Thomas Adams
VERSE 15.
SEeing my life is so short, and with it my ministery must cease; therefore I will take advantage of the time, and yet againe remember you of these things. This I have done hitherto, viva voce, with my living voyce: but my care ends not with my life; I will strive that even after my death you may remember them. So often as you turne over the leaves of my Epistles, you shall (though not heare, yet) see me preaching to you these things. You shall heare mee while I live, and reade mee when I am dead. I die that spake these words, but the words spoken shall not die in your memories. As it is said of Abel; Defunctu loquitur. So it pleaseth GOD that I should preach to his Church even to the worlds end.
This is the Sense: for method of discourse, many things inherently naturall to these words, have beene pretractated on just occasion, Verses twelve and thirteene. I am loath to fall into a coincidence of argument, and therefore willingly abridge my selfe of some necessary matter. But to rest content with what is behinde, and to give you the gleanings of the former vintage: there are some scattering grapes, which well pressed may afford you a cup of good wine. First, the Apostle moves them to embrace his doctrine, because he is old, and hath but a short time to tarry amongst them. Then he comforts them, that he will strive to leave an impression of his Doctrine behinde him in their hearts.
The grave exhortations of old age are to be ponderously received. There is somewhat in the Person, that procures attention to the Doctrine. A reverend Bishop is heard Tanquam Pater Ecclesiae, as a Father of the Church, saith Augustine: his speech may be Brevis, sed gravis; short, but effectuall; leaving a deepe impression in the hearers. Saint Iohns short Sermon in his old age, [Little children, love one another.] so warmed his Disciples hearts with the fire of charitie: that their head was turned into a Limbecke, and did distill downe water at their eyes. The same weight of doctrine doth not feele so waighty in a young mans mouth, as in the gravitie of reverend old age. Not that the truth of God depends on the regard of persons: but because mens affections sooner melt at his speech that is stuffed with experience; than at theirs who onely averre the theoricall truth. But for us, whether he be a young Timothie, or an old Peter, that tells us the truth in Christ; the Spirit of God worke in our hearts a faithfull obedience!
Well, I am old, and must leave you: yet I will leave that behinde mee, which shall remaine with you. In the whole Verse we finde two generalls: The Content, and the Intent: his Practise, and his Purpose: his Labour, and the end of his Labour: the thing he does, and the thing he seekes. I will endevour; there is his labour, practise, and the thing he does. That you may bee able after my decease, alwayes to remember these things; there is his purpose, the end of his labour, and the thing hee seekes. For the former.
I will endevour. I can doe no more, I must doe no lesse. Now a Ministers Endevour consists in three especiall things: he must endevour by learning, endevour by life, endevour by labour: none of these must be wanting.
The first thing required to this endevour is Learning. The Bishop of Traiectum in Germanie, said that hee would not admit Asses to holy Orders. One replied, that he must not now looke for Ambroses and Cyprians. He answered, Cyprianos non requiro, sed asinos non admitto; I doe not expect Cyprians, but I will not admit Asses. There are some that never knew, nor cared to know, the Schooles of the Prophets; yet they send themselves into the Harvest; they pen their owne commission. But sayes the Church; Quid agitis in meis, non mei? What make you in my worke, that are none of my servants? They are sonnes without a father: their owne creators, and owne creatures too. Matth. 22.12. Friend, how camest thou hither, not having a wedding garment? Quomodo intrasti, non habens vestem Sacerdotalem? How didst thou get into the Priest-hood, without having a ministeriall garment? Periculosè docent, qui priùs non didicerunt; They are dangerous Teachers, that never were learners. Dum discipuli veritatis non erunt, magistri erroris sunt; While they will not be schollers of truth, they become masters of errour. For all CHRISTS Faciam vos; I will make you fishers of men; Yet they went not presently out of the Boat into the Pulpit: Hee was three yeeres instructing them. CHRIST commanded them to stay at Ierusalem, till the Holy Ghost descended on them, Act. 2. They must not Simul recipere & effundere; not receive in; and poure out at once, Hieron. Heri catechumenus, hodiè Episcopus. Like Davids messengers, they must tarry till their beards be growne: not Lapwing-breed, to runne away with the shell on their head. They must know their winds, ebbings and flowings, creekes and sea-markes, that will be Fishers.
Wherein consists this learning? Not in a theory of divers arts; but in the sober use and discreet application of Divinity. Cant. 1.11. We will make thee borders of gold, with studdes of silver. Divinitie is that border of gold, humane learning the studdes of silver. A garment to have here and there a fringe, or button, or jewell, is comely: to be nothing but buttons is ridiculous. Quaero documenta, non ornamenta; Give us lessons, not laces. When Salomon made preparation for the building of the Temple; 1 King. 5.15. He had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens; and fourscore thousand hewers in the mountaines: there was hewing and knocking in the mountains. But when the House was a building, there was neither hammer, nor axe, not any toole of iron heard in it, 1 King. 6.7. The studie of arts must goe before, but not bee too busie in the edification. That which moves the conscience, and saves the soule, is the Word of GOD; yet attendant to this Queene, are certaine maids of honour; Artes. I cannot say they are commanded; I dare not say they are forbidden Indeed a flourishing and meretricious eloquence puffed up with these, is unprofitable. GOD affects not Aulicismes, and Courtly termes. It is like a great deale of painting in a Church-window, to keepe out the light. What benefit is in a gilt armour? it is the armour that defends, not the gilt. Or to what purpose is a golden key, if it will not open the doore? If a wooden key will open it it is better for mee. Neither would I have the truth stripped of her ornaments, and set barely forth; this is a kinde of treason. There is a learning, no man can be good Preacher without it. Matth. 13.52. Every Scribe instructed unto the kingdome of heaven, bringeth out of his treasure things new and old. The New Testament, and the old: to the broken hearts evangelicall comforts, to rebellious spirits legall menaces. New and Old, new before old: because the Gospell was promised, before the Law was printed.
Some thinke a Minister hath no great need of Learning, because he is to speake to the unlearned. But as, Hebr. 5.11. We have many things to say, and hard to be uttered; seeing you are dull of hearing. For, when for the time ye ought to be Teachers, you had need be taught againe the first Principles of the Oracles of God; and had need of milke, and not of strong meate. So, 1 Cor. 2.6. We speake wisedome among them that are perfect. Such is our unhappy exigent: if we preach learnedly, they thinke us mad: as Festus told Paul, Act. 26.24. Thou art beside thy selfe, much learning doth make thee mad. We seeme mad, but onely to those that are mad. As David seemed a foole, Sed Regi Achish, to King Achish, that was a foole. To common simplicity, Divinity seemes a kind of heresie; and Ministers a kind of Conjurers. It is with Learning as it is with Language: let it be strange, be sure it will be ridiculous. Hos. 8.12. I have written to them the great things of my Law, but they were counted a strange thing. Art hath no other enemy, to speake of, but Ignorance. Licinius can make a decree against Learning, though he want so much learning as will serve to write his owne name, and to subscribe to it. But not to torment him here, that is tormented enough elsewhere; we have too many ignorant censurers of Learning: they cannot understand us, they can with-stand us. No wonder! for who can distinguish right from wrong, that hath not either a Rule in his hand, or some notion of a rule in his head. Iudicare quis sit sapiens, vel maxime videtur esse sapientis, Tull. To judge who is a wise man, is only the office of a wise man. But Mat. 11.19. Wisedome is justified of her children. If it were not for this justification at home, poore Wisdome would speed ill. Either the Temporall Law would non-suit her for want of evidence: or the Ecclesiasticall would excommunicate her for want of compurgatours. Such fortune hath Wisdome among barren and unblest understandings; that the common opinion of learning is no more but this: It it a pretty shift for a younger brother to live by. This entertainment gives the world to her and her hand-maids, which hath most need of her and all her hand-maids. But, 1 Cor. 2.14. The naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit, neither can hee know them, because they are spiritually discerned. He knowes them not; there is a deniall of the Act: nor Can know them, there is an excluding of the Habite. Howsoever you judge, yet this is the truth: a man may as well saw downe a tree with his nailes, as be a profitable Minister without learning. You will not venture your estate with an unlearned Lawyer, nor your body with an unlearned Physitian; and will you venture your soule with an unlearned Pastor.
The next thing required to this Endevour, is an honest and religious life. If this have beene bad before thy calling, redeeme it now. Aeneas Sylvius having wrote wanton bookes; when he came to be bishop of Rome, accepted the name of Pius. Aeneam rejicite, recipite Pium; Forget Aeneas, and receive Pius. Though thou alter not thy name, yet alter thy nature. The Minister that spends himselfe like a Taper to light others, must not himselfe goe out with an ill savour. It is preposterous for a Divine to trouble himselfe too much with secular things. For there is commonly, Otium in sacris, Idlenesse in holy matters: where is Negotium in profanis, Too much businesse in the worlds imployments. Mat. 5.19. He that shall break one of these least Commandements, and (though but by his example) shall teach men so; shall be called least in the kingdome of heaven: Minimus, that is, Nullus, saith Theophylact. All in a Minister should be Vocalia; his very conversation must preach: a• Noah was called a Preacher of Righteousnesse, because his life was an actuall Sermon. An innocent and unrebukeable Life is a silent testimony of a good Minister. Efficacius est vitae, quàm linguae testimonium, Cyprian. A good worke perswades much more, quàm ineffectum verbum, than an unperformed speech, Nazian This was the cause why the Indians refused the Gospell brought by the Spaniards; because their lives were more savage than those Savages. Heaven it selfe was despised, for feare of those mens company there that did promise it. Common auditors receive not a doctrine in the abstract, onely minding what is taught: but in the concrete, with reference to the person that teacheth it. Therefore, if your credit be cracked, it is as bad as if your braines were craz’d: you may preach of heaven and hell untill Doomesday: and truth will bee truth in your mouthes, not in their hearts. Tunc etiam fatis aperit Cassandra futuris Ora Dei jussu non unquam credita. I doe not say that holinesse is an essentiall grace of a Minister: personall offences suspend not the power of the Holy Ghost. Suspend it not, I say, directly; yet may occasionally: through the infirmitie of simple men; who were not then simple men, if they did onely adhere to the doctrine. His life is bad, therefore his doctrine is false? O this is an harsh Non sequitur. Yet is it a thousand times better, that our good lives should prevent it, than our great learning be driven after to confute it. Psalm. 50.16. Vnto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to doe to declare my Statutes? Though it be truth thou preachest, yet thou art not fit to preach it. Christ reproved the Devill, even confessing truth, Marke 1.24. I know thee who thou art, the holy one of God. This was truth, yet saith IESUS; Hold thy peace, keepe thy breath to coole thy torment. The true Prophet is hee; Cujus in ore verbum vitae, cujus in more vita verbi; In whose mouth is the Word of life, in whose behaviour is the life of the Word.
Otherwise men seeme to propound doctrines impossible to be kept. Act. 1.1. Of all that Iesus did both doe and teach. It is said of Christ, that he did first Doe, and then Teach. The question to the Minister shall be at last; not how many bookes he hath read, but what life he hath led: not onely how he hath preached, but how hee hath lived. They must not be like scribbling schoole-boyes, that write faire with the fore-finger, and blurre it with the hind-finger. Indeed ranke hypocrites often maske in sheepes clothing: and as Physitians that would minister a draught of bitter potions to children, anoint the brimmes of the cup with honey, or some well tasted liquour. So these paint the exteriour apparance, that men may more easily swallow their drugs and dregs of heresie. But we may soone discerne these wolves in lamb-skins; for sheare them, and their wooll will grow no more. Yet must not the lambe put off his fleece, because the wolfe hath worne it. Lest he divert Dispensationem in dissipationem; his office of gathering the flocke together, into a scattering them asunder. Every Shepheard hath a Scrip, a Staffe, and a Whistle: so a Minister must have Maintenance to live on, Sanctimony to live by, Doctrine to enliven others. Worldlings that minde the purse, and neither preach fervently, nor live charitably; have lost the Staffe and the Whistle, and onely keepe the Scrip: Neither doth well asunder, all doe very well together: yet what ever becomes of the Scrip, keepe we a good Staffe, and a good Whistle: that we may out-preach sinne; out-live sinne; and be our reward in the hands of Iesus Christ.
The last thing required to perfect this Endevour, is constant Labour. There is nothing more wretched, than for a man to live without care, when he hath gotten a Cure: Sine cura, cum pervenerit ad curam, Bern. Matth. 9.38. Pray the Lord to send forth Labourers, not loyterers, into his Harvest. But there is no need to follow this point: You in this Citie will looke to it well enough, that your Ministers shall labour: you have here the law in your owne hands; if he will not labour, you will keepe him fasting. Yet it is to be feared, that as curious as you are to set us on work, and watch us with continuall labour; you rellish none of our fruits, you will be never the better for it. You send us a hunting, as Isaac sent his sonne: but when with Iacob wee say, Gen. 27.19. Sit and eat of our Venison, that your soules may blesse us: You question, how we came by it so soone? Wee answer; The Lord brought it to our hands. You look upon it, and say, It is good Venison, a good Sermon: but still you goe away fasting. Thus we are forced to labour in vaine. Esay 49.4. Wee have laboured in vaine, and spent our strength for nought. That wee may hereafter labour to purpose, Lord knit your hearts unto our lips; Prosper thou the workes of our hands upon us, O prosper thou our handy worke, Psal. 90.17.
Observe further, that all a Minister can doe, is but his Endevour: Paul can but plant, and Apollos water; it is God that gives the encrease. Nostrum est dare operam, Dei dare operationem. It is our part to endevour, the Lords to blesse it with successe. Preachers are called Saviours, Obad. vers. 21. Saviours shall come upon mount Sion: yet is there but one Saviour of us all, IESUS CHRIST. They are called Lights, Vos estis lux mundi: yet there is but one Light, Ioh. 1.8. Christ is that true Light, which lighteneth every man. They are called Reconcilers, yet Christ is the onely Reconciler, 2 Cor. 5.19. God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himselfe: and we have but the ministery of this reconciliation. Aliud est docere, aliud flectere; It is one thing to teach, another thing to convert. Well may the Minister move his tongue and his lips like Organ-pipes; but if there be no breath of Gods Spirit with them, it is to no purpose. Lift up your hearts to heaven: he hath a Pulpit above the clouds, that preacheth to the conscience. Act. 3.16. It is the Name of IESUS, through faith in that Name, which converts us: let none of his glory cleave to our earthen fingers. You thinke it enough to commend us: no, blesse the Lord, whose power is magnified in our weaknesse. When we have done all, it is but our endevour; we would have saved you. And be it to our comfort, our endevour shall be accepted. 2 Cor. 8.12. If there be a willing minde, it is accepted according to that a man hath, not according to that he hath not. Non secundum quod valuimus, sed quod voluimus, shall our reward be. We endevour to save you; doe you endevour to be saved: and the Spirit of God blesse both our endevours. That though the Minister part with his people on earth, they may all meet together in heaven.
That you may be able.] All is Propter vos, for your sakes: this preaching, this remembring, this writing, all propter vos, for you. 1 Cor. 3, 22. Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, all are yours. You may say to your Ministers, as the Poet of Oxen; Sic vos non vobis, fertis aratra boves; They labour in the plough, not for themselves, but for your soules. 1 Thess. 1.5. Yee know what manner of men we were among you for your sakes: Ier. 6.29. ἐν ὑμῖν δι᾽ ὑμᾶς: inter vos, propter vos. The bellowes are burnt, the lead is consumed of the fire: yet the Founder melted in vaine, for the wicked are not plucked away. He had burnt a hole in his bellowes, gotten the consumption of the Lungs, exhausted his spirits; and all for the people. Phil. 1.24. Neverthelesse, though it were better for me to be dissolved; yet to abide in the flesh is more needfull for you.
After my decease. Some have read, in stead of Dabo operam, ut post obitum meum; Et post obitum meum: I will endevour even after my decease, that &c. So they give to Saint Peter, and other Saints, a provident care over us still. If they would extend it no further, then that the Saints in heaven pray for us on earth, wee would easily grant. Or that their Sermons once preached still do us good, we assent. What then? because we reverence their words, must we therefore worship their bodies, or relickes? Yet such is the fond collection of Fevardentius on this place. He urgeth it from, Rom. 10.15. How beautifull are the feet of them that preach the Gospell! If their feet be beautifull, how beautifull then are their hands and joints, and tongues and lips! If the shadow of Peter, and the hand-kercher of Paul, could cure the sicke: why may not the body of that shadow, and the hand of that hand-kercher, effect as much? why should not these be worshipped? Wee honour their writings, how much more their relickes! This ridiculous stuffe needs no other confutation, but derision. There was read in the Nicen Councell; by the Monke Stephanus, out of the booke of Sophronius, this Legend. A Monke was continually troubled with a devill: at last being very of his guest, he did pray the devill in faire and friendly tearmes, to let him alone. (And was not this religiously done, to pray to the deville, Satan answered, that if he would promise and sweare to satisfie him in one thing, he would forsake him. The Monke swore a deepe oath; then quoth the devill: Thou shalt never hereafter pray any more to such an Image of our Lady, holding her child in her armes. But the Monke was too crafty for the devill: for the next day he went and confessed himselfe to the Abbot, and he dispenced with his oath, upon condition that he should continue praying to that Image. And is not this an excellent proofe of praying to Saints, which is borrowed of the devill? But what is this to Relickes? yes, they that speake so much for the Image of Saint Peters head, what will they say for the head it selfe? Fevardentius addes; The dusts, the rags, the shooe, the naile of a Saint is venerable. This is the drunken doctrine of Rome, that adores the reliques, but regards not the lives of Saints. Neither Peter nor Paul shall teach them by their writings, they will bee taught by their relickes.
To have these things in remembrance.] The Apostles did not only preach to us vocally while they lived: but even now also exemplarily by their former conversation, and still doctrinally by their holy rules. The words of a Preacher die not with him; but live in the hearers hearts: and shall either convert them here, or convince them hereafter. The word that I have spoken, Ioh. 12.48. the same shall judge him in the last day. Thou hast forgotten such a Sermon; but this Sermon shall not forget thee, Zach. 1.6. The Prophets are dead: but the words that I commanded them to speake, did they not take hold of their fathers? If it take no hold in thee by due obedience, it shall take hold on thee by deserved vengeance. A Prophet comes to Ieroboam, and saies, 1 King. 13.2. Oh altar, altar, thus saith the Lord; Iosiah shall offer the priests of the high places upon thee: and upon thee shall mens bones be burnt. That Prophet died, yet his word came to passe; Iosiah did accomplish this. 2 King. 23.17. and was shewed the Sepulcher of that man of God, which had proclaimed these things that he did. It is said of Samuel. 1 Sam. 3.19. that the Lord did let none of his words fall to the ground. Stephen foretold the Iewes of their future desolation by the contempt of CHRIST: they confute him with hard arguments, stop his mouth with stones: Stephen dies, but Stephens Sermon dies not. We tell the usurer, that the third generation shall rue all: we die, but our words come to passe. We tell the Impropriator, that his robbing God of his due, shall make his posterity like Achan, accursed: we die, but this saying is fulfilled upon them. We tell the proud officer, that his suites are the suites of Gehesi, cut out of bribes; and will engender a leprosie in his issue: wee die, but this event followes. Our Sermons shall bee thought on: even when wee are dead you shall remember them: God grant you may remember them to your comfort.
To conclude, we have Saint Peter still preaching among us. As it is said plainly, Act. 15.21. Moses was preached, by being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day. While the writing of Peter is read, the voice of Peter is heard. The Apostles are dead, their holy Sanctions live with us. But now what entertainement have they found in our hearts? you shall see that by our lives. If you have digested those excellent rules, Lord what a change they will worke in you! you will be as men that dreamed, wondring at your former loves: your faire Herodias of this world will appeare a stigmaticke Gypsie. All the toile and cost you have beene to get riches, will appeare as ridiculous, as if a countrey man should annoint his axletree with Amber-greece; or a traveller should liquor his bootes with Balsamum. You that have runne by the Church as a Pest-house, would now continually waite at her doores. Then if you know that finger, which but itched to be accessary to any corrupt dealing, you would cut it off: and bite off that lip which but lisped out any equivocation: and plucke out those eyes, that lusted after adulterous mixtures; Let Religion be held a Fable, and Ministers false Prophets, if you find not in your selves a wonderfull change. But alas, where is this change? where is the fruit of such plentifull Preaching? There is a cursed devill that marres all, called covetousnesse. It was once said of this Iland; Lucis Britania dives, England is rich in light; alluding to the long dayes, and short nights. It may truely be said of her in respect of the Gospell; that she is rich in the best light: but the darkenesse of this worldlinesse hath almost overcast it. This Land hath beene foure times conquered, say our Chronicles: but by the Chronicles leave I will adde a fift conquest. First, it was possessed by the Britaines, the Romans conquered the Britaines, the Saxons conquered the Romans, the Danes conquered the Saxons, the Normans conquered the Danes: but now covetousnesse hath conquered all. I know you have eares judicious enough; I heare you extolling the learned, praising Preachers, magnifying Sermons: yet and more, England gives preferment to her Ministers. But beloved, there is one preferment behind, and that most proper to Preachers; a preferment in the hearts of the hearers. Let the rest goe, give us this. Though I have no hope to attaine to any preferment in this world, yet I shall rest joyfully contented with this; if I may find preferment in your consciences.
That after my decease, you may have these things alwayes in remembrance.] There are two materiall points in this verse, which I durst not pretermit. The first is; what the proper intention of all Preachers and Sermons is; they are but Remembrances. The other is a method, how we may remember the Apostles preaching after their departure; which is by a diligent and frequent reading of their writings.
That you may beable to remember. There are two offices of the holy Spirit; Docere & suggerere, to Teach and to call to remembrance. Both are expressed. Ioh. 14.26. The Holy Ghost when hee comes, shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Suppose that the fundamentall articles of faith may be taught, within lesse than the terme of a Preachers life: which (curious speculations, and idle digressions, layed a side) I conceive not impossible. In the remainder what shall he doe? Either he must preach the same over againe, and so be a Remembrancer: or else be silent, and so be no Preacher. It is too true that, who hath not an Athenian eare? We long for novelties, and would have men preach not only Novè, after a new methode; but Nova, new doctrines. But Christs sheepe love not only his name, but the Eccho of his name: they hearken to his voice, and to every reflection of his voice. Were your sanctification absolute, continuall obedience to his Word would no more trouble you, than the everlasting aspect of his countenance doth trouble the Angels. Therefore answerable to the degree of your regeneration, must be the degrees of your attention. Likewise causeth liking. 2 Cor. 3.18. We with open face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image. If you be changed into that Image, you will desire to behold in the Gospell, as in a glasse with open face, that Image into which you are changed.
When we heare an excellent lesson on an Instrument, we call for it againe, and againe. If Gods peace dwell in our hearts, we love the songs of Sion rehearsed; Decies repetita placebunt. All our Sermons are but Rehearsalls of that old Sermon. Gen. 3.15. The seed of the woman shall breake the head of the Serpent. All the summe of the new Testament is but the repetition of that one Prophecie. What are the Father writings, but expositions of the Apostles? the Schoolemen, but abridgements of the Fathers? It is an usuall adage in the Schoole, that the soule of Augustine was pythagorically transfused into the body of Aquinas. The Iesuite is nothing else but an old Schoole-man bound up in a new cover. As one observed wittily; The Schoole-man is Philosophicall in his Theologie; the Iesuite. Theologicall in his Philosophy. As Augustine wrote of his bastard Adeodatus; Ego in illo puero prater delictum [nihil habebam]; I had no share in that boy, but onely sinne. So the Iesuites may confesse of their bookes; that there is nothing in them of their owne, but that which is had▪ The good stuffe is the fathers, onely the lace and pinking is their owne. As it is said of a Cimnell, that it is but bread upon bread: so we may say of the Iesuite; it is but Aquinas they licke him over, and let him goe. As Galaton painted Homer vomiting; reliquos verò poetas ea quae ipse evomuisset haurientes; and all the rest of the Poets licking up what he had vomited, Aelian.
All is but Remembrance: thrice in these foure verses doth our Apostle presse it; Paul, Phil. 3.1. It is not grievous to me to write the same things unto you: but for you it is safe; a most sure course. Vnregenerate hearts are termed Stony hearts: if they were brasen, they might be melted: if iron, they might be wrought: but hearts of stone must be broken with continuall hammering. The bloud of CHRIST must be often dropped upon these adamantine hearts to mollifie them. Gutta cavat lapidem, non vi, sed saepe cadendo. Deut. 32.2. My doctrine shall drop as the raine, and my speech distill as the dew. If all the world were Paradise, the sower might sow but once for all. Or if it were like the land of Albanoises, he need to till it but once in three yeares. Or if it were so fertile, as some soile is said to be under the Northerne Pole; he might sow in the morning, and reape in the evening. But sinne hath made the ground full of thornes, and much seed falls among these thornes, Matth. 13. Some is trampled under feete with the vulgar tract: other washed away with the common streame of the time: the rest pecked up by the fowles of the aire: there is need therefore to sow even often the same seed, and alwaies to put you in remembrance, not of other, but even of these things. We have brittle memories, weake retentions; therefore there is need or frequent and hearty incitations. Esa. 28.10. Precept must be upon precept: line upon line: here a little and there a little. The Scripture often ingeminates the same word, the samething, to give strength to the declaration of it. Esa. 28.7. They have erred, they are out of the way, through wine: the phrase is repeated seven times in one Verse; to vilefie drunkennesse. So Ver. 21. The Lord shall doe his worke, his strange worke: and bring to passe his act, his strange act. So Ver. 23. Give eare, and heare my voice, hearken and heare my speech; that the eare might bee throughly charmed. Psal. 62.11. God hath spoken once, twice have I heard it. Prov. 4.14. Enter not into the way of the wicked, goe not in, avoid it, passe by it, turne from it, and passe away. Prov. 31.2. My sonne, the sonne of my wombe, the sonne of my vowes. Ier. 22.29. Oh earth, earth, earth, heare the word of the Lord! Our Saviour thrice questioned Peters love, and thrice urged his dutie. Esa. 6.3. The Lord is thrice called Holy. Vanity is thrice called Vaine, to shew the vilenesse of it. In these and such like places, so fraught with repetitions; as it is with Numeration in Arithmeticke: the figure in the first place stands for it selfe; in the second place for ten-times it selfe; in the third for a hundred times it selfe. So when the Scripture condemnes a sin; as it proceeds in iteration, it riseth in aggravation.
Oh the infallible power of the word! heaven and earth shall passe, it shall never faile. Time may faile, speech may faile, audience may faile: but the matter of that abundant treasure shall never faile. It may be, Samuel knowes not Gods first call, nor his second, nor his third; yet at last, speake Lord, for thy servant heareth. It may be as Peter, Act. 10.16. in his vision; Arise, kill, and eate; he excuseth himselfe; Not so Lord, for I have never eaten any uncleane thing. But when this was done thrice, he is resolved. So when the Lords voice comes to us once, Arise and eate; it may be we excuse our selves; Not so Lord: but when it shall be spoken thrice, often; there is some hope that we will heare at last. It may be according to the signe that God gave Hezekiah, Esa. 37.30. This yeere yee shall eate such as groweth of it selfe: the second yeere, such as springeth of the same: but the third yeere yee shall sow and reape. So the first time we heare the doctrine of salvation, it is without profit; and it breeds no meditations in us but such as grow of themselves. The next time, such as spring of the former, thoughts of flesh and bloud. But yet the third time, it may worke us, to a more industrious cogitation of heavenly things. Paul in the 17. of the Acts; three Sabbath daies together handled one doctrine.
Good things are not wearisome in their continuall use. Our daily bread, though daily received, is daily craved. The light of the Sun would displease none but some lover of darkenesse, though it never went downe in our coasts. The perpetuall use of necessary things can never offend us though they never forsake us. Shall then the doctrine of life, the restorative of our fainting spirits, through the often repeating discontent us? No, here the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the eare with hearing. Yet many use themselves in the hearing of beaten points, as they doe in drinking of wines: the first draught is for necessitie, the second for pleasure, the third for sleep. If they heare you once, that’s enough: if a second time, that’s too much; but if you come with the same a third time, fare you well, they must goe sleepe. When Paul preached at Antioch, Act. 13.42. The Gentiles besought him that those words might be preached to them againe the next Sabbath. αὐτὰ τὰ ῥήματα; the very same words. Gal. 4.19. My little children, of whom I travell in birth againe, untill Christ be formed in you. Now the ripening and perfitting of a child in the wombe, requireth nine moneths at the least.
The time then, is not idly spent, that calls to mind fore-recited principles. If you aske us, Quousque eadem? how often shall we heare the same? we would to God there were no need of repetitions. But it is true what Elihu speakes in Iob. Iob 33.14. God speaketh once, yea twice, but man perceiveth it not. Yea, Ver. 29. God doth worke it twice and thrice, often times with man. Let us answer, as Augustine did the Donatists; being enforced to some iteration; Let those that know it already pardon me, lest I wrong them that are ignorant. It is better to give him that hath, than to turne him backe that hath not. If it were true of Homer, or may be true of any man formed of clay; One Homer never cloyed any man that read him. Then certainely it must be true of truth it selfe; One IESUS CHRIST in his Gospell never satiated any that read him. To conclude, for your part; Col. 3.16. Let the word of CHRIST dwell in you plenteously. The word of grace hath beene often offered unto you: whither it hath gotten house roome in you or no, I cannot tell. Perhaps it is but in the Nature of a Passenger to you; and your bosome the Inne to give it only a baite and away. Perhaps as the Levite, that sate in the streetes, and no man received him to house, Iudg. 19. it hath sounded in your Churches, but none bade it to dinner in their consciences. Perhaps it hath gotten admission by force, as they let downe the sicke man by the tiles of the house: the doores of your hearts being pester’d with a throng and crowd of worldly businesse. But now let it be no stranger, but like a brother dwell with you, never to depart: not in a corner, as if it were pinched for want of roome, but Plenteously: not with in-mates and chamber-fellowes, as lusts and evill affections; but in your hearts, alone. Yea in corde cordis, in the very heart of your heart. Psal. 40.8. The law is within my heart, in the midst of my bowels. Not unconceived or misconceived, unapplied or misapplied, but in all wisedome. And the God of all wisedome bring you by it to the end of your faith, even the deare salvation of your soules!
The other point is the method of our memorie, the meanes how we may remember them: which is indeed, frequently to read them. Ioh. 5.39. Search the Scriptures. Honour and admire the depth and secrecy of Gods word; yet faile not in thy diligence to search it. The Scripture is not like a kalendar, to die with them for whom it is written; but serves for us, in what climate soever we breath. What Paul wrote to the Romans, Corinthians, &c. serves also for the meridian of England. What is written, is ever ready to be read; if men would be at leasure to read it. CHRIST repells all Satans assaults with his owne weapon; It is written. Him discamus omnes arma nostra esse sacras Scripturas saith Caietan. From hence let us learne that all our weapons are the holy Scriptures. Cant. 4.4. It is like the Tower of David builded for an armorie, whereon there hang a thousand bucklers, all shields of the mightie men. There are shields for defence, and swords for offence. As Laban deceived Iacob in the night, giving him in stead of faire Rachel, bleare-eyed Leah. So Sathan in the darkenesse of our ignorance cozens us: onely the Scriptures day-light can discover Leah from Rachel. Cant. 5.12. His eyes are like the eyes of doves by the rivers of water. The dove sitting by the rivers, discryeth a farre off the shadow of the hawke, her mortall enemy: so either escapes by flight, or by hiding her selfe under the bankes, He that sits by the banke of these living waters, can discover the practises of Satan, by them he can sound him, and wound him. This is that Sword of the spirit: not the woodden daggar of fabulous stories, nor the rusty scabberd of old Traditions; these are blunt: but the two-edged sword of the Spirit. Scriptum est, It is written, this is the voice of CHRIST. Traditum est, it is by Tradition, this is the voice of Antichrist.
We appeale to your consciences, we feed not your eye with pictures and bables, nor your eare with Legends and fables: no holy water from the font: but It is written: This is that sacred water which is cast in the devills face, and stops his mouth. Rom. 15.4. Whatsoever things are written, are written for our instruction. Paul saies, the Scriptures are the peoples instruction: the Romists say, they are the peoples destruction. Paul saies, 1 Tim. 3.27. It makes the man of God absolute; the Romists say, it makes him dissolute. Paul saies, Cor. 10.11. They are written to admonish us: they say, they are written so difficult that in a knowen language they rather seduceus. CHRIST bids us to Search the Scriptures, for there is eternall life: take heed, say they that forbid us, for therein is eternall death. Esa. 8.20. To the Law, to the Testimonie: no say they, Ad Traditum, ad decretum, ad Papam; To traditions, to decretalls, to the Pope. Psal. 119.105. Thy word is full of light: no say they, It is full of darkenesse. Thus = cast a mist before mens eyes, that they cannot see their Iuggling. They blind the people, and buffet them: and then aske them, as the Iewes asked CHRIST; who smote them? These are they that compare the Scriptures to a nose of waxe, formable to what proportion the handler pleaseth. They make the Fathers their children, and the ancient Doctors their puny Scholers; that they shall only speake what they would have them. It is nothing with them to abuse the sacred Writ. Non scripturas ad materiam, sed materiam ad Scripturas excogitant, Tertul. First they make their Sermons, and then looke for a Text. Thus that vision, Act. 10.13. Rise Peter kill and eate; is made warrant enough for the Pope to designe the killing of any Prince. Sometimes they cite the beginning without the end, as the divell served CHRIST; sometimes the end without the beginning: sometimes they take the words against the meaning; often they make a meaning against the words. So in summe, they doe not keepe the old Scripture, but coyne a new. Either they suppresse the word, or not expresse the sense: as if they would convey away the gold, and throw us the bagge.
But wee have the Scripture, let us read it: not the bare words onely, but the sense, The Scripture is like Ezekiels Roule, written within and without: without in the outward sentence, within in the inward reference. It is the golden pot of Manna; the words, that is the golden pot: the sense, that is the Manna. It is not enough to take what offers it selfe at the first proposed; but to digge deepe. God that is rich in the veines of nature, is not poore in the veines of Scripture: excellent in the historie, more excellent in the mysterie. The Scriptures are not in superficie sed in medulla: non in verborum foliis, sed in radice rationu, Chrysostome. It is not the letters and words, but the sense and heart of the Scriptures, whereupon our faith depends. Revel. 1.3. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that heare. We must not onely reade, nor only heare, nor only meditate, but all. Lectio sine meditatione arida, meditatio sine lectione erronea. Reading without meeditation is fruitlesse, meditation without reading subject to errour. Meditate, to profite by reading: and read to rectifie meditation. Otherwise it may be said, as of the Delphicke oracle; Quotiès legitur, negligitur: it is not soone gotten, than forgotten. Col. 3.18. Let the word dwell plenteously in you. The word must dwell in us, therefore the Bible must be in our house. It must dwell plenteously, therefore we must read it daily. The word doth dwell plenteously among us, God grant it may dwell plenteously in us. It is but a shift now, and will be no good answer at the last day; I am no Divine, this is none of my profession, to be busy with the Scriptures. Yet you would be Christ sheepe: but Ioh. 10.4. his sheepe know his voice. You should be thought honest men; but is there any thing except Gods word can make thee honest, Mic. 2.7. You would not be thought uncleane: but Psal. 119 9. Wherewithall shall our way be clensed, but by the word? you would all be made blessed: but Blessed is he that delighteth in the Law of the Lord, and meditates in it day and night, Psal. 1.2. But ô the profanenesse of this age! reading this booke is thought a fit of melancholy; deductions out of this booke, Paradoxes, and the Language of this booke a Shibboleth, which all the world besides pronounceth not. Alcibiades comming into a Schoole, and asking the Schoole-master for one of Homers workes, when he answered that he had none: he knitting his fist, smote him on the eare. If God come to visite thy house, and find thee without a Bible, the booke of thy faire profession; God shall smite thee thou whited wall, thou shalt feele the waight of his hand. Act. 28.2. The barbarians shewed Paul no little kindnesse, God forbid we should use him as a Barbarian. Other bookes, Histories and Poems, we read and remember: but let a Text of Scripture be pressed, and we say not; Act. 19.15. Iesus we know, and Paul we know. But Quis novus hic nostris successit sedibus hospes? The Fairy Queene we know, the Arcadia we know, the booke of Statutes we know, the Chronicles we know; but who are yee? The LORD of his infinite mercie, lay not this neglect to our charge: but bind the Bible to our consciences, and our consciences to the bible. That our faith may embrace the comforts there; and our eyes one day see the joyes wee have beleeved, in the blessed kingdome of IESUS CHRIST.
