and without all be read. forbare not to read, for fear he should fall into error: but he diligently read, lest he should remain in ignorance, and through ignorance in error. And if you will not know the truth of God (a thing most necessary for you) lest you fall into error; by the same reason you may then lie still, and never go, lest, if you go, you fall into the mire"; nor eat any good meat, lest you take a surfeit; nor sow your corn, nor labour in your occupation, nor use your merchandise, for fear you lose your seed, your labour, your stock, and so by that reason it should be best for you to live idly, and never to take in hand to do any manner of good thing, lest peradventure some evil thing may chance thereof. And if you be afraid to fall into error by reading of holy scripture, I shall shew you how you may read How most it without danger of error. Read it humbly with a meek commodiously, and lowly heart, to the intent you may glorify God, and peril the holy not yourself, with the knowledge of it: and read it not scripture is to without daily praying to God, that he would direct your reading to good effect; and take upon you to expound it no further than you can plainly understand it. For, as St. Augustin saith, the knowledge of holy scripture is a great, large, and a high place P; but the door is very low, so that the high and arrogant man cannot run in; but he must stoop low, and humble himself, that shall enter into it. Presumption and arrogancy is the mother of all error; and humility needeth to fear no error. For humility will only search to know the truth; it will search, and will bring together one place with another, and where it cannot find out the meanings, it will pray, it will askt of other that know, and will not presumptuously and rashly define any thing which it knoweth not. Therefore the humble man may search any truth boldly in the scripture, without any danger of error. And if he be ignorant, he ought the more to read and to search holy scripture, to bring him out of ignorance. I say not nay, but a man may prosper with only hearing; but he may much more prosper with both hearing and reading. This have I said as touching the fear to read, through ignorance of the person. And concerning the hardness of some places is scripture; he that is so weak that he is not able to brook strong meat, yet he may suck the sweet and tender milk, Scripture in easy, and in some places r n into the mire] in the mire A.B.C. P place] palace A.B. q needeth] endeth D. r bring together] confer A, B. s find out the meaning] find the sense A.B. task] enquire A.B. u hardness] difficulty A.B. and defer the rest until he wax stronger, and come to hard to be unmore knowledge. For God receiveth the learned and un-derstood. learned, and casteth away none, but is indifferent unto all. And the scripture is full, as well of low valleys, plain ways, and easy for every man to use and to walk in; as also of high hills and mountains, which few men can climb unto. And whosoever giveth his mind to holy God leaveth no scriptures with diligent study and burningy desire, it man untaught, that hath good cannot be, saith St. Chrysostom2, that he should be left will to know without help. For either God Almighty will send him his word. some godly doctor to teach him, as he did to instruct Eunuchus, a nobleman of Ethiope, and treasurer unto queen Candace, who having affection to read the scripture, (although he understood it not,) yet for the desire that he had unto God's word, God sent his apostle Philip to declare unto him the true sense of the scripture that he read; or else, if we lack a learned man to instruct and teach us, yet God himself from above will give light unto our minds, and teach us those things which are necessary for us, and wherein we be ignorant. And in another How the knowplace Chrysostom saith, that man's human and worldly ledge of the scripture may wisdom or science needeth not to the understanding of be attained scripture, but the revelation of the Holy Ghost, who in- uuto. spireth the true meaningd unto them, that with humility and diligence do search therefore. He that asketh shall Matt. 7. [7, 8.] have, and he that seeketh shall find, and he that knocketh shall have the door open. If we read once, twice, or A good rule for thrice, and understand not, let us not cease so, but still the understanding of scripture. continue reading, praying, asking of other, and so by still knocking, at the last the door shall be opened; as St. Augustin saith, Although many things in the scripture be spoken in obscure mysteries, yet there is nothing spoken under dark mysteries in one place, but the selfsame thing in other places is spoken more familiarly and plainly, to the capacity both of learned and unlearned. And those things in the scripture that be plain to under- No man is exstand, and necessary for salvation, every man's duty is to cepted from the knowledge of learn them, to print them in memory, and effectually to God's will. exercise them. And as for the dark mysteries, to be contented to be ignorant in them, until such time as it shall please God to open those things unto him. In the mean x climb] ascend A.B. y burning] fervent A.B. z Saint Chrysostom] Saint John Chrysostom A.B.C. a left without help] destitute of help A.B. b teach] instruct A.B. c affection] a great affection A.B.C. • more familiarly] familiarly A. What persons would have ignorance to continue. God's chief benefits. The right reading, use, and fruitful studying in holy scripture. [Ps. 56. 4.] [Ps. 1. 2.] season, if he lack either aptness or opportunity, God will not impute it to his folly: but yet it behoveth not, that such as be apt should set aside reading, because some other be unapt to read; nevertheless, for the hardness of such places, the reading of the whole ought not to be set apart. And briefly to conclude, as St. Augustin saith, by the scripture all men be amended, weak men be strengthened, and strong men be comforted. So that surely none be enemies to the reading of God's word, but such as either be so ignorant, that they know not how wholesome a thing it is; or else be so sick, that they hate the most comfortable medicine that should heal them; or so ungodly, that they would wish the people still to continue in blindness and ignorance of God. The holy scrip- Thus we have briefly touched some part of the comture is one of modities of God's holy word, which is one of God's chief and principal benefits, given and declared to mankind here in earth. Let us thank God heartily for this his great and special gift, beneficial favour, and fatherly providence; let us be glad to reviveh this precious gift of our heavenly father; let us hear, read, and know these holy rules, injunctions, and statutes of our Christian religion, and upon that we have made profession to God at our baptism; let us with fear and reverence lay up, in the chest of our hearts, these necessary and fruitful lessons; let us night and day muse, and have meditation and contemplation in them; let us ruminate, and, as it were, chew the cud, that we may have the sweet juice, spiritual effect, marrow, honey, kernel, taste, comfort, and consolation of them; let us stay, quiet, and certify our consciences, with the most infallible certainty, truth, and perpetual assurance of them: let us pray to God (the only author of these heavenly studies i) that we may speak, think, believe, live, and depart hence, according to the wholesome doctrine and verities of them. And, by that means, in this world we shall have God's defence k, favour, and grace, with the unspeakable solace of peace, and quietness of conscience; and after this miserable life we shall enjoy the endless bliss and glory of heaven: which he grant us all, that died for us all, Jesus Christ, to whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, both now and everlastingly. Amen. g hardness] difficulty A.B. k defence] protection A.B. 1 and the Holy Ghost] and Holy Ghost A.B. m Amen] omitted D. A SERMO Na OF THE Misery of all Mankind, and of his Condemnation to Death everlasting, by his own Sin. THE Holy Ghost, in writing the holy scripture, is in nothing more diligent than to pull down man's vainglory and pride, which of all vices is most universally grafted in all mankind, even from the first infection of our first father Adam. And therefore we read in many places of scripture many notable lessons against this old rooted vice, to teach us the most commendable virtue of humility, how to know ourselves, and to remember what we be of ourselves. In the book of Genesis, Almighty God giveth Gen. 3. [19.] us all a title and name in our great grandfather Adam, which ought to warn us all to consider what we be, whereof we be, from whence we came, and whither we shall go, saying thus, In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy breads, till thou be turned again into the ground: for out of it wast thou taken; in as much as thou art dust, into dust shalt thou be turned again. Here (as it were in a glass) we may learn to know ourselves to be but ground, earth, and ashes, and that to earth and ashes we shall return. Also, the holy patriarch Abraham did well remember this name and title, dust, earth, and ashes, appointed and assigned by God to all mankind: and therefore he calleth e himself by that name, when he maketh his earnest prayer for Sodom and Gomorrhe. And we read that Judith, Jud. 4. [10.] Esther, Job, Jeremy, with other holy men and women in & 9. [1.] Job 13. [12. the Old Testament, did use sackcloth, and to cast dust and & 16. 15.] ashes upon their heads, when they bewailed their sinful Jer. 6. [26.] living. They called and cried to God for help and mercy, & 25. [34] with such a ceremony of sackcloth, dust, and ashes, that a A sermon] Au homily A.B. b warn] admonish A.B. c thy bread] bread A. d into dust] and into dust A.B.C. e he calleth] he called B. What persons would have ignorance to continue. God's chief benefits. The right and fruitful studying in holy scripture. [Ps. 56. 4.] [Ps. 1. 2.] season, if he lack either aptness or opportunity, God will not impute it to his folly: but yet it behoveth not, that such as be apt should set aside reading, because some other be unapt to read; nevertheless, for the hardness of such places, the reading of the whole ought not to be set apart. And briefly to conclude, as St. Augustin saith, by the scripture all men be amended, weak men be strengthened, and strong men be comforted. So that surely none be enemies to the reading of God's word, but such as either be so ignorant, that they know not how wholesome a thing it is; or else be so sick, that they hate the most comfortable medicine that should heal them; or so ungodly, that they would wish the people still to continue in blindness and ignorance of God. The holy scrip- Thus we have briefly touched some part of the comture is one of modities of God's holy word, which is one of God's chief and principal benefits, given and declared to mankind. here in earth. Let us thank God heartily for this his great and special gift, beneficial favour, and fatherly providence; let us be glad to reviveh this precious gift of our heavenly father; let us hear, read, and know these holy reading, use, rules, injunctions, and statutes of our Christian religion, and upon that we have made profession to God at our baptism; let us with fear and reverence lay up, in the chest of our hearts, these necessary and fruitful lessons; let us night and day muse, and have meditation and contemplation in them; let us ruminate, and, as it were, chew the cud, that we may have the sweet juice, spiritual effect, marrow, honey, kernel, taste, comfort, and consolation of them; let us stay, quiet, and certify our consciences, with the most infallible certainty, truth, and perpetual assurance of them: let us pray to God (the only author of these heavenly studies) that we may speak, think, believe, live, and depart hence, according to the wholesome doctrine and verities of them. And, by that means, in this world we shall have God's defence k, favour, and grace, with the unspeakable solace of peace, and quietness of conscience; and after this miserabl enjoy the endless bliss and glory of he grant us all, that died for us all, Jesu with the Father and the Holy Ghost! glory, both now and everlastingly |