worst man in a Parish, for whereas an idle Artificer hurts but his Family, an idle Minister hurts a whole Congrega∣tion.
But when wee repeat and inculcate things out of consci∣ence, and for the good of our people, this is commendable. Besides, there is no Minister that is studious, but if hee do come to press the same point again, hee hath some new argu∣ments or enlargements; for Divinity is such a depth, that wee are alwayes learning, and may finde out somewhat which wee knew not before.
Bee not then offended when you hear necessary truths oft prest, this is ••afe for us, and good for you. Many have itch∣ing ears, they must have novum, aut nihil, they are all for no∣velty, they cannot endure wholesome, plain preaching; whereas wee have but two things to preach, credenda & agen∣da, faith and good works.
2 Obs. The names which are commonly given to Stars may bee used by us.
Chimah, and Kesil, Pleiades and Orion were names given to those Stars by men, and yet the Holy Ghost useth them here, and speaks with the vulgar in their own language. So it useth Heathenish names in the New Testament, Act. 28.11. wee read of a Ship in which Paul sayled, called Castor and Pollux, two Pagan-sea-gods. So for dayes and months wee may call them by such names as are best known to the people with whom wee live. If wee live amongst a people that usu∣ally say the first, second, third month or day, wee must say so too. But if wee live in a land where they say Ianuary, Fe∣bruary, March, &c. Munday, Tuesday, &c. wee must say so too, else how shall wee understand one another? Thus the Iews called their months sometimes by Caldean names, as Nisan, Adar, Cisleu, and Tammuz, from the Idolatrous feasts of Tammuz, which they celebrated yearly in the fourth month, Ezek. 8.14. wee may as well say Lammas, as the Iews say Tammuz.
It is true, David sayes, hee will not once make mention of Idol gods, Psal. 16.4. but that was by way of adoration and re∣verence, or to swear by them, but in a civil respect to distin∣guish dayes, and to make known our mindes to those that wee speak to; thus the Prophets themselves have used them.