the know

ture bring

cheereth, and cherisheth our confcience: it is a more ex- What comcellent jewel or treasure than any gold or precious ftone; modities it is more fweet than honey or honey-comb; it is called and profits the best part, which Mary did choofe, for it hath in it ledge of everlafting comfort. The words of holy Scripture be holy Scripcalled words of everlasting life: for they be God's inftru- eth. ment, ordained for the fame purpose. They have power Luke x. to turn through God's promife, and they be effectual John vi. through God's affiftance, and (being received in a faithful heart) they have ever an heavenly fpiritual working in them they are lively, quick, and mighty in operation, and sharper than any two-edged fword, and enter through, Heb. iv. even to the dividing afunder of the foul and the Spirit, of the joints and the marrow. Chrift calleth him a wife builder, Matt. vii. that buildeth upon his word, upon his fure and fubftan

:

tial foundation. By this word of God we shall be judged for the word that I speak, faith Chrift, is it, that John xii. fhall judge in the last day. He that keepeth the word of Chrift, is promised the love and favour of God, and that he fhall be the dwelling-place or temple of the bleffed John xiv. Trinity. This word whofoever is diligent to read, and in his heart to print that he readeth, the great affection to the tranfitory things of this world fhall be minished in him, and the great defire of heavenly things (that be therein promised of God) fhall increafe in him. And there is nothing that fo much ftrengtheneth our faith and truft in God, that fo much keepeth up innocency and pureness of the heart, and alfo of outward godly life and converfation, as continual reandig and recording of God's word. For that thing, which (by continual ufe of reading of holy Scripture, and diligent fearching of the fame) is deeply printed and graven in the heart, at length turneth almost into nature. And moreover, the effect and virtue of God's word is to illuminate the ignorant, and to give more light unto them that faithfully and diligently read it, to comfort their hearts, and to encourage them to perform that, which of God is commanded. It teacheth patience in all adverfity, in profperity humbleness; what honour is due unto God, what mercy and charity to our neighbour. It giveth good counfel in all doubtful Kings xiv. things. It theweth of whom we fhall look for aid and 2 Chron. help in all perils, and that God is the only giver of vic- xx. tory in all battles and temptations of our enemies, bodily John v. and ghoftly. And in reading of God's word, he not who profit always moft profiteth that is moft ready in turning of the moft in book, or in faying of it without the book; but he that reading

XX.

1 Cor. xv.

I

God's word.

is moft turned into it, that is most inspired with the Holy Ghost, most in his heart and life altered and changed into that thing which he readeth; he that is daily lefs and lefs proud, lefs wrathful, lefs covetous, and lefs defirous of worldly and vain pleasures; he that daily (forfaking his old vicious life) increafeth in virtue more and more. And, to be fhort, there is nothing that more maintaineth godliness of the mind, and driveth away ungodlinefs, than doth the continual reading or hearing of God's word, if it be joined with a godly mind, and a good affection to Matt. xxii. know and follow God's will. For without a fingle eye, What in pure intent, and good mind, nothing is allowed for good commodi- before God. And, on the other fide, nothing more darkties the igeneth Chrift and the glory of God, nor bringeth in more God's word blindness and all kinds of vices, than doth the ignorance of bringeth. God's word.

Ifaiah v.

1 Cor. xiv.

norance of

The Second Part of the Sermon of the Knowledge of

holy Scripture.

IN the first part of this Sermon, which exhorteth to the knowledge of holy Scripture, was declared wherefore the knowledge of the fame is neceffary and profitable to all men, and that by the true knowledge and understanding of Scripture, the most neceffary points of our duty towards God and our neighbours are alfo known. Now as concerning the fame matter you fhall hear what followeth. If we profefs Chrift, why be we not ashamed to be ignorant in his doctrine, feeing that every man is afhamed to be ignorant in that learning which he profeffeth? That man is afhamed to be called a philofopher which readeth not the books of philofophy, and to be called a lawyer, an aftronomer, or a phyfician, that is ignorant in the books of law, aftronomy, and phyfic. How can any man then say that he profeffeth Chrift and his religion, if he will not apply himself (as far forth as he can or may conveniently) to read and hear, and fo to know God's word the books of Chrift's Gofpel and doctrine? Although other sciences be good, and to be learned, yet no man can deny but this is the chief, and paffeth all other incomparably. What excufe fhall we therefore make at the last day before Chrift, that delight to read or hear men's fantasies and inventions, more than his most holy Gofpel? and will find no time to do that which chiefly,

excelleth

all fciences.

from the

word.

above all things, we should do, and will rather read other things than that, for the which we ought rather to leave reading of all other things. Let us therefore apply ourfelves, as far forth as we can have time and leisure, to know God's word, by diligent hearing and reading thereof, as many as profefs God, and have faith and truft in him. But they that have no good affection to God's Vain exword (to colour this their fault) allege commonly two cufes dif vain and feigned excufes. Some go about to excufe them an by their own frailnefs and fearfulnefs, faying, that they knowledge dare not read holy Scripture, left through their ignorance of they should fall into any error. Others pretend that the The firft. difficulty to understand it and the hardness thereof is fo Thefecond. great, that it is meet to be read only of clerks and learned men. As touching the firft: Ignorance of God's word is the cause of all error, as Chrift himself affirmed to the Sadducees, faying, that they erred, because they Matt. xxii, knew not the Scripture. How fhould they then efchew error, that will be ftill ignorant? And how thould they come out of ignorance, that will not read nor hear that thing which fhould give them knowledge? He that now hath most knowledge, was at the first ignorant; yet he forbare not to read, for fear he should fall into error: but he diligently read, left he should remain in ignorance, and through ignorance in error. And if you will not know the truth of God (a thing most neceffary for you) left you fall into error; by the fame reafon you may then lie ftill, and never go, left, if you go, you fall into the mire; nor eat any good meat, left you take a furfeit; nor fow your corn, nor labour in your occupation, nor use your merchandife, for fear you lofe your feed, your labour, your ftock, and fo by that reafon it fhould be best for you to live idly, and never to take in hand to do any manner of good thing, left peradventure fome evil thing may chance thereof. And if you be afraid to fall into error by reading of holy Scripture, I fhall fhew you how you may read without danger of error. Read it humbly, with a meek How moft and a lowly heart, to the intent you may glorify God, and commodinot yourself, with the knowledge of it: and read it not without all without daily praying to God, that he would direct your peril the reading to good effect; and take upon you to expound it holy Scrip. no further than you can plainly understand it. For, as read. St. Auguftine faith, the knowledge of holy Scripture is a great, large, and a high place; but the door is very low, fo that the high and arrogant man cannot run in; but he muft ftoop low, and humble himself, that fhall enter into

B 3

it.

oufly and

ture is to be

to be underftood.

it. Prefumption and arrogancy are the mother of all error; and humility needeth to fear no error. For humility will only fearch to know the truth; it will search, and will bring together one place with another; and where it cannot find out the meaning, it will pray, it will afk of others that know, and will not prefumptuously and rafhly define any thing which it knoweth not. Therefore the humble man may fearch 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 fay not nay, but a man may profit with only hearing; but he may much more profit with both hearing and reading. This have I faid as touching the fear to read, through ignoScripture in rance of the perfon. And concerning the hardnets of fome places Scripture; he that is fo weak that he is not able to brook is easy, and in fome ftrong meat, yet he may fuck the fweet and tender milk, places hard and defer the reft until he wax ftronger, and come to more knowledge. For God receiveth the learned and unlearned, and cafteth away none, but is indifferent unto all. And the Scripture is full, as well of low valleys, plain ways, and eafy for every man to use and to walk in; as alfo of high hills and mountains, which few men can God leaveth climb unto. And whofoever giveth his mind to holy no man un- Scriptures with diligent ftudy and burning defire, it canhath a good not be, faith St. John Chryfoftom, that he fhould be left without help. For either God Almighty will fend him fome godly doctor to teach him, as he did to inftruct the Eunuch, a nobleman of Ethiopia, and treasurer unto Queen Candace, who having a great affection to read the Scripture, (although he underfood it not,) yet, for the defire that he had unto God's word, God fent his Apostle Philip to declare unto him the true fenfe of the Scripture that he read; or else, if we lack a learned man to inftruct and teach us, yet God himself from above will give light unto our minds, and teach us thofe things which are neceffary How the for us, and wherein we be ignorant. And in another knowledge of Scripture place Chryfoftom faith, that man's human and worldly may be at- wisdom or science is not needful to the understanding of tainedunto. Scripture, but the revelation of the Holy Ghoft, who infpireth the true meaning unto them that with humility Matt. vii. and diligence do fearch therefore. He that afketh Shall A good rule have, and he that feeketh fhall find, and he that knocketh for the un- Shall have the door open. If we read once, twice, or of Scrip- thrice, and understand not, let us not ceafe fo, but ftill ture. continue reading, praying, afking of others, and fo by

taught, that

will to

know his

word.

derftanding

from the

Aill knocking, at the laft, the door fhall be opened; as St. Auguftine faith, Although many things in the Scripture be fpoken in obfcure mysteries, yet there is nothing fpoken under dark myfteries in one place, but the felffame thing in other places is fpóken more familiarly and plainly, to the capacity both of learned and unlearned. And thofe things in the Scripture that be plain to under- No man is ftand, and necellary for falvation, every man's duty is to excepted learn them, to print them in memory, and effectually to knowledge exercise them. And as for the dark myfteries, to be con- of God's tented to be ignorant in them, until fuch time as it fhall word. please God to open those things unto him. In the mean feason, if he lack either aptnefs or opportunity, God will not impute it to his folly: but yet it behoveth not, that fuch as be apt fhould fet afide reading, because fome other be unapt to read; nevertheless, for the hardness of fuch places, the reading of the whole ought not to be fet apart. And briefly to conclude, as St. Auguftine faith, by the Scripture all men be amended, weak men be ftrengthened, and ftrong men be comforted. So that What perfurely none be enemies to the reading of God's word, fons would but fuch as either be fo ignorant, that they know not how wholesome a thing it is; or elfe be fo fick, that they continue. hate the moft comfortable medicine that fould heal them; or fo ungodly, that they would with the people ftill to continue in blindness and ignorance of God.

have igno

rance to

is one of

ufe, and

Thus we have briefly touched fome part of the com- The holy modities of God's holy word, which is one of God's chief Scripture and principal benefits, given and declared to mankind God's chief here on earth. Let us thank God heartily for this his benefits. great and special gift, beneficial favour, and fatherly providence; let us be glad to receive this precious gift of our heavenly Father; let us hear, read, and know these holy The right rules, injunctions, and ftatutes of our Christian religion, reading, and upon that we have made profeffion to God at our fruitful ftubaptifm; let us with fear and reverence lay up, in the dying in cheft of our hearts, thefe neceffary and fruitful leffons; holy Scriplet us night and day mufe, and have meditation and con- Palm l. templation in them; let us ruminate, and, as it were, chew the cud, that we may have the fweet juice, fpiritual effect, marrow, honey, kernel, tafte, comfort, and confolation of them; let us ftay, quiet, and certify our confciences, with the most infallible certainty, truth, and perpetual affurance of them: let us pray to God (the only Author of these heavenly ftudies) that we may speak, think, believe, live, and depart hence, according to the

B 4

whole

ture.