The Faithful Shepherd, Title page – Table of contents
THE FAITHFVLL SHEPHEARD: OR THE SHEPHEARDS Faithfulneſſe: Wherein is for the matter largely, but for the maner, in few words, ſet forth the excellencie and neceſsitie of the Miniſterie; A Miniſters properties and dutie; His entrance into this function and charge; How to begin fitly to inſtruct his people; Catechiſing and Preaching; And a good plaine order and method therein: Not ſo as yet publiſhed.
Very profitable both for yoong Students, who intend the ſtudie of Theologie (heerein being alſo declared what Arts and tongues firſt to be learned, what kinde of Authours to be r… and books neceſſarie in the beginning, and which in the firſt place) as alſo for ſuch Miniſters as yet hauehave not atteined to a diſtinct order to ſtudie, write, meditate, and to preach methodically, both for their better courſe in deliuering the Word, and the peoples vnderſtanding in hearing, and memorie in reteining the ſame.
By RICHARD BERNARD, Preacher of Gods Word.
2. Tim. 2. 15.
Studie to ſhew thy ſelfe approued of God, a workeman that needeth not to be aſhamed; …uiding the word of Truth aright
LONDON. Printed by Arnold Hatfield for …. 1687.
TO THE RIGHT WORſhipfull his Honorable good friend M. Doctor MOVNTAGVE, Deane of his Maieſties Chapell, R. B. wiſheth heartilie all true happineſſe and felicitie for euer.
IT is the ſaying of him (Right Worſhipfull) whom God did mooue you once to honour, with this ſelected text, Moſes my ſeruant is dead, to your great praiſe, Grauis eſt & arduus, ſi quis alius ex omni Theologia, locus is, qui eſt deformandis concionibus: by which (being vttered of a man of that learning and experience) I might be ſomewhat afraid to attempt the publiſhing of this Treatiſe, vponupon ſuch a ſubiect, but that I know it is acceptable to God (if we hauehave no greater gift to offer) to caſt a mite into the Lords treaſury; & I hauehave had alſo the approbation of ſome for my incouragement, both in the Vniuerſitie & countrie. A mite in a great treaſurie is ſmall in ſhew for encreaſement thereunto, neuertheleſſe it is ſome what, though but a mite. What I hauehave performed in this labour for matter and method, it may by reading of it appeare: my labour hath not beene little, my intendement good. Whatſoeuer it is (Right worſhipfull) I preſume to offer it you, as a poore preſent, to teſtifie my humble and heartie thankfulneſſe, for your manifold kindneſſes and liberall fauours vntounto me. I long ago offred it to your view, in a naked ſhape, and firſt conception, which euer ſince I hauehave beene better proportioning, and now hauehave thus clothed it as it is. If before this, I had prepared it, I had not ſo long deferred off, or if my pouertie could hauehave affoorded a better teſtimonie, as in will I can wiſh, it ſhould moſt gladly hauehave gone forth, as worthily deſerued, vnderunder the honor of your name. Accept (Right Worſhipfull) this labor, and ſo looke vponupon it, as you hauehave bene and are wont, louingly to accept of me: ſo ſhall you encourage me to further endeuors, and bind me ſtill more in all dutiful reſpect, to acknowledge your profeſſed and approoued louelove and good will conſtant towards me; and to powre out my praiers to God continually for your preſeruation and encreaſe in all ſpirituall graces for euer. VVorſop this 16. of Iune.
Your worſhips bounden in Chriſt Ieſus euer, RICHARD BERNARD.
To his brethren of the Miniſtery, and the beloued Readers, Grace and peace.
THe Preaching of Gods word, (brethren in the Lord & beloued) an vnfolding therof to the peoples capacity, with words of exhortation applied to the conſcience, both to enforme, and reform, and where they be wel, to confirme, as it is moſt neceſſarie, ſo is it indeed a very hard worke to be performed, though to the vnskilfull it ſeeme eaſie: and thereupon, not a few vnaduiſedly take it in hand, ſpeaking without iudgement raſhly, without order prepoſterouſly, tatching matter together without dependancie, little to the peoples edification, and leſſe to the honour of this holy ordinance, which by theſe is made odious with many, and held rather a talke of the toong from a diſordered affection, without knowledge, than a godly instruction rightly diſpoſed by ſetled iudgment. It may be they are foreign, and of a good affection attempt this worke, but withall they muſt be foreign hauing abilitie in wiſedome aptly to teach. Diſcreet vnderſtanding muſt goe with zeale, and grauitie with ſinceritie: affection is headi… without wiſedome: this moderates, as the other pricks forward: they muſt be linked inſeparablie. Knowledge alone deliuereth coldly, and zeale alone, not reſpectiuely: knowledge without zeale permitteth of more than is meet, by distinction: and zeale not according to knowledge breedeth but diſſention. It is requiſite therefore the Miniſters be neither foreign (whom pride may puffe vp, not yet hauing in a ſanctified courſe, learned to moderate the luſts of youth) nor foreign, as yet not apt to teach, and vnfit to be ouerſeers in a Congregation: for we must know what to teach for the matter, and how for the maner; and ſo to diuide the word aright to the hearers; which is required in all that preach vntounto the people. And therefore to further both theſe, vponupon theſe conſiderations duly weighed, I was encouraged to proceed and to vndergoe the maleuolous cenſure of this enuious age. First, for that I ſee many do obſerue this order in part, though not ſo exactly as were to be wiſhed, and as it is here by precepts briefly and plainly ſet downe, whoſe good approbation I hope to finde as maintenance againſt the rest. Secondly, for that I hauehave found by my owne experience in teaching, both the eaſineſſe thereof to be atteined ſoone vntounto, as alſo that it is a very ſound & profitable way, as I hauehave iudged hearing other, and they me, neither diſliked of any that I hauehave heard of, who list to ſpeake faithfully and with profit. Thirdly, for that I hauing vponupon an occaſion ſtudied the 11. of the firſt of the Corinthians, from the 23. verſe to the end, I finde plainly this method ſet downe by the Apoſtle, and ſo hath it a diuine and Apostolicall approbation, for ſuppoſing the 23. 24. 25. verſes to be as his text out of Matth. 26. 26. 27. 28. the 26. containeth the ſcope, the 27. is a doctrine, 28. an vſe, 29. a reaſon to enforce it, 30. and 31. the application of that which went before, to the preſent ſtate of the Corinthians. 32. a preuention of an obiection which muſt follow application, as I hauehave declared in this treatiſe. 33. 34. a louing exhortation for the concluſion, with a briefe repetition of ſomewhat before reprehended, with a preſcribed remedie for the ſame. This place gaue me the firſt and chiefeſt occaſion to write this treatiſe of preaching and method therein. Fourthly and laſtly, for that I hauing laboured for all ſuch both old and new which hauehave writen of this matter, to further me, I perſwaded my ſelfe that this my labour would not be vnacceptable to my brethren, as it hath beene to me a painefull worke, wherein I hauehave endeuoured to ſet downe much matter in very few words; and to illuſtrate the manifold precepts by euident examples briefly. If in all this I attaine to my deſire in any meaſure, I content my ſelfe: my will was to perfect, though thorow diſabilitie I leaue the worke imperfect. Nothing can bee ſo well done, but a want may be eſpied by ſome, or at leaſt ſuppoſed to be ſeene in the cunningeſt deuice of man; and all know, it is eaſier to find a fault, than either to begin well a cunning worke or rightly to finiſh an imperfect labour, or to amend perfectly what is amiſſe. I looke for carpers and ſuch as would find euen nodum in ſcirpo by an enuious eie in my labours. But if ſome profit, thoſe that be my friends, I bleſſe God, though other do not benefit: for as amici omnia amicè interpretantur & in meliorem partem dubia accipiunt, ſo inimici & inuidi malè omnia, & peiorem in partem vel optima torquere ſtudent. I preſume not to make a rule to any, nor to tie all to one method, but as men ſhall find which is the beſt, that let them in iudgement approue without partiall affection. I deſire that mens perſons may not at any time be preiudiciall to their labors. Wiſe men in ſuch caſes doe weigh in iudgement the ſubſtance, and are not with partiall affection miſled by circumſtance. So reade and iudge, as if you that reade were your ſelues the Authors. In a word, do as you would be done vntounto.
Farewell.
The Contens.
OF the neceſſitie and excellencie of the Miniſterie and the Word Preached. Chap. 1
Of the lawfull entrance of a Miniſter into the Miniſterie, and alſo into his charge and place. Chap. 2
Of the Miniſters wiſe and godly proceedings in his Paſtorall charge to teach his people. Chap. 3
Of Prayer before the Sermon. Chap. 4
Of the Preface after the Praier, and of the text of the Scripture. Chap. 5
Of the Analyſis and reſolution of the text. Chap. 6
Of the Scholies and interpretation of the words. Chap. 7
Of gathering doctrines from the text. Chap. 8
Of the making vſe of the doctrine, ſhewing what to doe with it. Chap. 9
Of application of the vſes to the hearers. Chap. 10
Of preuention of obiections. Chap. 11
Of the concluſion of the whole Sermon. Chap. 12
Of ſuch things which are required of a Minister to performe the whole worke. Chap. 13