they can profit more (as they suppose) than by frequenting the Church: yea they fear not to boast, that they themselves better know and understand the holy things of God, than the public preacher or minister of God's holy word.  
But for the removing of this obstacle or let, and for the right settling of a man's self, 
Remedies against conceit of knowledge.  to the hearing of holy Sermons, men must again and again, think upon that speech of Christ, wherein he saith: That you ought to have done, and not to have omitted the either: For both of them are enjoined and commanded us from God. 
Math. 23.23  And how often are the holy assemblies of the Church commended unto us, both by God's commandment, and also by holy men's examples, which examples have as it were the force of precepts? As that in the Temple of the Lord, all his people speaketh of his glory: That they declare the Lords name in Zion, 
Sentences. Psalm. 29.9. Psal. 102.21▪ 22. Psal. 149.1. Math. 13.43 Revel. 2.11. Luke. 16.29. Hebr. 10.25  and his praise in jerusalem, when the people shall be gathered together, and the kingdoms to serve the Lord: That the Lords praise is in the congregation of saints: That he that hath ears to hear, aught to hear: That men should hear Moses and the Prophets: And that we should not forsake, our assemblies & Churches, as the manner of some is. 
Examples.  And with what great knowledge of heavenly matters and mysteries was that kingly Prophet David furnished? Yet he affirmeth, 
Psal. 122.1.  that he rejoiced when it was said unto him, we will go into the house of the Lord. And being driven into banishment, he earnestly and heartily bewailed this, that he could not safely be present at the holy meetings and assemblies of the people. Priscilla indeed and Aquila being man and wife, 
Psal. 42.4 Psal. 84.4.5. Acts. 18.36  made such good proceed in the way of God, that they did more exactly instruct in the way of God, a man well instructed before in the way of the Lord, and a very eloquent man, to whom also the Apostle beareth witness, that he watered in the Church, Apollo's by name: 
1. Cor. 3.6.  and yet notwithstanding they heard him publicly speaking in the Synagogue. And how often both in the Acts of the Apostles, and in the first epistle to the Corinthians, is there mention made of the public assemblies of the Church. 
A reason.  For the public preaching of God's word hath many peculiar privileges and pre-eminences, that the private reading thereof hath not, in regard of which, that in many respects, and by many degrees is worthily to be preferred before this. For in the ecclesiastical assemblies & Sermons, through the gift of prophesy or interpretation, both common places of Christian doctrine, and also the articles of faith and religion, are discussed and compared one with an other: more dark and hard points, are made plain, by more clear and easy: Contrarieties, if there be any (as sometimes in show there be) are reconciled; objections against the truth are confuted and answered: the doctrine of the holy scriptures is applied to the present places, times, persons, and condition of things, and that for the instruction of all & every one of them, in sound faith and holy life: which hardly the hundred person shall perform, though he can read very well, or be endued with a persuasion of greater knowledge than others. Besides, the lively voice of the teacher, is more effectual and piercing than books, which are but as dumb schoolmasters or teachers: as one Papias in Eusebius saith, 
Euseb. histo. eccle. lib. 3. cap. 36.  & witnesseth of himself: I persuaded myself I could not get so much profit by books, as from the lively voice: Lastly the public assemblies of the Church, and the things that by calling upon Christ's name, or according to his will and power, are performed in them, have singular promises of God's presence, grace and blessing: For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, 
joel. 2.32. Rom. 10.13.14.15.  shall be saved. But how shall they call upon him, in whom they have not believed: and how shall they believe in him, of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? therefore faith is by hearing, & hearing by the word of God, as the Apostle Paul testifieth, Rom. 10. vers. 17. And Christ himself saith: 
Mat. 18, 19.20.  If two of you shall on earth agree upon any thing, whatsoever they shall desire, it shallbe given them of my father which is in heaven: for where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. And what meaneth Christ else, when he marketh his sheep or his elect, with this note, that they hear his voice. john. 10.27.  
Other some there are, who are bewitched, by a certain partial, or rather schismatical choice, 
Partial, or rather schismatical respect of ministers.  which they make of ministers, and are not only nice and coy, or wanton, as we would say, but fall to open contempt, or carelessness: which then falleth out, when sundry are established in the ministery of some one certain Church or City, and ariseth either from a certain naughty and corrupted affection, or from the difference, and diversity of God's gifts, which appear to be in them. Now if they know or learn, that such a one ordinarily doth preach, 
What manner of preachers men do for the most part like of.  whom either they themselves do not affect or favour, or who will not flatter them, nor yield unto their affections, nor cannot, he will not tickle their ears, with a certain smooth kind of speech, either by pleasant histories & tales, compiled and fetched from profane authors, as if they were like tingling brass and no better, then do they, even as it were for the nonce, and of set purpose withdraw themselves from the holy assemblies, & withhold themselves from Sermons. But that shall befall such hearers, as fell upon that wicked king of Israel, Ahab: of whom, when jehoshaphat the godly king of judah demanded, whether there were not besides those four hundred prophets of Baal, yet any other prophet of the Lord, of whom they might inquire and take counsel, touching their war against Ramoth-Gilead, answered, 
1. King. 22.7.8.  there is yet one man (to wit Micaiah the prophet) but I hate him, because he doth not prophesy good unto me but evil: or else it shall betide them, as it did to Felix & his wife Drusilla, who desired to hear Paul a prisoner at Caesarea, to preach unto them: 
Act. 24.25.  But when Paul disputed of righteousness, and temperance, and of the judgement to come, Felix being afraid and trembling, answered: now go thy way for this time, and when I have convenient time, I will call for thee again. For whereas Felix in the government of that province, did many things tyrannously, & had greater regard to gain, than to justice: and whereas Drusilla, who was a Jewess, was contrary to God's law, married to an uncircumcised man, and so became a filthy adulteress: Paul in a certain kind of grave wisdom, which yet had joined with it great liberty of speech, reasoneth & disputeth principally of such things, which he knew to be wanting in his hearers. But when this song pleased them not, they enjoin Paul to be silent, and send him packing from them, feigning that some other time, if it shall be sit and seasonable for them, they will call him again, and hear him more at large concerning those points. But as for them that in hearing of Sermons, & in choice of the ministers of the word, do by a certain profane and carnal levity seek nothing else, but either a certain pleasing of their ears, or a spending of them, they shall have the same, that that Herod Antipas had, to whom when Pilate commanded Christ to be led captive, 
Luke. 23.8.  he greatly rejoiced, seeing that having a long season desired to see Christ, he thought now good occasion was given him, that he might both feed his eyes, and delight his mind with certain new miracles, and such as before were never seen; no otherwise, than if he had gotten some juggler or Enchanter, that would show him some pleasant sight. Which thing, when such Herodian, profane, curious, careless and idle hearers, cannot obtain of Christ and his faithful ministers, they nothing at all regard them, and do not only with most wicked scoffs & scorns deride them, but clothing them with a certain scornful kind of attire or apparel, and loading them with all manner of scoffs, they openly produce and traduce them to be derided of all.  
But Saint Paul (which also is of great force, to break & cut in sunder this Gordian knot, not with Alexander's sword, 
The remedy.  but with the two edged sword of God's word) did in the Church of Corinth sharply reprove this, 
Heb. 4.12.  that being led thereunto by a certain lightness of mind & carnal affection, some did hang upon one doctor, some upon another, & so enviously preferring one before another, they brought in dissensions, 
1. Cor. 3.3.4.  and schisms into that Church: not that they, whom he named, fostered & maintained dissensions among themselves, or taught contrary things one to another, but because the Corinthians themselves did consider of & esteem, either certain conditions of those their ministers or their unequal gifts and graces, and so became diversly affected one of them towards another. Which thing he declareth, is done unjustly & without cause, whilst amongst themselves, the teachers agreed in soundness & purity of doctrine: for it was an absurd thing to divide, & as it were to cut in pieces Christ himself, 
A reason.  who is our only master, as he himself saith, Mat. 23.8 & the only head of the church, & that by professing, 
Ephes. 1.22.  following & esteeming other masters & teachers besides Christ. Furthermore, it is convenient, that from him alone we should both take our name & profess him, who hath purchased us with his blood, & also hath Lordship, 
Act. 20.28.  power and authority over us, into whose name likewise we have been baptized, & have again given him our names also. And because the false Apostles, as ambitious teachers did in the Church of Corinth, affect the commendation and praise of eloquence and wisdom: and on the other side traduced Paul, for using in his Sermons, a certain base and contemptible kind of speech: he therefore showeth that both the kind, and the style of the doctrine of the gospel, 
2. Cor. 2.1.  did much differ from philosophical sort of speaking, and from the wisdom of the world. And this he doth least the power and worthiness of the gospel, might by this means wax vile, & the glory of it be ascribed rather to the art, excellency & eloquence of speech, than to the virtue & power of Christ, & whilst men rather give ear to pleasant words, and attend the colours & paintings of speech more than the matters themselves, and seek the tickling and delight of the ears the very kernel and marrow (as I may say) of true doctrine should be neglected. The place itself lieth thus in the first Epistle to the Corinthians, It hath been declared unto me (my brethren) touching you, 
1. Cor. 1.11.12. etc.  by them that are of the house of Cloe, that there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am Paul's, and I am Apollies, and I am Cephas, and I am Christ's, Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? either were ye baptized into the name of Paul? And a little after, Christ sent me not to baptize, 
1. Cor. 1.17.  but to preach the gospel, and yet not with skill or wisdom of speech and words, lest Christ's cross (that is to say, the doctrine of the Gospel touching Christ's cross) should be made of none effect: And so on forward, as followeth in the same place. And because he would have them the more often and the better to think of this admonition, he repeateth it again in the third Chapter. vers. 3.4. etc.  
As for the difference and inequality of the gifts which appear to be in the ministers of the Church, 
Touching the inequality of gifts in the Church, & in the ministery.  as they should not rend the ministery in pieces, or disgrace it, so should it not bring forth the one or the other, in the Church & hearers, but rather should join them together, with the more strong give of Christian charity, and be a greater ornament unto them. 
A reason.  For even as the very ministers of the Church themselves, should not be proud, because they have more excellent and greater gifts than other (for what have they that they have not received? And if they have received it, why do they beast of it, as if they had not received it? 
2. Cor. 4.7 ) neither contemn those that are inferior unto them, neither on the other side, those that are inferiors, and have received meaner or fewer graces, should envy them: even so should the hearers or the Church, not so indeed admire, love, reverence, and extol some to the skies, that they should contemn other some, 
A similitude  and so despise their very ministery, that they will withdraw themselves even from their Sermons: for as there are in the one and the self same ground and garden, many and divers kinds of herbs, which differ one from another in colour, savour, sent, form, greatness and excellency, and yet they are so far off from bringing forth any confusion & deformity, that with this trim & fine variety, as if it were with a garment of divers colours, they either adorn, or else make more pleasant & sweet the said ground or garden. Again that diverse difference that is betwixt musical voices; 
Another similitude.  that manifold variety of strings, which is in instruments of music; the great diversity that is in the sounds of pipes, flutes and trumpets: these very things I say, are they, which at the last beautify and adorn music, whether it be by the voice, or upon instrument, and by their wonderful harmony singing together, concord and consent, do both please men's ears and affect their hearts. There is therefore altogether the very same consideration of the diversity of gifts in the 
A reason.  ministers of the Church, & of the very Church itself: for it standeth us not in hand so much to consider what is given either unto him only, whom we so much admire & esteem, 
〈◊〉. 1.17.  or to ourselves, as to observe also other men's gifts and graces: knowing this, that no man hath any thing of himself, but that God alone, 
1. Cor. 14.26  is the author & giver of all good things: and that the end of all his gifts, is the edification of the Church: for in this case God passeth by no man, 
Notable sentences.  but though he disposeth of his own graces in an unlike measure, some having more, some having less, yet he giveth to every one so much as may suffice both to obtain salvation, and exercise and execute his office and function. Wherefore, though one man have many graces that another wanteth: yet that other hath some graces which he lacketh, and for which graces sake, his ministery should not, 
Illustration by particulars.  or cannot be contemned. One it may be hath pleasant speech, & tickleth the ears with a certain sweet falling or composition of words, yet perhaps he sticketh or else wandereth up & down, but in the bark or chip as I may say; not piercing to the kernel & marrow of those matters, which that other (who pleaseth not men's ears) well performeth. This man by gravity weight and abundance of matter, supplieth want of smooth words: In which the other exceedeth and excelleth, by a certain flood as it were of eloquence. This man's speech or sayings only swim as it were in the upper part of the ears, but smite not or wound not the heart. The other on the other side, fasteneth darts & stings in men's hearts, and leaveth them sticking there: one is powerful in publishing the doctrine of the Gospel, in proclaiming the promises thereof for the raising up of distressed consciences: another is mighty in thundering out the commandments and threatenings of the law, to cause secure & careless men, to shake off that drowsiness into which they are fallen. Some one is more lively and forcible in public Sermons and preaching: another hath more might & force in private conference, and the practice of ecclesiastical discipline: And so on in the rest. Wherefore in every one of them even those which we accounted the meanest, we must acknowledge and reverence the gifts of God. 
A conclusion. Luke. 10.16.  For the contempt of any minister, is the contempt of God himself. Neither should men stand upon, or stay themselves in those outward pleasant enticements, 
The subject of teaching & hearing.  paintings, and colourable deceits of words, speech and gesture, but look to the pith and substance of the matter itself, and in public Sermons, to seek or search after nothing save Christ, and the matter of our salvation in him. And this besides the hearers should remember, that it may easily fall out, that in taking upon them to judge of the ministers of the word, they may quickly be deceived, and that they are carried thereto, not so much by sound judgement, as by carnal and fleshly affections, yea, and that so far also, that he whom they smally esteem, shall happily be much better, in doctrine, gifts and graces, that are very fit and necessary for the edification of the Church. 
Hatred of the ministers & ministery.   
Furthermore many there be which boil and burn with so great hatred against the ministers of the Church, that they cannot endure either to come to their Sermons, or else though they be at them, 
Act. 7▪ 55.58.  they hear and receive all things with provoked & unjust minds no otherwise certainly affected than were the jews at Steuens speech: they fret in their hearts, they gnash upon them with their teeth, and stop their ears, and out of the holy assemblies, they bark at, and bite as it were with the very teeth of dogs, all that their ministers have spoken in their Sermons, yea and many times, slander, and that with no less than devilish malice; all that the ministers say: yea and spread abroad such things touching their Sermons, as never came into the ministers minds, much less into their mourns.  
But these men sin, and indeed are injurious against, not the ministers only and their persons, 
The remedies.  which perhaps may be esteemed to be of no great regard, but against God himself the author of the ministery, and in whose name they exercise and execute their embassage, yea, which is more, 
2. Cor. 5.20.  they sin against their own salvation, not well weighing, what and how great and excellent graces God doth vouchsafe to bestow upon them by the ministery of the Church: for if they did so, they would in this behalf sanctify themselves, and would by God's grace, utterly pull up out of their hearts, this fiery dart of Satan, and so the better prepare themselves, 
Ephe. 6.16.  to the diligent and healthful hearing of God's holy word. For when the Israelites had forsaken Samuel, and desired to have a king, as other nations, and Samuel was somewhat grieved and a little displeased, as in that behalf, God assaying to comfort him against so great contempt and injury, saith unto him: They have not despised thee, 
1 Sam. 8.7.  but they have despised me, that I should not reign over them: And Christ saith unto his Apostles: He that heareth you, heareth me: and he that rejecteth you, rejecteth me, 
Luke. 10.16 john. 13.22.  and he that rejecteth me, rejecteth him that sent me: with which things also consent Saint Paul's words, who affirmeth, that the Apostles and all the lawful ministers of God's word, 
2. Cor. 5.20.  do exercise an embassage in Christ's name, even as if God did entreat men by them, and that whosoever rejecteth their doctrine, doth not reject man, 
1. Thes. 4.8.  but God himself. In our tongue we have a common proverb, by which we are willed to bow our knees and to bend to that tree, that yieldeth us shadow, what then should we as in this respect do to the Church ministery, by which God dispenseth unto us, those most excellent mysteries of eternal salvation, and yieldeth us shadow and refreshing, yea a true and an assured haven, against the heat and tempest of everlasting damnation, and the fire of hell, and showeth and setteth out unto us, all our distemperature of body and soul: so that if we would rightly esteem and weigh well together, the graces which by the ministery, are bestowed upon us from God, & compare them with all the carnal duties of this world, 
See. 1. Cor. 9.11. Rom. 15.27. Gal. 6.6.  & with the kindnesses & benefits which at any time can proceed from godly hearers, to their ministers, we shall find that they are of little or no account at all. In which respect also indeed it is, that the holy Ghost doth so often exhort the Church, to the love, reverence, honour, and all duties of kindness towards the ministery, as we may see. 1. Tim. 5.17. 1. Thess. 5.13. Heb. 13.17, Gal. 6.6. And as concerning the Galatians, 
Gal. 4.14.  he doth indeed to their singular and immortal praise and glory, say of them, That they received him as an Angel of God, yea as jesus Christ himself, and if it had been possible, that having pulled out their eyes, they would have given him them.  

With how great hazard of eternal salvation, the contempt of the ministery is joined.  Wherefore certainly we must conclude thus, that that same cruel contempt and hatred of the ministry & ministers of the word (which in very many places, is even by children, sucked in, and instilled together with their mother's milk) is not at any hand to be esteemed so small a matter, as it is at this day commonly accounted for play and sport: but rather that it is a notorious and cruel wily shift of Satan, by which he setteth upon, and annoyeth not so much the ministers, as the hearers. For because he seethe, like a false forger and accuser as he is, that this would be too gross and palpable: and therefore frustrate and in vain also, 
Satan's subtlety.  if he should go roundly and openly to work and council men to hate and contemn God's word, and to neglect their own salvation, he assayeth by underminings, sleights and subtleties, as sly as Sinon's were, to perform this matter, & therefore suggesteth unto men the contempt & hatred of the Church & of the ministery of the word, 
Fit similitudes.  and of salvation, & laboureth to breathe this as a certain hellish poison indeed into men's hearts, and here, as if he had already gotten the victory, triumpheth, as he that knoweth this well, that the very ministery of reconciliation, 
2. Cor. 5.19.  and eternal life, shall altogether be accounted of, according as the ministers themselves are esteemed: which stratagem or subtle practice of the devil, if men's minds were well and thoroughly acquainted therewith, it is not to be doubted, but that many in this behalf at the least would make war with him, and against themselves, that so they might free themselves from so great hatred of their ministers: for though they, that in the ministery of the word, are become ministers to some Church or congregation, should be overtaken with some infirmities, yea vices, if you will, yet should the people be wise to distinguish between their persons, and that office which in the Lord is committed unto them, 
Godly wisdom.  and at the least should pursue that with due good will and reverence. Or if, by reason of the ministers duty (in which sometimes they more freely reprove people's sins) they should find some matter of a more bitter root, rising up in their hearts, or springing out therein, they should think, that the fault remaineth rather in themselves, than in their ministers, and should be displeased, rather with themselves than with their teachers. Yea, they should beside think with themselves, that such reproofs, though they be grievous and tedious to the flesh, are yet notwithstanding healthful medicines and strong defences, that they should not be overtaken by Satan, nor deceived by the world, 
1. joh. 5.1. Gal. 6.8.  that wholly lieth in wickedness, and so of the flesh reap corruption, yea destruction: yea they should remember, that open rebuke is better than secret love: and again, that the words of a lover are faithful, and the kisses of an enemy are deceitful, as the Lord saith by Solomon, Prou, 27. vers. 4.5.  
In greater parishes, and larger congregations, 
The greatness or largeness of parish assemblies.  both because such Churches are divided and dispersed in many places, into many towns and villages, many on the Lords days are hindered from hearing of the word of God: and also by reason of the badness of the weather, the ways likewise unto their parish Churches being sometimes troublesome and tedious (the wearisomeness whereof either they will not endure and swallow up, or else sometimes cannot) they are let therefrom, either by old age, or by sickness, or by care of small children, and household business etc. 
Very aged people, and sick persons respected.  All which though I deny not, but that they are certain impediments, yet are they not sufficient to excuse men's daily negligence, in hearing of God's word, unless it be for the most part in very old people, and in such as lie sick, in and upon their beds.  
In this case, how much more hard law, 
The remedies.  did the Lord in times past lay upon the people of the jews, 
Exod. 23.17. Exod. 34.23 24.  whom he would have to appear before the Lord, three times every year, by far longer journeys, by much more unseasonableness of weather, greater dangers & causes, and far greater hazard of their worldly wealth, yea, 
Deut. 12.11 18.  and every one to bring their whole family with them, and that in jerusaelem, as if it were, in the chief or only parish Church: and that not with empty hands (as perhaps covetous hearts would persuade them) but with the offerings of their hands, as God had blessed all or any of them? And least to hinder them in this work, they might pretend loss of their goods (which to very many of them indeed, if men would speak according to flesh & blood, could not be little or small) or specially the invasions, & spoils that their enemies might make, all the men meeting as it were in one place, and the land, left as it were naked of all help and defence, God meeteth with this colour or fear, or certain danger if you will, promising that he will so work, that not any of their enemies shall so much as covet their land, 
Exo. 34.34.  much less assault their empty houses and countries, whilst they go up, that they may appear those three times in the year before the Lord. Yea so far forth certainly, did God mean to teach and testify unto us, that we should not need to fear any disprofit or loss to come to ourselves, families or substance, whilst for God's service sake we are constrained to be absent from our houses, or rather willingly leave them for a time. As for the jews, they are such careful observers of this law, that even joseph and Marie with jesus their son, 
Examples.  of twelve years old, came up to jerusalem, 
Luke. 2.42.  according to the custom and manner of the feast. And the jews also, within their captivities and sundry exiles, remained dispersed far and wide here and there in the lands of the heathen; and they likewise which of the Gentiles, by their labour and travail, had embraced the jewish religion, did at jerusalem frequent those feasts of the jews. As for example are those religious persons, 
Act. 2.5.  that came every one of them out of the places where they dwelled, out of every nation under heaven to jerusalem, and abode there on the feast of Pentecost. And the Eunuch also, a chief governor under Candaces the Queen. 
Act. 8.27.  So certainly the Queen of Sheba came to jerusalem with a very great company and with Camels which bore sweet odours, and gold, 
1. King. 10.1.2. etc.  exceeding much, and precious stones, to talk with that most wife king Solomon, and to hear his wisdom. Which example Christ himself allegeth against the contemners of Gods holy word saying: 
Mat. 12.42. Luke. 11.31  The Queen of the South shall rise in judgement with the men of this generation, and shall condemn them, because she came from the uttermost parts of the earth, to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold a greater than Solomon is here. So a great troop, 
Mat. 8.1. john. 6.1.2 etc.  out of diverse and sundry places of Galilee, leaving all their businesses at home, flock unto Christ, and remain with him full three days together, 
Mat. 15.32.  enduring also great hunger, either because all the things which they had brought with them from home, were consumed, or else because they brought no victual with them, which falleth often forth in such sudden and tumultuary meetings. But Christ willingly, and of his own accord regarded them, and miraculously, fed them, least feeling want, and lack of things necessary, for the sustentation of the body, they might have cause, or pretend colour of fearing, even from the very hearing of God's word. Wherefore the better we would have, either our household matters or private affairs provided for, 
A conclusion  we must so much the more diligently attend the study and exercises of God's word, and so much the more cheerfully prepare ourselves, to every journey of our short life, that so we may have the more liberty and freedom to hear God's word. Al we confess, that our life is our pilgrimage, and that the days of it are few and evil, 
Gen. 47.9.  and we have not, we cannot attain unto the years of the life of nor fathers: And yet we lay up for this brittle course, as if we had many years to run. Whereas we know, that man liveth not by bread only, 
Deu. 8.3 Mat. 4.4. Pro. 10.22.  but by every word that cometh out of the mouth of God: And again, the blessing of the Lord maketh rich: Wherefore we should first seek the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, & then all these things (which we stand in need of for meat, drink cloth, etc. 
Mat. 6.33. Psal. 127.2. ) should be given unto us: otherwise it is in vain for us, to rise up early, to sit, and to eat the bread of sorrows.  
But if mothers, wives, or other of the household, 
What wives mothers, & others of the family that cannot come, must do.  cannot safely sometimes by reason of their household businesses, and attendance of infants upon the Lords days, come unto their parish Churches, yet they must endeavour, that turn by turn, as it were, upon the next Lord's day, in greater companies, they be present at the Sermons, & must at home demand repetitions of such Sermons, as they themselves were absent from, and yet some of the family heard the same. Besides, such as are of great age, and full of years, 
What old persons must do.  must very diligently repair unto such Sermons as in the week time are made, in the several villages or hamlets of their parishes. And as for those, that long and sore sicknesses tie as it were to their beds, or keep in their houses, 
What sick persons must do.  they must provide to call home unto them, so often as need shall require, the ministers of the Church, to instruct, & comfort them. They must also send out their children to be instructed in learning, at the least wise, to schools of our mother tongue (which are almost at every man's door) that they may also use their help, in reading over the blessed Bible, and other profitable books, if either grievous diseases be upon them, or extreme old age approach unto them. And whilst their years last, so to apply themselves to the hearing, learning, and speaking of God's word, that from thence they may fetch aid, against old age shall come, and pleasant comfort to themselves, against all days of danger or distress.  
But the greatest let of all, & which alone doth for the most part comprehend all the former: 
Carnal security.  and by which men are either utterly withheld from hearing God's word, or certainly very many of them hear it with no fruit at all, is that same natural or carnal man, 
1. Cor. 2.14.  even that same old Adam, which lieth dead, and as it were buried in security, impenitency, and the perverse desires of this world, as if it were in a certain most deep and dead sleep: for because that God (who speaketh with us by the preaching of his word) is exceeding justice, holiness and purity, and will at no hand communicate himself, & those his most excellent, and heavenly mysteries of salvation, with the secure, impenitent, and hogs of Epicures heard, neither will manifest unto them, or set before them to be tasted of, that hidden wisdom of his word, 
Rom. 1.28.  but giveth them up rather into a reprobate mind, void of all judgement blindeth their eyes, and hardeneth their hearts, 
john. 12.40 Esay. 6.9.  lest they should see with their eyes, or understand with their hearts, and so might be converted and healed, as God in his word threateneth them. Again, God himself together with that healthful wisdom of his word, 
Wisd. ●. 2.3 etc.  is found of them that tempt him not, and discovereth himself unto them that distrust him not, for perverse thoughts separate from God, & his power, when it is tried, reproveth the unwise, for wisdom shall not enter into a wicked soul, nor dwell in a body that is subject unto sin. For the holy spirit of discipline flieth from that that is forged, & withdraweth itself from foolish thoughts, and then is known, when iniquity cometh. 
Repentance what.  Therefore in this true repentance (which is busied in and manifested by hatred, and forsaking of sin on the one side, and in earnest desire of godliness and righteousness on the other side, principally standeth that sanctification, unto which God (as in the beginning of this Chapter, we have already declared) by the prophets exhorteth his people, so often as he calleth them, to public assemblies to hear his word and to worship him. To which also pertaineth that worthy precept of Solomon: 
Eccle. 4.17.  Take heed to thy foot, when thou shalt go into the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools, etc.  
And thus far touching the impediments and lets, in removing of which (as if it were in causes corrupting other) it behoveth a Christian man, to stray & labour, lest otherwise he be either altogether beaten back from hearing of God's word: or else in the holy assemblies of the Church, resemble at the best, a dease and dead image.  

The father or master must come to the holy assemblies, accompanied with his household.  Wherefore these impediments and hindrances being first removed, a godly father of a family, or master of a household, must not then think that he hath well discharged his duty, if either himself come alone to hear Sermons, or send out into the Church from amongst his servants, some youth or other, who is as yet of small proof or judgement, as we see it sometimes practised, whereby the magistrates ordinances and decrees, fathers and masters are commanded to send at the least some one of their families, to the weekly Sermons, or those that are made upon some days in the week. Which, what is it else, than pleasantly as it were to scorn both God himself, & the godly laws of Christian magistrates? Nay rather good household governors, as fathers, masters etc. 
Haba. 2.4  should have great care of the salvation of all & of every one of their household: knowing that the just must live, not by another man's, but, 
Rom. 14.12.  by his own faith: and that every one of us must yield an account to God himself, and the things that he hath done in the flesh. And therefore he must bring with him his family, to the Sermons or preachings of Gods holy word. And if any by reason of their domestical affairs, or other urgent businesses, cannot be present at a Sermon, they must endeavour, in greater troops and companies, to be present at the next Sermons. But what mean I, to speak of the family or household only? 
The neighbour must invite his neighbour to the public assemblies of the Church.  Every faithful man should both by his example and voice, invite his neighbours and other men, to those spiritual tables, and heavenly banquets of Gods holy word. Even as Isaiah, describing the desires of the people of God, which should be manifested under the kingdom of Christ, ascribeth this unto them, both that they should in great troops gather themselves to Christ's kingdom, and also should mutually exhort and provoke one another thereto, saying: Come ye and let us go up unto the mountain of the Lord, 
Esay. 2.3.  unto the house of the God of jacob, and he shall teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths. The like study, and the very self same zeal, both in flocking together, and also in inviting one another unto holy assemblies, did Zachariah foretell should be likewise in the new Testament: and he addeth withal, 
Zach. 8.21. john. 1.43.47.  that those that were invited should answer, I will go also. And so did Philip and Andrew invite Nathaniel, and Simon to come unto Christ, whom they had found before. So joseph and Mary brought with them to jerusalem, to the feast of the Passeover there, jesus their son, 
Luke. ●. 42.  when he was twelve years old. 
Church elder or officers.  Specially this is the duty of the elders of the Church, to provoke their neighbours (sith the overlooking and care of them is committed unto them) to diligent frequenting of holy assemblies. Which also the magistrate himself should do, 
Magistrates.  & that not only by publishing laws and decrees, but chiefly above the rest, by his own example. As Eusebius lib. 4. de vita Constans. Cap. 17. & 33. reporteth touching Constantine the Emperor, that in the Church when it was assembled, he even taking the books into his hands, began the contemplation of the holy scriptures, made prayers with the whole assembly of the Church, and being in the midst of the Sermons, admonished, exhorted, etc. he would not sit.  
But if any Christian man be ready to go to ecclesiastical assemblies, 
Every Christian man, as he goeth to the Temple, aught to be occupied with religious thoughts.  he must in the third place, even again and again think upon this, to what end now he would go thither, and what things he is there to do. For even as the Kings and Princes of this world, are by trumpets and drums wont to give signs, when and how often, they would have their courtiers come together, to eat meat: So when we hear the bells ring, we should think, that a sign is given us, 
1. Tim. 6.15  by which the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, calleth his family and household, to his spiritual banquets and heavenly table, being ready to satisfy and refresh their hungry fainting and sick souls, with that most sweet food, and immortal drink of his holy word. And therefore being quick, 
1. Pet. 3.4.  frequent, and cheerful, and adorned with that inward man, and being washed and trimmed, we should with as much delight at the least, if not more, come to these spiritual things, even as courtiers carry with them, when they are to sit down and eat at their prince's tables. We should therefore think, that we are about to go to the house of the God of jacob, that we might pray before the Lord, & seek the Lord of hosts, even as the faithful do provoke one another, 
Zach. 8.21.  in the prophet Zachariah: the meaning is, that we should set ourselves, in the sight and presence of Gods most holy and excellent majesty, and should hear this our God speaking with us by the mouth of his minister and and ambassador, and that by his own word, concerning his will both towards us, and touching us: and again, that we ourselves should speak with this great God, as with our most mercicifull father, and yield him thanks for the benefits that he hath bestowed upon us, and unburden and power out our necessities into his bosom, and that we should not be in the temple, as it were certain dumb and deaf images or pictures. For as Augustine saith: Thy prayer is a familiar speech and talk with God, 
August. in Psal. 8 5.  when thou readest (or hearest) God's word, God speaketh unto thee, when thou prayest, thou speakest with God: Yea we should think upon the ends why God hath created & redeemed man, which is his own glory, and that we should set forth his praise, 
Esa. 43.7.21 1. Pet. 2.9.  who hath called us out of darkness into his wonderful light. And we should also think upon and remember, the means, by which we may attain and come to this end: namely, that according to Christ's counsel, commandment and rule, we should first seek the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, that is to say, the righteousness of faith, and of good works, 
Mat. 6.33.  which double righteousness is set out unto us in the Law and the Gospel: from whence also it is manifest, that for the seeking or searching after this, we had need also to search the scriptures, and to hear Moses and the prophets, 
john. 5.39. Luke. 16.29 2. Pet. 1.19,  and to attend that most sure word of the prophets: yea we must way and consider thoroughly the causes, that should justly provoke and stir us up to the diligent hearing of God's holy word. Amongst which, God's most sharp and severe commandment, doth not without cause obtain the first place, who himself from heaven crieth and saith touching Christ: This is my well beloved son, 
Mat. 17.5. Luke. 16.29 Coloss. 3.16. 1. Pet. 1.19.  in whom I am well pleased, hear him: and will have us to hear Moses and the prophets, and to have the word of Christ dwell in us plenteously, with all wisdom, and to take heed to the most sure word of prophecy, as unto a light or candle that shineth in a dark place, 
jam. 1.21.  & with meekness to receive the word that is grafted in us, which is able to save our souls. Next, that this is the last end both of our creation & of our redemption to acknowledge God our creator and redeemer, according to his word manifested by the Prophets & Apostles, yea by his own son, & that we should glorify him both in this, and the life to come, as hath been already said.  
Thirdly, that our salvation, and indred our very chief good and felicity standeth principally in this, to obtain the right knowledge of God out of his word, 
1. Pet. 1.23.  and to be borne again, not by mortal or corruptible seed, but by immortal, even the word of God which endureth for ever. For in his word hath almighty God set out unto us remedies against our sins, and everlasting condemnation, and that through his son manifested in the flesh. By the same word he worketh faith in us, 
1. Tim. 3.16 Heb. 11.6. Rom. 14.17.  without which it is impossible to please God.  
Fourthly, we have not in this very valley of tears and miseries, and in the midst of so many and great, both spiritual and bodily enemies, any sure succour, and sound or lively comfort against distrust and desperation, but from God's word. And this is it that David saith, Except thy law had been my delights, I should now have perished in mine affliction: And again: 
Psa. 119. ●●  This is my comfort in mine affliction, that thy word hath quickened me. 
Psal 119.53  And jeremiah the prophet speaking unto God saith, know that for thy sake I suffer rebuke. 
jere. 15.15 16.  O Lord, thy words have been found, and I did eat them, and thy word was unto me for joy, even for the joy of my heart. 
Esay. 50. 1●.  Whereupon also it is that Isaiah saith: Who is he among you that feareth the Lod? Let him hear the voice of his servant. He that hath walked in darkness, & had not light, let him hope in the name of the Lord, & stay upon his God. Fiftly, that God's word is the only square & rule of all God's worship, whether it be inward or outward. For in this case, it is not at any hand lawful for us, 
Num. 15. 3●  to look after our own heart and after our own eyes, that we should go a whoring after them: neither to do that which seemeth right in our own eyes, neither to departed from all the words which the lord hath commanded us either to the right hand or to the left, neither to add any thing to that word, 
Deut. 12.8. Deut. 28.14 Deut. 4.2.  nor to take any thing from it. Lastly, that we cannot in the whole course of our life & calling, be at any hand assured & certified of the presence, favour, & blessing of God with us & upon us, unless his word be a lantern unto our feet, 
Psal. 119.105.  & a light unto our paths, for it is not an idle or empty word, which God witnesseth unto us, but it is our life, and by this word we shall prolong our days. These meditations (I say) and thoughts, while we hear the bells ring, while we prepare ourselves to go on to holy assemblies, or else even in those ways as we go, are that excellent preparation, and quickening or rousing up of ourselves, and sanctification, that so we should not come to the hearing of Gods shord with unwashen hands, but our hearts should be disposed and fitted indeed to true reverence and devotion.  
To the former three above mentioned, this must be added in the fourth place, 
Deut. 32.47 The Text that must be expounded in the Church, must first be read at home, and thought upon there.  namely, that he who taketh true delight and pleasure in God's word, must (if he be any whit learned) before he come to the holy assembly, sundry times read, yea and read over again and again, either the Chapter or the Text of the Bible, which are to be expounded in the holy meeting (which will easily appear to every one upon the Sabbath days, by the ordinary Texts which then are commonly expounded, & in the Sermons, which are had and handled on the week days, out of some whole book of scripture, that is expounded in order, as it lieth) yea and he must by himself assay what he can do, in searching out the argument of that text, the parts, doctrines, use, 
No man should be discouraged in his wants.  and other things that are contained therein. Now these private meditations, though performed rudely and grossly; if yet a diligent hearer will compare them with the public preaching or Sermon, he shall with small ado at the least find out, either in what things he did not sufficiently attain unto the purpose of the holy Ghost, or aimed not rightly at the drift thereof. And if in any thing he did stick in his private meditation, he shall perceive light communicated unto him, and a hand reached out to lead him. And if by endeavour and earnestness, he do once overcome the first difficulty of this holy, godly, and wholesome exercise, he shall make such good proceed in the skill, both of reading the holy Bible, and of hearing holy Sermons, that the matter itself will make plain proof of this, 
A notable encouragement.  that the fruit shall notably answer the labour bestowed, and that he shall inwardly rejoice for so great good gotten thereby.  
This very same counsel we read, that chrysostom also in former time, did give unto his Church at Constantinople: for thus he writeth upon john. One thing for the present, 
Chrysost. in evan. johan. hom. 10.  before we come to the words of the Gospel, I would entreat you, yea I pray you despise it not, specially sith we desire nothing that is grievous or hard to be done, neither profitable, but to him only that receiveth it, and yet far more profitable to you that show it forth. What is it then, that we require of you? That upon some one of the days in the week, or upon the Sabbath at the least, you would have regard to read such portions of the Gospel, 
The hearer's duties.  as are to be expounded, which you should have in your hands before our preachings, and should often repeat in your houses, and should diligently search out the meaning thereof, and mark what is clear, and what is dark in them, as also what seemeth to be contrary, when indeed it is not. And so having thoroughly examined and weighed all things, you should present yourselves very attentive to these Sermons. 
The fruit that shall come thereby.  By this means no small fruit and profit should come to either of us: For as touching ourselves we should not need to use much labour, to show forth the power of the Gospel, when you yourselves have at home made familiar unto you, the sense and meaning, specially as in respect of the words. And you shall be made more sharp, and quicker conceited, not only to hear and perceive the doctrine, but even to teach others also. 
A Christian man's duty in reading of the Bible  Thus far he.  
And indeed the duty of a Christian man, doth not consist in hearing public Sermons only; but requireth also private reading of God's word at home: and that not only, when we are presently to go unto the Temple or Church, 
Psal. 1.2.  but we must meditate day and night in the law of the Lord, from which kind of study and exercise a blessed man is described. Yea we must afford ourselves some time and leisure from our affairs and cares of this life, that we may give ourselves to this heavenly and wholesome exercise, knowing that this one thing is very necessary. 
Luke. 10.42  Neither must we stay only in the reading of those Chapters or Texts, which are expounded in the assembly and meeting of the Church: For the whole scripture is given by inspiration from God, & is profitable to teach, to convince. 
2. Tim. 3.16  etc. And therefore our Saviour Christ commandeth us to search the scripture, 
john. 5 39  or rather giveth this testimony to the jews, that they did search them. And the Apostle Paul commandeth, 
Col. 3.16.  that the word of Christ should plenteously in all wisdom dwell on us, or in our houses, to wit, by daily reading and exercise thereof, we teaching & admonishing one of us another out of it, or according thereto. Which study and care indeed Luke doth highly set out and commend in the men of Berrhea. 
Act. 17.11.  And truly upon the very same place to the Colossians lately alleged, chrysostom commenteth and writeth after this manner. 
Chrysost. in Epist. ad Coloss. hom. 9  Hear (saith he) all you that are temporal men, and have charge of wives and children, how even to you particularly and principally he commandeth this, that ye should read the scriptures, and that not simply, or by the way as we say, but with great diligence. And a little after. O all ye secular men, 
Commendation of the scriptures.  hear I beseech you: Get you Bibles: they are the medicines of your souls. If you will have nothing else, yet get the new Testament, the Acts of the Apostles, the Gospels, continual and diligent teachers. If heaviness betid you, come and sit down here, and take and taste these things, as a storehouse of sovereign medicines. From hence take unto thyself comfort against thine evil and afflicton▪ whether damage come unto thee, or death, or the loss of thy household things. Yea sit not down here only, 
A notable sentence.  but turn again & again▪ yea try all things, and contain them in thy mind. This certainly is the cause of all evil, that men are ignorant of the scriptures: we enter into the battle: without armour & weapons, & how can we then be kept safe? Those that are armed, are commonly preserved and become conquerors, the unarmed or naked are not so. And Saint Jerome in his epistle to Celantia (which entreateth of the institution or instruction of the mother of a family) concerning this very kind of exercise writeth thus: 
Hierom ad Celant.  So think upon the keeping of thyself at home within doors, that yet thou mayest give some refreshing and liberty to thy soul. Choose to thyself a fit place, and such a one as may be somewhat removed from the noise of the family, into which, thou shalt do well to withdraw thyself, as into a haven, from the manifold tempests of worldly cares, and mayst by the quietness and closeness of the secret place, still and pacify such waves of thy thoughts, as from without are raised up. Have thou there such great study and care to read God's word, so many turns and courses of prayers, and so firm & strait thought concerning things to come, that thou ma●st by this vacation and relaxation easily recompense all the businesses of the rest of the time. And touching this notable & incomparable profit, which men may get by private reading of the holy scriptures, very excellently doth Augustine dispute in a certain Sermon of his, where among other things he writeth thus. 
August. serde stud. sapien. & medit. legis Dei.  He that will be always with God, must pray, often and read often: for when we pray we ourselves talk with God▪ but when we read, God talketh or speaketh with us. The reading of holy scripture, yieldeth us a double grace, both because it instructeth the understanding of the mind, and also because man by that means, being drawn from the vanities of the world, it leadeth him to the love of God. The labour of reading is honest, and profiteth much to the purging or cleansing of the heart. For even as by fleshly food, the flesh is nourished: so by God's word the inward man is nourished and fed, to all good in this life which causeth the Psalmist to say. 
Psal. 119.103,  How sweet are thy word: unto my mouth? yea more sweet than the honey or honey comb.  
There remaineth yet one point more, amongst such things as belong to preparation, 
The hearer must power forth prayers.  and is very fit to cause men profitably to hear sermons, which though it be kept to the last place, must yet notwithstanding principally here be stood upon, and that is touching pouring forth or making of prayers to almighty God: 
1. Cor. 2.16.  The natural man indeed perceiveth not the things which belong to the spirit of God, for they are foolish unto him, neither can be know them. 
Mat. 16.17.  Again, flesh and blood revealeth not this unto us, that Christ is the son of the living God, 
Pro. 2.6.  but our heavenly father. He giveth wisdom, and out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. Wherefore, here men had need to make prayers, both for the preacher himself, and also every one of the hearers for themselves.  
The Church is bound to pray unto God, 
Prayer for the ministers of the word.  as on the behalf of their preacher, that he by his grace and spirit would in such sort govern his understanding, memory, heart, mind and mouth, that he may be able to feed and refresh their hungry & sick souls, with the sound sincere, and uncorrupted food of the word, 
1. Pet. 2.2.  and that he may deliver the same, with such readiness, cheerfulness, fitness, gravity and grace, that all this his whole embassage may be indeed the ministery of reconciliation and life, by which God may gain them, 
2. Cor. 5.18.  and many other to himself, even to eternal life. So doth the Apostle Paul desire the prayers of the Ephesians for him: That utterance might be given him, 
Ephes. 6.19.  to the opening of his month with liberty, that so he might make known the secret of the Gospel, whereof he was an ambassador in bonds, that thereof he might speak boldly as he ought to speak. And the same thing doth he request of the Church of the Colossians, namely, that they would pray for him, 
Coloss. 4.3  that God would open unto him the door of utterance, that he might speak the mystery of Christ.  
And for himself every one should pray, that God would more and more vouchsafe to enlighten his understanding, 
Prayer for the hearer.  and to soften his will and heart, that so he may grow in the knowledge of his heavenly doctrine, may lay hold of it by a true faith, and may turn the same into the daily and wholesome exercises of prayer and repentance. So doth David pray: 
Psal. 25.4.5  Make me to know thy ways O Lord, teach me thy paths. Cause me to walk by thy truth, and teach thou me, for thou art the God of my salvation. And again in another Psalm: 
Psal. 119.10  I have sought thee with my whole heart, let me not stray from thy commandments. Open thou mine eyes, and so I shall behold the wonderful things of thy law. Make me to understand the way of thy precepts, and I will meditate in thy wondrous works. Teach me O Lord, the way of thy statutes, and I will keep it unto the end. 
Luke. 17.5.  So the Apostles prayed, O Lord increase our faith. And chrysostom putteth down such a form of prayer, concerning this matter, when thou preparest thyself to sit (saith he) or to read, 
Chrysost. hom. de patien. & consume. huius saeculi.  or to hear another man speak, first pray unto God and say: Lord jesus Christ open mine eyes, and the ears of my heart, that they may hear thy word, and understand the same, and perform thy will. O Lord, because I am a stranger upon this earth, 
Psal. 119.18.19.  hide not thy commandments from me: but open thou mine eyes, and I shall consider the wonderful things of thy law: for in thee have I trusted O my God, that thou wouldst enlighten my heart.   

CHAP. 3. Concerning the hearers duty in the Sermon while, and in the holy assemblies of the Church.  
THe things, that in the former chapter have been spoken, 
The sum. and scope of the former chapter.  touching the hearers duty before the Sermon, do all and every one of them respect this point, that men's minds may be sanctified & prepared to the right and wholesome hearing of God's holy word, as likewise, that both snares & scruples, which hinder men in that behalf might be taken away, and also that men's hearts being furnished with necessary meditations & exercises before hand (sorting in nature the rest that they are to be acquainted withal) they might be brought into this wrestling place, & come to this exercise more prepared, and departed from it more profitably. But of all these things belonging to preparation, we may not without cause say, as we are wont to speak: He that beginneth well hath attained half the work.  
Now we will bring out hearer, as it were upon the Theatre, or into the open view & sight of the Church, and will furnish him with such laws & instructions, as which if he bring with him and practise there, he shall never come thither, but he shall departed better learned, and more blessed, before God, & in himself also.  
For first, let none that hath any learning, specially Citizens and townsmen, 
Such as can read must always have their Bible's ready.  enter into the holy place of prayer and preaching, but besides the book of Psalms, which are sung in the Church, let them have always in a readiness the holy Bible, that so they may with the whole Church, in their voices & singing, both praise God, 
Psal. 47.5.7. Psal. 119.54.171. Ephes. 5.19. Col. 3.16.  and call upon him (which part of God's worship indeed, the holy Ghost requireth of all the faithful, as appeareth by the places quoted in the margin) & also the better turn over & hearken unto that chapter or those chapters of the Bible, which upon the Lords days especially in the ordinary reading of the Bible are wont & aught to be read, as those texts likewise, which are expounded in the Sermons. Furthermore, they must at the least note with some mark, such testimonies & texts of scripture also, as in the Sermon time are alleged, and were either not known before, or not understood, as they should have been; or else in which they marked some special point, that so they may more diligently meditate upon them at home, & cause them to become more familiar to them. And that this was usual amongst Christians in the ancenit Church, may from hence plainly be gathered out of Augustine, who writing unto Jerome, 
August. ad Hieron. epist. 19  telleth him of a certain Bishop, who was almost cast or pulled out of the pulpit, because that in expounding a place of the prophet jonas, he swerved somewhat from the words of the common translation. For from whence could the Church or people so quickly smell out this, unless some of them at the least, if not very many had in their hands, and in a readiness (as we may say) the blessed Bible book, and had looked upon the text, which was read and expounded unto them? And this custom of bringing their holy Bibles with them, 
divers uses of bringing Bibles to Church.  will manifest in them no mean or common argument, both of excellent zeal towards the word of God, and also of a mind, that is very desirous to profit in that truth of God, which bringeth salvation. Neither can it but cause that to take deep root in them, which by one and the self same labour of two of our most noble senses, that is, by the help of hearing and seeing, is conveyed to the mind. Also by this means all suspicion, that men might conceive of, or against their preachers and teachers, for or concerning the corrupting of the word (whether it fall out in reading of it, or in alleging texts of scripture not rightly, or not dealing so faithfully with them, as were fit, adding at their pleasure something, or taking away, as they will, I say by this means all that shall vanish away. As we hear them that are unlearned, and seldom or never use the blessed Bible, sometimes to blatter out such bad matter, & to complain without a cause, which also we read one Sabbatius, a Bishop of the Novatian heretics, in former time to have practised, who reading this text of the Gospel: 
Luke. 22.1.  Now the feast of unleavened bread (which is called the Passeover) drew near, addeth such things of his own, as were neither ever any where written, or heard at any time, namely this: Cursed is every one that keepeth the Passeover without unleavened bread: 
Socrat. lib. 7 hist. eccle. cap. 5.  and that by this falsification, those more simple Novatian heretics, that were of the common people, were carried away from the faith. Socrates witnesseth it in his ecclesiastical history. Such a like thing also doth Sozomenus rehearse in his ecclesiastical history touching one Tryphillus Bishop of Lodre, who in a solemn assembly of Bishops being to allege that saying of our Saviour Christ, Take up thy bed and walk, he changed the word, 
john. 5.8.  and used another that signified, a very low and base bed; for which things sake, 
Sozom. lib. 1. hist. eccle. cap. 11.  Spiridion did openly reprove him, as Sozomenus writeth. Wherefore the ministers of the Church, shall be made much more diligent & heedy also, in making of their Sermons, and in alleging texts and testimonies of scripture, if they know, that there are some that will toss up and down, and bring to the scales such things as they shall utter and deliver to the people.  
Secondly, men must strive, yea every one must strive, 
Eeuery man must be present at the whole Sermon.  to be present at the whole Sermon, and all the parts & pieces of it. For we see a very wicked custom to have prevailed very far in many Churches, that in the Sermon while, the people do continually gad in and out, and run up and down, some packing away in the midst of the Sermons, or after the Gospel is read, as they use to speak. But I would gladly know, what zeal there can be in such giantlike and barbarous confusion? or what desire to learn and profit? or what fruit can ensue thereupon? for how can it ever come to pass, that that doctrine should be understood, 
A reason.  which is not hearkened unto, or known from the beginning to the end, and that with as great attention of mind, and intention, as may be? How shall any man attain the drift of a Sermon, or keep himself within any such bounds, as in hearing of Sermons he should observe, which hath not heard the text, 
A caution or exception.  (that is to be publicly expounded) attentively read, and hath not sundry times called back his senses and thoughts thereto? I cannot but confess, that very old people, and women great with child, whom sometimes swooning, or bad health doth upon the sudden trouble, do justly deserve as in this behalf to be excused, as also other women, whom care for their young children, and some special regard of household business, may now and then either make more slow in coming, or call away before the time of the full finishing of the exercise. But these being excepted, I see that many Churches and congregations want that ancient discipline of the Church, whose overseers and watchmen, seniors or elders should be, whom also they should have placed in every several congregation, and that not in name only, but indeed to accomplish and perform the duty also: for so we read it decreed and provided for by the 24 Canon of the fourth Council of Carthage, which also is cited in the Canon law de consecrat. dist. 8. 
Concil. Cart. 4. Can. ●4. de consec. Dist. 8. Concil. Age. Can. 32.  Let him that goeth out of the auditory, when the minister is speaking in the congregation, be excommunicated: and in the council of Agathen it was decreed, that people should not presume to goout of the temples before priests or ministers had blessed the congregation. But what great zeal, yea what fervency God's people had in former time, the examples following, will plainly declare and prove.  
Thirdly, sleep, talking and speech with other men, 
Sleep, talk or speech, and curiosity must avant.  curiosity or the reading of other books, must utterly departed in the holy Sermon time, and the eyes and ears of every one must be attended to the mouth of the minister, who in the name of God exerciseth an embassage, and all things there must be received with hungry appetites, and as it were greedy minds. For so were the ears of all the people, attended and bend to the book of the law, 
Examples.  when Ezra from the very morning even until noon, did in the presence of men and women, 
Nahem. 8.3.  and such as understood, from a pulpit of wood read the same. So great companies approached unto Christ, with a desire to hear God's word, 
Luke. 5.1. Luke. 1 2.1.  in so much that they pressed one upon an other, yea and trade one upon another. So the multitude did with one accord give heed unto those things which Philip spoke, 
Act. 8.6.  when he preached Christ in the City of Samaria. Cornelius the Centurion (when being warned by Oracle from God, he called Peter unto him, that from him he might hear such things, as by which he and all his household might be saved) showed forth a very earnest and ready mind both to hear and learn, saying unto Peter: 
Act. 10.33.  Now therefore all we are here in the presence of God, that we may hear all things which are commanded thee from God. 
1. Pet. 2.2.  This indeed is that sincere milk of the word, which as new borne babes we should desire, that we might grow up thereby. Where by a fit and fine similitude, the desire to hear God's word, and to profit by it, is aptly compared with the desire of infants, by which they desire their mother's milk and breast, which in them we know certainly is very great. The exhortation also of jesus the son of Syrach, serveth to this purpose, & is delivered in these terms: Willingly hearken to all godly speech, 
Eccle. 6.36.37 38  and let not the hidden speeches of wisdom escape thee. If thou seest a man of understanding in the morning, make haste unto him, and let thy feet wear the steps of his doors. Do thou perfectly weigh the Lords precepts, and meditate his commandments continually. He shall establish thy heart, and the desire of wisdom shall be given to thee. As for those drowsy and dull hearers of Gods holy word, 
Against sleepy and drowsy hearers of the word.  with which we see the holy places of prayer and preaching for the most part to abound (sorrow it is to say it) the example of that young man Eutychus, should justly strike terror into such, who while the Apostle Paul was preaching, falling into a dead sleep, and yielding so much thereto, 
Act. 20.9.10.  that he was more & more overwhelmed therewithal, fell down from the window of the third fit in which he sat, and was taken up dead. Now if this befell him, 
A heap of respects aggravating the sin of sleeping in the Sermon while.  whose sleep notwithstanding did in many respects deserve excuse, if we thoroughly weigh the circumstances of the text, what shall we think may befall them, which in the day time, in a Sermon while, but of one hour long at the most, & that as if it were of set purpose, and without any shame at all, before the holy Angels, & the whole congregation, & so many reverend & godly persons, men & women settle themselves to sleeping & snorting? Surely these belong to the catalogue and number of these lukewarm persons, 
reve. 3.16.  whom the Lord threateneth, that he will spew out of his mouth.  

Remedies against sleep in the holy Sermon time.  I deny not indeed, but that upon sundry causes it may sometimes fall out, that in the Sermon while sleep may come upon a man, yea and the same both good and Godly? Howbeit he should not so much yield thereto, as to suffer himself to be oppressed therewithal, but should resist it, which may easily be achieved, by rising up, and by standing on his feet. Again, the neighbour should not suffer his neighbour to sleep, but privily pulling them, 
1. Thess. 5.7  and thrusting them, should awake them: They that sleep (saith Paul) sleep in the night, & they that are drunken, are drunken in the night. And what else is it I pray you, if in the temple you see such as are accustomed to give themselves to sleep & to talk, what is it I say; but even openly to mock God's majesty to his face, and to scorn and contemn his most holy word?  

Against talking in the Sermon time.  Origen writing upon Exodus, and inveighing against sundry disorders and faults that were practised in the Church assemblies, amongst others, he doth bitterly speak against talking there, in such terms as these are. Some there are (saith he) that know not whether readings are recited in the Church, 
Origen. in Exod. hom. 12  but getting themselves into the farthest places of the Lords house, busy themselves there with worldly tales. Of whom I dare boldly say, 
2. Cor. 3.15.  that when Moses is read, there is not now a vail put upon their hearts, but a thick and high wall. For if he that is present, and heareth, 
A very strong reason.  and is attentive, and handleth again and fifth the things that he heareth, and asketh after, and learneth also such things, as at the first he could not understand, can yet for all this hardly attain to the liberty of knowledge, how may he (that stoppeth his ears, that he should not hear, and turneth his back to the face of him that readeth) be justly said to have a vail put upon his heart, unto whom, not so much as the vail of the letter, (with which the sense is covered, and is no more but the sound of the voice) hath approached or come? And against such talk in the holy places of prayer and preaching, Saint Basil expounding these words of the Psalm: In his temple every man shall speak of his glory, 
Psal. 20.9.  writeth thus: Let them that in the temple speak long and large speeches, 
Basil. in Psal. 29  hear (saith he) the words of the Psalm. He that is in the temple of God; should not speak vain, filthy or slanderous words, but all should speak glory. There are present the Angels, marking the words, yea the Lord himself is present, considering the affections of them that come in. Every man's prayers are manifest to God. And a little while after he saith: Miserable men leaving their own houses, 
Things hindering men from profiting by holy exercises in the temple.  make haste to the temple, that they may obtain aid and help for themselves: but tell me I pray you, with what reverence? with what humility? They do not indeed hear the word of God: they do not well perceive the meaning and nature thereof, being found in sin, they are not grieved for the same: coming to remember sins that are past: they are not sorrwfull therefore: they fear not Gods fearful judgement, but they go into the temple laughing: they join their right hands together: they make God's house a place of tedious and profane speech, not regarding the Psalm that saith: 
Psal. 29.9.  In his temple every man shall speak of his glory. But thou dost not only not speak of it, but hinderest others from it, by thy vain speech thou many times turnest away such as would worship God, and thou speakest evil of the holy scripture, and of the grace of the holy Ghost: chrysostom complaineth, 
Against curiosity.  that in the Church of his age, curiosity had grown so far, and gotten such a head, that he affirmeth that many came to the Church, to look upon women's beauty; and somewhat curiously to behold the comeliness and fairness of the younger sort, whom in a certain place he pursueth with this invective speech. 
Chrysost. in Math. hom. 74.  What dost thou (O man curiously in the Church prying into women's beauty, and tremblest not, slandering God's temple with so great contumely and reproach? what? dost thou take the Church to be a brothel house? and more base than the market place? For in such open assemblies and places, thou blushest, yea thou art afraid, lest any man should further pursue a woman: but in the Church of God, when God himself speaketh unto thee, and deterreth thee from such sins, even at the very same time, especially thou dost commit fornication and adultery, in which God with a great and glorious voice, thundereth against thee, & enjoineth thee to fly from such things, and yet thou tremblest not, neither art amazed. And after a few words he saith again: Certainly it is much better to be either blind, or otherwise very sick, than so filthily to abuse our eyes, we should rather by an inward and partition wall be separated from women. But because ye will not, our ancestors have thought it necessary to disjoin you by these wooden walls. And I have heard of our elders, that these partitions or walls were not from the beginning. For in Christ jesus, there is neither male nor female: 
Gal. 3.28.  And in the Apostles times, men and women prayed together: 
Act. 1.14.  and the women were then women indeed, and the men likewise were such manner of men as they should be. But now contrariwise, 
jere. 5.8.  women verily have taken unto them harlots manners, and men imitate the fury and rage of horses. Thus far chrysostom, whose place I have the more willingly put down, because of the partition wall which he mentioneth to have been at that time in his Church.  
Nay I will say more than this, namely, that in the Sermon while it is not meet for men to give themselves over, or to spend the time in reading books of divinity, or the very Bible itself. For this is not to give attendance to the things that are spoken, as we have heard already the Samaritans did. 
Act. 8.6.  For in the holy assemblies of the Church, and in the Sermon time, that aught to bear sway, do this, or attend this, by which our ancestors, did as it were by a proverbial sentence command them, to be attentive only to the present matter that was in hand, & not to busy themselves about other things: for what do these kind of readings show forth else, but contempt of the minister that is preaching, and a persuasion in a man's self, 
Two very bad fruits of private reading in public exercise time.  that he hath greater learning and knowledge than the teacher? And it is one thing, according to the present occasion, and as it were by the way, to seek out and to mark, by turning the holy Bible only some one testimony or other, which was alleged in the Sermon, that we may the more diligently meditate of it at home (of which also we have spoken heretofore) and another thing for a man wholly to give himself, and that of set purpose, in public place to his own private reading.  
Fourthly, all the frame of the whole Sermon, the knitting of it together, 
The whole body of the Sermon, & the knitting of it together must be observed.  and the body, must very attentively be hearkened unto and observed, if a man will obtain any sound understanding of the points, or sound edification. A man may find many, who as if they were certain pilgrims and strangers, do by the way, and of a certain kind of flying devotion, hear and there hearken unto, only certain parts or words of the Sermon: and that either after they are awaked from their sleep; or cease from their talking: or very hardly gather themselves from other worldly and fleshly thoughts of their own: 
The faults of them that hear Sermons.  or came in the midst of the sermon: or went away when it was half done. In comparative speeches, similitudes, & such like, one snatcheth the first proposition thereof, but the reddition (in which principally is the force of the point itself) he carelessly neglecteth and passeth by it. 
Two bad fruits of bad hearing.  But what else can be gotten by this, but this, that the Sermons shall remain covered with a certain continual obscurity and darkness, & that such hearers shall never come unto any fruit? Many times many things are spoken comparatively, 
Three good causes why men should be attentive.  or in a certain respect, which if they be taken simply, or understood generally, will engender wicked opinions & corrupted judgements. Now such things may be restrained, either in the premises, or in the words following, and so be more rightly expounded and applied. Again, sometimes some things work scruple or doubt in the hearers, which are, and may be referred and put off till the time and place of refuting and objecting. To be short, all things cannot at any hand be spoken together, 
What a profitable hearer should look to.  and as it were with one breath. Wherefore it is meet that a profitable hearer should always be of a ready, laborious, and very attentive mind, that his attention and heed taking may not wax cold, but according to the present occasion, may (as if it were by certain interrupted spaces and times) return again. For unto this techlesnesse of ours, we should ascribe this, that we do with great impiety hear such things, as were well produced and alleged in the holy Sermons, not only to be diversly tossed too and fro, but to be torn & rend in pieces, with scoffs, scorns, and slanders. And yet sith it sundry times falleth out, that some things spoken in one place are left imperfect: or else are uttered in a certain respect, or may breed some scruples and doubtings, or offend some other way beside (of which either the more full explication, or the limitation, or the solution, is of purpose reserved to their own peculiar, and more commodious places) therefore that the Church also in this respect, may in better season be provided, and no occasion given to the godly and simple hearers, to go back, or secretly to whisper, or to snatch a cause of some offence, a wise preacher or minister of God's word, will in one or two words, 
What a wise and careful minister should perform, in doubtful speeches.  & as it were by a parenthesis, yield & minister them hope, either of a more large explication of those points, or of the answer of those doubts and objections, & will promise them abundantly and sufficiently to satisfy them, & will entreat them to remain attentive, and a little to support him, by patiented hearing of him.  

Man's minds must be free from prejudice, or foreconceived opinion.  Fiftly, men's minds, whilst they are hearing God's word especially, must be free and set at liberty from the enchantment of all prejudice and foreconceived opinions whatsoever, which either others have proposed and broached unto us, or we have drunk in and forged to ourselves. For as they that have blear eyes, 
The proposition of a fit similitude.  or else see something by the mean of a coloured or died glass, are not able to behold any thing well, nor to judge rightly of divers colours, but all seem to be of that colour which the glass is of, which they use in steed of spectacles: 
The reddition of it.  so the same thing falleth out unto them, that are before hand possessed with the enchanting of prejudice, that they are not able rightly to understand any thing in God's word, or in the holy sermons, though otherwise it be never so easy, plain, and familiar, but do as it were violently snatch and draw all things unto the maintenance of those opinions which they have sucked in. How familiar, plain, and altogether without any ambiguity or darkness, is that which Christ foretelleth his disciples, 
Luke. 18.31 32.  saying: Behold we go up to jerusalem, and all things shall be fulfilled to the son of man, which are written by the Prophets. For he shall be delivered to the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and shall be spitefully entreated, and shall be spitted on. And after they have scourged him, they shall kill him, but the third day he shall rise again? But what cause was there, that they understood none of these things, that these sayings were hidden from them, neither perceived they the things that were spoken? Verily because they were bewitched and besotted with prejudicate and foreconceived opinions, touching the carnal & worldly kingdom of Christ: This vail was laid over their hearts: And therefore they were not able to make these things agree betwixt themselves, namely, how Christ should suffer that infamous death of the cross, and withal, how according to their preconceived opinion, he should reign as a most mighty worldly king. Wherefore in this case, men must according to God's commandment: 
1. john. 4.1. 1. Thess. 5.21.  Try the spirits whether they be of God or no: and trying all things, yet retain and hold that only which is good. Surely it is a very wicked thing, even in the outward matters of this life, to give place to preiudgement, and to give a sentence on either side, the cause not being on both sides sufficiently known and searched out. But the hearers of Gods holy word are here occupied, about a much more great & excellent subject. Wherefore they must so much the more carefully endeavour and take heed, 
The more excellent the matter is, the more heedily it must be regarded.  that they do not so stiffly cleave to the opinion which they have once embraced, that they will altogether stop their ears against them that think otherwise, or are not of the same mind with them, and so hinder themselves from hearing better, more wholesome also, and sound matters: neither yet that we be as ready to shake off the things that we have received, 
The inconveniences of prejudicate and forestalled opinions.  being sound and good, as we were ready to catch them, and to snatch them when they were offered, least through a false show of truth, we may be deceived, and lest we strive & fight rather for our own opinions, than the sentence of the scriptures, or take that for the sentence of the scripture, which is our own devise and dream, and (which is far more heinous) blaspheme, slander, & condemn God himself and his truth, whilst we do more sharply & toughly than is meet, contend for our own preconceived opinions. 
Eccle. 4.17.  Wherefore when we go unto the house of God, we must well look to, & keep our feet: that is to say, our wicked affections, yea & such prejudicate opinions & conceits of our own: & with Mary to sit rather at jesus feet, 
Luke. 10.39  that so in a certain true kind of humility and lowliness of heart, we may show ourselves to be his obedient scholars & disciples. For if when we hear things contrary to our opinions, or such as are not pleasant to our palate & taste, we will presently either harden our ears and our hearts, or brawn and benumb them, or in the midst of the Sermons, will get us out of the Church, and from those good exercises (which sundry use as we see, not only if such false doctrines and opinions, as to which they have enured themselves, be confuted, but also if they hear such faults & offences somewhat more sharply rebuked, as in which they have been nourished, and unto which they are given) than I say, 
The evils that ensue going from Sermons.  we do not so much ill indeed to the minister and preacher of the Church (though such departing imagine that they hurt them) as we do unto ourselves, and departed and fly, not so much from the minister of God's word, as from God himself, and our own salvation: and bewray a heart addicted not to God, and our own salvation, 
Men must be present at public assemblies & exercises, not with a mind of sifting too much, but of learning well.  but to the world, and to ourselves, and very much differing from that denial of ourselves, which Christ requireth to be in his very natural and true disciples.  
Sixtly, it behoveth those that come to places of prayer & preaching to be present there, not with a mind peremptorily to determine of matters according to our fantasies, or to toss and sift points, too and fro as we list, but with a mind to hear & to learn. As we shall find some, who either as it were of a certain superstitious malice of the mind; or else of some contempt and hatred against the ministers of the word: or upon persuasion of some singular and rare knowledge that they have in God's matters: or else for glory and ostentation sake; or else because they esteem nothing right and good, but that which themselves say or do: or because with Photion they think it a goodly thing always to dissent from other men, will take upon them to be judges rather than hearers, masters rather than scholars to learn at holy Sermons, and censors of others, rather than such as will be censured. 
What cannot malice, contempt, and other vices perform?  Here nothing can be spoken so sound or so true, but that in it, they will give trial touching the strength and force of their wit, by improving of it, by bespotting of it, yea, by traducing & slandering of it. That therefore betideth them, which in former time fell upon the Pharisees, 
Luke. 14.1.  who watched Christ, that so from his doctrine & actions, they might take some occasion, to accuse and destroy him, if it might be.  
Saint Paul willeth indeed, yea and commandeth also, 
1. Cor. 14.19  that the Church should judge of those things which the Prophets speak. And Saint john will have us, 
john. 4.1.  to try the spirits, of the teachers, yea and their doctrines also. 
How & how far the Church should judge touching Sermons.  And yet neither the one or the other of them, will have this judgement to be undertaken, with a wicked and evil mind, but with a good and godly heart, yea and will have the same to be restrained and subsist within these bounds, namely, to consider whether the things which the prophets & interpreters deliver, do consent with the rule of God's word, & the soundness of Christian faith, and not by any such mean to make holy sermons subject to man's judgement, curiosity, or lightness, or to bring all things in them in awe, to wicked, ungodly, wanton, or proud wits, and to their determination & pleasure: or that the minister of the word, should be slavishly tied & bound to other men's words, phrases, method, and order or rule of speaking: or that wise men should speak, 
Truth being once discovered, all things must give place.  and fools should be made judges of such things as are spoken, which thing Anacharsis the Sythian did in former time condemn, in the assemblies and Orations of the Athenians. For so soon as it shall appear, that the things which are spoken are agreeable to God's word, then presently all censure must cease, neither is there any thing else remaining, but that through the obedience of faith, we submit ourselves to such matters, though all the senses both of our reason, and of our affections do never so much stand up against them, or the things themselves are not laid out in that method, or with that course of speech, or with such additions &c. as happily we ourselves gladly would. 
A reason.  For here we may assure ourselves of this, that look how many forms of bodies there are, so many forms of wits and dispositions, neither should we tie other men to our like, or to our laws, nay, indeed we may not, besides that we cannot, restrain the power and the graces of the holy Ghost in others, or cause it to become subject to certain rules of ours. 
Who they are, that must judge of, or censure Sermons.  But if so it be (as it sometimes falleth out) that sundry matters would have some censure, yet we must know that this is not the part of fools and unlearned folk (as was used in the assemblies & Orations of the Athenians) but of wise men, and such as were endued with singular knowledge of God's matters, 
The place where.  or greater skill than others: and this must be done, not at tables & feasts, or freely before every one, 
The manner how.  but privately and secretly: neither with the affections of choler and anger, but must be undertaken, with the spirit of meekness, that so nothing of the reverence due to the ministery may be taken from it, and the grace of God in it, 
And the end of censuring must be regarded.  may be humbly acknowledged and reverently esteemed, if he have endued us with a more excellent measure of discerning, and spiritual wisdom.  
Seventhly, if now and then difficile and hard points offer themselves in the Sermons, 
Hard things should not breed continual loathsomeness, but a desire more and more to find than out.  which the hearer cannot presently, and upon the first propounding of them understand, he must not be overtaken with tediousness and loathsomeness to hear them, and more diligently to think upon them, but with Augustine he must more and more admire them, and labour by searching to find them out. For those difficile, hard and high points, which here and there we meet with, both in the holy scriptures, and also in the Sermons of the Church, as they are a great argument, that no small portion of a reasonable and natural man, who cannot conceive heavenly things, 
1. Cor. 2.14.  doth as yet cling and cleave unto us: so they inform and teach us, in the true knowledge of ourselves, and in sound humility, that so laying aside the ambitious persuasion of some certain singular and notable knowledge in us, and casting off other cares and affairs of this life and world, we might the better attend, and dwell upon the reading, heating, meditation, and searching out of heavenly things, and beside might the more diligently by prayer stir up the Lord more and more to open and enlighten the eyes of our minds: and might seek after many Philips, Ananiasses, and Peter's, 
Act. 8.34. Act. 10.5. Act. 9.17.  that is, might ask council of such as are better exercised in God's matters than we. For the more free and noble mind or disposition any man is of, so much the more hardly can he endure to bear uncertainty and doubting. An example whereof we may see in the Eunuch, who touched, yea and moved much with the difficulty of a place of the Prophet Isaiah, 
Esay. 53.7.  was not yet notwithstanding all that through any bashfulness (which yet in this case is wont to hinder many) any whit at all afraid, but humbly demandeth of Philip, 
Act. 8.31.34.  how or of whom the Prophet's words should be understood. Likewise the Thessalonians also, heard Paul teaching in the synagogue, and when any doubt did arise, they did daily at home search the scriptures, 
Act. 17.11.  whether those things were so, which they had heard, taught and preached. Besides all this God mindeth by such difficulty and height of some points, to get majesty, authority, and credit to his word, yea and to the holy Sermons also. 
A similitude.  For as those things easily grow into contempt, which presently, and at the first show or setting forth are familiar to every one of the mean people: so every man almost marveleth at, reverenceth and highly esteemeth such things, as cannot be attained unto, but by great study, labour, and pains taking. So much the more also by the like reason, doth God mind to commend unto us, 
Public & private use of the mystery.  the ecclesiastical ministery, that so we might not only publicly, with greater diligence hear it, but might privately repair unto, and take council of them that be in it, and so might testify that we have not by the way & superficially, but sound & thoroughly care concerning the knowledge of holy & heavenly things. For if all men did know all things, 
Chrysost. hom ●4. in Math.  a teacher should not be needful, and so the order of things should be confounded. For unto them indeed whom he would have to be teachers, thus speaketh God himself by Isaiah the Prophet, 
Esay. 40.1.2  speak (O ye priests) unto the hearts of the people. But unto those whom by learning he would have to know the mysteries of truth, thus he saith in the song of Moses: 
Deut. 32.7.  Ask thy father, & he will tell thee, thine elders, & they will declare unto thee, saith chrysostom. And touching the courses and considerations of the darkness of some things in the holy scriptures thus writeth Augustine: 
August. lib. 2. de doct. christ. cap. 6.  That some things which are darkly delivered in the scriptures, have in them, or bring with them a most thick darkness or dimness: that all this was foreseen and performed by God himself I doubt not of it, and this to be done that he might as well by labour tame and take down man's pride, as revoke and call back man's understanding from loathsomeness, we knowing that this is natural in man, that such things as are easily found out and attained, do for the most part wax vile. And after a few other words he saith thus. They that do not altogether find that they seek for, are still an hungered: But as for those that seek not, because they find things ready and easy, 
Excellent sentences, and counsel thereupon.  they wax feeble and unlusty through loathsomeness. But in both or either of them, men must beware of languishing. Nobly therefore, and very healthfully also, hath the holy Ghost so tempered the holy scriptures, that in and by the more plain places, he might meet with, and provide for hunger, and in the more obscure and dark places, he might take away loathsomeness. For nothing almost is, or can be fet out of the more dark places, which is not elsewhere found to be spoken very plainly and as openly as can be.  
Othersome there are, which fly from and avoid, yea turn away their ears and their heart from searching out of holy things, and from inquiry after truth, specially in the points of doctrine which are now in controversy, and have some difficulty and doubt in them, specially if they hear any of them touched in the Sermons: 
A gross error.  wherein they do under this false persuasion deceive themselves, that the knowledge and judgement of these matters, doth nothing at all belong unto them, 
The same confuted.  but concerneth learned men only and preachers. As though it were not said to all, how many soever they be that profess Christ's name, 
Mat. 7.15. 1. Thess. 5.21 1. john. 4.1. 2. Pet. 3.17.18.  and have been baptized into him: Beware of false Prophets: try all things, retain that which is good: try the spirits whether they be of God or no. Beware lest ye be plucked away with the error of the wicked, and fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in grace, & in the knowledge and acknowledging of our Lord & Saviour jesus Christ.  
Eightly, every one must know how they ought to dispose and fit themselves, to the good and profitable hearing of God's word, that so the things that are spoken, may not only flow in at the ears, but may also be understood with the heart, yea and not understood only, but may be treasured up in mindful minds and memories. For as in the beginning we said, great art and skill was required not only to the making, but also to the hearing of Sermons: 
Hearers must know and well observe, the method ministers use, and their kind of preaching.  so not only the minister or preacher of the Church had need of an assured method, by the benefit whereof he may readily minister and lay out all things, but the diligent hearer also had need thereof, that by the benefit & help of method, such things as are well propounded & laid open by the preacher, may as if it were, by the benefit and aid of a faithful keeper be retained still by the hearer. For unless the hearer be able to discern & judge which in a Sermon is the narration, or elsewhen the sum & argument of the present text is unfolded: 
What things the hearers of Sermons must respect.  when from the narration there is raised up a general proposition or division, that is too say, in what heads or points it is showed that the whole speech is to be occupied and consumed: what doctrines are gathered from the several parts thereof: and withal it be declared what is the use of those doctrines, and the application likewise of the same use: when the preacher is occupied in the first, second, or third part of his Sermon: when he is in hand with confutation, or objections are answered: to what part of the Catechism the whole sermon itself, 
men's memories many times hurt, by the want of method in the preachers.  and the several parts thereof are to be referred: but that all things confusedly, and as it were on heaps, shallbe thrust into men's ears, than I say, there never was, or ever can be so happy, holy, or heavenly a memory, that is able to remember & keep fast all such things, as in an hovers space, and a continual course of speech were delivered. So the hearer should be able to know and discern the several sorts of sermons, as whether the present text and sermon belong, or is to be referred to doctrine, to confutation, to instruction, to correction, or exhortation, or to speak somewhat more grossly perhaps in men's conceits, but more familiarly and truly as in regard of the matter itself, whether it appertain to faith or good manners. And if it belong to faith, 
All that is delivered respecteth faith, or good manners.  he must know whether any true doctrine be delivered & confirmed, and any false doctrine or some error be confuted. And if it concern life, whether it bear upon and command piety towards God, or some other certain virtues belonging more properly to men. Also he must well regard to what states or sorts of life, yea and unto what duties of every state and sort of life, all the things spoken are directed, as for example, whether they concern the state of household government, 
The parts of an household.  and in that again, whether they respect either married folks, as the husband and the wife, or the parents and their children, or the manservants or the maidservants, or the hired servants and workmen. And so likewise touching the other kinds of life: also they must consider which condition of men or states of men, as their prosperity or adversity the things propounded do concern. 
A similitude.  For as unless the mariner well behold, the Bear or Charles wain, as we call it, in the firmament, he will take or make but an uncertain course in the sea: so except the hearer in hearing of Sermons, use such a method, digesting of matters, and order, all the things that he heareth shall indeed be and remain indigested, raw, vanishing, and not at all understood, even as if it were a confused Chaos or heap. 
No profitable hearing without observation of a good course.  Wherefore a profitable hearer must use this course, even as if it were Ariadne's line or thread, if he will deliver himself out of the Labyrinth, or maze as I may say, of Sermons, and find a sure way out of them. It is no marvel then, that sith in this case so few are instructed, and do come unto the holy assemblies, and do hear Sermons, without judgement and spiritual wisdom, there are so few found that profit by hearing of God's word, yea though they have very excellent and worthy teachers.  
But first the preachers of the Church, 
Helps for the hearers whereby they may attain the method of Sermons  and ministers themselves, may be no small furtherance to this good method or manner of hearing Sermons, if in a word or two, after the beginning of their Sermon, and at the end thereof, they will declare the kind of it: or show unto what part of the Catechism it doth appertain: as also, when, and where they begin, or finish and shut up the several parts of their speech, and the several parts also of their division. The masters also, as well in common schools, and such as teach but the mother tongue, as also in schools of greater learning, and that not only in places where men children, but women children also are taught, must enure and bring their scholars to this method and manner of hearing, writing, remembering, and rehearsing Sermons: which also they may perform with little or no ado in a manner.  
Ninthly, every one of them must apply unto themselves all the things they have heard, 
The things that are heard, must be turned to wholesome uses.  and turn them to the wholesome exercise of faith, prayer, and repentance. And this they must do, whether they perceive themselves strong in faith, or weak therein, or behold themselves subject, either to certain temptations of conscience, or to some sins, vices, and infirmities, and be either in adversity, or in prosperity, and be in this or in that state of life, and settled in some certain duty belonging thereto. 
A strong reason.  For the doctrine of God's word consisteth not so much in understanding and knowing, as in doing, and in the true exercises of faith and godliness: 
Rom. 2.13.  Because not they who hear the law are just before God, but they that perform the law, they shall be justified: as he also that shall look into that perfect law of liberty and shall abide therein, 
jam. 2.25.  even he, if he be not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the word, shall be blessed in his deed. 
A worthy inference.  Wherefore the doctrine of God's holy word, must not only be put into our ears, but into our head, and not into our brain or head only, but into our hearts also, yea, and not into our heart only, but into our hands also, that the more sound fruit of it, may appear in us. Whereupon it is that our saviour Christ also saith: 
john 13.7.  If ye know these things, blessed are ye if ye do them. And on the other side affirmeth, 
Luke 12.47.  That that servant which knew the will of his master, or Lord, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes: yea hath long ago foretold us; 
Matth. 7.21.  that every one that shall say unto him Lord Lord shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that shall do the will of my father which is in heaven.  
To this healthful practice and obedience of God's word heard, 
Council profitable for practise of such things, as are delivered in preaching.  and that the same may indeed affect us & thrust us forward, this shall bring no small aid and assistance, if the ministers in preaching of God's word, do not use speech only, but practise also a certain demonstration of spiritual might and power; yea and be indeed, truly, 
Good things which the hearers must use.  and from the heart affected therewithal: and that the hearers again, can through God's grace put on the preachers mind and affections, and by a certain kind of spiritual alteration & change, be transformed into them, & follow both in the learning, and in the practising of God's word, the very self same order and course, that they perceive their faithful preachers to use and practise in teaching of it: Which thing (that I may shortly unfold myself, 
August. lib. 4, de doct. christ. cap. 12  and use Augustine's words) shall easily be brought to pass, if the learner love that that the Preacher promiseth: if he fear that which he threateneth: if he hate that which he rebuketh: If he embrace that which he commendeth, if he lament that which he aggravateth, and showeth is worthy to be lamented: and if he set any thing out that is worthy to be rejoiced at, rejoiceth therein: and taketh pity of them, whom by speaking he placeth before their eyes, as meet to be pitied: and flieth from them, whom by terrifying he setteth before them to be avoided, etc. So we read of the Elders of Ephesus, that when they heard Paul, with a very pathetical, and yet lamentable speech, to commend that Church unto them, 
Act. 20.31.37.  and to rehearse his tears, by which he had admonished every one of them day and night, three years together, there was also a great weeping and mourning among them all. 
john. 7.45.46.  And when Christ spoke so as never any man, those officers that the Pharisees sent out to take or to trip Christ, were so transformed, and had put upon them such other affections and minds, that they did not only not bring Christ bound (a matter that was given them in charge to do) but they did commend and embrace both him and his doctrine. 
An excellent sentence.  To be short, it can hardly be uttered, how much good it doth, when the hearer's affections and endeavours, do answer the affections and endeavours of their teachers. For where there shall be found the like will and mind both in the hearers, and in the teachers, it cannot be but that there shall follow thereupon very excellent fruits of Sermons.  
Tenthly, godly hearers must not think the minister tedious, or be weary, 
Men must not wax weary with long Sermons.  or fret in themselves, much less trudge and pack out of the Church, if the Sermon be sometimes more long, or grow greater than at other. The ministers and preachers of Gods holy word, must carefully endeavour to avoid that. But perhaps the doctrine that is presently to be treated of, is more plentiful and fruitful than that it can be comprehended and concluded in a few words. It may be also, 
In what cases the minister may now & then be somewhat more long and large.  that there was not in former time any fit opportunity offered to propound it, or may in short space after to be offered. Perhaps also the present state of things requireth men again and again, to lay upon the same anvil. The hearers sometimes are present, which perhaps at another time have not leave or leisure to be there, and for whose sake the ministers must stand upon the present points and doctrines, either of faith or of piety. In these cases therefore godly hearers must patiently bear some protracting of time, and not be weary, 
A very strong reason, and fit comparison.  but wait as it were, the delivery of many good things: we do easily and without any loathsomeness pass away the time, if that idle speeches and talk together, or disorderly and drunken, or riotous feasts be deferred and put of many hours, yea even to midnight, 
job. 17.12.  And the day be turned into night, as it is in job. Wherefore if in the holy assemblies and exercises of the Church, we be so quickly weary, or fret and fume, it is sure a sign of such a mind as is ill affected, and doth not hunger and thirst after (as it should) the righteousness of God's word, 
Matth. 5.6. Psalm. 1.2. Chrysost. hom. 3. in Genes.  and hath not his delight in the law or testimonies of the Lord. On the other side, as to be an hungry is a token of bodily health: so with a great & earnest desire to hear Gods holy word, is a most assured argument of the good health and welfare of the soul, so saith chrysostom. Surely that must needs be a long Sermon, when jehoshua read in the presence and hearing of all Israel all the words of the law: 
jehosh. 8.34, 35.  in so much as there was not a word of all things which Moses had commanded, which jehoshua read not before all the congregation of Israel. The like consideration was there also of the ecclesiastical assembly, when josias the King, 
2. Chron. 34.30.  in the hearing of all the people, and that from the greatest to the smallest, read all the words of the book of the covenant, which was found in the house of the Lord. The same book of Moses law Ezra did read from the morning until the mid day, before men and women, 
Ezra. 8.3.  and them that understood it, and yet notwithstanding the ears of all the people were in so long a Sermon directed, and harkened unto the book of the law. Afterwards the children of Israel read in the book of the law of their God four times a day. 
Ezra. 9 3.  How long was that Sermon of Christ's, which is set out in the fift, sixth, and seventh chapters of the Gospel according to S. Matthew, specially if we regard this, that the Evangelists do propound unto us only the bare heads, points, or sums, as I may say, of Christ's Sermons? S. Paul being to departed from Troas the day following his speech, 
Act. 20.7.11  continued his words and preaching even until midnight, and speaking long unto them, even until the dawning of the day, at the last he so departed. Therefore it is not any new, or unaccustomed thing, though sometimes for sundry causes it so fall out, that Sermons be somewhat prolonged, and yet the hearers be held, and remain with continuance (and that also without loathing or stomach, and chase) in good and continual attention.  
eleventhly, parents, masters, and elders, must in the Sermon while observe and look to their children, 
Every one should look to his own in the Sermon time.  scholars, and flock, lest either by sleeping, or talking together, or committing some light and unseemly things, or else gadding out of the Church in the Sermon time, they commit something that is unseemly or unworthy of the holy assemblies of the Church. And if perhaps any such thing should be performed, they must either by and by, or at home, or in the schools, or upon every first occasion so falling out, admonish & correct them as in this behalf. For in the holy assemblies of the Church, one must have special regard of reverence, comeliness, and modesty, and if as in this behalf there be any offence committed, 
1. Cor. 11.4.5. 1. Cor. 14.34.40.  it must be corrected and censured, and that according both to the doctrine, and the example of Saint Paul the Apostle in his epistle to the Corinthians.  

scholars must write Sermons. Commodity's ensuing that exercise.  Particularly scholars must be accustomed, to take Sermons in writing: which kind of holy exercise hath many commodities, and the same of great moment also. For whilst they must attend diligent hearing, and ordinary writing of Sermons continually, they cannot have leisure to give themselves to wantonness and lightness, which otherwise they do without measure exercise and practise, if this or some other good matter be not laid upon them. By this means also men shall meet with that offence, which very easily, and sometimes also not without just cause the Church conceiveth, aswell by the unbridled and corrupted manners of children, as of their masters, 
One foul fault in schoolmasters,  manfesting it self in the neglect of school discipline. For many judge very hardly, if not unjustly; concerning schools and scholars, whilst amongst children brought up at school, and others (who were never so much as at the school doors threshold) they do as in regard of honesty, and piety see no difference at all. Thirdly, they shall not a little profit by this kind of exercise in Christian religion, and in the true understanding of the Catechism which is taught them in the schools, specially if the Preachers in the Church strive unto this, to bring their Sermons unto some heads or points of the Catechism, and the master in demanding repetition of those things diligently and carefully refer and bring all and every one of them to that point, I mean of the Catechism. Yea we may assure ourselves of this, that as if it were by play and by doing some other thing, they may even from their young years get unto themselves so great knowledge in the blessed Bible book, specially if they accustom themselves to the reading of the Bible, both in the schools (which thing certainly should be practised in all Christian schools) and also at home, at certain spare hours, that at the last they shall both rejoice for so great riches & spiritual treasure obtained and shall leave behind them many of full and ripe years, who perhaps in this respect took themselves not to be the last or behind others. To this we may add that they are thereby moved to write fast and speedily; whilst they are constrained to endeavour by writing, to keep tack with the preacher, before the things that were spoken slip out of their memory: and so become not so much painters, as good and cunning writers indeed, which thing also hath a very apparent use, not only in public schools, but in every sort of a more learned and civil life whatsoever, whether in the Church, or in the civil estate men shall apply their minds. And by this kind of writing, both the memory and the judgement of youths is marvelously sharpened. 
The memory helped.  The memory certainly, while it suffereth not those things to float and vanish away, which the pen must speedily receive and take: and the judgement, 
The judgement also.  whilst men discern betwixt things spoken besides the purpose, and such as in the Sermons are delivered to the point indeed, that so omitting the former, they may embrace and receive these. And though it may so fall out that one and the self same thing, not only as in regard of some particular words, but as in respect also of the whole sentences, be now and then repeated and beaten upon by the preacher (which Augustine in some place of his books touching Christian doctrine, 
August. de doct. Psa. 10  sometimes persuadeth the minister and preacher of the Church to do, namely, so long to pursue and stand upon the beating and repeating of one and the same point, until by the gesture and countenance of the hearers, he perceive that they understand it) that yet they should know, that to note it once only will be sufficient, yet so as they do prefer that before the rest, 
Many things required in a diligent hearer or writer of Sermons.  which both in words and sentences doth excel the rest. Also they must know, when the several parts of the speech or method of the Sermon beginneth or endeth: that is to say, which is the beginning or ending; which is the narration or discourse, which is the proposition or division, which is the confirmation, which is the confutation, which is the conclusion, and when some of the parts of the speech are omitted; which thing is sometimes performed, either about the beginning, or else in the confutation, or towards the conclusion (or perhaps in some other part of the speech) as we have declared in his proper place.   

CHAP. 4. Touching the duties that the hearers are to perform, when the Sermon is done.  

A corrupt opinion.  THere is scarce the hundredth man, that doth not fully persuade himself that he hath well and exactly done his duty in and about the matter of hearing Sermons, if with a certain kind of attention & diligent meditation of the things propounded, he hath heard the Sermon from the beginning to the ending: and have also felt some certain motions of the mind, and devotion of the heart, as it were by the way, and upon the present occasion in the Sermon while stirred up in him. 
more things required than diligent attention at Sermons etc.  And to say the truth, these exercises and offices of a Christian man are not to be contemned or neglected. But yet the last labour, ending and finishing as they say, are not yet so added unto this holy work, but sundry things yet remain, which directly concern the lively and healthful practice of the doctrine heard, yea do so turn the doctrine we have heard, into moisture & blood, that the fruit thereof doth by many means and ways also redound to ourselves and others: 
Rom. 2.13.  which yet are of so much the greater moment and weight, because not the hearers, but the doers of the law shallbe justified, as the scripture affirmeth. And Christ himself saith: If ye know these things, 
john. 13.17.  blessed shall ye be if ye do them. Wherefore touching some things concerning this point, and such as shallbe thought necessary, we will now put men in mind.  
For first, an ungodly, lewd and shameful custom of many Churches doth bear this, 
Men ought not to go out of the Church, so soon as the Sermon is ended.  that such as hardly endured and held out to the end of the Sermons, so soon as they are done, shall in such a number and heap, and with such violence also, get them out of the temples, that few are found that tarry the public prayers of the Church: fewer that are partakers of the holy sacraments (which are the seals of God's covenant) and specially that stay the administration of holy baptism: and fewest of all which wait and look for the blessing of the Church, with which the holy assemblies and exercises should be shut up and finished. 
Inconveniences that follow going out of the Church before all be finished.  But in the mean season, remaining in the Church yards as they call them commonly, or in the Church porches, they treat of (& that with no small profanation of the Lords day, and the taint or spot of Christian profession) worldy and profane business, yea in some places certain buy and sellings, yea & that with such uncomely, rude, & filthy outcries, yea sometimes railings, yea & tumults also, as is pitiful to see or hear: whereas it is a godly hearer's duty, not so much as to remone his foot out of the holy assembly, till such time as the public prayers be made, the Sacraments administered, and the blessing of the Church be pronounced and given.  

Why the whole Church should be present at public prayers.  For concerning public prayers, this is it we must hold: seeing there are two principal actions & parts of the holy assemblies, one, by which God speaketh with us, both in his word & sacramental signs, as if it were by visible words: the other, by which we again do by our prayers as it were talk with God, we may see that they perform but one half of God's worship & service, that withdraw themselves from the prayers of the Church, and not without notorious unthankfulness against God, do bewray a reckless and detestable impiety, 
Many evils ensue our departing out of the Church before public prayers be finished.  security, and slothfulness of their minds: by which they declare that they are not touched with any care either of themselves, or of the Church, which is the communion and fellowship of saints, or have any consideration of all or any of God's judgements, whether they be benefis and favours, or punishments present or to come. For what execrable and accursed unkindness or unthankfulness were this, 
The proposition of a similitude.  if thou shouldest hear some worldly king or prince (whose favour and bounty thou and all thine do enjoy, and live thereby) speaking with thee, and offering unto thee not only the continuance of his former favour, but more bountiful and plentiful benefits, thou after this his most gracious speech were ended, shouldest either stand before him without all motion of body or mind, like unto a dumb and dead image, or presently turn thy back upon him, 
The re●●●tion.  that I may not speak more hardly? But how much more grievously and filthily do they sin, who not staying for the Churches public prayers unto God, and not joining their own prayers with the same, gad and trudge out of the holy assemblies? do we think that we have not received any benefits from God, which deserve praise and thankesgivig? 
Interrogations full of force and might.  Are we ignorant of this, that God for those his divers & innumerable, yea truly infinite benefits towards us, doth require and demand nothing at our hands, but praise and thanksgiving? Or do we not know, that thanksgiving is a provoking of God to bestow more? and on the other side, that he is not worthy to receive more favours, that hath not yielded thanks for such as he hath already received? what? do we not feel out selves subject to any miseries, wretchednesses or necessities, both of soul and body, against which we have need of God's grace and aid? Are we ignorant of this that we are men, and that no human thing is, or aught to be strange unto us? Or know we not that, 
Herodo. lib. 1  which that rich king Croesus said to Cyrus, sometimes the Persian monarch (as Herodotus witnesseth) that there was a round place for men & matters, which turning about as a wheel, did not suffer the same people always to be fortunate? Or are we so far separated from the communion of saints, yea from the fellowship of him that is their and our herd, to wit Christ himself, that in our prayers we will nothing at all communicate with their necessities, 
Rom. 12.13. Amos. 6.6. Rom. 12.15.  that we will nothing morn for the affliction and sorrow of joseph, that no pity shall touch us, and cause us to weep with them that weep, which thing also the holy Ghost doth so often urge, and press upon us, even in so many words? Are we ignorant what great efficacy there is of the public prayers of the Church, 
See for this purpose. Act. 12.5. etc.  in which so many faithful souls, do in a certain holy agreement, consent, and as it were conspire together: 
Tertul. Apolo. cap. 39  and that they are (as Tertullian speaketh) a certain violence acceptable to God, if some certain assembly and congregation, as if it were made with one hand, come unto God, and humbly sue unto him by prayer.  
And as concerning the administration of Baptism, many persuade themselves, 
Why they should be present at the administration of Baptism.  that it is in vain for them to be present thereat, and that they have no profit by it. But besides that, God himself will at no hand have the Sacraments of his Church to be taken as certain ceremonies, appointed for that heathen idol Ceres, which were done in corners closely, and as it were by stealth, but hath appointed for them, the public and solemn assemblies of his people, as we may perceive by many places in the new Testament, 
Matth. 3.5. john 3.23. Act. 20.7.  and particularly those that are quoted in the margin: we must know that God requireth even the prayers of the Church for those infants, 
1. Cor. 11.20  which by baptism are presented and offered to Christ: which prayers indeed, neither the zeal of Christ's house or of the Church, nor Christian charity will suffer us to detain or withhold from them. And because the virtue and efficacy of our baptism, or rather indeed of the spirit of Christ by it, is not so unconstant and momentary, but that the outward action of it is spread abroad over the whole life of a Christian man, 
Rom. 6.3.4. etc.  & that even to his grave, so often as it is ministered in the Church, we have therein a manifest occasion offered us to call to our remembrance that heavenly covenant, by which God hath promised, and that as it were by an oath interposed, that he will be our God for ever: yea even of that covenant that is to be renewed with us, the heavenly both sign and seal whereof is our baptism: and that both for the strengthening of our faith in us touching the favour of God towards us in Christ (who is as true in the signs of his grace as in the word of his grace) as also for the refreshing and stirring up of our memories, 
Two ends of our baptism.  
The use of the former speech.  in that mutual covenant on our part with the same our God, which is made with us by the solemn testimony of our baptism. Which thing will notably stir us up to the acknowledging, faith, and obedience of God, and strengthen us through his grace, more and more to renounce Satan, the world, and our own flesh, & altogether bid them farewell. 
2. Sam. 17.26.  No doubt David when he was yet but a weak youth, might promiss unto himself victory against that huge & terrible giant Goliath, & that God would stand on his side against him, because he himself was circumcised, and the other not. How much more assured hope (& that even from the baptism which we have received) may we conceive, that we shall triumph against this infernal Goliath, the devil I mean, and be assured of God's grace toward us? So far of is it that we are present at the public administration of baptism, either unprofitably, or with the loss and misspending of our time.  
And as touching the Lords supper, if it were rightly, and as it should be used in the Church, no man, so often as it is administered, should withdraw himself from the participation thereof: 
Why they should be present at the celebration of the holy supper.  much less should any that were come to the years of discretion depart out of the temple whilst it is administered. For sith Christ himself in the institution of his supper so often repeateth this: 
Matth. 26.26.27. Luke 22.19. 1. Cor. 11.26.  Take ye, eat ye, drink ye all of this, do ye this in remembrance of me: show out the Lords death, etc. And the minister according to the duty of his message, doth in Christ's name invite and call the whole Church: with what face or forehead can any man of the Church, both hear these things in it, and yet abstain from the same? For is there not great reproach and contumely cast upon Christ, whilst we repel so many excellent commandments of his, and reject him that so earnestly inviteth us? And what is it to neglect, contemn, and scorn Christ's Testament, if this be not? What is this else I pray you, but to turn our backs to God, to Christ, to the Church, to the brethren; yea, for men to despise their own salvation? The ancient Church had respect of these considerations, 
Anacletus.  sith Anacletus the second Roman Bishop is affirmed to have decreed, That after the consecration was ended, all should communicate that would not want entrance into the Church and assemblies thereof: 
Conc. Antio. can. 2.  Sith also the Council of Antioch decreed, That such as come into the Church, and hear the holy Scriptures, and do not communicate, but do of a certain intemperancy, turn themselves away from the receiving of the holy Communion, should be removed out of the Church, till they had amended this fault. Which though in the first Council of Toledo it were mitigated, or at the least propounded with some more mild words: yet there also it was decreed, 
Concil. Tolita. 1. can. 13  That they that come into the Church, and are found seldom or never to communicate, should be admonished. And if they do abstain after admonition given, let them be separated from the fellowship of the Church. And what meaneth this, that even yet to this day in the reformed Churches, such as yield not to the ministers and elders a just cause of their absence, and do rashly withdraw themselves from the use of the holy Supper are therefore admonished, and for the same, ecclesiastically reproved? Metaphrastes writing the life of one john Eleemosynar, 
Metaphra. in vit. john. Eleemosy.  or alms giver, as we would say, reporteth, that seeing all his hearers, whilst the Supper was in celebrating, to departed out of the Church, he also leaving the action, went his way, speaking thus, That he had no need of that labour, but that he administered the Supper for the benefit and profit of the people. And that therefore seeing they would not vouchsafe to be present, he went about a needless work.  

Why they should be present at the catechizing of children.  Furthermore, if men dealt well, and christians had that zeal they should, none of them that were of the years of discretion, or parents, should departed out of the Church, no not when the novices were to be examined & instructed. For the holy Scripture is wont to call such children, not only as are so in years, but such rather as are so in understanding, and in the knowledge of God's word, and of the way of truth. But how many are there (the greater is our grief) that even amongst them that are of the years of discretion, yea, that are of great years, and have hoar hairs, are not at this day found infants and children as in this behalf? 
These interrogations can hardly be answered.  Why therefore should not such suffer themselves to be catechized? and though they would refuse to be examined, & to yield confession of their faith (as commonly they do) why do they not yet by their hearing and presence, endure at the least wise that instruction which is bestowed upon children? For those catechisings of children, because they are performed by continual course of questions & answers, and in the same all things be childishly and rudely handled, & in a shorter manner dispatched, may more easily be comprehended in memory, than Sermons that are made in a continual tenor & course of speech, and are with greater labour beautified and adorned. 
Parent's duty.  And to provoke the greater & better attention to all the things that in this behalf shall be performed, there must be no small care and regard in parents for their children which are to be instructed, that they may satisfy the questions demanded, and may proceed in the course of faith, godliness, and salvation, & that they themselves might not be constrained to blush & to be ashamed if their children be silent at the demands, and foully give over. And because this is the chiefest part of the duty of parents towards their children, to bring them up in the instruction and information of the Lord, 
Ephes. 6.4.  a double care and respect should in this behalf stay & hold them fast, not to departed from the catechisings or instructions of youth. The one is, 
Two excellent respects.  that they might publicly heat & judge, with what faithfulness the Ministers of the church do their duty in instructing their children, that so if they perceive any thing to be wanting in them, they might think upon, and provide some other way & course, that their children's salvation might not be neglected, and trodden under foot. The other, that if they themselves be not so well instructed in the points, which they should power into their children, & as it were beat upon at home (as I fear me certainly, 
A lamentable thing.  very many parents, the more is the pity, and with grief we may speak it, are as yet very rude and ignorant of heavenly things concerning their own salvation) they notwithstanding might yet learn such things as are needful for them, both for the better doing of their duty towards their children, and also more fitly belong to their own salvation, 
A very strong reason, & forcible to persuade. An argument from profit to the people, to the Ministers.  which also by the benefit of these catechisings, almost without any labour, (sure I am, without any shame or confusion of them themselves) they may attain unto. And unless my judgement utterly fail me, youths, such as are of the years of discretion, and parents also, may in some manner profit more by these catechisings, than by Sermons; in so much that the Ministers of the Church, should at no hand lose their labour, if in the summer season, and in the assemblies that are made upon the Lords days in the afternoon (in which many men, as we well perceive, 
The good use of catechizing.  are so far from fitting themselves to good exercises, that they do of purpose give themselves over to sleeping and snorting) they would sometimes omit Sermons of instruction, and give themselves only to the catechizing of children, and use withal, some more plentiful exposition of the Book of the Catechism, which might evidently stand in steed of the Sermons omitted, and satisfy such as were of the years of discretion, and had made further proceed than other.  
And so the Church might at the last, 
Why men should stay the blessing of the Church.  upon good ground receive and be partaker of the blessing of the Church, before the congregation were dissolved. In the old Testament God himself ordained that all holy exercises and duties being done, the assembly should not be dismissed, till it had received a solemn blessing from the priests: whereof also God himself put down a solemn form for the priests to use, as may appear by these words, where he saith: Thus shall ye bless the children of Israel, and say unto them; 
Num. 6.23.24.  The Lord bless thee and keep thee: the Lord make his face to shine upon thee, and give thee peace. To which ordinance and commandment of God, the Psalmist doubtless alludeth in one of his Psalms, where the priests say unto the people: 
Psal. 118.26.  We bless you of the house of the Lord: that is to say, either we that are of the Lords house, and have the care of the Lords house committed unto us, understanding so these words of the priests: or else you that are of the Lords house, and indeed of the true Church of God, referring the words unto the people, to whom this blessing belonged. And this custom of blessing the congregation, was observed and continued even in the Church of the new Testament: 
Concil. Agath. can. 31  In so much that in the council of Agathon it was decreed, that the people should not presume to go out of the temples before that blessing was pronounced. Neither is the ceremony of this blessing toyish as some suppose, or superficial, but grave & good indeed. For even as it is God's pleasure by the ministery of his Church to be effectual, & hath established in his Church the ministery of reconciliation & life, so even in this very blessing also, 
2. Cor. 5.19.  the ministers are witnesses and preachers of God's grace towards his own people, in so much that this very rite and order, is an effectual testimony of God's grace, blessing, enlightening, and mercy towards them.  
Secondly, such things as have been diligently heard in the Sermons of the Church, 
2 The Sermons must be diligently called to remembrance, and well considered of.  must, and that with no less diligence, and that also out of the holy Bible be looked into, turned over again, and as it were chawed at home, that by this comparing of them, & as it were weighing of them in an equal balance, both our judgement concerning Gods matters may be sharpened and quickened, 
Four good effects of that duty.  and the things we have heard may sink more deeply into our memory, sticking fast there, & our consent more & more strengthened, & our faith & piety established. And of this Christian care and endeavour, Saint Luke setteth before us a notable and excellent example in those noble men of Berrhea. 
Act. 17.10.11.  For when as Paul & Silus preached there in the Synagogue, they received their word with all readiness. And lest they might be overtaken with too much readiness to believe, receiving every thing for God's word, when they came home out of the Synagogue, they searched the scriptures daily whether those things were so which Paul & Silus delivered, 
A good example is of great force.  and so by reading of the holy scriptures, did as it were by an exact touchstone to try & examine those things. Whereby it came to pass, that not only a great multitude of them bleeved, but by their example also, not a few of the Grecians & heathen, both men and women, were brought to the faith of Christ. Origen upon Leviticus affirmeth, that they offer to God an acceptable sacrifice and remembrance, 
Orig. hom. 4. in Leuit.  that day and night meditate in the law of the Lord, and keep fast in memory all the scriptures: or if they cannot do that, do at the least commit to memory such things as are taught or rehearsed in the Church, and who after they depart out of the Church, do as if they were clean creatures, chawing the same things again, call them to memory, and to be short, endeavour to accomplish God's commandments.  
Thirdly, fathers of families and household governors, 
3 Fathers & teachers must demand of their people an account of the Sermons.  must as they sit at table, or else where, repeat at home the Sermons which they have heard with their family and household: and the like must the schoolmasters do with their scholars in the schools, and likewise every one with those that belong unto them, yet so as the schoolmasters carefully look upon the books, in which their scholars have taken and written the Sermons, and correct the 'scapes of their writings, or the faults and errors therein, whether it be as in regard of the manner of writing, or the matter written. And this duty doth God himself prescribe unto, and press upon fathers of families, yea and schoolmasters also, who are or should be parents of souls to their scholars, for thus he saith: These words which I command thee, 
Deut. 6.6.7. etc.  this day shalt thou repeat and rehearse unto thy sons, and thou shalt speak or talk of them, when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou shalt walk by the way, and when thou shalt lie in thy bed, and when thou shalt rise up. And a little after in the same Chapter: 
Deut. 6.20.21.  When thy son in time to come shall ask thee, saying, what mean these testimonies, and ordinances, and iudgemets, which the Lord our God hath commanded you: then shalt thou say unto thy son, we were Pharaohs bond men, etc. And the like you may see in other places quoted in the margin, 
Exod. 12.26 Josh. 4.6. Psal. 7●. 3.4  which for shortness sake I do not put down. And chrysostom doth diligently and carefully exhort fathers and household governors to this duty, and endeavour, of remembering Sermons at home, and of repeating them together with those of their households, saying: Those that depart from the assembly of the Church must not be entangled with businesses, 
Chrysost. hom. 5. in Math.  contrary to that study and endeavour which they had whilst they were there, but returning presently home, they must lay open the holy books, and call their wife with them, and their children also, to confer upon those things which were spoken: and these things being more deeply and thoroughly settled in their hearts, than afterwards to go unto, and to provide for such things as are necessary for this present life. And in another part of his works, namely upon john, he saith thus: This I judge very necessary to admonish you of, 
Chrysost. in joh. hom. 2.  and to exhort you to, that look what mind ye are of now, ye would persever and continue therein, and that not only whilst you are in this assembly, but at home also let the husband speak often of these things together with his wife, the father with the son, and let them on both sides deliver their opinion, and inquire other men's, and let them strive to bring in this most approved and godly custom. 
An objection.  Neither let any man say unto me, Children must not be busied or occupied about this. For I say that it is not only needful they should give over themselves to these admonitions, 
The anwere.  but that they should follow them only. Yet having some respect to our weakness I say not so: neither do we mind hereby to lead them from worldly and earthly affairs, no more than we do ourselves from civil businesses. But of these seven days which God hath allowed us, we rightly judge that one should be employed to the worship and service of him, that is the common Lord of us all. Is not this a foolish thing, 
A familiar, but yet a pithy speech. Psal. 16.2.  that we would have our servants always occupied in our businesses, and yet we will perform no service to God? specially sith all our service and labour doth nothing at all profit him? For God wanteth nothing, 
Psal. 50.12.  but that which we do to him redoundeth wholly to our own profit. As for you, when ye bring your children to shows and plays, ye will provoke them, but never exhort them to doctrine, learning, or any profitable thing. Nay rather, if any holy thing be to be achieved, 
The speech of our time.  or any spiritual matter to be obtained, ye call that needless and superfluous care. Do ye not justly provoke God's wrath against you, when for the attaining of other things, ye set a certain time, and use all diligent care, but yet think it tedious and unseasonable to have your children exercised in the doctrine of holy things? It should not be so, yea dearly beloved brethren, I tell you it should not be so. 
Young age, and the disposition of it.  Certainly this age needeth these admonitions especially. It is tender, and quickly comprehendeth and learneth the things that are propounded or instilled into it, and receiveth the things it heareth, as it were by a seal set upon the wax of hearing, that is, it easily entereth into the minds and hearts of children. Besides both the life of youth is in hearing, 
If men will be won to godliness, we must begin with them betime.  and in them otherwise almost it is without use, so that they may easily be bowed either to virtue or to vice. If therefore any man will even from their cradles, and as it were from their first entrance into vice, draw them to the way of virtue, he must settle them in a certain habit as it were, and nature, to live well and rightly, neither suffer them of their own accord to run quickly into worse matters, sith such accustoming of them unto virtue from their tender years, cannot but allure them thereto. And by this means they shall both so much the more diligently observe and reverence their elders, 
Two good ends of bringing up youth religiously.  and shall be found more profitably to be employed in civil matters, because they shall, and that even from their very youth, be taught, and have learned the manners of their ancients. The same chrysostom in an other place reproveth husbands and married folk, for that they did cast the whole burden and weight of bringing up others upon the ministers back and shoulders only: you only (saith he) should be instructed of us: 
Chrysost. hom. 9 ad Coloss.  and your wives and children by you yourselves: But ye leave all things to us to perform. And therefore we are constrained to endure great labour and grief.  
Fourthly, 
4 Men must godlily confer of the Sermons by the way, & in their talks, and at their tables or feasts.  even in the way also as men come from the Church homeward (as we see those that dwell in villages, & abroad in the country, have for the most part very long ways from the Church home) and in their feasts, and in all other their come or meetings together, the hearers must talk of the Sermons they have heard, and confer one of them with another: that so they may cause them to stick faster in their mind, and may more and more build up one another. But a most wicked custom hath in this behalf mightily prevailed amongst Christians, namely, that so soon as their foot is out of the Temples or Churches, many of them are as it were with a certain kind of violence carried & fall into, and that even in the very Churchyards and porches thereof, worldly and profane businesses and speeches, 
A wicked custom amongst Christians.  and consume and spend the best part of the Lords day, not only in worldly affairs, but in wicked, dishonest, and filthy speeches, and the accusing of their neighbours, or else, in unjust, ungodly, and scoffing speeches (more vile than that of Lucian) both against the Sermons made, and also against the preachers themselves. Which indeed is rather to keep a feast to Satan, than to Christ. Those disciples certainly that went towards Emmaus, 
Luke. 24.13 14.27.  did on the day of the Passeover talk touching Christ, and concerning all other things which in those days fell out unto him at jerusalem: and Christ walking with them in a shape not know unto them, began at Moses and all the Prophets, 
Act. 8.27.28. etc.  and interpreted unto them all the scriptures that were written touching him. That Eunuch of Ethiopia, returning from the temple of jerusalem homeward, fitting in his chariot, read the Prophet Isaiah, and conferred with Philip touching that place which he had then in hand, desiring him to expound it unto him. So Tatianus saith, 
Tatianus.  that every age and order also among the Christians, were Christian Philosophers: yea, that the very virgins and maids as they sat at their work in wool, were wont to speak of God's word. 
Niceph. lib. 3. hist. eccles. cap. 37.  And Nicephorus writeth, that the Christians even as they travailed and journeyed, were wont to sing Psalms, and that by this singing of Psalms, there was at a certain time a jew converted.  

The profits of such speeches.  By such speeches & communication, Christ is invited, & cometh unto us, he promising that he will be in the midst, 
Mat. 18.20.  where two or three are gathered together in his name, which also he did indeed perform, when drawing nigh to those disciples that were going towards Emmaus, and did talk of him, he travailed together with them, 
Luke. 24.15 32. Philip. 4.9 Ephe. 4.29.30. 1. Cor. 15.33  opened the scriptures unto them, & caused their hearts to burn within them. God, even the God of peace is present with them that speak such things. Whereas on the other side, by corrupt communication the holy Ghost is grieved, & good manners are marred & corrupted. And indeed it cannot be, but that notable fruits and proceed shall be made, 
Esay. 55.11. 1. Cor. 15.57  & come of these godly speeches & conferences, according to Gods own promises in his word.  
chrysostom in a certain homily of his, 
Chrysost. hom. habenda cura salutis praeximi.  to which also he gave this title, touching the care that is to be had for our neighbour's salvation, exhorteth men to communicate the Sermons heard, to such as were not present at them. I (saith he) use not such long and large Sermons for myself, but for your sakes. Therefore ye also should hear, not for yourselves, but for others that must be instructed by you, because the body of the church is nourished & preserved by the agreement of the members, & by such mutual aids as they perform one to another. And as that member that keepeth all the food to itself, 
An apt similitude. The proposition, with the reason of it.  & imparteth it not unto the neighbour member, both hurteth itself, & corrupteth the rest of the body, as we may easily see in the stomach (for if it alone keep the food to itself, it both killeth the rest of the body with famine, and destroyeth itself with it own never satisfied corruption: whereas on the other side, if it receive that which is sufficient for the satisfying thereof, and sendeth the rest to the other members, it preserveth both itself, and the rest of the body in good state and health) even so thou also, if thou keep to thyself the things which thou hearest from us, 
The reddition with the reason of it.  and dost not communicate the same unto others, thou both hurtest them, and also corruptest thyself, because thou dost foster within thee these two sore diseases of slothfulness and envy: for it will suffice for thy destruction, either through wickedness or envy, or if ye will, through sloth, not to communicate them to others. Thus far chrysostom.  
Fiftly, men after the Sermons which they have heard upon the Lord's day, 
5 Upon the Lords days after the Sermons are done, men must not meddle with any profane businesses.  must not undertake or treat of worldly and profane affairs belonging to this life, as upon markets, marriage feasts, dance, pressing or swearing of soldiers (unless the enemy's power and presence, and as we may say, assault, urge, and press the same) bargains of buying and selling, dividing of inheritances, casting of accounts about money matters or other things, and such as be like to these, by which the Lord's Sabbath is profaned, and the Lords day is not dedicated to God as it should be, but to ourselves and to the world. No these things must be left, and the Sermons which we have heard must at home be repeated and rehearsed again and again, 
Private exercises on the Sabbath.  and we must read the holy Bible and other profitable books touching Christian religion, we must exercise holy singing of Psalms, and parents must undertake to repeat with their children the points of the Catechism, and these things must be performed in every house and family. 
The prevention of an objection.  But if in some houses there be not any that be learned, or can read, some of the neighbour families which can do that duty, shall meet there, and lend them their labour and aid, as in this behalf. For as we take unto ourselves, and employ about our own businesses, 
A just and a very weighty reason.  all the rest of the six days of the week, and that many times from day peep as we say, till it be very late in the night: so surely it behoveth us, no less to dedicate and consecrate the Lords day wholly to God himself, to holy actions, and such exercises as are good for the health of our souls. For what if God had claimed to himself, and to his holy service six days, and had left us only one for our use, and the affairs of this life? what would we have done then? 
A worthy inference upon the premises.  As therefore this is a great argument of his singular goodness and mercy, that here yielding much of his own right and authority, he hath appointed but one day only for himself: so of what great ingratitude, ungodliness, and of never satisfied covetousness, is this a testimony, that we will not or can not leave, no not the seventh part of our whole life to God and our own souls, untouched and undefiled? For (good Lord) with what deceits, crafts, usuries, lyings, 
A vement exclamation.  thefts, banquet, drunkennesses, wanton songs, blasphemies, cursings by the holy name of God, brawlings, blows, fightings, whoredoms, adulteries, wantonnesses, vanities, murders, and ten thousands besides of most grievous wickednesses, do fairs, marriages, markets, dance, and the other things above rehearsed, pollute and defile the Lords days, in so much as we may say, that they are rather consecrated to Venus and Bacchus, yea to the devil himself than to God.  
God verily will have his people on the Sabbath day to cease and rest from ear-ring & from harvest work. 
Exod. 34.21 August. in Psal. 91. August. lib. 10. de chordis.  And yet Augustine upon the Psalms, and in an other piece of his works, affirmeth that it is better to go to blow on the Sabbath day, than to dance, & that it is more meet for women to spin then, than that whole day to dance unchastely: Yea God would have the Sabbath under the old Testament to be sanctified with so great religion, that he would not have the Jews so much as to kindle fire throughout all their habitations. 
Exod. 35.3.  And upon pain of their souls, or as they love them, he commandeth them to take heed of this, 
jere. 17.21.27.  that upon the Sabbath day they neither bring in, nor bring out any burden by the gates of jerusalem. But notwithstanding this, if they will do otherwise, he threateneth that he will kindle a fire in their gates, that shall devour the houses of jerusalem, & it shall not be quenched. 
Nehem. 13.15.16.17.  Wherefore Nehemiah seeing certain men of Tyrus, that in jerusalem did buy and sell upon the Sabbath day, he reproved the rulers of judah, and calling to their memory this threatening of God, denounced by jeremiah, he provided that the gates of jerusalem should be shut upon the Sabbath day, and set some of his servants at the gates to watch that there should no burden be brought in on the Sabbath day. 
Nahum. 13.21.  Yea, he was so zealous in this behalf, that he would not suffer chapmen and merchants, no not without the walls of the City, but protested amongst them, that if they did so once again, he would lay hands upon them. There is a notable law of Leo and Antonius the Emperors, touching the Lord's day, 
In Cod. lib. 3 tit. de Feriis.  and it is this, We will not have holy days dedicated to the most high majesty of almighty God, to be spent in any pleasures, or to be profaned with any troubles of exactions: wherefore we decree that the Lords day shallbe always so honoured and regarded, that it shall be exempted from all executions, 
A worthy and very religious law.  no summons shall urge any man then, no demand shall be made of suretyship, all appearance shall be silent, all pleading shall be hushed, that day shall be far from taking knowledge of causes: the rough voice of the crier shall be silent: the parties contending shall cease from their controversies, and have a space of agreement: the adversaries may come together not fearing one another, &c: 
An excellent caution.  And yet giving liberty to the ease and rest of this religious day, we do not or will not, for all that, suffer any man to be detained with filthy pleasures. Stage plays, and Theatre sighs shall challenge nothing that day: feats of wrestling; running, etc. as also the pitiful spectacle of wild beasts, yea though the solemnity thereof should fall to be kept for our birth or birth day, it shall be deferred. He shall be degraded, and never have to deal with war, 
The punishment.  yea he shall endure the open sale of his patrimony, whosoever he be, that shall upon any time of the festival day be present at shows & spectacles. And the same punishment shall the apparitor or summoner of every judge endure, if under the pretext of public or private business, he think that the things which are established by this law may be violated. By such a like constitution did Constantinus the great decree, 
Const. magn.  that all judges and assemblies of Cities and towns, and the service of all arts should cease or rest upon the reverend Sunday, as we call it, or upon the Lord's day.  
Wherefore such in this behalf offend, that on the Lord's day will not have so much as a foot in the holy places of prayer; 
Profaners of the Sabbath.  or think that they have well discharged and done their duty, if happily they do superficially hear the forenoon's Sermon, or perhaps the half of it, but spend the rest of the time of that day, in or about profane things only. They also offend, that superstitiously persuade themselves that the sanctification of the Lords day standeth in idleness only, and in doing of nothing, and yet pass the same away in divers follies, vanities, dancings, drink, and pleasures. As indeed it cannot otherwise be, 
An old and true saying.  but that whilst men do nothing, they learn to do ill. But betwixt these two blameworthy extremities, this is the mean, namely, to consecrate and to spend that day in those exercises which we have spoken of already; and that not only in the public assemblies of the Church, but at home in every several family, privately and apart.  

What worldly 〈…〉.  Nay we say further, let no worldly businesses or labours be taken in hand, but such as necessity itself doth force us unto: that is, such things as pertain to our own health, welfare, and defence, or to the health, welfare, and defence of our neighbours: and yet so to, and in such things as could not either be taken in hand, or dispatched the day before, or will not endure a delay till the day after. For in or under the commandment touching the Sabbath, such good works from God are not forbidden, as the intermission thereof hath both joined with them the assured death and destruction of man, and also is contrary to charity. For in that case the son of man also is Lord even of the Sabbath: and the Sabbath was made for man, 
Mat. 12.8. Mark. 2.27  and not man for the Sabbath. Wherefore the Macchabees did in this behalf through superstition offend, 
1. Macch. 2.34.35. etc.  that upon the Sabbath day would not fight against Antiochus, nor cast a stone at their adversaries: by means whereof they endured the slaughter of a thousand men or there about. Whereupon after they had well weighed this error, and that by this means they might be rooted out of the land, 
1. Maccha. 2.40.41.  they decreed to fight against all that even on the Sabbath day should set upon them by battle. So doth our-saviour Christ defend, & that against the calumnies & slanders of the Pharisees, his own disciples, who for the beating back of the necessity of famine, did pull the ears of corn and gather them on the Sabbath day. 
Mat. 12.1.5.  And further addeth: have ye not read in the law, that on the Sabbath days the priests in the temple profane and break (but this he speaketh upon supposition of the opinion of his adversaries) the Sabbath, and yet are blameless: where no doubt he alludeth to those holy works and labours of the priests, who were constrained on the Sabbath day to slay sacrifices, 
Num. 28.9.  to bake the show bread, to set them in rows before the Lord, also to prepare incense, 
Levit. 24.5.8  to kindle the fire for the sacrifices, to seethe the flesh of the sacrifice at the door of the tabernacle, 
Levit. 8.31.  and to dispose and set in order those several instruments and vessels of the service and worship, 
Exod. 26.33.  which was prescribed under Moses: all which surely required no small labour and business. So if all the harvest time together, the sky were rainy, and only the Lords day fair, no man that is of sound judgement could doubt, but that the grain might without sin both be cut down, and carried into the barns.  
Sixtly, if we have heard in the Sermons some certain points which are dark, 
6 We must ask council of the ministery touching such things as are dark, and we do not well understand.  or which we ourselves could not sufficiently attain unto, we must not at any hand loath or neglect them under the pretext of this profane speech, things that are above us do not belong unto us: but either we must ask council concerning them of the ministers of the Church, or if in this case reverence of them, or shamefastness in ourselves (which yet should not be) do hinder us; we ought to go to them that are more familiar to us, and are endued with greater knowledge of God's word and holy things. For if we do this in other things of this world, and concerning our own life: how much more must we perform it in these divine and heavenly things, the right knowledge whereof is necessary for us unto salvation, & in the knowledge and judgement whereof we should more and more abound, that we may knew the things that differ, 
Phil. 1.9.10  and that we may be sincere or pure. And in this behalf, it is the duty of the ministers of the word, not only to teach every one in the public assemblies of the Church, but pruately also to instruct and teach. As on the other side, it is the duty of faithful hearers, not to be content only with the public hearing of Sermons, but privately to lay open, and pour out as it were into their ministers bosoms, their ignorances, doubts, and scruples of consciences. For the priests lips preserve knowledge, 
Malach. 2.7  and the people must require the law at his mouth, because he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. And Christ being exalted to the right hand of his Father, doth not for any other respect uphold and preserve the ministery of the Church than this, 
Ephes. 4.13.  that we might all meet together into the unity of faith, & the acknowledging of the son of God, that we henceforth be no more children, or so should remain always in God's matters, wavering and carried about with every wind of doctrine, but following the truth, should grow up, etc. So that Eunuch which was chamberlain to the Queen of Ethiopia, was not ashamed, neither thought he it any whit hurtful to his credit, to lay open his ignorance to Philip, 
Act. 8.34.  and to entreat him to open unto him that place of Isaiah which he was reading. So the Apostles do beseech Christ to open unto them the parable of the tars of the field. 
Mat. 13.36.  So when they were ignorant what this meant, that Christ said it should come to pass, that after a while they should not see him, etc. Christ knew that both they inquired concerning this amongst themselves, 
john. 16.19. etc.  and also were desirous to ask him thereof. And how often do we read that Moses, Aaron, Saul, David, and all the people of Israel, did in hard and doubtful things ask council at the mouth of the Lord?  
Seventhly, godly hearers must very diligently search and sound their own hearts, 
7 We must use a certain censuring, and sentencing of ourselves, according to the Sermons we have heard.  whether, yea and how far forth they do in their life and actions express the doctrine they have heard. And in this behalf they must make a certain spiritual anatomy of themselves, to wit, how their hearts, affections, thoughts, eyes, ears, countenances, hands, feet, & the actions of all and every one of these members do agree with the Sermons heard, and the doctrine of God's word, yea they must search and sift all the nooks and corners of their hearts. And if in this case we find a certain sweet harmony & consent between God's word, and the will that is in us, 
What the sifting of our hearts must bring forth in us.  there will flow and follow from the joy of our consciences, thanksgiving unto God, whose free favour and gift this wholly is. But if we find in ourselves contrary affections, or have other desires or opinions in ourselves, we must at no hand smooth, or flatter ourselves, 
2. Cor. 7.10.11.  but through a certain sorrow, which is according to God and godliness, we must accuse ourselves, that so God may absolve us, and we call upon God for the forgiveness of our sins, and by prayer entreat his savour, that so the old leaven, 
1. Cor. 5.7.  and the superfluous filthiness of sin, being more and more purged and cast out, we may be sweet bread to the Lord, and be renewed in our inward man. For indeed so great is, partly our blindness, partly our security and carelessness, and partly self-love also, through the corruption of nature, 
Three nenecessarie things.  that without such censuring and anatomizing of ourselves, we cannot easily be brought, either to the right acknowledgement of ourselves, and of our sins, or to the true and serious exercises of godliness, or to faithfulness in our calling. And what should not we Christians as in this case do, and that again & again throughout every week, so oft as we have heard holy Sermons: seeing that the very heathen themselves, notwithstanding their blindness, have as it were by a certain law, laid upon themselves such a daily censure of all their actions. For Virgil's verse touching a good man, is very well known, which because it is famous, & worthy to be remembered, I have thought good here to put down. For thus he admonisheth and painteth out a man even civilly good, and hardly giving place to any impiety. He doth not give his eyes over to sweet sleep, 
Virgil.  before he hath deeply thought upon all the acts of the day past. As also what is past, what was done in time, what not? why comeliness was wanting in such a deed? or reason in another? what escaped myself? why that opinion stood, which it had been better for him to change? pitying one, why I felt some grief in a broken heart? why I willed somewhat which was not good to will? why myself being evil, I preferred profit before honesty. Whether any man were hurt by word or by countenance? why nature more draweth me, than correction or education? Thus walking as it were through all his words and works, and beginning at the evening, and revolving all things, is offended with the evil, and ascribeth praise, and promiseth and giveth rewards to things well done.  
Eightly, parents, schoolmasters, 
Inferior persons offences, must be corrected by the Sermons.  and elders, yea all Christians indifferently, if they see or certainly know, that either their children, or scholars, or people, or neighbours and fellow brethren, have offended, this they must assay to correct and redress, by alleging and calling to remembrance the Sermons that were made touching these sins, yea by more special and strict applying of them to the present transgression. For so they indeed shall perform their duty, 
A double profit.  while they exercise discipline, and use brotherly admonitions and corrections, to which all the faithful are mutually bound one to another, and amongst themselves: and the other shall be well enured to bear the censure that is given of them, by and from occasion of the Sermons heard, and shall more deeply think upon the Sermons themselves, and treasure them up better in their hearts.  
These things have I observed partly out of the speeches and conferences of excellent divines, 
The conclusion of this whole treaty.  and such other skilful men in the matters of the Church ministery, as I could indeed see and hear: and partly from the proper course and experience of mine own ministery, and from the Sermons of my fellow ministers, and others that I could hear, marking such things in them as I took to be worthy either praise, or observation, or else were to be imitated, or avoided: and lastly, from the writings of other men, touching the making or hearing of Sermons, putting down such things as I thought worthy & meet, both to appoint and take to mine own private use, and also publicly to communicate and impart to and with other of my brethren, that run with me in the self same race. By which things if they shall be as much furthered and helped in their ministery, 
What fruits his labours shall bring forth, if others profit by it.  and in this their heavy and hard charge of preaching, as I perceive I have received profit thereby, than I shall have cause therein to thank God, and in respect of myself to rejoice and to be glad also for their sakes. And surely he must be more than blind, that perceiveth not by these things, how excellent, difficile, and hard a skill and charge it is, both to make & to hear Sermons: as on the other side, how much they are out of the way that persuade themselves that they have in this behalf excellently, yea sufficiently done their duties, if either for an hours space, observing as it were some custom, they coldly deliver some certain speech to the congregation out of the pulpit; or being hearers, go unto the holy assemblies, either to spend the time as we say, or upon some hypocritical custom. How much rather, through the grace of almighty God, doth it behove all the labouring ministers in the Lords vineyerd, carefully to apply themselves, 
What faithful ministers should do.  and to strive unto this, namely, very holily to handle this duty of preaching, very diligently meditating upon their Sermons at home, delivering them in the Church with greater zeal and demonstration of spiritual power, and with exceeding great care, every one of them watching for the profit of their doctrine and Sermons, both in faith and in conversation, and that as well in themselves, as in their congregations? 
What good people should do.  And how much more doth it concern the people or hearers with great religion, to dispose and prepare them to the hearing of God's word, but yet with greater to hear the Sermons, and with greatest of all, in the whole course of their lives to express the same, through the obedience of faith. 
Provocations to well doing.  To which worthy works these things following shall add no small edge, and not a little sharpen & provoke them on. In the ministers verily those glorious promises and great praises which God hath vouchsafed unto them, 
2. Tim. 4.7.8  namely, that if they shall well perform and finish their course in this holy race, there is laid up for them the crown of righteousness: 
Daniel. 12.3  and that the wise or teachers of others, shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that justify or instruct many unto righteousness, shall shine as the stars for ever and ever. And in the hearers, this should provoke, yea prevail very far, that the word which is grafted in them, 
jam. 1.21.  being received with meekness, is able to save their souls. And that our Saviour Christ himself pronounceth them blessed, 
Luke. 11.28  that hear God's word and keep the same. Which that we might be the better and more assuredly persuaded of, the Lord hath repeated it again and again in his holy word.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.    

Errata.  
Pag. ●4. lin. 5. read, whom. p. 20. li. 5. r. time. pa. 35. li. 19 r. cost●. pa. 43. li. 8. r. for. p. 89. l. 1. for without, r. with. p. 91. li. 3. r. he.