The Boring of the Ear, Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Qu. YOu hauehave ſhewed mee what is to bee done before the Sermon, now tell mee what is the hearers dutie in the Sermon while.
An. Firſt, let ſuch as bee able to reade, bring with them to the publike Aſſemblies the holy Bible, to the end that they may not only ioyne with the Church in ſinging of Pſalmes, but alſo readily turne to the principal places of Scriptures that are read, expounded, and repeated by the Miniſter: by which meanes they ſhall greatly further both their attention and memorie, hauing the helpe, not only of their Eare in hearing, but alſo of their Eye in peruſing thoſe ſcriptures, that are alleaged, to ſee whether they be truly alleaged or no: by which meanes alſo the Miniſter ſhall bee made more carefull to take heed, that he doe not but vponupon very good ground, ſwarue from the words of the common Tranſlation. If this had beene obſerued, the Nouatian Heretike Lib. 7. cap. 5of whom Socrates ſpeaketh in the Eccleſiaſticall Storie, durſt not hauehave added thoſe words to the Text▪ which he did, ſaying, Curſed is eueryevery one Luke 22. 1.that keepeth the Paſſeouer without vnleauened Bread. Neither would that bee of whom Auſtine ſpeaketh Epiſtola nona ad Hicon, hauehave ſo vnaduiſedly made that hurrie among the people, by reading a word in the Propheſie of Ionas, otherwiſe then it was in their Bibles.
Qu. Which is the ſecond dutie?
An. EueryEvery hearer muſt endeauour earneſtly to bee preſent at the whole Sermon, from the beginning to the end, both comming before the firſt Prayer begin, and not departing till the bleſſing bee Mark. 14. 12.pronounced. Iudas leauing the Aſſembly of Chriſt and the other Apoſtles before the action was ended, and the Pſalme ſung, had heauie ſucceſſe. This was counted ſo great a fault in former times, that the Councell of Carthage appointed him that went out of the Congregation, while the Miniſter was in ſpeaking, to bee excommunicated.
Qu. What is the third?
An. Sleepe, talke, and ſpeech with other men, curioſitie in looking about, and reading of other Bookes, &c. in the Sermon time muſt bee auoyded.
Qu. Why ſhould not men ſleepe at Sermons?
An. For diuers Reaſons. Firſt, it is a breach of the third Commandement, or a taking of GODS Name in vaine by neglect, and abuſe of Gods holy Ordinance.
Secondly, It is an enemie to that attention, and heedfulneſſe in hearing which is required of vsus.
Thirdly, If ſuch a iudgement befell him that ſlept in the night, & that at an exceeding Acts 20. 9, 10.long Sermon; What are we to ſay of thoſe that ſleepe in the day at a Sermon of an houre long?
Fourthly, It is a thing of euill report and example.
Qu. How ſhall they preuent it, that by reaſon of watching, early riſing, age, or other infirmities can hardly auoid it?
An. They muſt ſeeke by all meanes to reſiſt it, praying and groaning in ſpirit, ſtanding vp, vſing the Pen if they can write, crauing the helpe of ſuch as ſit neere them, &c.
Qu. What ſay you to talking, curious gazing, and gaping about, &c?
An. They are condemned by all the ſame Reaſons that ſleeping is, and that ſo much the more, becauſe ſleepe is ſuch a naturall Infirmitie, that it may ſuddenly and vnawares ſteale vponupon a good and godly man, who hath often reſolued with his owne heart neuer to giuegive place vntounto it: whereas any man that hath but a ſparke of grace, and modeſtie, may with a little ſtriuing, refraine talking, and looking about, and therefore it doth argue a farre greater prophaneneſſe and impudencie then the other.
Qu. But may not a man reade ſome good Booke of Diuinitie in the Sermon time?
An. No, not the very Bible it ſelfe, except it be the places that are pointed to by the Miniſter, for wee are to giuegive attendance to the things that Acts 8. 6.are ſpoken. Beſides, it carrieth with it a kind of contempt both of the Miniſter, and Miniſterie, and a ſecret condemning of thoſe that doe attend.
Qu. What is the fourth dutie of hearers?
An. Hee muſt marke the whole Sermon from the beginning to the end thereof, and ponder as well one part of the ſentence, as another, & not take things to halues, or by ſnatches, as the manner of ſome is, which breedeth great inconuenience: for hence it commeth that things ſpoken comparatiuely are wreſted, as if they were ſpoken ſimply. Hence it is that the propoſition of a ſimilitude is marked, and the application neglected, with diuers other inconueniences from whence ariſe Errours, Scoffings, Cauellings, &c.
Qu. What is the fift dutie?
An. The fift dutie which may bee referred to the impediments, is to come with a free minde not poſſeſt with any preiudice or fore-ſtalled opinion, but in trying the ſpirits of the Miniſters of God 1. Iohn 4. 5.to hold faſt that which is good. For as a coloured glaſſe maketh all things of the ſame colour: ſo a preiudicate opinion maketh all things ſound that way that it ſelfe imagineth. This made euen the beſt hearers of our Sauiour Chriſt, ſometimes not to vnderſtand him when hee ſpake moſt plainly to them of his ſufferings, becauſe they were poſſeſt with a fore-conceiued opinion of a worldly Luke 18. 31 32.Kingdome. Let vsus therefore when we goe to the houſe of God, looke to our feet, that is, not to our corrupt affections Eccleſ. 4. 17alone, but alſo to our preiudicate opinions & conceits.
Qu. What is the ſixt dutie?
An. Sixtly, wee muſt not be preſent with a mind peremptorily to determine, according to our owne fancie, or to toſſe, and ſift things to and fro, as wee liſt, as if wee were Maſters rather then Schollers, Teachers, rather then Hearers, Iudges and Cenſurors of others rather then Learners. For there is nothing can bee ſo truly and Luke 14. 1.plainly ſpoken, but Pride and Malice may peruert it: wherfore let vsus lay aſide all ſiniſter conceits of our owne knowledge, wit, and learning, all contempt and hatred of the Miniſters perſons, vaine glorie, ſelfe-louelove, &c. which maketh men thinke nothing right and good but that which commeth from themſelues. Neither let vsus with Phocion, count it a goodly thing to diſſent from other.
Qu. Doth not the Apoſtle will vsus to try the ſpirits, and 1. Co. 14. 19iudge of thoſe things which the Prophets ſpeake?
An. Yes, but it is not his meaning that men ſhould of enuie, vain-glorie, &c. ſubiect the Sermons they heare to their own proud and wanton wits: but only with Wiſdome, Charitie and Sobrietie to conſider whether the things deliuered by the Prophets and Miniſters doe agree with the rule of Gods Word, and the ſoundneſſe of Chriſtian Faith. Further that will come to paſſe if men giuegive place to their owne conceits, which is ſaid in the common Prouerbe, So many men, ſo many mindes: Quot homines, tot ſententiae.
Qu. What is the ſeuenth dutie of Hearers in the Sermon time?
An. Not to bee raſhly diſcouraged or diſtaſted with thoſe things which at the firſt may ſeeme difficult and hard: but rather to vſe the more diligence, and attention to find them out.
Qu. Why ſo?
An. Becauſe, Firſt, we muſt remember that the naturall 1. Cor. 2. 14.man doth not eaſily conceiue heauenly things.
Secondly, It is the will of God by this meanes to humble vsus, and to abate the ambitious conceits of our owne will, and to ſtirre vp our dulneſſe in Prayer, Meditation, and ſtudie, that the LORD would enlighten the eyes of our vnderſtanding, and to repaire to the Miniſters of Gods Word.
Thirdly, Men doe readily deſpiſe theſe things which are ouer eaſie and familiar at the firſt, and through lothſomeneſſe grow faint, lazie, and vnluſtie.
Qu. What is the eighth dutie?
An. To vnderſtand, and marke the method and order of the Preacher.
Qu. Why ſo?
An. Becauſe it is a great helpe to the memorie, and ſerueth as the Star of the Mariner, and as a threed or line without which hee ſhall bee entangled as in a Maze.
Qu. How ſhall the hearer attayne to this?
An. This ſtandeth partly in the Preacher himſelf, who muſt keepe a good order, elſe it will bee hard to follow him ſtep by ſtep. Secondly, In the hearers themſelues three things are required for the helpe of their memorie in the time of the hearer.
Firſt, diligent marking, not ſuffering their minds to ſtray abroad about other matters.
Secondly, Looking thorowly to the Text, to ſee how the Doctrines, Exhortations, &c. are raiſed.
Thirdly, To obſerue to what point of the Catechiſme, or head of Religion, eueryevery thing is to be referred.
Qu. What is the ninth dutie of the hearer in the Sermon time?
An. To apply that which is preached, to himſelfe, and ſo to turne it to the wholſome vſe, and ſpirituall nouriſhment of his ſoule.
Qu. Why ſo?
Mat. 7. 21. Luke 11. 28 & 12. 47. Iohn 13 7. Rom. 2. 13. Iames 2. …5An. Becauſe the end of hearing is not chiefly to know and vnderſtand, but rather to beleeue, practiſe, and obey that which is taught.
Qu. How ſhall the hearer apply that which is taught, to himſelfe?
An. If it be a promiſe, by beleeuing, and embracing. If a threatning, by beleeuing, and fearing it. If a precept or dutie laid forth, by beleeuing, and endeauouring to practiſe it. If a prohibition from a ſinne layd out and reproued, by beleeuing, repenting, and ſhunning of it. Finally, if in eueryevery point that is deliuered, they put vponupon themſelues the like affection, and feeling that is in their godly Teacher.
Qu. What is the tenth dutie?
An. Not to fret and wax wearie and impatient, though the Miniſter bee ſomewhat longer then the ordinarie time.
Qu. Ought not the Miniſter to keepe himſelfe within the compaſſe of his houre?
An. Yes, hee ought to endeauour it as neere as hee can.
Qu. Hath not the hearer iuſt cauſe to be offended?
An. No, for there may bee diuers Reaſons which may iuſtly mooue a godly Miniſter to goe beyond his houre, and therefore the hearer ought quietly and patiently to continue to the end of the Sermon.
Qu. What are thoſe?
An. Diuers: as firſt, the fruitfulnes of the Text which he handleth.
Secondly, the neceſſitie and profit of it for the time and perſons that be preſent.
Thirdly, Want of opportunitie to handle the ſame Text another time. Theſe, and the like conſiderations may giuegive the Miniſter iuſt occaſion to bee longer then ordinary, and therefore the hearer ought not to chafe, and fume, though hee doe a little exceed his time.
Qu. What other Reaſons hauehave you to perſwade to this dutie?
An. Further, let hearers conſider how eaſily without irkeſomneſſe they can be preſent at a play, or at ſome other prophane and idle exerciſe and diſcourſe of greater length then thoſe Sermons which they doe ſo much diſtaſte in reſpect of the tediouſneſſe (as they eſteeme it) of them, and therefore they ought much more patiently to beare the protracting of time at the performance of ſuch a holy dutie.
Qu. Wherefore elſe?
An. Becauſe this chafing at, & lothing of good things in regard of the length of them, doth argue a diſordered, and ill affected minde: for as lothing, and diſtaſte of bodily food is a ſigne of a ſicke ſtomacke: ſo the like lothing, and diſtaſting of ſpirituall food is a ſigne of a ſinfull ſoule. On the other ſide, As a hungry appetite, and wel relliſhing of our meate and drinke, is a ſigne of bodily health: ſo the hungring after the wholſome word, and Pſal. 1. 2. Mat. 5. 6.delighting in it, is a ſigne of a good heart.
Qu. What is the laſt Reaſon?
An. The practice, and example of the godly Miniſters Ioſh. 8. 34, 35. 2. C. Ezra. 8. 3.and people in former Ages, who hauehave willingly continued a long time together at holy exerciſes as may appeare. How large was the Sermon of Chriſt, the ſumme and chiefe points whereof are ſet downe in the whole 5. Mat chap. 5. 6, 7. Acts 20. 11. &c.6, 7. Chapters? And that of Paul, Therefore it is not a ſtrange, or new thing for Miniſters to prolong their ſpeech, and people their preſence with patience and attention.
Qu. What is the eleuenth dutie?
An. That eueryevery one bring their owne with them, and looke to them in Sermon time, that they neither gad 1. Co. 14. 40out of the Church, ſleepe, talke, or commit any vnſeemly thing.
Qu. Is there not ſome ſpeciall care of Schollers to bee had, and ſuch as can write?
An. Yes, they are to bee accuſtomed to take Sermons in Writing.
Qu. Why ſo?
An. Becauſe, Firſt, it will cauſe them to marke, and giuegive eare to the words of the Preacher, and keepe them both from ſleeping, and all vnſeemely behauiour.
Secondly, It will helpe both their memory & iudgement, and enable them to giuegive a better account of that they hauehave heard, both for the good of themſelues and others.