Ebdomas embolimaios a supplement to the eniautos, or course of sermons for the whole year : being seven sermons explaining the nature of faith and obedience in relation to God and the ecclesiastical and secular powers respectively / all that have been preached and published (since the restauration) by the Right Reverend Father in God Jeremy, Lord Bishop of Down and Connor ; to which is adjoyned, his Advice to the clergy of his diocese.

IV. Rules and Advices concerning Preaching.

[ XL] LEt every Minister be diligent in preaching the Word of God, according to the ability that God gives him; ever remembring that to minister Gods Word unto the People is the one half of his great Office and Employ∣ment.

[ XLI] Let ever Minister be carefull that what he delivers be indeed the Word of God: that his Sermon be answerable to the Text; for this is Gods Word, the other ought to be ac∣cording to it; that although in it self it be but the word of Man, yet by the purpose, truth, and signification of it, it may in a se∣condary sense be the Word of God.

[ XLII] Do not spend your Sermons in generall and indefinite things, as in Exhortations to

the people to get Christ, to be united to Christ, and things of the like unlimited signi∣fication; but tell them in every duty, what are the measures, what circumstances, what instruments, and what is the particular mi∣nute meaning of every general Advice. For Generals not explicated do but fill the peo∣ples heads with empty notions, and their mouths with perpetual unintelligible talk: but their hearts remain empty, and themselves are not edified.

Let not the humours and inclinations of [ XLIII] the people be the measures of your Doctrines, but let your Doctrines be the measure of their perswasions. Let them know from you what they ought to do; but if you learn from them what you ought to teach, you will give but a very ill account at the day of Judge∣ment, of the souls committed to you. He that receives from the people what he shall teach them, is like a Nurse that asks of her Child what Physick she shall give him.

Every Minister in reproofs of sin and sin∣ners, [ XLIV] ought to concern himself in the faults of them that are present, but not of the ab∣sent; nor in reproofe of the times; for this can serve no end but of Faction and Se∣dition, publick Murmur and private Discon∣tent;

besides this, it does nothing but amuse the people in the faults of others, teaching them to revile their Betters, and neglect the dangers of their own souls.

[ XLV] As it looks like flattery and design to preach nothing before Magistrates but the duty of their people and their own eminen∣cy; so it is the beginning of Mutiny to preach to the people the duty of their Superi∣ours and Supreme; it can neither come from a good Principle, nor tend to a good End. Every Minister ought to preach to his Parish, and urge their duty: S. John the Baptist told the Souldiers what the Souldiers should do, but troubled not their heads with what was the duty of the Scribes and Pharisees.

[ XLVI] In the reproof of sins be as particular as you please, and spare no mans sin, but meddle with no mans person; neither name any man, nor signifie him, neither reproach him, nor make him to be suspected; he that doth otherwise makes his Sermon to be a Libel, and the Ministry of Repentance an instru∣ment of Revenge; and so doing he shall exa∣sperate the man, but never amend the sinner.

[ XLVII] Let the business of your Sermons be to preach holy Life, Obedience, Peace, Love among neighbours, hearty love, to live as the

old Christians did, and the new should; to do hurt to no man, to do good to every man: For in these things the honour of God con∣sists, and the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus.

Press those Gr••ces most that do most good, [ XLVIII] and make the least noise; such as giving pri∣vately and forgiving publickly, and prescribe the grace of Charity by all the measures of it which are given by the Apostle, 1 Cor. 13. For this grace is not finished by good words, nor yet by good works, but it is a great building, and many materials go to the structure of it. It is worth your study, for it is the fulfilling of the Commandements.

Because it is impossible that Charity should [ XLIX] live, unless the lust of the tongue be mortifi∣ed, let every Minister in his charge be fre∣quent and severe against slanderers, detractors and backbiters; for the Crime of backbiting is the poyson of Charity; and yet so common, that it is pass'd into a Proverb, [After a good dinner let us sit down and backbite our neighbours.]

Let every Minister be careful to observe, and [ L] vehement in reproving those faults of his Pari∣shioners, of which the Lawes cannot or do not take cognizance, such as are many de∣grees of intemperate drinkings, gluttony, rio∣tous living, expences above their ability,

pride, bragging, lying in ordinary conversa∣tion, covetousness, peevishness, and hasty an∣ger, and such like. For the Word of God sear∣ches deeper then the Laws of men; and many things will be hard to prove by the measures of Courts, which are easie enough to be obser∣ved by the watchful and diligent eye and ear of the Guide of Souls.

[ LI] In your Sermons to the people, often speak of the four last things, of Death and Judge∣ment, Heaven and Hell: of the Life and Death of Jesus Christ, of Gods Mercy to re∣penting sinners, and his Severity against the impenitent; of the formable Examples of Gods anger pour'd forth upon Rebels, Sacri∣legious, oppressors of Widows and Orphanes, and all persons guilty of crying Sins: These are useful, safe and profitable; but never run into Extravagancies and Curiosities, nor trou∣ble your selves or them with mysterious Se∣crets; for there is more laid before you than you can understand; and the whole duty of man is, To fear God and keep his commandements. Speak but very little of the secret and high things of God, but as much as you can of the lowness and humility of Christ.

[ LII] Be not hasty in pronouncing damnation against any man or party in a matter of dis∣putation.

It is enough that you reprove an Errour; but what shall be the sentence a∣gainst it at the day of Judgement, thou know∣est not, and therefore pray for the erring per∣son, and reprove him, but leave the sentence to his Judge.

Let your Sermons teach the duty of all [ LIII] states of men to whom you speak; and par∣ticularly take care of Servants and Hirelings, Merchants and Tradesmen, that they be not unskilful, nor unadmonished in their respe∣ctive duties; and in all things speak usefully and affectionately; for by this means you will provide for all mens needs, both for them that sin by reason of their little understand∣ing, and them that sin because they have evil, dull, or depraved affections.

In your Sermons and Discourses of Reli∣gion, [ LIV] use primitive, known and accustomed words, and affect not new Phantastical or Schismatical terms: Let the Sunday Festival be called the Lords day; and pretend no fears from the common use of words amongst Christians. For they that make a business of the wor••s of common use, and reform Reli∣gion by introducing a new word, intend to make a change but no amendment, they spend themselves in trifles, like the barren turf that

sends forth no medicinable herbs, but store of Mushromes; and they give a demonstration that they are either impertinent people, or else of a querulous nature; and that they are ready to disturb the Church, if they could find occasion.

[ LV] Let every Minister in his charge, as much as he can, endeavour to destroy all popular errors and evil principles taken up by his peo∣ple, or others with whom they converse; espe∣cially those that directly oppose the indispen∣sable necessity of a holy life: let him endea∣vour to understand in what true and useful sense Christs active obedience is imputed to us; let him make his people fear the defer∣ring of their Repentance, and putting it off to their death-bed; let him explicate the nature of Faith, so that it be an active and quickning principle of Charity; let him, as much as he may, take from them all confidencies that slacken their obedience and diligence; let him teach them to impute all their sins to their own follies and evil choice, and so build them up in a most holy faith to a holy life; ever remembring that in all ages it hath been the greatest artifice of Satan to hinder the increase of Christs Kingdome, by destroying those things in which it does consist, viz.

Peace and Righteousness, Holiness and Mor∣tification.

Every Minister ought to be careful that he [ LVI] never expound Scriptures in publick contra∣ry to the known sense of the Catholick Church, and particularly of the Churches of England and Ireland, nor introduce any Do∣ctrine against any of the four first General Councils; for these, as they are measures of truth, so also of necessity; that is, as they are safe, so they are sufficient; and besides what is taught by these, no matter of belief is ne∣cessary to salvation.

Let no Preacher bring before the people in [ LVII] his Sermons or Discourses, the Arguments of great and dangerous Heresies, though with a purpose to confute them; for they will much easier retain the Objection than understand the Answer.

Let not the Preacher make an Article of [ LVIII] Faith to be a matter of dispute; but teach it with plainness and simplicity, and confirm it with easie arguments and plain words of Scripture, but without objection; let them be taught to believe, but not to argue, lest if the arguments meet with a scrupulous person, it rather shake the foundation by curious in∣quiry, than establish it by arguments too hard.

[ LIX] Let the Preacher be careful that in his Ser∣mons he use no light, immodest or ridiculous expressions, but what is wise, grave, usefull and for edification; that when the Preacher brings truth and gravity, the people may at∣tend with fear and reverence.

[ LX] Let no Preacher envy any man that hath a greater audience, or more fame in Preaching than himself; let him not detract from him or lessen his reputation directly or indirectly: for he that cannot be even with his brother but by pulling him down, is but a dwarf still; and no man is the better for making his bro∣ther worse. In all things desire that Christ's Kingdom may be advanc'd; and rejoice that he is served, whoever be the Minister; that if you cannot have the fame of a great Prea∣cher, yet you may have the reward of being a good man; but it is hard to miss both.

[ LXI] Let every Preacher in his Parish take care to explicate to the people the Mysteries of the great Festivals, as of Christmas, Easter, As∣cension day, Whitsunday, Trinity Sunday, the Annuntiation of the blessed Virgin Mary; be∣cause these Feasts containing in them the great Fundamentals of our Faith, will with most advantage convey the mysteries to the people, and fix them in their memories, by

the solemnity and circumstances of the day.

In all your Sermons and Discourses speak no∣thing [ LXII] of God but what is honourable and glori∣ous; and impute not to him such things, the con∣sequents of which a wise and good man will not own: never suppose him to be author of sin, or the procurer of our damnation. For God cannot be tempted, neither tempteth he any man. God is true, and every man a lyar.

Let no Preacher compare one Ordinance with [ LXIII] another; as Prayer with Preaching, to the dispa∣paragement of either; but use both in their pro∣per seasons, and according to appointed Order.

Let no man preach for the praise of men; but [ LXIV] if you meet it, instantly watch and stand upon your guard, and pray against your own vanity; and by an express act of acknowledgement and adoration return the praise to God. Remember that Herod was for the omission of this smitten by an Angel; and do thou tremble, searing lest the judgement of God be otherwise than the sentence of the people.