HItherto hath bin spoken of the preparation or prouision of the sermon: the Promulgation or vttring of it followeth.
In the Promulgation two things are required: the hiding of humane wisedome, and the demonstration (or shewing) of the spirit.
Humane wisedome must bee concealed, whether it be in the matter of the sermon, or in the setting forth of the words: because the preaching of the word is the Testimonie of God, and the profession of the knowledge of Christ, and not of humane skill: and againe, because the hearers ought not to ascribe their faith to the gifts of men, but to the power of Gods word. 1. Cor. 2. 1. When I came vnto you brethren, I came not with the eminencie of eloquence or of wisdome, declaring vnto you the testimonie of God. 2. For I did not decree to know any thing among you but Iesus Christ, and him crucified. 5. That your faith should not consist in the wisedome of men, but in the power of God.
If any man thinke that by this meanes barbarisme should bee brought into pulpits; hee must vnderstand that the Minister may, yea and must priuatly vse at his libertie the artes, philosophie, and varietie of reading, whilest he is in framing his sermon: but he ought in publike to conceale all these from the people, and not to make the least ostentation. Artis etiam est celare artem; it is also a point of Art to conceale Art.
The Demonstration of the spirit is, when as the Minister of the word doth in the time of preaching so behaue himselfe, that all, euen ignorant persons & vnbeleeuers may iudge, that it is not so much hee that speaketh, as the Spirit of God in him and by him. 1. Cor. 2. 4. Neither was my speech and my preaching in the perswasiue words of mans wisedome, but in the demonstration of the spirit and of power. And 14. 42. If all prophecie, and there enter in an vnbeleeuer, or one that is ignorant, hee is reprooued of all, be is iudged of all. 25. And so the secrets of his hart are disclosed, & so falling vpon his face, he willworship God, returning word that God indeed is among you. And 4. 19. I wil come vnto you shortly—and I wil know not their1 words that are puffed vp, but their power. 20. For the kingdome of God is not in words but in power. Mich. 3. 8. I am filled with power by the spirit of the Lord, and with iudgement and might to shew Iacob his defection, and to Israel his sinne. This makes the ministerie to bee liuely and powerfull. Luk. 11. 27. And it came to passe, when he had spoken these things, that a certaine woman of the multitude lifting vp her voyce said vnto him, Blessed is the wombe that bare thee, and the breasts that gaue thee sucke.
This demonstration is either in speech or in gesture.
The speech must be spirituall and gracious.
That speech is spirituall, which the holy Spirit doth teach. 1. Cor. 2. 13. Which things also we speake, not in the words, which mans wisedome teacheth, but which the holy Ghost teacheth, comparing spirituall things with spirituall things. And it is a speech both simple and perspicuous fit both for the peoples vnderstanding and to expresse the maiestie of the spirit. Act. 17. 2. Paul disputed with them three sabbath dayes out of the Scriptures. 3. Opening ([…]) and shewing that Christ must suffer and rise againe. Gal. 3. 1. O yee foolish Galatians:—to whom Iesus Christ before was described in your sight, and among you crucified. 2. Cor. 4. 2. But wee haue cast from vs the clokes of shame, and walke not in craftines, neither handle we the word of God deceitfullie: but in declaration of the trueth wee approoue our selues to euery mans conscience in the sight of God. 3. If our Gospell be then hid, it is hid to them that perish. 4. In whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes, that is, of the infidels. &c.
Wherefore neither the words of arts, nor Greeke and Latin phrases and quirks must bee intermingled in the sermon. 1. They disturbe the mindes of the auditours, that they cannot fit those things which went afore with those that follow. 2. A strange word hindreth the vnderstanding of those things that are spoken. 3. It drawes the mind away from the purpose to some other matter.
Here also the telling of tales, and all profane and ridiculous speeches must be omitted.
The speech is gracious, wherein the grace of the heart is expressed. Luk. 4. 22. And all bare witnes of him, and wondred at the gracious words, which proceeded out of his mouth. Iohn 7. 46. The Officers answered, neuer man spake like this man.
Grace is either of the Person, or of the Ministerie.
Grace of the person is the holines of the heart, and an vnblameable life: Which howsoeuer it makes not a Minister, yet is it very necessarie. 1. Because the doctrine of the word is hard both to bee vnderstood and to bee practised, therefore the Minister ought to expresse that by his example, which he teacheth, as it were by a type. 1. Pet. 5. 3. Not as though yee were Lords ouer Gods heritage, but that yee may be examples ([…] types) to the flocke. 1. Tim. 4. 12. Be an example to the faithfull, both in word and conuersation. Phil. 4. 8. Furthermore, brethren, whatsoeuer things are true, whatsoeuer things are honest—thinke on these things. 9. Which yee haue both learned, and receiued, and heard, and seene in me, those things doe, and the God of peace shall be with you. 2. He that is not godly, howsoeuer he may vnderstand the scriptures, yet doth he not perceiue the inward sense and experience of the word in his heart. Psalm. 25. 8. The Lord is good and right, therefore he teacheth sinners his way. 9. He maketh the meeke to walke in the Law, and teacheth the meeke his way. Amos 3. 7. Surely the Lord God will doe nothing, but he reuealeth his secret to his seruants the Prophets. Gen. 18. 17. And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham the thing which I am about to do? 18. Seeing that Abraham shall be indeede the father of a great and mightie nation, &c. 29. For I know him that he will command his sonnes and his household after him, that they keepe the way of the Lord to doe righteousnes and iudgement. 3. It is a thing execrable in the sight of God that godly speech should bee conioyned with an vngodly life. Psalm. 50. 16. 17. Vnto the wicked God saith, what hast thou to doe to declare mine ordinances, and to take my couenant into thy mouth, seeing thou hatest to be reformed. It is a strange sight to see him, that is the guide of the way to others, to wander out of the way himselfe, and to see a Physitian of others to be full of botches himselfe in the meane while, as Nazianzene speaketh. 4. It is an ecclesiasticall secret: That the Minister ought to couer his infirmities, that they bee not seene. For the simple people behold not the ministerie, but the person of ye Minister. Herod heard Iohn Baptist willingly, not because hee was a good minister, but because he was a good man. Mark. 6. 20. Well saith2 Nazianzene, He that teacheth sound doctrine, and liues wickedly, reacheth that with one hand, which he cleeketh away with the other. Chrysostome vpon the 25. of Matthew saith: The doctor of the Church by teaching well and by liuing wel instructeth the people how they ought to liue well: but by liuing ill he doth instruct God how to condemne him. And in his 30. Hom. in Act. It is an easie matter to shew wisedome in words, teach me to liue by thy life: this is the best teaching. For words make not such an impression in the soule as workes doe. 5. A Minister, that is wicked either openly or secretly, is not worthie to stand before the face of the most holy, and the almightie God. Ier. 15. 19. Therefore thus saith the Lord, If thou returne, then will I bring thee againe and thou shalt stand before me. Isai. 6. 6. Then flew one of the Seraphims vnto me with an hot coale in his hand, which hee had taken from the Altar with the tongues. 7. And hee touched my mouth and said, Loe, this hath touched thy lips, and thine iniquitie shall bee taken away, and thy sinne shall bee purged. 8. Also I heard the voyce of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send? and who shall goe for vs? Then I said, Here am I, send me. Leuit. 10. 3. Then Moses said to Aaron, This is that which the Lord said, I will be sanctified in them that come neere vnto me, and I will bee glorified before the sight of all the people. And hence it is that the iudgements of God remaine for wicked Ministers to tremble at. 1. Sam. 2. 17. Therefore the sinne of the young men was very great before the Lord: for men abhorred the offering of the Lord. &c. ver. 25. They obeyed not the voyce of their father, because the Lord meant to slay them.