Common Places, Discourses 2 · Exhortation
An Exhortation for young men to ſtudie the holie ſcriptures.
I Reioyce (gentle Auditorie) at this your diligence in comming together to heare the interpretation of the holie Scriptures. And this I doe not without a cauſe. For ſince that this will procéedeth not from the fleſhe, from the ſenſe, or from nature: it is vndoubtedlie giuen from aboue, it is giuen you from heauen, and from Gods holie ſpirite inſpired into your heart. For ſéeing the lawe is ſpiritual, Rom. 7. 12and the commaundement, holie, iuſt, and good, as Paul declareth, and wee on the other ſide, euil, corrupt, and altogether wicked: it cannot bee, but yt we hate the ſayings of God, the lawe, and the Scriptures. Therefore ſo manie as ſhall not be ſtirred vp by the ſpirit of Chriſt, doe both flée vntounto them, and doe alſo hate them moſt gréeuouſlie, not for anie fault in the ſcriptures, but for their owne corruption. That ſame people of Iſrael that was but a ſmall nation and nowe hardened in perpetuall infidelitie, did not onelie hate holie Moſes, Numb. 11. 14. 16. &c.but diuerſe times indeuored to ſtone him to death which was the greateſt puniſhment wherewith the people puniſhed malefactors. It cannot be declared howe gréeuous, troubleſome, and hatefull that man of God was to the whole multitude, whenas in verie déede he was moſt quiet, amiable, and courteous, whom God pronounced to bee moſt méeke and gentle. A true teſtimonie whereof he thereby ſhowed, in that he moſt earneſtlie praied vntounto God for them, Ibidem.whom he ſaw to bee inflamed with infinite enuie and vnſpeakeable hatred againſt him, and deſired that himſelfe might rather be wiped out of the booke of life, than that they ſhoulde ſuffer extreme puniſhment as they deſerued. Wherefore it is plaine, that the people did wrongfullie beare ſuch hatred againſt him, and not through anie fault of his. And mee thinkes I doe not vnfitlie in comparing the holie Scriptures vntounto Moſes the moſt choſen Prophete of God, A compariſon betwéen Moſes and the Scriptures.becauſe their counſell is alike, and their purpoſe are one. For as Moſes did leade vntounto the promiſed lande as to a hauen of all the labours taken in hande, ſo the holie ſcripture for all beléeuers openeth the waie vntounto the high felicitie, and teacheth them the ſentences of doctrine and the rules of good manners, the which (as I thinke) is by Paul called foreign that is, a good treaſurie. 2. Tim. 2. 14. The vtilitie of the holie ſcriptures.For what can we imagine to be more excellent than the knowledge of God and his moſt excellent will whereby he hath decréed to ſaue vsus through Chriſt? Theſe thinges are ſealed and laide vp in the holie Scriptures for our dailie vſes. Therefore it is required that if there be in vsus anie indeuour of knowing God, if wée hauehave anie deſire of our owne ſaluation, we ſhould with all care, diligence and watchfulneſſe, keepe this excellent thing committed vntounto vsus, leaſt it be caught awaie, polluted, or be held in greater darkeneſſe than the darkeneſſe of Cimmeria. Manie they bee of whome it is enuironed and aſſaulted. The Phariſées with great hypocriſie darken the ſame. The Sadduces ouerthrow it as much as they can with the opinions of Epicurus. The monſtrous Centaurs the Papiſts, vnleſſe we beware, will with their traditions & decrées leade it awaie in bandes to captiuitie. Finally the Cyclopian Giants, being the tyrants of this world, indeuour by perſecution, violence, and tyrannie to rent it in ſunder. Wherefore we muſt take héede and muſt withſtande their blaſphemies, contumelies and iniuries. Howbeit this caution we ought to vſe, that vntounto the taunts and railings which theſe men obiect, wee muſt anſwere nothing of our owne head or of our owne opinion. Whatſoeuer is ſpoken by them, let vsus referre it to our Senate, let vsus ſet it downe to be conſidered of in our Councell: and that conſiſteth of Moſes lawe, of the holy hiſtories, of the Pſalmes of Dauid, of moſt prudent inſtructions of Iob and Salomon, of the foretellings of the Prophets, of the holy Euangeliſts, and of the Apoſtolicall Epiſtles. This is our armorie, from hence doe we ſéeke for weapons, ſhildes, and all the furniture of our warre. But and if wée had bin hitherto faithfull and godly kéepers of theſe ſentences and ordinaunces of the ſenate, ſo many lies, ſuperſtitions and abuſes ſhould not hauehave bin admitted into Religion. Mans wiſedome as it hath bin accuſtomed, began to loath and contemne the holy ſcriptures, as though the ſame were now wearie of Manna, and of the bread giuen from heauen, and it iudged the holy ſcripture to be ſo vile and ſimple, as though it could ſtraightwaie attaine to the whole vnderſtanding thereof euen with one twinke of eye, and with one breath. It ſuppoſed it to be ynough to reade ouer the ſame once, and by a taſte of one or two Bookes it iudged of the whole woorthineſſe thereof, it laide it aſide and determined to ſéeke wiſedome elſewhere alſo. Neither coulde it perceiue howe ſundrie and manifolde a treaſure of doctrine and knowledge may be founde in one ſentence, yea and oftentimes in one worde of the holy Scriptures. There were neuer any Rhetoricians of this world, that hauehave had ſo many ornaments, figures, tropes, colours, and formes and manners of ſpeaking, as the holy Ghoſt hath vſed in one and the ſelfeſame thing, infinite wayes to be handled. There is not in any power of man, ſuch varietie and abundance of things, as is in the ſayings of God: in the which, no man is at any time ſufficiently inſtructed: no man ſéeth all things. Thoſe things which bee there contained, are knowen, howbeit in part. The holy Ghoſt hath there reſerued many things as yet ſecrete to himſelfe, that he may hauehave vsus to bee ſcholers euen till the ende of the worlde. He euer among ſheweth vsus ſomethings to allure vsus, and ſomething he teacheth that he may diſpoſe the mindes of them that be the readers. But there is not vppon the earth, ſo great a varietie of herbes, flowers, plantes, and fruits, as their is abundance of diuine ſenſes in the holy ſcriptures. O that we would perſwade our ſelues, that thoſe diuine ſayings are golde, ſiluer, Emeraudes, Saphires, precious ſtones, and moſt ſwéete honie: no man woulde at any time ſuffer himſelfe to bee plucked away from them. But that the holy ſcripture is to bee beloued aboue Golde and the Topayze, more earneſtly to be deſired than precious ſtones, and more ſwéeter than the honie and the honie combe, Pſal. 19. 10.Dauid declared, who was perpetually conuerſant therein: whom, whoſoeuer will imitate, whether he goe out or come in, he ſhall finde moſt happie Paſtures. An obiection touching the obſcureneſſe of the ſcriptures.But I ſée before hand what ſome will obiect, that the ſcriptures by reaſon of obſcureneſſe and difficultie are not ſufficient; therefore wee muſt rather labour in reading of the fathers which hauehave interpreted them, & hauehave plainely taught what is there obſcurely had. Here doe our aduerſaries bragge, here doe they hope of greater triumphes than ye triumphes of Pompei: who neuertheleſſe ſée not in the meane while, or elſe faine themſelues not to ſée, what Labyrinthes there bee of the Fathers, what winding riuers, what turnings in and out are founde in their writings: what an infinite thing it is to reade them all ouer, and thoſe things which thou haſt read, to kéepe in memorie. I will demaunde of them, that when there happen to be obſcure places in the fathers, what ſhall I doe, whither ſhall I flie? There ſhall ſuccéede other fathers who may interprete the former, and when againe there happeneth obſcureneſſe and difficultie in them, there ſhall be appointed other later interpretours, ſo as the matter will neuer hauehave ende. And vndoubtedly, that which I ſéeme to ſuppoſe doeth nowe happen in déede. The Fathers of the former time were interpreted by the Fathers that came after. For Auguſtine againſt Iulian the Pelagian, and elſe where, alleageth Baſill, Gregorie Nazianzene, Chryſoſtome, Ambroſe, and the elder Fathers for witneſſes of his opinion. Afterward Gregorie, Bede, and others that came after did interprete the ſame Auguſtine. And when there coulde bée neither ende nor meaſure, there came Peter Lumbarde, to make all harde places plaine. But I beſéeche you euen for that diuinitie ſake which is common to both, how much did he profit? It behooued that he had infinite interpretours. Thomas, Scotus, and Occamus were appointed as chiefe guides, who coulde ſpeake nothing ſo ſcholaſtically or as they ſpeake ſo maſterlike, as they might bring the trueth out of darkeneſſe. VntoUnto Thomas there was néede of expounders, thoſe were Caietanus and Capreolus. VntoUnto Scotus there came afterwarde Zorobellus and Leſchetus, to Occamus was aſſociated Gabriel Biel, and Gregorie Ariminenſis. All theſe men as it is moſt euident, did profite ſo much, that they filled all with darkeneſſe. Why then will wee thus wittinglie and aduiſedlie erre? Let vsus returne I beſéech you, let vsus returne to the firſt fountaines of the ſcriptures. Socrates.Socrates being an Ethnick ſo much attributed to the light of nature, that if he had by iuſt order vſed his interrogations to a young man though he were vnlearned in what ſcience he would traine him vp, he ſaid that he might be able to anſwere fitlie & rightlie to al ſciences. And ſhal we attribute ſo litle vntounto ye ſpirit of God who is a father of the fatherleſſe, and a Maiſter of young children, that he cannot by his ſcriptures inſpired with the heauenlie light throughlie teach that which Socrates by his interrogations promiſed to doe, in humane things? When there is mention made of the obſcureneſſe of the ſcriptures, why doe we not call to minde the ſhipmens art? A wiſe ſhipmaiſter being holpen by ſtudie and exerciſe, Similitudes.may know the times in which the ſhippes ſhould be brought foorth of their harbors, and perceiue the reaſons which otherwiſe are verie doubtfull as touching the windes, neither is he anie thing leſſe ſkilfull of the wayes, the iourneies, the pathes, the coaſtes, the turninges, the néereſt wayes of the wide Sea, and that in the night ſeaſon, than he is of his owne towne, highwaies, or ſtréetes: and no leſſe dooth he auoid the Rockes and ſands, than we doe horſes, Cartes, and ditches. Let vsus accuſtome our ſelues to the word of God, let vsus continuallie be occupied in the holie ſcriptures, let vsus be earneſt in the reading of them: and by the benefite of Chriſtes ſpirit, thoſe things which be neceſſarie to ſaluatiō ſhal be plaine, direct, and moſt manifeſt vntounto vsus. It happeneth oftentimes, that the darkneſſe of the ſcriptures is imputed to our ſloth and lightnes. They which ſéeke pretious ſtones in the ſea, do not ſit néere the ſhore, & picture out vponupon ye ſands, or number the waues or winds, but doe ſend downe euen vntounto the bottome, and doe bring vp pretious ſtones from vnderunder the water, and hauehave that which they deſire. A ſimilitudeThey which ſearch out for gold or ſiluer in the vaines of the earth, doe not lightlie digge in the vppermoſt part: but they péerce euen as it were into the bottome and the verie depth, and at the length doe gather from thence ſome crummes of gold. Euen ſo if we would vſe the ſelfe ſame diligence and vigilancie about the word of God, we ſhould attaine vntounto thoſe thinges which be obſcure. There is nothing ſo hard but that with continuall vſe it is made eaſie, nor anie thing ſo painfull but with labour it is ouercome. That the holie ſcriptures ſéeme oftentimes to be repugnant.They call them into ſuſpition becauſe they are ſometimes one againſt an other. But how the fathers doe otherwhile diſagrée one from an other, I thinke none of you are ignorant. As touching them which be the principall, I hauehave manie times noted vntounto you when oportunitie did ſerue. But others which are of the common ſort of Diuines doe ſo contend, as the matter is handled by railings and taunts, & oftentimes they come to blowes & handſtrokes. But in the holie ſcriptures, there is nothing that ſo greatlie diſagréeth, but yt if we ſhal with diligent héed diſcuſſe the places which diſagrée, we may eaſilie reconcile them. Will you aſcribe vntounto the fathers this authoritie, that they ſhould be more excellent than the holie ſcriptures, which thing themſelues beare gréeuouſlie and vnwillinglie? If they allowe anie thing, they alledge the holie ſcriptures. If they be preſſed with anie authoritie, they appeale vntounto them, and doe teach that ſo we ought to doe. If you giuegive them ſo much credit in other thinges, why doe you not beléeue them in this? But they are woont to ſay, that heretickes hauehave the ſcriptures and doe ſeduce: We on the other ſide alſo doe alledge ſcriptures againſt them, we contend and cannot agrée: who then ſhall be the Iudge, who ſhall finiſh the controuerſie? Now here alſo they thinke that they hauehave prouided. Howbeit, I would faine aſke of them, how the firſt fathers did, which contended with the Ethnickes: they vndoubtedlie had no other but the ſcriptures, and with thoſe teſtimonies they confuted them. But will they ſay, that the power of the ſpirit is at this day diminiſhed, or the holie ſcripture changed? If theſe in our time remaine the ſelfeſame, why doe not we alſo aſſuredlie truſt that the ſelfeſame thing may be doone [of vsus?] If the fathers were not neceſſarie at that time, why doe we thinke that religion at this day cannot be defended without them? And that eſpeciallie, ſéeing the heretickes will eaſilie ſay that they are not bound to admitte all the ſentences of the fathers? Doe not I beſéech you, doe not perſwade your ſelues, that the fathers ſpake all things. Which one of them, Chyſoſtome [by name] vppon Geneſis, Homilie the 3. manifeſtlie confeſſeth, when he ſaith: Of great abundance vndoubtedlie is this treaſure, and large is the fruitfulneſſe of this fountaine. Neither doe thou maruell welbeloued, if theſe thinges doe happen vntounto vsus: euen they which were before vsus, did withall their power drawe waters from thence, and in like manner they which ſhall come after vsus ſhall attempt the ſame: neither yet ſhall they likewiſe be able wholie to emptie it. Howbeit, I would not by theſe thinges which I hauehave ſpoken either get my ſelfe hatred, or ſtirre vp enuie as though I went about to extenuate the authoritie of the fathers, or to remooue their doctrine out of the Church. It is not ſo: I know and fréelie graunt that I greatlie profited by reading of the fathers, and I doe alſo francklie confeſſe, that they hauehave bin no ſmall helpe vntounto me: For by them I vnderſtood manie thinges, which otherwiſe perhappes by my ſelfe I ſhould not hauehave throughlie perceiued. I know that the Eunuke in his chariot reade the ſcriptures, Acts. 8. 28. Acts. 10. 5.but yet concerning them he was taught by Philip. It would be a verie great arrogancie and intollerable pride, that one man ſhould challenge vntounto himſelfe the whole knowledge of the holie ſcriptures. What other thing might this be thought than to offer himſelfe of his owne accord to be intrapped in the diuels ſnares? By this way we ſhould moſt manifeſtlie tempt God, and by contemning of godlie and learned men which might ſéeme to waite to be rapted vp together with Paul into the third heauen, Cornelius the Centurion was ſent vntounto Peter to be inſtructed of him. Neither ought we to be ignorant that men be the Temples of the holie ghoſt, from whence God is woont manie times to drawe out his Oracles. And while in the Church one teacheth an other, charitie is both preſerued and increaſed. Why I beſéech you doe we euerie day come hither? Aſſuredlie that we may deale together as touching the holie ſcriptures: and therefore we diſpute openlie, that we maie one heare an other, and one learne of an other. Wherfore let thē be no more angrie with me, which perhaps hauehave ſuſpected yt I goe about to wreſt away from the faithfull either ye reading or doctrine of ye fathers. I ſaid not ſuch things as they ſuppoſe I did, but this I ſaid, yt the fathers and euerie other writer muſt be read with iudgemēt, ſo yt euerie doctrine may be tried by ye touchſtone of ye holy ſcriptures. And if we will this doe, wée ſhall not do any iniurie to the fathers: nay rather (which is a point of their godlineſſe) there can be nothing more thankful or more deſired of them than is this. 1. Co. 11. 13Paul is content that his tradition as touching a woman to hauehave her head couered, ſhould be allowed of: in like maner that ye things which he decréeed, 1. Co. 14. 37namely, that ſhe ought to be ſilent in the Church, ſhould be iudged of ſuch as be ſpirituall. Wherefore the fathers alſo, ſéeing they acknowledge themſelues to be much inferior vntounto Paul, wil not diſdain to be tried by the rule of the ſpirit of God and of the holie ſcriptures. Séeing therefore the diuine ſcripture teacheth the knowledge of God, ſheweth the ſecrets of the will of God touching mans ſaluation, miniſtreth in great ſtore both armor and anſweres againſt vngodlineſſe: let it be more precious and déere than all riches and worldly delights: let it be plaine and in matters neceſſarie to ſaluation euident: let it not be accounted ſo repugnant but that the diſſention thereof may eaſily be reconciled: let it be of it ſelfe alone able to confute heretikes: neither let all the fathers be able to drawe out the full ſenſe thereof: but finally let all things be tried by the examination of the ſame. I beſéech you by the God immortall, that wee may ioyne our labours together, I in teaching, & you in hearing: let vsus applie our ſelues with all diligence to the word of God. We are called diuines, and ſuch would we be accounted: Let vsus anſwere to our name and profeſſion, vnleſſe in the ſtéede of diuine ſpeakers we will be called father ſpeakers. Moreouer our profeſſion altogether requireth, that we ſhould exerciſe the word of God, wherein we do ſingular honour vntounto him: for we doe ſacrifice in verie déede. Prayers are accounted in the number of ſacrifices: Thoſe the holy ſcriptures hauehave in euerie place: Thanks giuings are hoſtes, and they are euerie where in the holie ſcriptures. Confeſſions of ſinnes, and praiſes of God, are declared to be moſt acceptable ſacrifices vntounto God, from which the holy ſcripture is neuer in a manner remooued. And therefore ſince, (thanks be to God) the maſſe hath béene taken away, being a ſuperſtitious and deteſtable ſacrifice as was affirmed, let vsus to this onelyonly *That is to the reading of the ſcriptures.[ſacrifice] apply our ſelues with all our heart. With theſe titles of the lippes God is delighted: and while we ſpeake with him in the ſcriptures, he wil vndoubtedly vouchſafe to be preſent. Againe if we ſhall purely and ſyncerely handle the holy ſcriptures as it becommeth vsus, we ſhall deſerue well of them. For they hauehave béene long time ſhut vp in the priſon of obliuion: deliuer you them by renewing the memorie of them. They lay vnknowne in the darkneſſe of mans traditions: ſet yée them at libertie, by reſtoring them to their natiue and naturall ſenſe. They being oppreſſed, did remaine in the filthines of ſuperſtitions: bring yée them from thence, that they may defende the pure and true worſhipping of God. They dwelt in the vncleanneſſe of the defiled and polluted life of ſacrificing Prieſts: now looke that yée garniſh them with excellent and good manners. This ſhalbe a ſingular victorie. Theſe ſhalbe iuſt triumphs for diuines, that they hauehave procured libertie to the holie ſcriptures. And this ſhall you not doe without your great profite and commoditie. For as experience might teach you, our heart is variable, changeable, and moſt inconſtant, but it can neuer be made firme and ſtedfaſt, vnleſſe it doe leane vntounto ſome thing that is moſt firme: and what can wee finde more firme and ſtedfaſt than the worde of God? The ſame abideth for euer and wauereth on neither part. Furthermore all that we hauehave is made bright and moſt beawtifull thereby. This whereas I might ſhewe by many reaſons, I will only recite one example of Moſes. Exo. 34. 30.He by talking with God, obtained ſuch a brightneſſe in his face, that the children of Iſrael could not abide his fight or companie. So ſhall it happen vntounto you. By frequenting of the holy ſcriptures, you ſhall ſhewe foorth beautifull workes, ſo that they which ſhall ſée them cannot chuſe but glorifie the father: your words ſhalbe ſo effectuall as when by the holie ſcriptures they be bent againſt impietie and error, they ſhall ſéeme to be as thunder and lightening, and truſt me, no aduerſaries ſhalbe able to abide them. To conclude, looke what felicitie can be had while we liue héere, that is included in the holy ſcriptures. Pſalme. 1. 2For Dauid ſaide, that he is bleſſed, whoſe will is in the lawe of the Lord, and in the ſame dooth meditate day & night. Which meditation that it may be rightlie prepared of you, In what things meditation conſiſteth.you muſt vnderſtande that it chiefly conſiſteth in two things: The firſt is, that yée moſt diligentlie weigh the words and ſentences which you happen to reade: For they be moſt fruitfull, and doe comprehend in them an innumerable ſort of excellent thinges. The ſeconde is, that yée ſearch among the ſcriptures for other places, which concurre with thoſe thinges that ye hauehave in hand. For there is nothing that ſerueth more for explaning of the holy ſcriptures, than do the ſcriptures themſelues. A profitable, and alſo a pleaſant hunting is this, not of hartes or of bores, but of heauenly treaſures, whereby we may prepare all things neceſſarie for our iourney, euen into heauen. But in hunting out of theſe thinges we muſt clime the moſt high mountaine, whereby we may goe beyond reaſon, ſenſe and humane wiſedome, that we being placed in the moſt cléere region of diuine light, may beholde the ſecrets of our ſaluation and of the high wiſedome. Moreouer we muſt deſire with moſt feruent prayers, that vntounto the holy reading we may come inſtructed by the holy Ghoſt. For vnleſſe the ſame be giuen, the holy ſcripture will be vntounto vsus a killing letter. For they which be voide of the ſpirite, receiue no fruite by diuine reading becauſe they holde not the ſcriptures themſelues, but the carcaſe of the ſcriptures. Whē you ſée an excellent man, I thinke yée take great delight in him. A ſimilitudeHis eies ſhine, his countenance is pleaſant, his face is amiable, a maruelous delightfulneſſe is diſperſed ouer all his partes. Howbeit if a man ſhould be demanded, from whence hath come vntounto him ſo great a beautie of the bodie, hée coulde in a manner ſaie nothing elſe, than from the ſoule: the which if it happen to depart, the bodie ſtraightway becommeth a horrible deade carcaſe, which ſtinketh and with wormes and putrefaction is diſſolued on euerie ſide, which euerie man doth auoide. So the holy ſcriptures, when the ſpirit is abſent from him that readeth them, they be loathſome dead carcaſes, they offende, they diſpleaſe and doe marueilouſly alienate from the reading of them the minds of thoſe which vſe them. Wherefore let vsus deſire God, that euen as hee ſent out his worde at the beginning when he made the worlde, yea and that he ſent it downe into the bowels of the earth, whereby there ſprang out ſo great an abundance of graſſe, herbes, ſprings, plants, and fruits, hee will in like manner penetrate our heartes, whereby we may execute thoughts words, and déedes worthie of our calling. Neither maruell yée if I ſo greatly perſwade you to pray for the fruite of the worde: becauſe this is the ſtate of the worde of God, that it doth not continually fall after a happie ſort. For as it is taught in the parable of the ſéede which is ſet foorth in the Goſpell, a part falleth vponupon the way, a part in ſtonie places, a part among thornes: and finally, that which is committed vntounto good grounde, doeth not bring foorth fruite generally after one manner, but a part thyrtie folde a part ſixtie fold, and a part an hundreth folde. A Prayer.Wherefore I beſéech God, that he will ſo prepare you and me with his ſpirite, that we receiue not the diuine ſéede, like vntounto the high way, or the thornes, or ſtonie grounde: Let euen he himſelfe, who is able, make our heartes good grounde, which may bring foorth fruite an hundreth folde vntounto eternall life, Amen.