Common Places, Instructions for study
I H S
A breefe waie how Miniſters ſhould order their ſtudious exerciſes for to benefit themſelues and their flocks, and alſo what good vſe they may hauehave by travelling in the Common places of the Scripture, and in ſuch bookes as are alreadie gathered to this purpoſe.
THeſe things doo I write to the Miniſters and Curates of the ſeuerall congregations, but ſpeciallie to them, which hitherto hauehave not obſerued anie conuenient order or method in their ſtudies, wherby they might be able to edifie the Church, and diſcharge their duties in ſo excellent and honourable a vocation. And firſt I exhort them, that they will giuegive themſelues to a continuall and earneſt reading and ſtudie of the holie ſcriptures, which is able to make them wiſe vntounto ſaluation; and is profitable to teach, to improoue, to correct, and to inſtruct in righteouſneſſe. For vnleſſe they hauehave the ſcriptures verie familiar vntounto them, they will ſticke at manie things; and while they hauehave not what to ſaie, they will either ſpeake that, which raſhlie commeth into their owne mind, or elſe what other men hauehave inuented. And they which giuegive themſelues to this ſtudie, it ſhall be requiſite that they hauehave the knowledge of the toongs, eſpeciallie of the Hebrue and Greeke; wherein the holie books of the ſcriptures were firſt written by the Prophets and Apoſtles: for he that dependeth altogither of interpreters, ſeeth with other mens eies, and ſpeaketh in another mans mouth. Further, it is neceſſarie that a Miniſter be well acquainted with the hiſtories and examples, not onlie of the holie ſcripture of the old and new teſtament, but alſo of all prophane writers: and that he be perfect in the hiſtories and chronicles of his owne countrie, that he may ſhew vntounto his hearers what in old time was either profitable or hurtfull to their anceſtors. Beſides this, to the intent he may reape ſome fruit of his ſtudie and labor, two things aboue other are neceſſarie.
Firſt, that he conceiue a certeine ſumme of doctrine, which he muſt drawe togither as it were into one bodie, and diſtinguiſh the ſame againe into their members or common places; that while he teacheth, he may knowe vntounto what places or cheefe heads the places of the ſcripture, which he will interpret to the Church ought to be referred. The other thing is, that he knowe what waie of teaching to take for the commodious and profitable ſhewing to the people that, which with much ſtudie he hath learned: ſo as it may ſerue for the inſtruction, edification, and comfort of the hearers. An example of the firſt kind is the ten Commandements, which afterward both Moſes and Chriſt himſelfe drew into a ſhorter ſumme on this wiſe; Thou ſhalt louelove the Lord thy God with all thy hart, with all thy mind, and with all thy cogitation, and thy neighbour as thy ſelfe. So as vnderunder this double louelove, to wit, of God and our neighbour, Chriſt comprehendeth all the whole doctrine of religion and chriſtian life. Howbeit, if ye looke more neerelie into the matter, both the loues are verie largelie extended: for the louelove of God ſtretcheth vntounto his ſeruice, as well inward as outward; and togither with faith it comprehendeth the obedience, which we owe vntounto him: likewiſe, the louelove of our neighbour is diuided into infinite kinds, according to the diuerſitie of men with whom we deale. And in like maner did the Apoſtles, as Jraeneus teſtifieth, compriſe in thoſe few articles of the Creed the ſumme of Chriſtian religion: which articles in their ſermons and writings they did more diligentlie expound.
Neuertheleſſe, bicauſe ſuch expoſitions are not taught in the holie ſcriptures in one certeine place or continued order, ſo as they can be perceiued of euerie one, except he be a verie attentiue reader, it is altogither neceſſarie that they, which ſhall profit the Church, doo knowe not onlie the ſumme in generall of the heauenlie doctrine, but that they can diſtinguiſh it into parts and kinds, and diſtribute the ſame into their parts and places; both that they may vnderſtand how largelie they extend, and what may be godlie and ſoundlie ſaid as touching each one of them. Thus hauehave manie and godlie learned men of old, but eſpeciallie of our time doone. And to this purpoſe are theſe Common places of our famous Diuine D. Martyr Vermilius, according to which forme euerie learned and diligent man may gather to ſerue his owne vſe, take out of ſuch ſtore-houſes abundance of treaſure when he ſhall inſtruct the people. And they that hauehave once promiſed ſo to doo, doo with greater diligence read ouer and ſtudie both the holie & prophane books, and doo more diligentlie weigh whither euerie thing muſt be referred.
And bicauſe there be manie things found in the writings of the Philoſophers, which they by the common ſenſe and lawes of nature did teach concerning maners and the ſtudie of vertue: and that in the hiſtories of ſtrange nations there be ſtore of all kind of examples, whereof commeth a ſingular vſe in preaching; whether ye will reprooue the licentious life of our time, or exhort your hearers vntounto vertue, you ſhall picke out of them things profitable for your Common places.
But now it ſhall be neceſſarie for a Diuine, not onelie to hauehave matter of doctrine gathered abundantlie as well out of the holie ſcriptures, as out of the prophane writings; but to be alſo furniſhed with the abilitie of teaching, that he may knowe how to frame ſermons rightlie, and aptlie to diſpoſe the matter of them, which he hath gathered, and to bring in due place all ſorts of arguments, with the teſtimonies and examples of others, and to ſpeake thoſe things in a right order, which ſhall be neceſſarie for the hearers to knowe. And herein ſhall the Miniſter obſerue cheeflie two things: one, that he throughlie knowe the true and naturall ſenſe of that place of ſcripture, which he hath purpoſed to expound: ſecondlie, that he applie the ſame to the capacitie and inſtruction of the hearers, according to the condition of the time and place. As touching the firſt; it ſhall be needfull aboue all things to knowe the argument and ſtate of all that holie booke, from whence that place is taken; leaſt by neglecting this, he labour without fruit, and ſpeake thoſe things, which neuer perhaps the author therof ment. As touching the other point, it ſhall be requiſite to looke into our times alſo, and into the indeuours and maners of our men; but eſpeciallie to marke with all diligence the preſent ſtate or condition of the Church which they ſerue, and when they preach, to warne diligentlie thoſe that heare them, that thoſe things, which the Prophets and Apoſtles ſpake in old time to the men of their age, doo verie fitlie agree with vsus and our time. For this maketh them to be verie attentiue, and taketh awaie wearineſſe, which oftentimes is woont to inuade them, when they thinke, that whatſoeuer was ſpoken or written in old time, perteineth nothing vntounto them, nor vntounto theſe daies of ours. And this maner of application ought to be ſuch, as the Apoſtle teacheth; that VVhatſoeuer is ſaid, ſhould ſerue vntounto edification of the Church. VVhichWhich rule we ſhall then followe, if all things be applied to the comfort and inſtruction of the hearers.
Moreouer, the preſent ſtate, or ſome ſudden chance otherwhile requireth, that they ſhall digreſſe into ſome common place: howbeit, this muſt be ſo doone, that it appeere they doo it not without a ſpeciall cauſe. VVherefore, leaſt it ſhould be thought that they altogither go from the matter, which they tooke vponupon them to handle, and to breake off raſhlie from that which they purpoſed to ſpeake, not without miſtruſt of ſome particular affectation, the place of ſcripture which they hauehave in hand muſt be applied, as much as is poſſible, to the argument of their digreſſion; and the words thereof in like maner muſt be repeated and vrged: and finallie, their ſpeech muſt handſomlie returne from whence it digreſſed; that the hearers may perceiue nothing is ſpoken altogither from the ſtate or argument of the place, which they handle. In like maner that digreſſion muſt not be ouer-long and tedious, leaſt both they forget the originall points and diuiſions of the text, and alſo be induced thereby to miſlike of the learning and teaching of their Miniſter.
And as concerning the maner of ſpeaking or vtterance, which alſo muſt be well conſidered of, that is beſt to be liked, which is ſpoken with a voice neither too high nor too lowe; neither with bitter taunting, nor with too much cockering; neither with one long continued tune, nor yet with anie raſh raiſing or letting fall the voice; neither with ouer-dulneſſe of vttering, nor yet with words drowned by haſtie ſpeaking. Finallie, it muſt be ſuch, as is neither affected, nor more loftie than is conuenient, neither yet ouer-homelie or vile. For ſince the greater part of the congregation is vnlearned, whatſoeuer carrieth a ſhew of a cloſe cunning, and no vulgar maner of teaching, ſeemeth vntounto theſe obſcure and troubleſome: and for this cauſe the hearing is tedious to them, and they reape but ſmall fruit of that, which they vnderſtand not. Againe, leaſt the doctrine ſhould be the leſſe eſteemed by reaſon of a baſe maner of ſpeaking, their ſpeech muſt be ſomwhat more loftie and graue, than that which they familiarlie and commonlie vſe, yet ſo neuertheleſſe, that the grauitie thereof be tempered with perſpicuitie and plaineſſe of vnderſtanding. Againe, in admoniſhing and reproouing, the Miniſter muſt ſo vſe the ſharpeneſſe of the Euangelicall ſeaſoning; that in the meane time he vtterlie abſteine from bold railing and taunting, leaſt he be thought rather to ſpeake things of a ſtomach, or of priuate hatred, than to ſeeke the ſaluation of them that hauehave ſinned, and ſo to procure no fruit at all by his doctrine, but rather a contempt of the ſame, and a deſpiſing of his office and miniſterie.