The Faithful Shepherd, Chapter 12
CHAP. XII. Of the concluſion of the whole Sermon.
AFter all theſe followes the concluſion, and knitting vp of the point handled, and of the whole Sermon.
But in all this which I hauehave ſpoken, my meaning is not,Note. that in Preaching, a Miniſter, after hee be entred vponupon his text, ſhould euer ſay: This is the doctrine, this is the proofe, this the vſe: now to the reaſons, now we will make application, and preuent or make obiections: which is, I confeſſe a plaine way, to a rude congregation, eaſie to bee conceiued and written of ſuch as attend and will take the paines: but it interrupts the courſe of the ſpeech, and it is too diſiointed, and leſſe patheticall. Therefore albeit for the vnderſtanding of the things diſtinctly by them, I hauehave made ſeuerall Chapters, yet the Preacher, which will followArtis eſt … re artem. this courſe, may in ſpeaking knit them altogither in a continued ſpeech after the maner of an oration, keeping the method to himſelfe: paſſing from the doctrine to the proofe; from the proofe, to the vſe; from the vſe, to the reaſons thereof; from thence to the application, and to preuention of obiections: and finally ſo conclude euerie doctrine: and one finiſhed, paſſe by tranſitions, vttered ſometimes in one tearme, ſometimes in an other, to a new doctrine in like maner, and ſo in all to the end of the Sermon: the finall concluſion of all.
Touching the finall concluſion of the Sermon: it muſtHow long time conuenient ordinar…ly for a Sermon. bee made within the compaſſe of the houre, or immediately after, except vponupon extraordinarie occaſion: Neither is this to binde Gods ſpirit to an houre: but to follow the order of the Church, and thereupon the expectation of the hearers, and their infirmitie; which who ſo regardeth not, knoweth not well how to keepe meaſure in ſpeaking: neither hath diſcretion to ſee what is conuenient. ManieThe diſcommoditie of paſſing ouer commonly the a pointed time. for want of obſeruing time, and commonly going beyond the cuſtomarie ſpace allotted thereunto, doe make their labour to their daily hearers tedious, themſelues to be condemned of pride, louing to heare themſelues talke; or of folſie, without wit to keepe a meane, or to know that as much may be vttered in an houre, as can be of any almoſt rightlie vnderſtood and well caried away. Heereof riſeth the occaſion often of the contempt of ſome ſuch mens endeuour, this ſcandall alſo, as if the publicke aſſembly is made Auditorium non Oratorium: that ſuch preachers are not painfull, to compact things ſubſtantially together: but talke at randome, & quicquid in buccam venerit proferre.
In the Concluſion muſt be, Firſt a ſhort repetition onelyonlyWhat must be done in the concluſion. of the principall doctrines and vſes of the whole Sermon, eſpecially if the Preacher be a ſtranger, and doth but make one Sermon: els in ordinarie exerciſes continued: the repetition may be deferred vntounto the beginning of the next Preaching: and verie fitly to be as well a renuing of the old as teaching of new,
II. A pithie, forcible, and louing exhortation to mooue affection, and to quicken the hearers to vnderſtand: to holdIn concluſion to be most patheticall. the trueth taught: to deteſt the errours conuinced; to louelove the vertues, and imitate the examples, and to flie the vice it ſelfe and perſons committing the euil ſpoken againſt. Comforting and encouraging ſuch as need: picking out ſome one ſpeciall doctrine, & vſe (ſcarſely mentioned before and thought moſt chiefly now to bee vrged vponupon them) from amongſt all that which hath beene ſpoken, and reſerued to this concluſion: that it may be more freſh in memorie than the reſt: And this enforce and exhort vntounto liuely; and to make it more effectuall, ſtand no longer vponupon it; & end of a ſudden: leauing them mooued, and ſtirred vp in affection to long after more: for as one ſaith, Omnia tunc bona ſunt, quando clauſula est bona. Ex per orationem noſcitur concionater.
Laſtly, thus all finiſhed, end with thankſgiuing, and praierKnit vp all with praier againe and thanksgiuing. alſo for a bleſſing vponupon that which hath beene ſpoken, mentioning the eſpecials therein: At que ſic vt a praecatione exor dium ſumpſit concio ſacra ita in eandem pie deſinet iuxta dulciſſimum dictum foreign. The Praier ended, after the Pſalme bee ſung, put vponupon the people the Lords bleſſing, and end with Num. 6. 24. or this Praier of the Apoſtle, Hebr. 13. 20. 21. or 1. Theſſal. 5. 23. 24. or els, 2. Corint. 13. 13.
And thus much for theſe things concerning the ſeuerallThe fruitfulneſſe of this kinde of teaching. parts of a Sermon, and of the things required of a Miniſter particularly, and of them diſtinctly: which if wee hauehave and can thus vſe, we ſhall proceed religiouſly, handle matters methodically, teach ſoundly, confirme beleeuers, reſolue them that doubt, conuince gain-ſaiers, reprooue, the wicked, comfort the afflicted, preuent cauils, and eueryevery waie become profitable, to Gods glorie, the hearers edification, and our owne comfort, in this great and miraculous worke in conuerting ſoules.