The Amendment of Life, Book 2 · Chapter 7
Of our dutie to reade the holy Scriptures. Chap. 7.
AS for the reading of the holy Scriptures, wherein euerie one ought diligently to exerciſe himſelfe, experience ſufficiently teacheth, that when without daunger of fire it was prohibited vsus, wee then burned in ſeruent affection to reade: but nowe when lawfully wee may doo it, and that we bee thereto dayly exhorted, either wee hauehave no bookes, or if wee hauehave anie, wee neuer looke vponupon them. How many whole families admitted to the holy ſupper ſhall wee finde, that hauehave not among them all one Bible, no not a new Teſtament? And howe many of thoſe that hauehave them, doo beſtowe daily one quarter of an houre in reading vponupon them? Nay, how many dayes, yea, euen weekes doo they paſſe ouer without reading anie one woorde therein? They ſurelye thinke it enough that they hauehave them, to make ſhewe of them vppon ſome cupboord or deske?Chriſoſt. in his third Ho. vponupon Iohn. cap. 4 Saint Iohn Chriſoſtome noted the lyke corruption in his time. Let vsus bee aſhamed, ſayth hee, that a woman hauing had fiue husbands, and ſhe a Samaritan, ſhould bee ſo diligent and attentiue to learne, that neither the time, neither her buſineſſe could withdrawe her from Chriſts mouth, where ſhe might bee taught, and yet that wee doo neuer enquire anie thing concerning inſtruction in heauenly matters? Which of you at your returne to your houſes doo applie your ſelues to anie thing worthie Chriſtians? Which of you ſeeketh after the ſenſe of the holye Scriptures? Truely none. Wee many times finde you in hand with the Cheſſe boord, and playing Tables, but ſeldome with bookes. If ye hauehave bookes, it is as if yee had none, for they bee locked vp and kept in coffers: your onelyonly care is to hauehave them of fine parchment and ſay… written, not that yee may reade them, but to make them an oſtentation of your wealth and ambition. Heereto hee addeth, The vſe of the Scriptures is not to hauehave them in bookes onelyonly, but to reade and print them in our heartes. As in thoſe dayes there was no printing, ſo were bookes rare and very dere, and in that reſpect did men vſe them for an oſtentation of their riches, and ſhewed theyr ambition in this, that hauing bookes fayre written and in fine parchment, they referred them not to their right vſe, namely, to reade them, and ſo to take profite to ſaluation. But in theſe dayes where there is ſuch plentie of bookes, through the helpe of printing, men care not for hauing them, much leſſe for reading in them.
2 Before the new Teſtament was tranſlated into our tongue, ſome would take pains to copie our Chapters, which their Curates beeing wel minded to religion, had ſecretly tranſlated: now many will grudge a ſmall portion of monie for the price of a Bible, yea, euen of a new Teſtament. And this hath beene a perpetuall infirmitie. Poore men (ſayth Chriſoſtome) doo excuſe theyr neglygence in reading Gods word,Chriſoſtome vponupon Iohn, Tom. 5. …o. 10 vponupon t…e firſt Chapter. …lledging want of bookes, & meanes to buy anie. A lyttle will I …ake vntounto them, and aske them whet…r they hauehave not all to…e neceſſarie for theyr trades and occupations, notwithſtandi… whatſoeuer hinderaunce of their pouertie? Is not this a meere …olly to excuſe themſelues by pouertie in this caſe, and yet to hauehave no want of things neceſſarie for theyr occupations? … hee had cauſe to complaine when there were no bookes, but ſuch as were in written hand, and conſequently dere, howe much more bitterly might hee comp…aine of the negligence and ſlouth of our dayes, in all this great plentie and abundance of good bookes, that by the helpe of printing maye bee had for ſo lyttle money?Chri. his third ſermon of Lazarus Seeſt thou not (ſayeth hee in another place) the worke-men in mettalles, the Golde-ſmith, the Siluer-ſmith, and all others that exerciſe anie occupation, keepe all theyr tooles readie and in good order? Albeit hunger compelleth and pouertie pincheth, yet will they rather beare all, than ſell anie neceſſarie or needfull toole of theyr occupation, to feede themſelues withall: yea, many had rather borrowe vppon vſurie, than pawne foorth anie one toole, and good reaſon: For they knowe that by pawning foorth theyr tooles, they do depriue themſelues of all ordinarie meanes to get theyr liuings: and contrarywiſe, that by keeping them, they maye with profite diſcharge theyr debt. But as hammers, ſtithes, and pinſers are the tooles of theyr occupations, wherewyth to get theyr liuinges: ſo the bookes of the Prophets and Apoſtles, and all the bookes of the holy Scriptures, are the tooles of Chriſtianitie, wherewith to obtaine ſaluation and life euerlaſting. And as artificers with theyr tooles and inſtrumentes doo finiſh their woorke, ſo by the reading of the holye Scriptures our ſoules are corrected, formed, and renewed. Which is more, Artificers cannot transforme earth or woode into ſiluer or golde, onelie they can by theyr arte and workmanſhippe giuegive forme and ſhape vntounto thinges: but by the reading of Gods worde thou maiſt of a wooden or earthen veſſell, make a veſſell of golde or ſiluer, as the holy Apoſtle Saint Paule teacheth, ſaying: In a great houſe are not onelyonly veſselles of golde and of ſiluer, 2. Tim. 2.20 z. 1but alſo of woode and of earth. If anie man therefore purge himſelfe from theſe, hee ſhall bee a veſsell vntounto honour, ſanctifyed, and meete for the Lorde, and prepared vntounto euerie good worke. Thus concluding his ſpeech, hee ſayth, Let vsus not be neglygent to buy books: For euen the ſight of them, as he addeth, ſhall put vsus in minde of our dueties, as well to withdrawe vsus from ſinne and iniquitie, as to cauſe vsus to perſeuere in holyneſſe and righteouſneſſe, and to praie to God to giuegive vsus grace ſo to doo.
3 What excuſe ſhall wee pretende in the ſight of God, when in this abundance and eaſie meanes to get bookes by the helpe of printing, wee are ſo loth to buy them, and ſo careleſſe of reading them: thereby ſhewing our ſelues moſt vnthankefull and vnworthie that fauour and grace at Gods hande: conſidering withall, that wee are ſo often and earneſtly exhorted to our dueties in reading and meditating vppon his woorde? Let the word of Chriſt, (ſayth Saint Paule) dwell in you plenteouſ…ie in all wiſedome, Coloſ 3.1…teaching and admoniſhing one another. Hee ſpeaketh to the Colloſsians, both to men and women, and willeth that this doctrine of the Goſpell ſhould be ſo familiar vntounto them, that it might take roote in them, whereby to be inſtructed both for themſelues, & to teach others. We hauehave (ſayth Saint Peter) a most ſure worde of the Prophets, 2. Pet. 1.19to the which yee do wel that ye take heed, as vntounto a light that ſhineth in a darke place. Hee compareth the writings of the Prophets to a candle ſhining in the darke, and therefore exhorteth vsus to take the ſame to bee our light,Pſal. 119.105 Epheſ. 6.17 as Dauid alſo ſayth, The woorde of God is a light to my steppes. Saint Paule calleth Gods worde the ſwoord of the ſpirite, wherewith he willeth vsus to bee armed to fight againſt the deuill. But how ſhall wee take this ſwoord in hande, vnleſſe wee become diligent readers of the holy Scriptures, wherwith after the example of Ieſus Chriſt,Math. 4. Rom. 15.4. to reſell the temptations of the deuill, ſaying: It is written, It is written. If (as Saint Paule ſayth) all that is written, is written for our learning, that wee maye hauehave hope by patience, and comfort in the Scriptures. Shall not wee make vaine the prouidence of the heauenlye goodneſſe, which hath giuen and preſerued the Scriptures for vsus, if we doo not with diligence reade in them, to the end thereby to bee comforted and ſtrengthned in patience,2. Tim. 3.16 hope, and faith? If all holie Scripture be giuen by inſpiration from God, and bee profitable to teach, to improoue, to correct, and to inſtruct in righteouſneſſe, ought not wee diligently to exerciſe our ſelues in reading and meditation thereof, to the end to reape ſuch excellent fruit of the ſame?
4 Men are flatterers, and wee are blinde in our owne corruptions, whereto we are naturally affected, and therefore it is moſt neceſſarie that wee ſhoulde often heare God ſpeaking vntounto vsus in the holy Scriptures, inſtructing, improuing, correcting and exhorting vsus to our duties. When the young man mentioned by Saint Luke, asked of Ieſus Chriſt what hee ſhould doe to obtayne euerlaſting lyfe,Luke 10.26 Chriſt aunſwered, What is written in the Lawe? How doeſt thou reade? Thereby ſhewing that the Lawe is written for vsus to reade, that in it wee maye knowe what wee are to doo in diſcharge of our duetie towarde God. When the curſed rich man prayed Abraham to ſende Lazarus to his brethren,Luke 6.29 hee aunſwered, They hauehave Moſes and the Prophets, let them reade them. He thereby taught vsus that wee muſt reade the Scriptures, and in them learne the meanes to eſcape euerlaſting tormentes with that curſed riche man, and neuer hope of anie mans comming from death to teach vsus. Dauid, a moſt excellent Prophet, was well inſtructed in the Lawe, yet the hundreth and nineteenth Pſalme doth at large declare,Pſal. 119 Dan. 9.2. Act. 17.11. how diligent and carefull hee was in reading and meditating. Daniel, notwithſtanding his many reuelations, lefte not off the reading of the bookes of Ieremie. Saint Luke highlye commendeth the Birrheans, becauſe they were of better ſtomacke than the Iewes at Theſſalonica, to receiue with al readines the word preached by Saint Paul, and dayly to conferre the ſcriptures, to know whether it were ſo, & ſo the better to gather knowledge by the conference of the Scriptures, with the truth which they had heard, that they might bee the rather confirmed therein. This zeale and diligence of the Birrheans ſhall riſe vp in iudgement agaynſt vsus euen againſt vsus, who hauing heard the preaching, do no farther endeuor by reading the Scriptures, to confirme our ſelues more and more in the heauenly doctrine preached vntounto vsus.Act. 8 Queene Candaces Eunuch, might wel, as it ſeemeth, hauehave exempted himſelfe from this duetie, beeing in his iourney, yet riding on his chariot, hee read the Prophet Eſaie: but wee Chriſtians will almoſt be aſhamed to ſhew our ſelues ſo religious. Yet might this diligence of a great Heathen Lord, as yet ignorant, together with his feruent affection to reade the holy Scripture, make vsus to bluſh for ſhame, for that we do neglect ſo many our conuenient opportunities and great leaſure to reade the doctrine of the Goſpell, ſo cleere and full of ſingular conſolations.
5 Saint Auguſtine reporteth, that himſelfe was conuerted to the true Chriſtian religion by reading the holy ſcriptures:In his confeſſions. alſo that he was mooued to the ſayde reading, by hearing the voyce, as it were, of ſome little childe ſinging and ſaying, Take and reade. Rom. 13.14And that obeying that voyce, he lighting vppon this place, Put on the Lorde Ieſus Chriſt, and take no thought for the fleſh to fulfill the luſts thereof: was conuerted to the Lorde whome hee had ſo mightily wythſtood. How many thouſands euen in our dayes hauehave there beene conuerted and illuminated by reading the Scriptures, and other good bookes written vponupon the ſame? But this is the miſchiefe, that many are content with ſome ſmall taſt, and darke or weak beginning, and neuer thinke it neceſſarie dayly to goe forwarde, albeit vndoubtedly ſuch a beginning of lyght and comfort ſhoulde kindle theyr heartes, and cauſe them to imitate the labourers in the mines of ſiluer and golde, who when they hauehave found a good vain of mettall, doo followe it to the end. But the end of this golden vaine of the holye Scripture will neuer bee ſounde: for the farther wee reade, the more wee ſhall finde, and ſuch are the pleaſures thereof, that the more wee eate, the more will our appetite increaſe.
6 It is ſurely maruellous, that all the endeauours of ſathan, euer ſeeking to depriue vsus of the holye Scriptures, cannot bee vntounto vsus a manifeſt aduertiſement & aſſured teſtimonie of the commodity or rather neceſsitie of reading the ſame. For to what ende did he in the dayes of Antiochus ſeeke to aboliſh all the bookes of the lawe?1. Mac. 1 Or to what purpoſe dyd hee in the Romiſh Church procure that the people might not bee permitted to reade the holye Scriptures, eſpecially in a vulgar or knowen language? Could hee more euidently declare himſelfe to bee the prince of darkneſſe and father of lyes, than by taking from the people of God the light and truth of Gods moſt holy and ſacred worde? May wee not thereof gather, that in vsus hee feareth nothing ſo much as the reading of the ſame? Or ought wee not wyth greater courage to growe more diligent and feruent in this duetie? This zeale did appeare, when by Sathan wee were oppreſſed wyth this effecte, that wee myght not reade: but as violence is aſſwaged, ſo our zeale is quayled. The fire appeareth not, becauſe the ſtone lighteth not vppon the ſteele. Yet, ſayeth Saint Auguſtine, hee that careth not for reading the holy Scriptures,Auguſt. in his 56. ſermon to the brethren in the wildernes. Eſa. 5.13 1. Cor. 4.38 ſent out of paradiſe, is to feare not onelyonly depriuation of eternall felicitie, but alſo that hee can neuer eſcape euerlaſting puniſhment. For the neglect of reading Gods holy worde is ſo daungerous a matter, that the Prophet in greate ſorrowe cryed out, My people are gone into captiuitie, becauſe they had no knowledge. For, hee that is ignoraunt, ſhall bee ignorant, Vndoubtedly God will not vouchſafe to knowe him in eternall felycitie, which in this lyfe careth not to ſeeke after God by reading the holy Scriptures. It were good that we feared,Math. 25.12 leaſt wee ſhoulde heare the ſame that was ſayde to the fooliſh virgines when the doores were ſhutte, I knowe you not. Why, ſhall hee not knowe thoſe whome hee wyll ſende into euerlaſting fyre? Yes, ſo farre foorth as not to aduowe thoſe, who in this lyfe cared not to knowe him, to bee his in the daye of iudgement.Prou. 28.9 And therefore are wee dilygently to note the ſaying of Salomon, Hee that turneth awaie his eare from hearing the lawe, euen his prayer ſhall be abhominable. Hee therefore that deſireth that God ſhoulde heare him, muſt firſt heare God. For, how can hee pretend that God ſhall heare or graunt his petitions, conſidering that himſelfe careth not for hearing of God, when hee ſpeaketh vntounto him in his holy Scriptures? Then proceeding in his purpoſe, hee addeth this complaint. Some Chriſtians, yea, euen ſome of the Cleargie, when they are vppon a iourney, doo prepare bread, wine, oyle, and ſo foorth, or other things: ſith they care ſo much for the fleſh or bodie, can they not alſo care for feeding their ſoules by diligent reading of the holye Scriptures?
7 Bee diligent, ſayth Chriſoſtome, before the Sermon,Chriſoſt. vpō Iohn. Ca 1 Homil. 10. Tome. 5 to take into your handes the Goſpels that wee are to reade, and in your houſes repeat them many times, ſeeking diligently the vnderſtanding of the ſame, then giuegive attentiue heede to the Sermon, ſo ſhall I more eaſily teach you by reaſon of your perfectneſſe in the ſentence which you ſhall hauehave read at home, and beeing your ſelues ſoone inſtructed, you ſhall bee the more readie to teach others. If anie man pretend excuſe vppon his buſineſſe and employmentes eyther publyke or priuate, ſurely it is a great abuſe, ſo much to giuegive himſelfe thereto that for temporall affayres and worldly commodities, hee ſhoulde neglect the ſtudie of ſuch as bee eternall. The time that they ſometimes ſpende euen by whole dayes together in conuerſing with their friendes, in walking for theyr pleaſures, in playes and paſtimes, and in long ſittinges, wherein they neuer excuſe themſelues by anie of theyr buſineſſes, will take from them all excuſe whatſoeuer in the daie of Gods iudgement. You vſe ſuch dilygence, ſayth he, about theſe baſe, abiect, and vaine trifles, that you account ſuch as bee ſpirituall and concerne heauen, to be vtterly vnprofitable and of no value.
8 Some there are which thinke reading to bee a ſtudie to belong onelyonly to the Miniſter, and for the moſt parte they will content themſelues wyth a Sermon, and as for the reſt they wyll diſpenſe therewyth, that they may the more liberally employe the reſt of theyr time in the affayres and buſineſſe of this lyfe. Neyther is this anie newe corruption crepte in of late. For it had taken root in the time of Chriſoſtome, who alſo then complained thereof, and ſharply reprooued it,Chriſo. in his 2. Tom. & 2. hom. vpō the firſt of Math. Alſo in his 3. ſermon of Lazarus. as vtterlye diſlyking of the ſame. You will aunſwere (ſayth hee) I am no Monke, I hauehave a wife, and children, and charge of familie and houſeholde. But ſee, this is the plague that corrupteth all, that yee wyll laye the whole burden of holy reading vppon the Monkes, as if it belonged vntounto them onelie: notwithſtanding contrarywiſe, it be more requiſite and neceſſarie for you than for them. For ſuch as through worldly conuerſation doo dayly receiue wound vppon wound, and one infection vponupon another, are in the greater neede of celeſtiall and heauenlie phiſicke.Chriſo. 3. ſermon of Lazarus. And heereunto hee addeth alſo, That it is a greate deale worſe to thinke or imagine the holye Scriptures to bee fruitleſſe or vnprofytable for them, than to bee vtterly ignoraunt in them. And in another place proſecuting the ſame argument, he ſayth, Therefore I deſire you not onelyonly to come hether often to heare the holye ſcriptures read vntounto you, but alſo that in your owne houſes you take in hand the holy Bible, and with feruent deſire to profit, you receiue what ſo euer you finde therein. And ſoone after, Looſe not, I beſeeche you by your neglygence ſuch a commoditie, but euen in your houſes attend the reading of the holy ſcriptures.Chriſoſtome vponupon the Epiſtle to the Coloſ. Hom. 9 The ſame Chriſoſtome vppon theſe woordes of the Apoſtle, Let the worde of God dwell plentifully in you, ſayth thus. You that liue in the worlde, you that hauehave wiues and children, marke how the Apoſtle commandeth you eſpeciallye, to reade the holye Scriptures, and that not ſlightly or for a faſhion, but plentifully and with great diligence. Then hee addeth, Buy the Bible, which is the medicine of the ſoul: at the leaſt the new Teſtament, the writings of the Apoſtles, the Acts, & the Goſpels, that therein you may diligently reap daily inſtruction, for the ignorance in the ſcriptures is the cauſe of all euill.
9 Others there are that care not for reading the Scriptures, becauſe therin they find no taſt or comfort: and this is an euill ſigne. For as hee that for a while hath beene kept eating, and therefore refuſeth good meat for want of appetite, muſt thinke that his ſtomacke is not wel, ſo he that findeth no taſt in the reading of Gods word, may well feel that his ſoul is ſick. Yet ſhould he follow the counſel that the Phiſition giueth to his patient, to whom he ſaith, Eate, by eating your ſtomacke will come to you. But this theyr want of taſt proceedeth heereof, that they be not acquainted with the phraſe of the holy Ghoſt, and ſo doo reſemble thoſe, who hearing a ſermon, but not beeing perfect in the language, doo therein reape neither inſtruction nor comfort to ſaluation. It were good for thoſe men many times to heare God ſpeaking vntounto them, by reading the holy ſcriptures, ſo ſhall they by little and little learne the ſpeech of the holy Ghoſt, euen as men vſe to learne other languages, through the exerciſe of hearing, reading, & ſpeaking. Some ſpices there are, which without bruſing doo yeld no ſmell, but the more they bee chafed the ſweeter they are: euen ſo is it with the holy ſcriptures, ſuch as reade but little, can finde no taſte, but the more they bee peruſed and read, the more doo they yeelde foorth the treaſures and pleaſant fruites hidden in them. And in deede, ſayth Chriſoſtome, the cauſe why many doo vnderſtand nothing, procedeth not ſo much of ignorāce, as that they wil not dayly hauehave the writings of the Apoſtles, or reade them. That which we know,Chriſoſtome in his preface on the Epiſtle to the Romanes. ſayth hee afterwardes, if wee knowe anie thing, commeth not ſo much of the excellencie of our vnderſtanding, as of this, that beeing, as it were tyed to the writings of the Apoſtle, we neuer leaue reading them. If you therefore will in heart applie your ſelues to diligent and earneſt reading, you ſhall vnderſtand that which you deſire, For the ſaying of Ieſus Chriſt, Seeke and you ſhall finde, is true.
10 It is likewiſe a vaine and friuolous excuſe to alledge, that the holy Scripture is darke and profound, and that we vnderſtande it not. Plato, ſayth Ierome, writ for few,Hiero on the 86 Pſal. To. 8. Chriſo. in his 3. ſermon of Lazarus. and few doo vnderſtande him: but the Apoſtles writ not for few, but for all. And therefore Chriſoſtome ſaith, Truely the grace of the holy Ghoſt hath ſo diſpoſed and moderated the holy Scriptures, that both publicanes, fiſher-men, tent-makers, ſhepheards and Apoſtles, fooles, and men vnlearned, may by thoſe bookes bee ſaued. Leaſt alſo ſome foole might hauehave recourſe to anie excuſe in the difficultie therof, he hath vouchſafed that the thinges there ſpoken, ſhoulde bee eaſie, and that handy-craftes men and ſeruantes, widdowes, and the moſt ignorant among men, ſhoulde reape ſome benefit and profit by the reading thereof. For they whome God from the beginning hath accounted worthy the grace of the holy Ghoſt, hauehave not ſet down all theſe things for anie vaineglorie, like the Heathen, but for the ſaluation of their hearers. The Prophets and Apoſtles hauehave written their bookes eaſie & plaine, as publike Doctors for the world, ſo as euerie one may learne their contents by reading and meditating onelyonly. Againe, how wilt thou vnderſtand the contents of the Scriptures, when thou wilt ſcarſe ſo much as looke vppon them? Take the bookes in hande, reade the whole hiſtorie, remember ſuch thinges as are playne, and referre darker places to another time. But if by continuall reading thou canſt not finde the meaning, get thee to ſome wiſer man, or to ſome Doctour, and impart to him thoſe thinges that are written, declaring thy feruent deſire: then if God ſeeth ſuch a readyneſſe and diligence, albeit no man woulde teach thee, yet woulde he himſelfe vndoubtedly declare them vntounto thee. Remember the Queene of the Aethiopians Eunuch, who albeit hee was a Barbarian,Act. 8.28. a man troubled with many cares, one that vnderſtoode not what hee read, yet woulde not paſſe his iourney without reading, howe much leſſe beeing at home in his owne houſe? Alſo if hee read ſo diligently when hee vnderſtoode not, what dyd hee after hee was inſtructed? And in deede, God ſeeing his zeale and diligence, ſent Philip to teache him. Neither wyll God at this time deſpiſe our deſire to profyte in his woorde, but wyll make vsus to feele the fruite of this promiſe, They ſhall all bée taught of God. And therefore ſayth Saint Auguſtine,Iohn 6.45 Auguſtine of Chriſtian doctrine. the holye Ghoſt hath ſo moderated the holy Scriptures, that hee hath prouided to remedie the darke places, by others more eaſie and playne. For hardly is there anie obſcuritie, but is layde open and expounded by ſome other place in the ſame Scripture.Auguſtine of blaſphemie againſt the holy Ghoſt. And heerein doeth the wiſedome and goodneſſe of God appeare. For, as hee ſayeth in another place, as by eaſie places wee are fedde, ſo by the more harde and difficult are wee exercyſed: by theſe wee put awaie ſorrowe, by the others famine.
11 Others there are that take no profit by reading Gods word, becauſe they reade it as it were ſome prophane booke, and neuer thinke that it is God that ſpeaketh to them, neither giuegive anie attention to the reading thereof, and ſo feele no feruent deſire to profite to ſaluation, or to reforme theyr liues. To bee ſhort, euen wythout praying to God to giuegive them his holy ſpirite. But wee muſt ioyne to our reading both pietie and feare of God, wyth a deſire to amend our liues, as it is written in the Pſalmes. The ſecrete of God is reuealed to them that feare him, Pſal. 25 14 Ioh. 7.17. Auguſtine of the profite of beleeuing. c. 6and his couenant to giuegive them vnderſtanding. Agayne, If anie man (ſayth Ieſus Chriſt) will doo the will of my Father, to him it ſhall bee giuen to knowe my doctrine, whether it bee from God, or whether I ſpeake of my ſelfe. Euerie man maye out of the holy Scriptures, ſayeth Saint Auguſtine, drawe ſo much as maye ſuffice to ſatisfie and repleniſhe his ſpirite, in caſe hee reade them wyth deuotion and holyneſſe, according as Chriſtian relygion requireth. Moreouer, wee are to praie vntounto God,Auguſt. vponupon the Epiſtle of Iohn. Tract. 2 that hee wyll graunt vsus his ſpirite of vnderſtanding. Ieſus Chriſt, ſayth Saint Auguſtine, dyd open the harts of his diſciples, that they myght vnderſtande the Scriptures. Let vsus lykewiſe praie vntounto him to giuegive vsus the lyke grace, and to open our mindes, and hee wyll heare vsus. This prayer is to bee vſed before reading, and of euerie man put in practiſe: for if the prophet Dauid,Pſal. 119 ſo perfectlye inſtructed in the lawe of God, doth notwythſtanding ſo often praie vntounto him to giuegive him vnderſtanding to comprehende it: which of vsus hath not neede to praie vntounto God that wee maye profite in his holye woorde? Let vsus alſo accompt this doctrine of Saint Auguſtine as a holy rule,Auguſt. vponupon Ioh. Tract. 18 namely, to reade the holy Scriptures with fruite and due reuerence, that in thoſe thinges which we ſhall vnderſtand according to the analogie of faith, wee may reioyce as of a good foode: but for that which wee cannot vnderſtand according to the rule of faith, to deferre the comprehenſion thereof. Yet in the meane time let vsus not doubt but euen the ſame which we cannot comprehend, is both true and holy.
12 To conclude, as Saint Peter admoniſheth vsus, Let vsus bee alwaies readie to giuegive accompt of that hope that is in vsus: 1. Pet. 3.15And that wee may effect it, and dulie diſcharge our ſelues,Chriſoſtome vponupon Iohn, ho. 16. toward the end. let vsus bee carefull and diligent in the practiſe of this our dutie toward the holy Scriptures. It is a ſtraunge matter, ſayth Chriſoſtom, that a Phiſition, a Shoomaker, a Taylor, generally eueryevery Artificer is readie and able to yeelde a reaſon in defence of his profeſsion and trade: and yet the Chriſtians can giuegive no accompt of their religion. And yet ignoraunce in other Artes is no hinderaunce but in this life: but ignoraunce in religion is hurtfull to the ſaluation of the ſoule. That wee are ſo feruent and earneſt in applying our mindes to other ſciences, and yet in that which is moſt neceſſarie for vsus, and as it were, the fortreſſe of our ſoules, wee are ſo negligent and ſlouthfull. This ſayth hee, cauſeth the heathen to remaine obſtinate in their errors, and to skorne our religion: For they ſtudiing to maintaine falſehoode, and wee not knowing how to defend the truth of our doctrine, they conceiue that ours hauehave no ſoundation, and thereof doo take occaſion to blaſpheame Ieſus Chriſt, as if he cunningly abuſing the ſimplicitie of the people had deceiued and circummented them. The ſame occaſion doe we alſo miniſter as wel to thoſe of the Romiſh Church, as to the Anabaptiſts and other ſectaries, whereby to remaine obſtinate in their errors, becauſe moſt of vsus are ſo ignorant, as you ſhall find very fewe able to yeelde any reaſon of the hope of their ſaluation, no not ſo much as to ſhew wherefore they hauehave forſaken the Church of Rome and will not goe to Maſſe.
13 Now as negligence in reading the holy Scriptures breedes this offence, ſo is there yet another greater and more daungerous: And that is that wee ſtill abide in the former corruptions of the world and the fleſh, wheras contrariwiſe we ſhould reſemble burning torches, to giuegive light to the poore and ignorant, wee ſhould, I ſay, be wholy renewed & rauiſhed in ſpiritual & heauenly buſines: As in truth were wee more diligent and feruent in reading the holy Scriptures, wee might greatly profite in this duetie, for as in our prayers wee ſpeake to God, ſo in reading God ſpeaketh to vsus. Either is there anie ſitter meanes or of greater efficacie for the reforming of vsus into newneſſe of lyfe, than by dayly hearing them ſpeaking vntounto vsus, teaching, admoniſhing, reproouing, and comforting vsus, ſetting before vsus the bleſſed eſtate of the kingdome of heauen, and lifting vp our mindes into the contemplation of Gods graces, and of the life and glorie euerlaſting? There is no paſsion of our ſoules,Chriſoſt on Gen. Hom. 29 ſayth Chriſoſtome, but needeth phiſicke and cure from the holie Scripture. Alſo whatſoeuer increaſe of ſtrength groweth to the bodi… by meate, the lyke groweth to the ſoule by the reading of the holy Scripture. To bee ſhort, as a barre of yron by long lying in the fire waxeth hot, red, and of the nature of burning fire, ſo that ſoule that dayly imployeth it ſelfe in reading and meditating the worde of God, groweth to bee ſpirituall, diuine, heauenly, and kindled in the louelove of God. The reading of the holy Scripture,Chriſo. third ſermon of Lazarus. ſayth Chriſoſtome, is a ſtrong fortreſſe agaynſt ſinne, and the ignorance thereof, a great daunger readie to caſt vsus headlong into a deepe gulfe and bottomleſſe pit. To knowe nothing of the holy Scripture, is a great maime to ſaluation. It engendreth hereſies, it begetteth corruption of lyfe, and it maketh a mixture of heauen and earth. Truely it cannot bee, it cannot bee (I ſaie) that that man ſhal departe without fruit, who taketh pleaſure in the continuall and attentiue reading of the Scriptures. As therefore this admonition of Ieſus Chriſt, Amend your liues, ought continually to ſounde in our eares, ſo acknowledging our neglygence, and former ſlouth in dayling reading Gods worde,Aug. cap 22. of his meditations. let vsus heartily giuegive our ſelues to amend, practiſing the ſame which Saint Auguſtine ſayth of himſelfe: I delight O Lorde, to heare of thee, to talke of thee, to write of thee, to deuiſe of thee, and in my heart to print whatſoeuer I reade of thee. For this cauſe alſo doo I enter into the pleaſant meddowes of the holy Scripture, I gather the greene hearbes of holy ſentences, I eate them, I chewe them, I gather them together, and I keep them in the coffer of my remembrance. Let vsus, I ſaie, doo our dueties better heereafter, ſo that endeauouring and applying our ſelues with our whole heartes and mindes to the reading and meditating of the holye Scriptures, with an carneſt deſire to profite, and praier to God to graunt vsus his holie ſpirite, wee maye proceede in the knowledge of his heauenly will, that ſo beeing inſtructed and readie to render a reaſon of the hope of our ſaluation, wee may feele within vsus the efficacie of this doctrine, making vsus to renounce the earth, the world, and the fleſh, that through true and liuely faith wee may aſpire to the inioying of the heauenly glorie, and finally attaine thereunto, through our Lord Ieſus Chriſt.