The Boring of the Ear, Title page – To the reader 2
THE BORING OF THE EARE, Contayning a plaine and profitable Diſcourſe by way of Dialogue, concerning
1. Our preparation before Hearing.
2. Our demeanour in Hearing.
3. Our exerciſe after we hauehave heard the Word of God.
Written by that faithfull and diligent Miniſter of Gods Word, Maſter Stephen Egerton, ſometimes Preacher of the Black-Friars in London.
ECCLES. 4. 17.
Looke to thy feet when thou commeſt into the Houſe of God, and be readier to heare, then to offer the Sacrifice of Fooles.
LONDON Printed by William Stansby. 1623.
To the Chriſtian and beneuolent READER.
CHriſtian READER, though mine owne Meditations hauehave hither-to euer ſhunned the common view of the World, contenting my ſelfe with the priuate Approbation of mine owne Charge: yet conſidering the generall good that may accrue vntounto the whole Church of Chriſt, by theſe labours of my Reuerend Kinſman, Maſter Stephen Egerton, I hauehave ventured to commend them vntounto Gods Church, being thereunto alſo intreated. I know, without my commendation, they will be worth your ſmall coſt in procuring, your little labour in peruſing. For it is admirable to conſider, that in theſe preaching and hearing Mat. 9. 32.dayes, ſuch faithfull preaching, ſuch frequent hearing, ſo many ſhould yet bee poſſeſt as it were with a dumb 1. Cor. 13. 1.Deuill, and all our Sermons to the moſt of men but as ſounding Braſſe or a tinkling Mat. 11. 17Cimball. So wee pipe, and no man danceth, we mourne and no man weepeth, wee preach peace, but no man ſorroweth for his ſinne. May Pſal. 115. 6, 7.we not ſay of theſe, as Dauid of the Idolls, They hauehave eares and heare not? or as our Sauiour tranſlateth that fearefull commination againſt the deſpiſers of his Word; Hearing they ſhall heare, and ſhall not vnderſtand, leaſt they heare Eſa. 6. 9, 10 Mat. 13. 14with their eares, and vnderſtand with their hearts, and bee conuerted and healed. So to heare then, is to attend with the eare, to receiue with the heart, to conuert in the life and conuerſation, elſe our ſinfull ſoules can neuer bee healed.
And therefore this is the voyce of the Spirit vntounto the ſeuen Churches of Aſia, Hee Reue. 2. 17.that hath eares to heare, let him heare what the Spirit ſaith vntounto the Churches.
There are fiue ſorts of eares that are not hearing eares. The firſt, is a dull Eare, when a man is either drouſie, or careleſſe, or ignorant.
The ſecond, is a ſtopped Eare, as the Serpent ſtoppeth his eare againſt the voyce of the Charmer. Such are our Recuſants, and ſecure Perſons, that will not heare, leſt they ſhould bee thawed from their dregs, and ſo conuerted and ſaued.
The third, is a preiudiciall or ſiniſter Eare: this man like Luke 10.Malchus hath loſt his right Eare, and hee comes as the Phariſee to Chriſt, to tempt the Miniſter, to catch him in his talke, turning all his ſpeech to the worſt, becauſe hee hates or deſpiſeth the perſon of the Preacher. This man is like the Spider that ſucketh poyſon out of the ſweeteſt flowers.
2. Tim. 4. 3. 2. Theſ. 2. 10 2. Cor. 11. 3.The fourth, is the nice or itching Eare that muſt bee clawed, that will heare nothing but nouelties, and dainties, that lookes not ſo much to the goodneſſe of the meat, as to the ſweetneſſe of the ſawce. Surely this man muſt needes hauehave a thinne and pined ſoule, and he often meets with that hee vnderſtandeth not, meate that hee cannot digeſt, and ſo ſeldom or neuer profiteth by the Word of God.
The fift, is an adulterous Eare, that will heare any but the voice of their owne Shepherds. You ſhall know them as the Harlot is knowne, they are euer gadding to ſeeke their new Louers: but God ſhall one day diſcouer their adultery to the ſhame of their Perſons, to the diſgrace of their Profeſſion, to the confuſion of their faces. To ſuch let mee ſay, as Chriſt to the woman taken in adulterie, Ioh. 8. 10.Goe and ſinne no more. Now all theſe hauehave Eares and heare not, and therefore hauehave Mark. 7. 34.neede to hauehave the word Ephphata pronounced vntounto them as vntounto the deafe man. And for their better direction in this dutie, this preſent Tract is of excellent vſe, being plain and familiar for the manner, and ſound for the matter, being grounded vponupon many excellent exhortations, and rules in the Holy Scripture: whereby men may know how to heare with glorie vntounto God, honour vntounto his Ordinance, and profit vntounto their owne ſoules.
The neceſſitie of this dutie the Apoſtle proues where hee thus argueth, Faith commeth Rom. 10. 17by hearing, &c. Now without faith it is impoſſible to pleaſe God.
The neglect or contempt, or ignorance of this dutie, is the cauſe of all prophaneſſe▪ whereas if men would heare as they ought, this hearing would beget faith, and faith would bring forth all excellent graces, accompanying ſaluation. The ſeruant which bound himſelfe to the perpetuall ſeruice of his maſter becauſe he loued him was to be broght vntounto the doore of his Exod. 21. 6.houſe, and his Maſter, was to boare his eare with an Awle. Whoſoeuer he is that enters into Gods ſeruice, hee muſt hauehave this marke, euen an open eare, and it muſt be boared at the Doore of Gods Eccleſ. 4. 17houſe, that he may be readier to heare, then to offer the Sacrifice of fooles. The Hebrewes ſay, it is the right eare that muſt bee boared: and ſurely if men heare with a ſiniſter eare, they doe not expreſſe themſelues true ſeruants of God. Whoſoeuer therfore hath dedicated himſelfe to the ſeruice of the Lord, let him expreſſe his Obligation or Indenture, by his open eare to the Word of God: for his ſheepe heare his voyce, and his Familie doe his command. God giues vntounto eueryevery one that hee receiueth into his ſeruice, this Iewell to hang in his eare, namely, to heare with attention and reuerence.
1. Whatſoeuer God ſpeaketh.
2. When ſoeuer hee ſpeaketh.
3. By whom ſoeuer hee ſpeaketh.
The next puniſhment vntounto death by our Nationall law, is loſing the eares. And certainly whoſe eares or hearing God hath ſuffered to be taken away, they are in a dangerous or deſperate caſe, becauſe the Word is the ſauour 2. Cor. …. 16.of life vntounto the right hearer, and the ſauour of death vntounto him that heareth not as hee ought. Now that you may heare with your eares, and vnderſtand with your hearts, and be conuerted from your euill wayes, and bee healed of all your ſins; vſe this ſhort and eaſie receipt; and as you find the effect of it, returne the glory to God, eſteeme of him who hath preſented it to your view, and vſe as one that hath good will vntounto Sion, and moaneth for the deafeneſſe of the Daughter of his People, and ſhall euer pray Ephphatha be open. Mark. 734.that this word Ephphatha may bee by the Spirit of the Lord effectually pronounced vntounto all thoſe who deſire to heare the glad tidings of the Goſpell of Ieſus Chriſt. To whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghoſt, bee all honour and praiſe, and obedience yeelded, now and for euer,
AMEN.
Yours in the Lord Ieſus to be commanded. Richard Crooke.
To the Reader.
OF all the Senſes, none is more needfull, or vſe-full, then Hearing. Of all the Obiects of Hearing, none to be compared to the Word of God. To bee taught then how to heare the Word of God, muſt needs bee a leſſon worth the learning. In this Treatiſe is * Maſter Stephen Egerton of Black-fryers▪ Londonthat doctrine taught. The Author who firſt indited it (being a man by long Practiſe and much Experience, acquainted with Boaring of the Eare) the Matter contained in it (being a meanes ſanctified to bring vsus vntounto Life and Ha. 55. 3. Luk. 11. 28.Happineſſe) and the Manner of vnfolding that matter (being diſtinct and perſpicuous) doe in eſpeciall manner commend it vntounto thee. Come and reade. Reade and Iudge.
William Gouge.