the works of darknesse put on tender mercy kindnesse humblenesse of mind which are weapons of light It is due debt that you should be followers of God forbearing one another and forgiuing one another as Christ forgaue you See epist. dom 3. quadrages The Nouelists except against our Seruice Booke for omitting here two titles holy and beloued Our answer is that the word elect implies the rest for if elect then beloued and holy The Church omits not the greater and infers the lesser as the Churches of Scotland and Middleburge call Gods heauy iudgements vpon the wicked a little rap Psal. 74.12 and bread of affliction broâ—ne bread Psal. 127.2 Contrary not onely to the Geneua Bible but euen Câ—luins exposition of the place If these friuolous obiections be their aqua coelestis to keepe life in their fainting cause we may toll the passing bell and ere long ring out to the funerall Let the word of Christ That is the Scripture the Gospell especially so called in respect of three causes Efficient for he speakes in the Prophets and Apostles I am he that doth speake behold it is I. Materiall for hee is the contents of all the Bible shadowed in the Law shewed in the Gospell vnam vocem habent duo Testamenta The word of the Lord containes nothing but the word which is the Lord. Finall as being the end of the whole Law scope of all the Prophets euer since the world began Wherefore seeing the Scriptures haue Christ for their author Christ for their obiect Christ for their end well may they be called the word of Christ. Dwell We must not entertaine the word as a stranger giuing it a cold complement and so take our leaue but because it is Gods best friend the Kings best friend and our best friend we must vse it as a familiar and domesticke receiuing it into the parlor of our heart making it our chamber fellow study fellow bed fellow Things of lâ—sse moment are without doore the staffe behind the doore sed quae pretiosa sunt noâ— vno seruantur ostio things of worth are kept vnder many locks and keyes It is fit then that the word being more pretious then gold yea the most fine gold a peerlesse pearle should not be laid vp in the Porters lodge onely the outward eare but euen in the cabinet of the mind Deut. 11.18 Ye shall lay vp these my words in your heart and in your soule so the word that now doth plenteously dwell among you may dwell plenteously in you Plenteously Reade heare meditate with all attention exactly with all intention deuoutly with all diligence throughly Iohn 5.39 Search the Scriptures Esay 8.20 to the law to the testimony Apocalyps 1.3 Blessed is he that reades and heares and keepes the words of this prophecie not onely reade nor onely heare nor onely meditate but all sometime reade to rectifie meditation and sometime meditate to profit by reading Lectio sine meditatione arida meditatio sine lectione erronea It is reported of Alphonso King of Spaine that hee read ouer all the Bible with Lyraes postil fourteene times And Augustine writes of Antonius an Egyptian Monke that hauing no learning he did by hearing the Scriptures often read get them without booke and after by serious and godly meditation vnderstand them This one word plenteously confutes plenteously first ignorant people who cannot secondly negligent people who will not reade and heare thirdly delicate people who loath the Scriptures as vnpleasant preferring the Poets before the Prophets admitting into their house the writings of men before the word of God fourthly perfunctory students in the Bible turning ouer not the whole but some part and that so coldly that as it is said of the Delphicke Oracle quoties legitur toties negligitur a lesson is no sooner got but it is forgot fiftly couetous people who will not giue to their Pastor plenteously that the word may dwell in them plenteously Nehemia complained in his time that the Leuites for want of maintenance were faine to leaue the Temple and follow the plow And Saint Augustine made the like complaint in his age whereupon in processe of time Clergy men inuented such points of superstition as were most aduantageous vnto them Hence they â—aked heil and found out Purgatory to make the Popes kitchin smoke an inuention not knowne vnto the Greeke Church for the space of 1500. yeeres after Christ and but of late knowne to the Latine Hence praier for the dead indulgences and other new trickes of popery which are more for the Priests belly then the peoples benefit God of his infinite goodnesse forgiue Britans ingratitude in this kind and grant that the burning lamps in our Temple may be supplied with sufficient oile that the light of Israel goe not out Sixtly this condemes Enthusiasts despising the word and ministery Seuenthly the Marcionits and Manichees reiecting Moses and the Prophets Last of all and most of all the Papists in denying the vulgar translations of Scripture to the common people Let the word of God dwell in you that is in all you Priest and people Non in nobis modo sed in vobis as Saint Hierom peremptorily Hic ostenditur verbum Christi non sufficientèr sed abundantèr etiam laicos habere debere docerese inuicem vel monere The word must dwell in vs Ergo the Bible must be in our house It must dwell plenteously Ergo we must reade daily but as it followes in the text With all wisdome The Papists as well in the Church as in the street chant scripture plenteously but because their hymnes are not in a knowne tongue it is without vnderstanding The Brownists in their bookes and sermons often cite scripture plenteously but it is not in wisdome Learned Origen notes well and where hee doth well none better that heretikes are scripturarum fures great lurchers of holy writ but they so wrest it that as Hierom speaks Euangelium Christi fit euangelium hominis aut quod peius est dâ—aboli Table Gospellers are full of text It is ordinary to discusse diuinitie problemes euen at ordinaries a custome very common but by the censure of our Church no way commendable For the 37. Iniunction forbids all men to reason of diuine scripture rashly and the greatest part of Archbishop Cranmers preface before the Church Bible is spent against idle brabling and brawling in matters of Theology And a graue Diuine much esteemed in our daies held it better for venturous discoursers of predestination and sinne against the holy Ghost that they had neither tongues in their heads nor hearts in their breasts then that they should continue in this irreuerend vsage Manlius reports how two meeting at a tauerne contended much to little purpose about their faith One said he was of Doctor Martins religion and the other sware he was of Doctor Luthers
together immoderate diet begets chambering chambering wantonnes wantonnes strife strife enuying thus sinne doth first couple then increase This text ought to be regarded of vs the more because it was the very place to which Augustine that renowned Doctour by a voyce from heauen was directed at his first conuersion as himselfe witnesseth Lib. 8. confess cap. 12. Put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ. As we must put off the old man so put on the new man and that is done two waies either by putting on his merits or by putting on his maners Our Sauiour Christ in his life but in his death especially wrought for vs a garment of saluation and a long white robe of righteousnes now the spirituall hand of faith must apprehend and fit this wedding apparell on vs in such sort that all our vnrighteousnes may be forgiuen and all our sinne couered Secondly we must put on the maners and excellent vertues of Christ in whom was no worke of darknes but all armour of light so the phrase is vsed Iob 29.14 I put on iustice and it couered me my iudgement was a robe and a crowne This apparell is the true Perpetuan neuer the worse but the better for wearing The Gospel MATTH 21.1 And when they drew nigh vnto Hierusalem c. CHrist is Alpha and Omega the first and the last the beginning and ending wherefore the Church allotting a seuerall scripture for euery seueral Sunday thoroughout the whole yeare begins and ends with the comming of Christ for the conclusion of the last Gospell appointed for the last Sunday is Of a truth this is the same Prophet that should come into the world and the first sentence in the first Gospell for the first Sunday Behold thy king commeth vnto thee Wherein the Church imitated the method of Gods owne Spirit for as the first prophesie mentioâ—ed in the old Testament is The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpents head and the first historie deliuered in the new Testament is The booke of the generation of Iesus Christ so the first Gospell on the first Dominical according to the Churches account is Aduentual a scripture describing Christ and his kingdome fitting the text vnto the time teaching vs hereby two things especially first what maner of person the Messias is who doth come secondly what maner of persons we should be now he is come In the former part obserue two points a Preface All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of by the prophet verse 4. Prophesie taken out of Zacha. 9.9 Tell the daughter of Sion c. All this was done that it might be fulfilled An vsuall phrase with our Euangelist as cap. 1.22 cap. 8.17 cap. 27. 35. It doth insinuate the sweet harmonie betweene the Prophets and Apostles as Numenius said Plato was nothing els but Moyses translated out of Hebrew into Greeke and Ascham that Virgil is nothing els but Homer turned out of Greeke into Latine and as the Nouelists affirme that our Communion Booke is nothing els but the Romane Missall and Portuis thrust out of Latine into English and as Diuines haue censured Cyprian to be nothing els but Tertullian in a more familiar and elegant stile so the new Testament is nothing els as it were but an exposition of the old That difference which Zeno put betweene Logicke and Rhetorick Diuines vsually make betweene the Law and the Gospell the Law like the fist shut the Gospell like the hand open Euangelium reuelata Lex Lex occultum Euangelium The Gospell a reuealed Law the Law a hidden Gospell This harmonicall concent may serue to confound our aduersaries and to comfort our selues It doth abundantly confute obstinate Iewes who expect another Messias to come conceiting as yet all things not to be done in the Gospell which was said of him in the Law so that whereas the great question of the world is Who is that Christ and the great question of the Church Who is that Antichrist the Iewish Rabbins are ignorant in both Secondly this harmonie conuinceth all suâ—h Hereticks as hold two sundry disagreeing Gods to be the authors of the two Testaments one of the Law another of the Gospell It affordeth also comfort first in generall it may perswade the conscience that the Bible is the booke of God For if Prolomee was astonished at the 72. Interpreters because being placed in sundry roomes and neuâ—r conferring nor seeing one another did notwithstandiâ—g write the same not only for sense of matter but in sound of words vpon the selfe-same text as Iustin Martyr and Augustine report then how should we be moued with the most admirable diuine concoâ—dance betweene the Prophets and Apostles who writing the word of God in diuers places at diuers times vpon diuers occasions do notwithstanding agree so generally that they seeme not diuers pen-men but rather inâ—â—â—ed only diuers pens of one and the same writer In more particular it may strengthen our faith in the gracious promises of Almighty God he speakes the word and it is done commands and it is effected Heauen and earth shall passe but not one iot of his word shal perish he promised by Zachary that the Messias of the world should come and he tels vs here by Matâ—hew that he is come All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet Behold thy king commeth vnto thee Thus much of the Prâ—face generally now to fist the words seuerally Thaâ— is taken here non causaliter sed consecutiuè not for an efficient cause but rather for a consequence and euent Christ did not thus â—ide into Hierusalem because Zachary foretold it but Zachary foretold it because Christ would thus ride Christ being the complement of the Prophets and end of the Law yet the word That insinuates as Chrysostome notes the finall cause why Christ did thus ride namely to certifie the Iewes how that himselfe only was that King of whom their prophet Zachâ—ry did thus speake that none but he was the King of the Iewes and Messias of the world Fulfilled A prophesie may be said to be fulfilled foure wayes especially 1. When the selfe-same thing comes to passe which was literally deliuered in the prophesie So S. Math. cap. 1.22 saith Esayes prophesie Behold a Virgin shall conceiue c. was fulfilled in Mary who brought forth a Sonne c. 2. When the thing allegorically signified is fulfilled as Exod. 12 46. it is said of the Paschall Lambe Yee shall not breake a bone thereof yet S. Iohn cap. 19.36 affirmes this to be fulfilled in Christ The souldiers brake not his legs that the scripture should be fulfilled Not a bone of him shall be broken 3. When as neither the thing literally nor allegorically ment but some other like is done so Christ Math. 15. tels the peâ—â—le in his time that the words of Esay This people draweth neere vnto
Apostles are all teachers are all workers of miracles haue all the gift of healing doe all speake with tongues doe all interpret It is God who worketh all in all communicating indifferently spirituall life to all his members insomuch as the least is a member of his bodie so well as the greatest In this respect all parts are peeres Albeit I say there be diuers gifts and diuers measures of gifts and so by consequence for fashion and function an imparity yet because they be donatiues grants and graces as it is said here the mighty may not scorne the meane nor the meane enuie the mighty no part must be pâ—rt For â—hat hast thou that thou hast not receiued He that appointed thee mouth or eye might haue made thee foote or hand Againe no member ought to mutter against head or fellow for the mysticall body of Christ is all faâ—re Tota pulchra es amica mea now beauty consists in variety of colours and in a concinne disposition of sundry different parts If all the whole body were an eye where were the hearing If the whole were hearing where were the smelling But God hath in a most sweete order disposed the members euery one of them in the body first Apostles secondly Prophets thirdly Teachers then workers of miracles after that the gifts of healing helpers gouernours diuersities of tongues Hee then that affects in the Church an hotchpotch paritie martyrs and marres Christs body which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. a body fitly knit together by euery ioynt Ephesians 4.16 Thirdly there is a sympathie betweene the members of the naturall bodie for if one suffer all suffer with it if one member be had in honour all the members reioyce with it So Paul in this scripture Be merie with them that be merie weepe with them that weepe Paine is often lessened by pitie passion is relieued in one by compassion of many Minus fit quod patitur vnum membrum si compatiantur alia membra nec ipsa mali releuatio fit per communionem cladis sed per solatium charitatis vt quamuis alij ferendo patiuntur alij cognoscendo compatiuntur Communis fit tamen tribulatio quibus probatio spes dilectio spiritusque communis est He that hath not this fellow feeling may suspect worthily that hee is not a liuely member of Christ for his bodie is coupled and knit together throughout euery ioynt wherewith one ministreth to another If then we doe not beare one anothers burthen and feele one another miserie wee are not knit together by the sinewes of loue and if not knit to the bodie no part of the bodie Fourthly there is no dead or idle member in the body but euery one helpes another and is seruiceable for the good of the whole the eye doth direct the head and the hand guard the eye the nose smels for all tongue speaks for all hand workes for all The eye cannot say to the hand I haue no need of thee nor the hand againe to the feet I haue no need of you but euery part seekes anothers and not his owne good In like sort the wise Counseller must see for all the tall Souldiers fight for all the iudicious Clerke write for all as Occam said vnto the Emperour Lewis If you will defend me with your sword I will defend you with my pen. Seeing wee haue diuers gifts according to the grace giuen vnto vs if a man haue the gift of prophecie let him haue it c. The duties here mentioned are partly Publike If a man haue the gift of prophecie c. Priuate If a man shew mercie let him do it with cheerfulnes The publike coÌ„cerne things Spiritual for Doctrine Theoricall as prophecying and teaching Practicall as exhortation Discipline let hâ—m that ruleth doe it with diligence Temporall if any man giue let him doe it with singlenes If any man haue the gift of prophecie let him haue it agreeing to the faith A Prophet in old time foretold things to come but vnder the Gospell a Prophet is hee that interprets the Prophets he that shewes Christ is come spoken of by y e mouth of al his holy Prophets euer since the world began A Preacher is a Prophet as the word is vsed 1. Cor. 14.1 and 1. Cor. 13. we know in part we prophecie in part A Preacher then must teach agreeing to the faith that is according to the Scripture which is a rule of faith or according to the Creede which is an abridgement of that rule for other foundation can no man lay then that which is laide Christ Iesus He that will edifie Gods house must build vpon Christ and square al his doctrines according to the rule of truth If any man speake let him talke as the words of God It is not said here that a Prophet ought to vse no booke but the Bible no Commentarie but the Creede for that is too spirituall as Mâ—rlorate notes He that will preach agreeing to the Scripture must reade the best expositors of the Scripture for as Bernard said all bookes are written for the bettering of the conscience which is the booke of the soule so wee must examine all bookes especially treatises of Diuinitie for the better vnderstanding of this one booke which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Booke Neither is it said here that the Prophet in the pulpit must speake nothing beside plaine text but only that hee must exercise his gift according to faiths analogie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 teaching the wholesome words of Christ and consenting to the doctrine which is agreeable to godlinesse for whatsoeuer is deduced out of Gods booke by necessarie consequence must be receiued as his word let him that hath the gift of prophecie haue it agreeing to the faith Or as other interpret to beget and confirme faith in vs euermore For if a Prophet rise among you saying Let vs goe after other gods and serue them c. thou shalt not hearken vnto the words of the Prophet Deut. 13.1 The true Prophet is he Cuius in ore vâ—rbum vitae cuiâ—s in more vita verbi Or as Melanct. and most of the most ancient fathers according to the proportion of faith and grace giuen As if hee should say Whosoeuer is called by the Church lawfully to preach the Word let him abide therein according to the measure of his gift for God hath giuen to some more to some lesse and often blesseth him that hath lesse more then him that hath more Let euery man therfore exercise his talent with faith and diligence to the best edification of Gods people comitted to his charge so likewise let him that hath an office â—aite on his office let him that teacheth take heed to his doctrine let him that exhorteth giue attendance to his exhortation according to the proportion of grace Let not any suffer his talents to rust but
reward In our calling obserue the Author of our calling God diuersitie of our calling in respect of time called aâ— houre 3.6.9.11 place some called in y e market other elsewhere God is termed here paeterfamilias in respect of his fatherly loue and care disposing of all things in the Catholike Church with greater prouidence and wisdome then any discreet housholder can manage the priuate businesse of his particular family So that all Atheists and Epicures holding that either there is no God or that hee cares not for the things on earth are confuted by this one word that God is an housholder a father of his Church Went out Whither can he goe that is euery where Liceat dicere exijt à se vt intret in te imo vt te conuertat in se. God went out from his maiesty which is vnknowne vnto his mercy which is manifested in all his works in gouerning the Church espâ—cially sending labourers into his haruest and workmen into his vineyard If then all laborers in the vineyard are called by God such as are busied in vnlawfull professions and occupations not allowed by his word are not seruants of the Lord but hirelings of Satan The second point obseruable in our calling is the diuersity thereof in respect of time and place God cals in diuers houres of the day that is in diuers ages of the world and in diuers yeeres of our age In the time before the law God called Abel Enoch Noah Abraham and such like In the time vnder the law Moses Dauid Esay together with other Kings and Prophets in the time after the law the blessed Apostles Martyrs Confessors Or as other God called some in the first houre as Adam and the Patriarks vntill Noah some in the third houre as all Noahs posterity to Abraham some in the sixt houre as all his seruants who liued betweene Abraham Moses some in the ninth houre as Moses and the Prophets some in the eleuenth houre as Peter and Paul and all other who liued since Christs time which is hora nouissima the last houre Iohn 1. epist. 2.18.1 Cor. 10.11 But I thinke with Saint Hierom that this difference is meant of our age rather then of the worlds age For our great Master calles some to labour in his vineyard at the first houre of the day that is in their childhood as Samuel Ieremy Iohn the Baptist each whereof might say with â—he Psalmographer O Lord thou wast mine hope when I hanged yet vpon my mothers breasts Thou art my God euen from my mothers wombe Other he cals in the third houre that is in their youth as Daniel the Prophet and Iohn the Euangelist of whom Saint Hierom Discipulum minimum Iesus amauit plurimum Other in the sixt houre that is in their middle age as Peter and Andrew Other in the eleuenth houre that is in their old age as Gamaliel and Ioseph of Arimathea some not onely in the last houre of the day but euen in the last minute of the houre as the theefe vpon the Crosse Luke 23. Againe this our calling is diuers in respect of the place for God calles some from their ships and some from their shops and some from vnder the hedges and some from the market as it is here vers 3. Now this diuers calling at diuers times and in diuers places intimates a caueat for such as are called intimates a comfort for such as are not called A caueat for such as are called that they neither magnifie themselues nor vilifie other It proceeds not from our good works but from Gods good will that wee be called and he being infinitely rich in mercy can call the most wicked ruffin euen though he haue denied Christ with Peter or sold Christ with Iudas or crucified Christ with Pilat Iudge not therefore that ye be not iudged iudge not malitiously iudge not curiously The counsell of Gods election is secret whom he did predestinate them also he calleth and whom he calleth he iustifieth and whom he iustifieth he sanctifieth in his good time and therefore iudge not before the time This also may comfort such as feele not themselues as yet sufficiently called Our good Lord calles at all times in all places he called Paul in the midst of his furie breathing out thâ—eatnings and slaughter against the professors of the faith He called Cardinall Vergeriuâ— as he was running away for being suspected in the Court of Rome to fauor the Gospellers and purposing to cleere himselfe of that suspition intended to write a booke against them and for that purpose reading their works and examining their arguments exactly was fully resolued that their doctrine was good and also perswaded his brother the Bishop of Pola to receiue the same He called Henry 8. Wicklif Luther in their discontent Henry 8. of famous memory displeased with the Pope for denying his diuorce banished all forraine iurisdiction and immediately made publike profession of the Gospell Iohn Wicklif with other being thrust out of Canteâ—burie Colledge in Oxford Monkes placed in their roome by the Popes edict and Simon Langham Archbishop of Canterburies power at the last grew so discoÌ„tent that he misliked Pope Bishop Monkes and all and afterward it pleased God to shew him the bright beames of his truth in so much that Wicklif was a wicket and a doore of entrance to many who liued in that time of ignorance Martin Luther at the first distasted in all popery but one point onely to wit the base prostitution of indulgences in Germany but herein receiuing no satisfaction he grew to be so great a laborer in the Lords vineyard that it might haue been written on his tombe Pestis eram viuens moriens ero mors tua papa Or as learned Bèza worthily and wittily Roma orbem domuit Romam sibi Papa subegit Viribus illa suis fraudibus iste suis. Quanto isto maior Lutherus maior illa Istum illamque vnô qui domuit calamô Hitherto concerning our calling into the vineyard The next obseruable point is our working This vineyard as the Prophet tels vs is the Church Surely the vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel and the men of Iudah are his pleasant plant All men are either loiterers in the market of the world or else laborers in the vineyard of the Church Of such as stand in the market idle there be foure sorts some sell their soules pawne their soules lose their soules giue their soules Some sell for as it is said of the Lawyer that hee hath linguam venalem a tongue to bee bought and sold so it may be said of the couetous man that hee hath animam venalem a soule to be sold so the voluptuous man doth sell his soule for pleasures as Esaâ— did his birthright for a messe of pottage so the proud man doth sell his soule for aduancement â—s Alexander the
Alcibiades and steale away their harts as Absolon did in Israel If a man were so bewitching an Orator that he could pro arbitrio tollere extollere â—mplificare extenuare magicis quasi viribus eloquentiae in quam velit faciem habitumque transformare so subtill a disputer as that he could make quidlibet ex quólibet euery thing of anything yet without loue were he nothing Yea though a man could speake with the tongues of Angels that is of the learned Priests and Prophets who are Gods Angels and messengers If a man had the siluer trumpet of Hilary or the golden mouth of Chrysostome or the mellifluous speech of Origen cuius ex ore non tam verba quà m mella fluâ—re videntur If a man were so painfull in preaching that as Saint Peter he could adde to the Church with one sermon about three thousand soules or as it is recorded of venerable Beda fondly and falsly that he could make the very stones applaud his notes and say Amen Or as other expound it hyperbolically though a man should speake like the glorious Angels as Paul Gal. 1.8 Though an Angell from heauen should preach vnto you si quae sint Angelorum linguae Giue me leaue to adde one thing more to this hyperbolicall supposition If a man could speake like God as antiquity reports of Plato that if Iupiter himselfe should speake Greeke he would vse no other phrase but his And of Chrysippus that if the gods should speake logicke they would haue none but his Or as the people blasphemously of Herod Act. 12. The voice of God and not of man Though I say we could speake with tongues of men of Angels of God if it were possible and haue not loue we were but as a sounding brasse or as a tinckling cymball we might happily pleasure other but not profit our selues vnto saluation Herein resembling Balâ—ams Asse who by speaking bettered her Master not her selfe A plaine piece of brasse makes but a plaine noise Tinkers musicke but a tinckling cymball in regard of the concauity yeelds a various sound a more pleasant stroke So rude speakers are like sounding brasse but the Curious and Iudicious adorned with multiplicity of distinctions and variety of good learning are as a tinckling cymball or more tickling delight to their hearers and yet if they preach without loue their sound is without life Qui non diligit fratrem manâ—â— in morte saith S. Iohn Such fitly resemble the sermon bel which cals other to the Church but heares nothing it selfe it weares out to his owne hurt though others good Nay when Auditors are perswaded throughly that their Pastors instruct not out of charity their plaine doctrines are but as sounding brasse tedious as the Tinkers note their accurate sermons as a tinâ—kâ—ing cyâ—ball which onely pierce the eares and enter not into their hearts as the Prophet aptly Their admonitions are vnto them as a iesting song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can sing well for they heare their words but they doe them not As one that heares excellent musicke from out of the streetes in the night will instantly leape out of his bed and lend his care for a time but when the musitians are gone presently returnes to sleep againe so many delight to heare the sweet songs of Sâ—on but when the sermon is at an end they sleep in their old sinnes againe forgetting immediaâ—ly the good lesson as if it were but the drumming on a pan or scraping on a keâ—â—le And though I 〈◊〉 prâ—phâ—â—ie Prophecie then is nothing without loue For Balaam Caâ—pâ—â— and Sâ—ul propheciâ—d Vnderstanding of mysteries is nothing without loue for Iudas and Nicolas and Arius were wel acquainted with the scriptures All knowledge is nothing for the Scribes had the key of knowledge yet entred not in themselues And all knowledge Though a man were an Ocean of learning as Plutarch is called in so much that Theodoâ—â— Gaza said if he could reade but one mans bookes he would make choice of him Or if a man were so full as Plinie whose works are instar mille voluminum if a man were a treasure house of letters as Picus Mirandula writes of Hermolaus Barbarus a library for a whole nation as Baronius of Albinus as Erasmus of Bishop Tonstal a world of learning mundus eruditionis abounding with skill in all Arts theorical real metaphysical inspired as Diuinity contained in y e Bible acquired of w t Aristotle and Auicen write mathematical as Arithmetike Geometry Musicke Astronomie physical concerning the Principles Generation of naturall things rational Grammar Rhetoricke Logicke practical actiue Ethicks Oeconomicks Politicks factiue as skill in Nauigation Husbandry Hunting c. If a man vnderstand all mysteries in Scripture all secrets in nature â—f he had all faith that he could remoue mountaines in a literall sense moue that which cannot be moued high hils Imponere Pelion Ossae in an allegorical exposition cast out diuels If a man had all parts of all knowledge prophecie sapience prudence and had not loue he were nothing Nothing in esse gratiae though something in esse naturae dead spiritually though something some great thing in the naturall and ciuill life For great Clerkes haue long life on earth Albeâ—t Aquiras Iewel Picus Mirandula Whitaker died in the principall strength of their age yet in respect of honour and fame they liue with the longest Dum liber vllus erit dum scrinia sacra literarum Te leget omnis amans Christum tua Cypriane discet Knowledge is a good stirrup also to get aloft the hie way to much honor prefermeÌ„t in this world but without loue nothing auailable to glory eternall in the world to come Knowledge bloweth vp but charity buildeth vp If learning be taken without the true correctiue thereof it hath in it some nature of poison and some effects of that malignity which is a swelling If I speake with the tongues of men and Angels and had not charitie it were but as a tinckling câ—mball Not but that it is an excellent thing to speake with tongues of men and Angels and a far more noble treasure to possesse all knowledge For Christ said of his Apostles that they were the light of the world and the worthy Doctors succeeding were luminaria magna great starres in the firmament of the Church by whose light descending from the father of lights we finde out the truth hidden in many darke places of the scripture But the meaning of Pâ—â—â— iâ— if our knowledge be seuered from loue and not referred to the good of men and glory of God it hath rather a sounding glory then a meriting vertue though it seeme to be neuer so much it is a very nothing The Papists out of these words If I haue all faith so that I can remoue mountaines