HItherto hath been spoken of the obiect of Preaching. The parts thereof are two. Preparation for the sermon, and the Promulgation or vttering of it. Matth. 13. 52. Then said he vnto them, therefore euery Scribe, which is taught vnto the kingdome of heauen, is like vnto an housholder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure both new and old.
In preparation priuate studie is with diligence to be vsed. 1. Tim. 4. 13. Till I come giue attendance to reading, to exhortation, and to doctrine. 1. Pet. 1. 10. Of the which saluation the Prophets haue inquired and searched, which prophecied of the grace that should come vnto you. Dan. 9. 2. In the first yeere of his raigne I Daniel vnderstood by bookes the number of the yeeres.
Concerning the studie of Diuinitie take this aduice. First, diligently imprint both in thy mind and memory the substance of Diuinitie described with definitions, diuisions, and explications of the properties. Secondly, proceede to the reading of the Scriptures in this order. Vsing a grammaticall, rhetoricall, and logicall1 analysis, and the helpe of the rest of the arts, reade first the Epistle of Paul to the Rom. after that the Gospell of Iohn (as being indeed the keyes of the new Testament) and then the other books of the new Testament. will be more easie when they are read. When all this is done, learne first the dogmaticall bookes of the old Testament, especiallie the Psalmes: then the Propheticall, especially Esay: Lastly the historicall, but chieflie Genesis. For it is likelie that the Apostles and Euangelists read Esay and the Psalmes very much. For there are no bookes of the old Testament, out of which we can reade more testimonies to be cited, then out of these. There are about threescore places alledged out of Esay: and threescore and foure out of the Psalmes. Thirdly, out of2 orthodoxall writings, we must get aid not onely from the latter, but also from the more ancient Church. Because Sathan hath raised vp from the dead the old Heretiques, that he might hinder the restoration of the Church, which is begun to bee made in our time. For the Antitrinitaries haue newly varnished that opinion of Arius and Sabellius. The Anabantists renew the doctrines or sects of the Essees, Catharists, Enthusiasts, and Donatists. The Swenkseldians reuiue the opinions of the Eutychians, Enthusiasts, &c. Menon followeth Ebion: and the Papists resemble the Pharisies, Encratites, Tatians, Pelagians. The Libertines renew the opinions of the Gnosticks and Carpocratians. Seruetus hath reuiued the heresies of Samosatenus, Arrius, Eutyches, Marcion, and Apollinaris. Lastly, the Schismatiques, that separate themselues from euangelical Churches, receiue the opinions, facts, and fashions of Pup[…]anus in Cyprian, of the Audians, and Donatists. Therefore in like manner, wee must not so much seeke for new repealings and confutations of these heresies, as wee are for our vse to fetch those ancient ones out of Councils and Fathers, and to accompt them as approued and firme. Fourthly, those things, which in studying thou meetest with, that are necessarie and worthie to be obserued, thou must put in thy tables or Common-place books, that thou maiest alwaies haue in a readines both old and new. Fiftly, before all these things God must carnestly be sued vnto by prayer, that hee would blesse these meanes, and that he would open the meaning of the Scriptures to vs that are blind. Psalm. 119. 18. Open mine eies, that I may see the wonderfull things of thy Law. Reuel. 3. 18. I aduise thee to buy gold for thee—and to annoint thine eyes with eye-salue, that thou maist see.
Hitherto pertaineth the framing of Common-place bookes. Concerning which obserue this slender counsel. 1. Haue in readinesse common-place heads of euery point of diuinitie. 2. Distinguish the formost pages of thy paper booke into two columnes, or equall parts lengthwise. In euery one of those pages set in the top the title of one head or chiefe point, the contrarie side remaining in the meane while emptie, that fresh paper may be put to. 3. All things, which thou readest, are not to be written in thy book, but those things that are worthie to bee remembred, and are seldome met with-Neither must thou put the words of the Author in thy common places, but briefly note downe the principall points of stories and of things, that thou mayst know from what author to fetch them, when thou shalt haue vse: and make a point in the author himselfe, that thou mayst know, that the thing is there handled, which thou wrotest in thy common-place booke. 4. Because some things do very often offer themselues with a doubtful signification, so as that thou canst not tell, if thou write then in thy common places, from whence to fetch them, therefore to thy common places thou must ioyne an alphabeticall table. 5. Alwaies prouided that thou trust not too much to thy places. For it is not sufficient to haue a thing written in thy booke, vnlesse it be also diligentlie laid and locked vp in thy memorie.