26 eat or drink ] eat and drink D. 22 savour] favour

A

RTATIO

FRUITFUL EXHORTATION

TO THE

Reading and Knowledge of holy Scripture.

scripture.

scripture.

is necessary.

UNTO a Christian man there can be nothing either The praise more necessary or profitable, than the knowledge of holy of holy scripture, forasmuch as in it is contained God's true word, setting forth his glory, and also man's duty. And there is no truth nor doctrine necessary for our justifica- The perfecto tion and everlasting salvation, but that is, or may be tion of holy drawn out of that fountain and well of truth. Therefore The knowas many as be desirous to enter into the right and perfect ledge of howay unto God, must apply their minds to know holy ly scripture scripture; without the which, they can neither sufficiently know God and his will, neither their office and duty. And as drink is, pleasant to them that be dry, and meat To whom to them that be hungry; so is the reading, hearing, the knowsearching, and studying of holy scripture, to them that ledge of holy scripture be desirous to know God, or themselves, and to do his is sweet and 20 will. And their stomachs only do loathe and abhor the pleasant. heavenly knowledge and food of God's word, that be so enemies to drowned in worldly vanities, that they neither savour holy scrip- B. God, nor any godliness: for that is the cause why they ture. desire such vanities, rather than the true knowledge of God. As they that are sick of an ague, whatsoever they An apt sieat and drinka, though it be never so pleasant, yet it is as militude, bitter to them as wormwood; not for the bitterness of whom the declaring of the meat, but for the corrupt and bitter humour that is scripture is in their own tongue and mouth: even so is the sweetness abhorred. of God's word bitter, not of itself, but only unto them that have their minds corrupted with long custom of sin

Who be

* eat and drink] eat or drink A. B.C. but not 69.

or B

Sic B.

the diligent

the holy
scripture.
Matt. 4.

holy

scripture is

· a sufficient

doctrine for

our salva

tion.
What

things we
may learn
in the holy

scripture.

I

s

b

An exhor- and love of this world. Therefore forsaking the corrupt
tation unto judgment of fleshlya men, which care not but for their
and Carcase; let us reverently hear and read holy scriptures,
searching of which is the food of the soul. Let us diligently search
for the well of life in the books of the New and Old Tes-
tament, and not run to the stinking puddles of men's tra-
ditions, devised by men's imagination, for our justification
and salvation. For in holy scripture is fully contained
what we ought to do, and what to eschew, what to be-
lieve, what to love, and what to look for at God's hands o
at length. In these books we shall find the Father from
whom, the Son by whom, and the Holy Ghost in whom,
all things have their being and keeping upd; and these
three persons to be but one Gode, and one substance. In
these books we may learn to know ourselves, how vile
and miserable we be, and also to know God, how good
he is of himself, and how he maketh us and all creatures
partakers of his goodness. We may learn also in these
books to know God's will and pleasure, as much as for
this present time, is convenient for us to know. And, as
the great clerk/and godly preacher, St. John Chrysos-
tom saith, whatsoever is required to salvation of man, is
fully contained in the scripture of God. He that is ig-
norant may there learn and have knowledge. He that is
hard-hearted, and an obstinate sinner, shall there find
everlasting torments, prepared of God's justice, to make
him afraid, and to mollify or softenh him. He that is op-
pressed with misery in this world shall there find relief in
Z the promises of everlastingi life, to his great consolation
and comfort. He that is wounded by the Devil unto
death shall find there medicine whereby he may be re-
stored again unto health; if it shall require to teach any
truth, or reprove false doctrine, to rebuke any vice, to
commend any virtue, to give good counsel, to comfort
or to exhort, or to do any other thing requisite for our sal-
vation, all those things, saith St. Chrysostom, we may
learn plentifully of the scripture. There is, saith Fulgen-
tius, abundantly enough, both for men to eat, and chil-
Holy scrip- dren to suck. There is whatsoever is meetk for all ages,

ture mini

b men's] man's A. B. C.,
bg⋅
these] those A. B. C. 69.
d keeping up] conservation A. B.
e but one God] one God A.

f maketh us and all creatures par-
takers of his goodness] communicat-

eth his goodness unto us and to all
creatures A. B.

g everlasting] eternal A. B.
h or soften] omitted A. B.
i everlasting] eternal A. B.
k meet] convenient A. B.

our

trine for all

Luke 4.

John 17.

the know

and for all degrees and sorts of men. These books there- stereth suffore ought to be much in our hands, in our eyes, in ficient docears, in our mouths, but most of all in our hearts. For degrees and the scripture of God is the heavenly meat of our souls; ages. the hearing and keeping of it maketh us blessed, sancti- Matt. 4. fieth us, and maketh us holy; it turnetha our souls, it is a light lantern to our feet; it is a sure, steadfast, and ever- Psalm 19. lasting instrument of salvation; it giveth wisdom to the humble and lowly hearts; it comforteth, maketh glad, 10 cheereth, and cherisheth our conscienced: it is a more ex- What comcellent jewel or treasure than any gold or precious stone; modities it is more sweet than honey or honey-comb; it is called and profits the best part, which Mary did choose, for it hath in it ledge of everlasting comfort. The words of holy scripture be holy scripcalled words of everlasting life: for they be God's instru- ture bringment, ordained for the same purpose. They have power Luke 10. to turn through God's promise, and they be effectual John 6. through God's assistance, and (being received in a faithful heart) they have ever an heavenly spiritual working in 20 them: they are lively, quick, and mighty in operation, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and entereth through, Heb. 4. even unto the dividing asunder of the soul and the spirit, of the joints and the marrow. Christ calleth him a wise builder, Matt. 7. that buildeth upon his word, upon his sure and substantial foundation. By this word of God we shall be

eth.

mary

judged: for the word that I speak, saith Christ, is it, that John 12, words C.
shall judge in the last day. He that keepeth the word of
Christ, is promised the love and favour of God, and that

he shall be the dwelling-places or temple of the blessed John 14.
Trinity. This word whosoever is diligent to read, and
in his heart to print that he readeth, the great affection
to the transitory things of this world shall be minished
in him, and the great desire of heavenly things (that be
therein promised of God) shall increase in him. And
there is nothing that so much strengthenethh our faith and
trust in God, that so much keepeth upi innocency and
pureness of the heart, and also of outward godly life and
conversation, as continual reading and recording of God's
word. For that thing, which (by continual use of reading

2 Chron.

20.

1 Cor. 15.

most in

reading God's word.

of holy scripture, and diligent searching of the same) 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 ft, to comfort their hearts, and to encourage them 1 Kings 14. to perform that, which of God is commanded. It teacheth patience in all adversity, in prosperity humbleness; what honour is due unto God, what mercy and charity 1 John 5. to our neighbour. It giveth good counsel in all doubtful things. It sheweth of whom we shall look for aid and help in all perils, and that God is the only giver of victory in all battles and temptations of our enemies, bodily Who profit and ghostly. And in reading of God's word, he most profiteth not always that is most ready in turning of the book, or in saying of it without the book; but he that is most 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 less and less proud, less wrathfulb, less covetous, and less desirous of worldly and vain pleasures; he that daily (forsaking his old vicious life) increaseth in virtue more and more. And, to be short, there is nothing that more maintaineth godliness of the mind, and driveth away ungodliness, than doth the continual reading or hearing of God's word, if it be joined with a godly mind, and a good affection to know and follow God's will. For without a single eye, What dis- pure intent, and good mind, nothing is allowed for good commodi- before God. And, on the other side, nothing more darkties the ig; eneth Christ and the glory of God, nor bringeth in more God's word blindness and all kinds of vices, than doth the ignorance bringeth. of God's word.

Isa. 5.

Matt. 22.

I Cor. 14.

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 same is necessary and profitable to all men, and that by the true knowledge and understanding of scripture, the most necessary points of our duty towards God and our neighbours are also known. Now as concerning the same matter you shall hear what followeth. If we profess Christ, why be we not ashamed to be ignorant in his doctrine? seeing that every man is ashamed to be ignorant in that learning which he professeth. That man is ashamed to be called a philosopher which readeth not the books of philosophy, and to be called a lawyer, an astronomer, or a physiciana, that is ignorant in the books of law, astronomy, and physic. How can any man then say that he professeth Christ and his religion, if he will not apply himself (as far forth as he can or may conveniently) to read and hear, and so to know the books of Christ's gospel and doctrine? Although God's word other sciences be good, and to be learned, yet no man can deny but this is the chief, and passeth all other incomparably. What excuse shall we therefore make, at the last day before Christ, that delight to read or hear men's fantasies and inventions, more than his most holy Gospel? and will find no time to do that which chiefly, 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 ourselves, as far forth as we can have time and leisure, to know God's word, by diligent hearing and reading thereof, as many as profess God, and have faith and trust in him. But they that have no good affection to God's Vain exword (to colour this their fault) allege commonly two cuses disvain and feigned excuses. Some go about to excuse them from the by their own frailness and fearfulness, saying, that they knowledge dare not read holy scripture, lest through their ignorance of God's

excelleth
all sciences.

suading

word.

they should fall into any error. Other pretend that the The first. difficulty to understand it and the hardness thereof is so The second. great, that it is meet to be read only of clerks and learned men. As touching the first: Ignorance of God's word is the cause of all error, as Christ himself affirmed to the Sadducees, saying, that they erred, because they Matt. 22. knew not the scripture. How should they then eschew error, that will be still ignorant? And how should they come out of ignorance, that will not read nor hear that thing which should give them knowledge? He that now hath most knowledge, was at the first ignorant; yet he a an astronomer, or a physician] and astronomer or physician D. and astronomer, or a physician B. C.69.