1The sorts of evil hearers may be distinguished into two kinds: some are openly impious and audacious; some more civill and restrained. Of the first kind. First, some are so wayward nothing can please them, either the Preacher is too terrible, or he is too comfortable. If John fast, he hath a Devil, if Christ eat, he is a gluttond. Secondly, Some hear and are scandalizede: Men are so wedded to their own conceits, and stuffed with prejudice, that they many times wilfully study, and strive to frame scandal and offence out of the words of the Teacher. Thirdly, Some hear, and are filled with wrath and envy, and that sometimes so as they cannot restrain the signs of their rage and fretting, no not in the Sermon-timef. They gnash with their teeth, and their harts are ready to burst for anger. And this comes many times because men ⟨p. 51⟩cannot abide wholesome Doctrine, but are given to fablesh. Fourthly, Some hear, and their mouths make jests, while their hearts go after their lustsi, they hear and mock kFifthly, Some make the auditory of Christians the study of all manner of base filthiness: thither comes the Adulterer, the Covetous, the deceiver, the accuser of the Brethren, &c. and there they damnably frame their dogged and swinish imaginations. Sixthly, Some hear, and if they find any power in the Doctrine of the Preacher, they enquire whether he be not a Puritan; for they have heard so much evil of that Sect every where, that that one colour may serve to make them cautelous, and better advised then to be much troubled with his Doctrinel. Seventhly, Some will hear if he speak of this worldm: He is an excellent Preacher, that in their understanding gives them liberty, and sows pillows under their fleshly and worldly elbows. Eighthly, Some hear fearfully, as loath to be drawn to the Sermon of any that rebukes sin, as the people of Israel were to come near the Mountn. Ninthly, Some (like the chief Priests and Pharisees) when they perceive that the Preacher rebukes their sins, seek to lay hands upon himo, and as far as the fear of the people restraineth them not, they practise to remove him.
1The sorts of euill hearers may be distinguished into two kindes: some are openly impious and audacious; some more ciuill and restrained. Of the first kinde. First, some are so wayward nothing can please them, either the Preacher is too terrible, or he is too comfortable. If Iohn fast, hee hath a Deuill, if Christ eate, he is a gluttond. Secondly, Some heare and are scandalizede: Men are so wedded to their owne conceits, and stuffed with preiudice, that they many times wilfully study, and striue to frame scandale and offence out of the words of the Teacher. Thirdly, Some heare, and are filled with wrath and enuie, and that sometimes so as they cannot restraine the signes of their rage and fretting, no not in the Sermon-timef. They gnash with their teeth, and their harts are ready to burst for anger. And this comes many times because men ⟨p. 51⟩cannot abide wholesome Doctrine, but are giuen to fablesh. Fourthly, Some heare, and their mouthes make iests, while their hearts go after their lustsi, they heare and mocke kFiftly, Some make the auditory of Christians the studie of all manner of base filthinesse: thither comes the Adulterer, the Couetous, the deceiuer, the accuser of the Brethren, &c. and there they damnably frame their dogged and swinish imaginations. Sixtly, Some heare, and if they finde any power in the Doctrine of the Preacher, they enquire whether hee be not a Puritane; for they haue heard so much euill of that Sect euery where, that that one colour may serue to make them cautelous, and better aduised then to be much troubled with his Doctrinel. Seuenthly, Some will heare if he speake of this worldm: He is an excellent Preacher, that in their vnderstanding giues them liberty, and sowes pillowes vnder their fleshly and worldly elbowes. Eightly, Some heare fearefully, as loath to be drawne to the Sermon of any that rebukes sinne, as the people of Israell were to come neere the Mount
- 1The sorts of evil hearers.The sorts of euill hearers.
- dMat. 11.16. &c.
- eMath. 15 12.
- fLuke 4.24. Acts 7.54.
- h2 Tit. 4.3:4.
- iEzech: 33:30.
- kActs: 17.32.
- lActs 28:22.
- m1 John 4.5.1 Iohn 4.5.
- nHeb: 12:19.
- oMat: 21:45:46.
