hys worde but he prouided especially by his wonderfull prouidence that the same shoulde be committed to writing and so commended to euerlasting memorye For GOD him selfe wyth hys owne finger wrote his Lawe in two tables of stone and then commaunded that by Moyses and the reste of the Prophetes hys sayings and doings shoulde be putte in wryting Exodus 17.24.34 Deutronomie 6.31 Iosue 24. Ieremie 36. Psalme 102. By these what thyngs so euer are written they are called by the name of Scripture Whervpon Christ himselfe by the Scripture vnderstandeth the bookes of Moyses of the Prophetes and of the Psalmes Iohn 5. Luke 24. To the same bookes do the Apostles and Euangelistes wyl vs to haue recourse whylest to the confirmation of theyr owne assertions they oftentimes and that desirouslye alleage the Testimonies of Scripture But wée muste knowe that euen the Bookes of these also are accounted wyth the reste in one and the selfe same order of Scriptures whether they beare the name and tittle of Gospels or Actes or Epistles For it is out of all doubte and controuersie that whatsoeuer is comprehended in the whole bodye of the Canonicall bookes is the verye true and healthsome worde of GOD published and putte forthe by his commaundemente All Scripture sayeth the Apostle 2. Timoth. 3. is enspired of GOD. And Peter in his 2. Epistle Chap. 1. Prophesie sayeth hée came not in olde time by the wyll of man but holy men of GOD spake as they were moued by the holy GHOST And like as the writers as well of the Olde as of the Newe Testament receyued a commaundement from one and the selfe same GOD and our and the selfe same spirite enspired theyr myndes gouerned theyr handes and pennes Psalme 68. Actes 2.1 Corinth â—â— Ephes 4. euen so all the whole Scripture is in a manner one Booke reuealing wyth wonderfull consente thyngs moste diuerse and manifolde as Ieremie expounding the 29. Chapter of Esay and Saint Augustine in hys preface to the 150. Psalme doe learnedly gather Whyche things séeing they are so we doe with greate cause vehementlye speake in the commendation of thys Booke not in respecte of the paper or parchmente and of thys or that tongue or of one kinde of letter or other or of the Golde or diuersitie of colour wherwyth it is garnished and sette forthe but euen in respecte that it conteyneth the moste holye and sacred wordes of GOD hymselfe and therefore doe affirme that out of it men ought to learne both by reading and hearing what GOD hathe decréed of vs and of oure saluation For we muste knowe that to this ende especiallye all Bookes are written euen that they shoulde diligentlye be reade and by often reading ouer be fullye vnderstoode that so desyred fruytes myghte redounde to the vnderstanders of them Nowe there be thrée special causes why we shoulde bestowe more diligence in pervsing this latter Booke than the former FIRST Greater is the dignitie of GODS word than of the whole worlde The world in déede was created of the same that the word came from which we so greatly commende and eyther Booke is indifferentely called the Booke of GOD yet neuerthelesse the latter excelleth for so much as wée finde recyted in it the selfe same worde that GOD vsed when he made the worlde of nothing For we reade GOD sayde Let there bee light and the lighte was made Againe God sayde Let there be a firmamente and there was made a firmament and so forth of other things And whereas by the former Booke we perceyue onely that there is a worlde by the latter we maye perceyue what was before the worlde and from whence and by what meanes the same tooke beginning Therefore whether we were neuer able to aspire in searching of causes by the conducte of naturall reason thyther are wée broughte by Faith whyche Faith is intentiuelye fixed on the worde of GOD reuealed read or harde For Faith commeth by hearing of the worde and by Faith wee vnderstande that the worlde was ordayned throughe the worde of GOD so that the thyngs which are seene were made of things that appeared not Rom. 10. Heb. 11. SECONDLY Whatsoeuer thyngs are necessary to be knowen as touching the will of GOD and oure saluation are clearelye and expreslye declared in the written worde of GOD but howe farre shorte should we come to thinke that the same are as apparantly represented in the frame of the worlde Greate is the darkenesse of mennes mindes and oft times euen in those thyngs that are supposed to be moste manifeste by Nature they are more blynde than is the Owle in the noone dayes And then doe we all commonlye moste fouly ouershoote and deceiue our selues when we beginne once to dispute of GOD and of matters appertayning to saluation For proofe whereof are so manye and so absurde fonde and fantasticall I wyll not saye ridiculous opinions whyche the Philosophers deuised as touching GOD and their Summum bonum whereof the number grewe as Marcus Varro recounteth in Augustine in his Booke 19. Chapter 1. Of the Citie of GOD to a hundred fourescore and eighte And Hermias a Christian Philosopher reconed vp some of them and laugheth them well fauouredlye to scorn in his booke entituled A deriding of the prophane Philosophers But vndoubtedly hée shall at length be frée from all error and shall gather to hymselfe substantiall knowledge that neuer at anye tyme departeth from the footesteppes of the Prophetes and Apostles It were a haynous offence to determyne anye thyng of Religion or of the state of a better lyfe onlye by the direction of Nature excepte the censure bée giuen out of the tables of GODS worde and as well the Scripture it selfe as nature bee founde to sumpe togyther in one And therefore wisely the Prophete Psalme 19. After discourse hadde of the glory of GOD to be discerned by the workemanshippe of the Heauens and of the Firmamente addeth immediately a commendation of the Lawe and written worde of god The Lawe of the Lorde sayeth he is vndefyled conuerting the soule the testimonie of the Lorde is sure giuing wisedome to the simple the Statutes of the Lorde are right reioycing the heart the precepts of the Lorde are pure giuing light to the eyes As though he shoulde say we can by no meanes atteyne to the Sanctuarie of the eternall and simple truth without the brighte brands of Scripture burning before vs Which thing no doubte was signifyed by those wise men who comming from the East parts of the worlde although for a space they rightly followed the Starre as the rule of reason yet was it néedefull for them to the intente they myghte fynde out CHRIST the Kyng and worship him to be resolued out of the Oracles of the Prophetes as concerning the place where hée shoulde bée borne Math 2. The holy man Antonius myghte in déede saye wyth a safe conscience that thys huge and vnmeasurable Worlde was to him in stead of a Booke for so muchâ— as
behoofe of many ages and to be short turne thē into diuers and sundry languages and finally transport them ouer withoute any businesse into Countreys and Prouinces both farre and néere This most holesome purpose and aduise therefore accomplished by the wonderfull prouidence of God and taken in hand for our incomparable benefite that man vndoubtedly séemeth ouermalapartly to despise that maketh not accompte of the Bookes of holy Scripture as he ought to doe and so refuseth eyther to reade them or heare them But as oft as I call to remembrance the diligence of the auntiente Fathers whiche liued long before the Bookes were published by GODS commandement and againe consider the great sloth and sluggishnesse of the people of our time verily I am vehementlye moued in mind and do in a maner whollie quake for feare Neyther doe I sée by what force of spéeche or with what thundering words so great dulnesse may I say of ours or malice or rather both ioyned togither can sufficientlie bée dashed and ouerthrowen The very first maysters and teachers of our Religion whiche were Adam and suche as liued in his time conceyued the diuine misteries alonely by the instiction of the holy GHOSTE and of them were other immediately taught by a liuely expressed voyce who agayne by a long continuance of time as it were from hand to hand louingly imparted the same vnto others and so whereas they had all of them but memorie onely in stead of Bookes they neuerthelesse for the space of many hundred yeares kept and reteyned in their families doctrine polluted with no maner of blemishes or defilements at all So feruente a care was in them of Religion so greate constancie faithfulnesse consent and diligence both in learning and teaching But as for vs we haue Bookes wherein wée may reade the selfesame doctrine both cléerely and purely expressed We haue Bookes Printed and put forth in the very same tong that those auntiente Fathers spake in we haue Bookes most faithfully translated into sundry languages we haue the Bookes not only of Moses and the other Prophets but also of the Apostles and Euangelistes wherof the one sort were vtterly vnknowen to all that went before Moses the other sort altogyther vnheard of as many as were before CHRISTES incarnation we haue Bookes that doe most plenteously and wyth incredible perspicuitie declare whatsoeuer is necessarie to our saluation we haue Bookes in all places and at all times most easie with little cost in such readinesse and yet notwithstanding this most excellente and soueraigne benefite of Bookes wherewith GOD hath enriched and after a sort blessed vs before an innumerable multitude of our holy auncesters we do in no wise worthelie weigh and cōsider yea verily as though we neyther euer heard of them at any time nor yet saw them we doe wyth deafe eares and blinde eyes passe ouer many great commodities we lette slippe from vs manyfolde occasion of profiting we suffer sincere doctrine to shrinke and fall downe to the grounde And finally which the very vnworthinesse of the thing compelleth me to adde a number but suche as are Christians onely in name doe vtterly contemne all Religion scoffe at it speake againste it and euen by all possible meanes trample it vnder their féete O strange ingratitude oh monstrous malice oh wickednesse worthy of GODS hastned vengeance But what shall we thinke a great number of vs would do if so be we had no Bookes of holy Scripture at all verily I beléeue we would not so muche as thinke of GOD or of any thing belonging vnto GOD all our life long neyther should we liue in any better estate than that wretched Nabuchadnezar who as we may reade in Daniel 4. kepte companye for certayne yeares with brute Beastes was depriued of reason and vnderstanding wente groueling vppon the ground and susteyned himselfe with fodder and grasse But why doe we not at the length rouze vp our selues lay to oure eares open our eyes by the example of the said Nabuchadnezar and lift them vp to heauen that being restored to our right mind we may more attentiuelie behold the greatnesse of the benefite whereby GOD hathe enriched vs with the Bookes of holy Scripture and being stirred vp and enlightened with the reading of them may prayse him giue him thanks glorifye him to be short may religiously vse and enioy the same holye Bookes to all those endes and purposes where vnto it is euident GOD so ordeyning they are written and putte 〈◊〉 Now it may be that some subtill trifeler séeking the defence as well of his owne as of others slouthfulnesse and coueting to vndermine the felicitie of the faithfull will make exceptions and say that the commandement of God whiche a little before was recited out of Deuteronomie perteyned only to the Iewes and dothe in no case bind the Christiās to the obseruation of it but such are in no wise to be heard or hearkned vnto for why no man is ignorant that of the precepts of the law whereof some are Morall some Ceremoniall and other some Iudiciall the two later kindes onely are abrogate for the one kind conteyned nothing else than types and shadows of things afterward to be accōplished by CHRIST Heb. 10. the other was giuen peculiarly to the nation for the framing and well ordering of their common weale Wherfore seing all things lōg agone shadowed in rites and Ceremonies are now throughly perfited finished by CHRIST and séeyng againe that their whole common wealth is vtterlie subuerted and ouerthrowen it followeth that those two kindes of lawes likewise are vtterly repealed and taken away It remayneth then that the preceptes of the firste sort or kinde I meane as touching maners are yet still in force and common to all as well Christians as Iewes But that in these or within the compasse of these commandements ought to be placed that which we alleadged before out of Deuteronomie who can denye yea and whatsoeuer is auaileable to the declaration of oure Faith in GOD and the loue toward our neyghbour and briefely to the framing of a godly and vnblamable life that whether it be found discussed in the Bookes eyther of the old or newe Testament let euery Christian man knowe assuredly to belong also to himselfe to the intente he shoulde whollie kéepe and obserue the same But nowe dothe our Sauiour CHRIST himselfe repeate the selfesame commaundemente and will haue it for euer ratifyed and established whilest in the fifth of Iohn he commandeth vs to Search the Scriptures which do paynte him forth in their couloures and declare hym to be the Sauiour and protector of mankinde Whyche words if a man would contend that they were vttered onely to the Iewes and therefore alleadge that they agrée not vnto Christians that man as Saincte Augustine doth learnedly gather entreating De verbis Domini sermone 45. might as wel saye that he woulde neyther knowe Christe nor be acknowledged of CHRISTE Wherefore Saint Peter dealing as an interpreter
of that commaundemente speaketh thus vnto all Christians We haue sayeth he a most sure worde of the Prophets to the which ye do well that ye take heede as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place vntil the day dawne and the day Starre arise in your hearts And the holye Apostle Paule commaundeth exhorteth and leaueth nothing vnattempted whereby he might allure all men to loue and frequent the wrytings of the Prophetes and Apostles Colossi 3. Let the worde of Christe sayeth he dwel in you plentifully with all wisdome and teach and admonishe one another Last of all what things soeuer do offer themselues in the New Testament to the commendation of the holy Scripture or worde of GOD the same oughte to be taken of vs as preceptes and exhortations inuiting vs to the readyng of the sacred bookes Therefore it behoueth vs patientlye to heare GOD the Father speakyng in the olde Testamente CHRIST hys sonne Peter Paule and so manye as followe theyr steppes speakyng in the Newe and as for all false deceyuers and Sophysters perswading the contrarye lette them departe farre off and for euer from the fellowshippe and societye of the Godlye To followe the aduice of wyse and honeste councellours and according to theyr councels to searche and examyne the lawe of the Lorde that is to saye the holye Scriptures with suche diligence and deuotion as is requisite is a point of very great wisdome Prouerbs 2.4 Ieremie 9. But wyth what alacritie and chearefulnesse of minde all true Christians haue euen from the begynnyng obeyed the Apostles so greatelye vrgyng the studye of the holye Scriptures and wyth what great feruencie all haue endeauoured to reade the Diuine mysteries the Historye of the Apostles Actes doâ—th sufficientlye declare The noble menne of Berea among those that were it Thessalonica when they had receyued the word with all readinesse of minde searched the scriptures dayly coueting to trie whether the things whyche they heard of the Apostles were so or no. Act. 17.11 The example of the men of Berea admonisheth vs that it is not ynough for vs to heare Sermons coÌ„tinually in publike assemblies but also verye necessarye duely to discusse examine priuately with our selues all the things whiche we haue hearde to the intente we may become the more sure and certaine of our religion This tryal and examination of doctrine is accomplished by comparing togither of diuerse places out of the holy Scriptures in which it behoueth vs so long time to be occupyed vntill we may plainely perceyue whether the things that are spoken of the teacher or of any other doe agrée with the places of Scripture or no. The Doctrine that men vse to put forth deserueth not to be accounted for sounde and Catholike excepte it be aunswearable to the rule and squire of the Prophetical and Apostolike writings And this manner of discerning in times paste was common to all hearers and besides there was receyued in euerye Churche well neare a certaine publike forme and patterne thereof For proofe whereof make the words of the Apostle 1 Corin. 14. where he saith As oft as yee come togither euery one of you hath a song hath a doctrine hath a tongue hath a reuelation hath an interpretation let all things be done to edifying And a little after Let two or three of the Prophetes speake and let the residewe determyne Further if anye thing be reuealed to another that sitteth by let the firste holde hys peace For ye maye all seuerally prophecie that all may learne and all receyue comforte and the spirites of the Prophetes are subiect to the Prophetes And againe 1. Thessa. 4. he sayeth Quench not the Spirite despise not prophesiying Trye all things holde that which is good Some therefore doe priuately to theyr owne comforte and instruction determine of prophesies and discerne the true and natiue sense from the false and counterfayte othersome whiche especiallye doe excell others in iudgement and giftes of the spirite are required euen in publike meetings that they woulde louinglye declare theyr minde as touching the doctine put forth And vndoubtedly those only can readily and fruitefullye wyth commendation do any thing in this behalfe the haue exercised theÌ„selues at home with coÌ„tinual reading of the scriptures The Apostle moreouer in the same place to the Corin. addeth another coÌ„maundement as concerning the duety of husbands But if the women will learne any thing Let theÌ„ aske sayth he their husbandes at home To the wife therfore demanding a question it behoueth the husbande to make answere render a reason out of the Scriptures euen in like case as euery Prophet or preacher doth wheÌ„ he is questioned with of manye in open publike place Neyther did the goodmaÌ„ of the house in those days performe this duetie alonlye to his wife but also to all his householde of what age or condition soeuer they were especially when there was good hope the so many as should bée instructed in the word of GOD might be made modest sober vigilant much more faithful diligent in doing of their businesse afterward than they were before It is euident also that parentes did then nouzel and instructe euen their tender little ones in the principles of godlynesse Christian religion Continue thou saith the Apostle in the 3. Chap. of his 2. epist. to Timothy in the things which thou hast learned which are committed vnto thee knowing of whoÌ„ thou hast learned theÌ„ that thou hast known the holy scriptures of a child And in the 1. Chap. of his 1. Epi. he putteth Timothy in remeÌ„braunce that he had receiued examples of Faith and godlynesse of life of his mother Eunica and of his grandmother Lois Neither ought any man to maruayle when we saye that all the beléeuers in that age did bothe often and exactlye reade the holye Scriptures and also greatly profitte by readyng of them For as Peter in hys Sermon Actes 2. truelye interpreteth that whyche was long before spoken of the Prophete Ioel it behoued that the same Prophesie shoulde then be fulfilled and that the holy Ghoste being powred into the heartes of a greate number should by and by so instruct them as that they might loue and imbrace the holye Scriptures try and examine them and finally with wonderfull dexteritie expounde and declare the meaning of them whiche benefite was afterwarde made common to all the Godlye but chiefely to those that feruentlye faithfullye and wythout staggering craued true and perfitte Wisdome of GOD the father of lightes as the Apostle saint Iames saith For it behoueth the promise of of GOD to be firme immutable which is extant in the Prophetes and wonderfully commended of CHRIST They shall all sayth he be taught of GOD. And The godlye are annointed of the holy Ghost Esay 54 Iere. 31. Iohn 6.1 Ioan. 2. Hebr. 8. Wherefore Chrisostome vpon Genesis homelie 35 is bold to say That it cannot bee that he which with greate care and feruent desire
piller hath nothing at all written on it but ouer the second and maine piller we haue noted in these words THINGS DONE and in the latter page the first piller sheweth this title PSALMES the seconde third OLDE TESTAMENT the fourth NEVVE In thys wise therefore whilest passage is made throughe the twelue moneths there is layd open a certaine and vndoubted waye whereby in a yeares space the whole booke of the Psalmes againe all the other Canonicall bookes of the olde Testamente further the bookes not Canonicall lastly al the bookes numbred in the newe Testament may once very wel be read ouer And least any man shold want any thing herein I haue thought good to inserte into this booke the whole Calender of the holy Scripture drawen forth in that forme and order which we haue spoken of and with al the pages pillers incident therevnto so farforth as might bée truelye decked and distinguished ¶ Here foloweth the Calendar of the holy Scripture Ianuarius Ianuarie Thebet in Hebrue x. Moneth THINGS DONE Psalmes Olde Testament Newe 1 A CircuÌ„cision of CHRIST Luke 2. There appeared to Noe 1 Genes 1.2.3  Math 1. 2 b the tops of the mountaines Genes 8. The diuorcemente 2 45  2 3 c straunge wiues Ezra 10. 3 6.7  3 4 d   8 9  4 5 e The destructioÌ„ of Ierusalem is shewed to Ezechi Chap 33.  10.11 â—obia 1. 5 6 f Epipha of Curist He is worshipped of the wise meÌ„ Ma. 2.  12.13 2  7 g He is baptised Math. 3. He worketh his first miracle at  14.15 3  8 A a mariage Iohn 2. 4 16.17.18  6 9 b  5 19.20  7 10 c Nabuchadnezar besiegeth Ierusalem 2. King. 25. Ierem. 25. 6 21.22  8 11 d Ezechiels parable Chap. 24.  23.24  9 12 e Ezechiel prophesieth against Aegipt Chap 29.  25 26 4 10 13 f   27.28 5  14 g   29.30 6  15 A  7 31.32.33  11 16 b  8 34.35  12 17 c  9 36.37  13 18 d   38.39  14 19 e   40.41 7 15 20 f   42.43 8  21 g   44.45 9  22 A  10 46.47.48  16 23 b  11 49 50.  17 24 c  12 Exod 1.2  18 25 d The calling of Paul yere 〈◊〉 after the death of Christ Act 9.  3.4 10 19 26 e   5.6 11 20 27 f   78 12  28 g   9.10   29 A  13 11 12.13  21 30 b  14 14 15  22 31 c  15 16.17  23 Februarius Februarie Sebas in Hebrue XI Moneth THINGS DONE Helapheboliωn in Greeke Psalmes Olde Testament Newe 1 d Moyses expoundeth the lawe Deut. 1.  18.19  24 2 e CHRIST is offered to the Lord. Luke 2.  20.21 13 25 3 f   22.23 14  4 g   24.25 Iudeth 1  5 A  16 26.27.28  26 6 b  17 29.30  27 7 c  18 31.32  28 8 d   33.34  Marke 1 9 e   35.36 2 2 10 f   37.38 3  11 g Noe sent forth the Doue which returned again Gene. 8.  39.40 4  12 A  19 Leuitic 1.2.3  3 13 b  20 4.5  4 14 c  21 6.7  5 15 d   8.9  6 16 e   10.11 5 7 17 f   12.13 6  18 g Noe set forth the Doue which broght an Oliue braÌ„ch Ge. 8.  14.15 7  19 A  22 16.17.18  8 20 b  23 19.20  9 21 c  24 21.22  10 22 d   23.24  11 23 e   25.26 8 12 24 f Zacha. prophesieth Zach. 1. The electioÌ„ of Mathias Act. 1.  27. Nume 1 9  25 g Noe sent forth the Doue which returned no more Ge. 8.  2.3 10  26 A  25 4.5.6  13 27 b  26 7.8  14 28 c  27 9.10  15 Martius Marche Ader in Hebrue XII Moneth THINGS DONE Munychiωn in Greeke Psalmes Olde Testament Newe 1 d   11.12  16 2 e   13.14 11 Luke 1 3 f The temple finished yeare 6. of Darius Ezra 6.  15.16 12  4 g   17.18 13  5 A  28 19.20.21  2 6 b  29 22.23  3 7 c  30 24.25  4 8 d   26.27  5 9 e   28.29 14 6 10 f CHRIST heareth Lazarus to be sicke Iohn 10.  30.31 15  11 g The tast of Esther 3.8.9  32.33 16  12 A The question of diuorce Children are brought Math 19. 31 34.35.36  7 13 b CHRIST commeth to Ierico Luke 18.19 32 Deut. 1.2  8 14 c He healeth the sicke Math. 20. The dayes called Purim 33 3.4  9 15 d 1. Esther 9.2 Mach. the last The Purim dayes 2. Esth 9.  5.6  10 16 e He rayseth vp Lazarus Iohn 11.  7.8 Susan 1 11 17 f He goeth to Ephraim Iohn 11.  9.10 Bel Dragon 1  18 g He returneth to Bethany Iohn 12.  11.12 Song of the 3 chil 1  19 A His séeth are annointed Iohn 12 34 13.14.15  12 20 b He commeth to Ierusalem Luke 19. 35 16.17  13 21 c The Actes are done which are reade of Math. 21.22.23.24 36 18.19  14 22 d 25.26 Marke 14.  20.21  15 23 e Iudas goeth to the Bishops Math 26.  22.23 FragmeÌ„t of Esth 1 16 24 f CHRIST kéepeth the passeouer Math. 26. Iohn 13.  24.25 2  25 g He is crucified Gabriel is sent to Mary Luke 1.  26.27 3  26 A The Sepulchre is kept 37 28.29.30  17 27 b CHRIST riseth froÌ„ death Sheafes are offred Leuit. 23. 38 31.32  18 28 c Iehoiachim broughte forthe of prison Ierem. the laste 2. 39 33.34  9 29 d King. 25.  Iosua 1.2  20 30 e   3.4 4 21 31 f   5.6 5  Aprilu April Nisan in Hebrue I Moneth THINGS DONE Thargenωn in Greeke Psalmes Olde Testament Newe 1 g Noe séeth the land Genes 8. The tabernacle is reared vp  7.8 6 22 2 A Exod. the last chapter The teÌ„ple is purged 2. Chr. 24. 29 40 9.10.11  23 3 b CHRISâ— appeared to Thomas Iohn 20. 41 12.13  24 4 c  42 14.15  Iohn 1 5 f   16.17  2 6 e Iosua leadeth the people out of Setâ—â— Iosu 3  18.19 7  7 f Ezechiel prophesieth against Egipt chap. 30  20.21 8  8 g   22.23 Ezra III. â— 3 9 A The passeouer is instituted Exod. 12. 43 24. Iudg. 1.2  4 10 b The people passeth ouer Ior. Iosu 3.4 The pascal lambe 44 3.4  5 11 c Exod. 12. The people are circumcised Iosu 5. 45 5.6  6 12 d The vessels of the Lord are restored to the Iewes Ezr. 8.  7.8  7 13 e Edictes against the Iewes Esther 3.  9 10 2  14 f The Lords passeouer Exod. 12. Leuitic 23. Iosu 5.  11 12 3  15 g The
thorough with it once in a tweluemonths space If thou pervse ouer ten Chapters thou shalt go thorough with it twice and one only day shal be left to spare If fiftéene Chapters thou shalt accomplishe it thrice If twentie thou shalte accomplish it foure times These things being thus declared it remayneth that euery godly man do repute with himselfe howe oft hée will reade ouer the holy Psalmes howe ofte the bookes of the olde Testament howe oft the newe Testamente in a yeares space Of whiche pointe when he hath once determined then shall it be néedefull for him to limit out the Chapters of the bookes according to the wéekes and dayes of the yeare after that forme and order whiche wée haue shewed in the premisses Howbeit partly to the intent the godlie disposed may the more willingly and easilye imbrace our counsayle and aduice partly leaste those that haue alreadye attempted to reade dayly the holye Byble at houres appointed should alleage for excuse that they do sooner than a man would thinke fayle and misse in the order or number of the Chapters I haue prouided a Calendar wherein for euery daye in euery moneth are noted and set downe certaine Chapters as wel of the worke of the Psalmes as of the other bookes of the old and new Testament and the same truely so digested and distincted in number that thou mayste verye well reade and pervse ouer once or oftner in a yeare as thou thinkest good al the said bookes of the holy Bible or at leastwise so many of them as thou hast most fancie to and canst best like of And in this order is this Calendar made First and foremost we haue giuen to euerye moneth two litle pages or sides of a leafe the one answering to the other and either of them with lines from aboue drawn directly downewarde disseuered and diuided into Columnes or pillers In the former page of the left side are drawen two suche lines betwéen which for as muche as they represent and make a very small and slender piller there is no greater space or distaunce than that by descending from the heade to the foote the letters A. b.c.d e. f g. A b.c. c whereby are wont to be noted in common Calendars the spaces of the wéekes and number of the dayes maye be writen But before this same piller towarde the left side there are set down certaine notes of numbers which whilest they aunswere to the sayde letters doe at the firste sighte declare what day of the moneth euerye daye in the wéeke is From the seconde line to the vttermost parte of the same side towarde the right hande is a great deale of space left wherein whosoeuer list maye at his owne choyce and libertie note the publike feasts and holydayes hapning throughout the whole yeare Though I who am fully resolued to consecrate this labour whatsoeuer it bée to the reading of the Scriptures and for this cause haue willinglye called it a Calendar of the holy Scripture do set downe the things memorable whiche the holy bookes reporte to be done on certaine dayes adding also some things in some places whiche the opinion onely of the learned warranteth to be done on the same dayes of which sort are the natiuitie and death of CHRIST the murther of Stephen the calling of Paule c. as touching whych things verile the holy Scripture expresseth no certain dayes and yet by the common consentes of all menne there are some certaine dayees appointed Thus much of the former â—age On the other side or page which stretchesh towarde the right hande there follow foure other distaunces or pillers marked out with fiue lines let downe to rights in manner of a plum line And of all of them well néere the bredth is alike sauing that the first is discerned to be somwhat narrower Whiche first is appointed only to the worke of the Psalmes and it conteyneth in suche wise the number and order of Psalmes affixed on certaine dayes as all men may pervse them ouer once euerye yeare But if a man be disposed to reade them twice or thrice or fouretymes in a yere there is no cause to the contrary but that he by his own choyce and industry multiplying the numbers of the Psalmes according to the rate and proportion of euery wéeke may frame to himselfe papers with columnes or pillers correspondent and fixe them in a table to his own vse concerning which thing we haue touched somewhat also aboue Next foloweth the seconde Columne wherein are placed the bookes of the olde Testament whiche our auncesters the most holy gouernours of Churches haue acknowledged to be Canonicall The names therefore of these bookes we haue sette downe in a decent order and likewise what and howe manye Chapters of them maye conuently be reade euerye daye The third Columne we haue giuen to the bookes of the Olde Testamente no numbred in the Canon wherof the titles and Chapters are in a number certaine distributed throughout the wéekes of euerye moneth And we haue purposelye sundered these bookes from the former neyther woulde wée mingle them togither in one and the selfesame distance For it came to my remembraunce to feare that that woulde not onely haue bin vnséemely but also to some very gréeuous For what if some mans stomacke could not well brooke the Bookes of the latter kinds or at least not thinke them worthy the reading euery yere Truely I for my parte will interprete my successe to be happy and my labour and diligence not to be vtterly loste if so be I shall obtaine but thus muche of good folkes namely that they will euen once in a yere reade ouer all the Canonicall Bookes Furthermore the fourth columne is dedicated to all the Bookes whyche are nowe euery where by a custome receiued ascribed to the new Testament the Chapters whereof we haue in such wise digested and disposed as that they may once in a yeares space be read ouer without any paines But if any mans minde shall be inflamed with so seruent a desire of reading the holy mysteries that he wyll assay to attempt greater matters and like as the Psalmes so peraduenture also couet to go through a twice or thrice wyth the Canonical Bookes of the olde and newe Testament it shall be an easie matter for him by doubling the numbers whiche we haue put or by conueying them somewhat otherwise to deuise an other way fit and profitable for hys purpose and to make another Calendar Moreouer aboue these Columnes in the pages of euery moneth there are fixed of vs in steade of pillar coronets certaine titles The firste and highest line extended throughout both the pages containeth the name of euery moneth in Latine and English then next how the Hebrues do call the same how many it is with theÌ„ in number finaly howe it is termed in the Atticke tongue of the Gréeks The line that is vnderneath this I meane in the former page ouer and aboue the firste
thrusteth forthe one while verily suche as are approued in opinion for their notable wisedome another while swinishe haters and contemners of all holy things an other while Hypocrites puffed vp with a vaine shew of holynesse and therefore maruellous fit instrumentes to beguile the simple by whose painted and smooth persuasions and by other crafty conueyances the vnwarie sort maye be broughte to the neglecting and open hatred of the Scriptures but it is your partes with these reasoÌ„s and instructions whereof you haue hitherto heard many and sundry as well out of the sacred Scriptures theÌ„selues as also out of the moste godly and learned fathers to shoare vp and fortify your minds and euen in spight of all the rablement of the wicked whome Sathan subborneth and armeth dayly against vs to stirre them vp to the loue and study of Gods word Let vs coÌ„sider that CHRIST doth euen now also without ceasing preache vnto vs which in very déede he doth not after one waye or manner and that there is no precepte of him oftner vrged and repeated than this wherein he sayeth to all Christians Searche the Scriptures for they are they that testifye of me This voyce of CHRIST for so much as his heauenly father hath so coÌ„maunded let vs heare with patient and stayed mindes and with al reuerence and submission obey it finally in comparison of that let vs refuse and abandon all mens pesuasions preceptes counsels flatteries threatnings curses and tormentes whatsoeuer For he that maketh none accompt of thys voyce of CHRIST there is no doubt but that his name shall oneday be vtterly scraped and raced out of the register of Christians that is to saye out of the booke of life whiche GOD himselfe hath written and that at the laste iudgement of the great day he shal heare froÌ„ the mouth of the same CHRIST a far other manner of voyce namely a heauye and a horrible voyce as touching the suffering and enduring of euerlasting fire THE ENDE Ps. 14.2.3.4 Psâ—l 53.4 Ps. 5.10 and 140.2 and 10.7 Prou. 1.16 Iam. 4.8 1. Cor. 1.20 2.14 Iere. 9.26 Deut. 10.16 Eccles 11.33 Genes 6.5.11.12 and 8.21 Psal. 36.1 Esa. 59.3.7 Rom. 3.10.11.12.13.14.15.16.17.18 Psalm 51.5 Eph. 2.1.3.5 Rom. 3.9 Galath 3 22 Rom. 2.22 Psalm 116.11 Rom. 3.4 Esa. 59.5 Deut. 27 Galath 3.10 Coloss 2.13 Ephes 2.12 Rom. 6.23 1 Pet. 5.8 Ephes 6.12 Ephes 2.2 Genes 3.1 1. Pet. 5.8 Apocal. 12 3 Ioan. 3.3 Ephes 4.23 1. Pet. 2.2 Hebr. 13.14 â— Corinth 1.10 11. Time. 3.16 Rom. 15.4 Man is created to the knowledge of GOD and of his will. Ouid. Metamorph Lib. 1. Of the former booke which is the whole world Of the later booke to wit the holy Scripture VVe must giue more attendaunce to the latter booke of the holy Scripture than to the former and that for three causes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 III. It behoueth all men to reade the word of GOD in that it is graunted to them only to speake and vnderstand They must especiallye read the holye Scriptures which professe themselues to be Christians It is a shame for a Christian to be ignorant of the things that Christe commaundeth The Iewes reade the Scriptures painefully God commandeth in the Lawe the bookes of holy Scripture to be read and perused of all people For what cause and coÌ„sideratioÌ„ God woulde haue his doyngs and sayings committed to writing The Fathers albeit they were without Bookes yet taught they most diligently the doctrine of religion then what ought not wee to do that haue Bookes graunted vnto vs. The commandement of God as touching the reading of the Scriptures belongeth not only to Iewes Christ also commaundeth vs to reade the Scriptures In the Apostles time all the Godly read the Scriptures most diligently The holy Ghost is giueÌ„ to the beleuers to the intent they may learne and vnderstande the Scriptures â–ª Euen the Gentiles also in these dayes vsed to reade the Scriptures albeit they were extance onely in the Greeke tong In these dayes wee haue the holy Scripturs extant in all tongues And after the Apostles time all the godly serched continualy the Scriptures Exhortations of the holy Fathers as touching the reading of the holy Scriptures priuatly in houses Origen Eusebius â—â—misenus Iohn Chrisostome Augustine Ambrose Now a dayes some Bishops there be that forbid the holy Scriptures to be read The neglecting of the Scriptures of this time if it be compared with the diligence of the auntient people is verie shamefull and ignominious The Lâ—â—ie is profited 〈◊〉 dâ—â—g of the Scriptures that they were able also to teache others Laie men skilful of the holy Scriptures in times paste taughte in Churches and were chosen to thâ— goueâ—â—emet of the same The barbarus enimies of Christian religion oughte sooner by orderly teching of sounde doctrine than by force of armes be won and vnited vnto vs. The very consideration of the times present doth require that all should applye themselues to the studie of the holye Scriptures The answere It behoueth the Ministers of the Church to bee exercised in the holy Scriptures aboue all other The Ecclesiasticall Ministery consisteth not in songs or colde ceremonies The Minister ignorant of the holye Scriptures can not conuince false opinions The Minister that is without the knowledge of the Scriptures can not wisely reproue sinne The Minister that is ignorant of the Scriptures can not confer with others of godlynesse and pietie The Minister can giue no counsell to carefull consciences that is not conuersant in the Scriptures The Minister that he may be able to coÌ„fort the afflicted must of necessitie haue experience in the Scriptures To haue the name of the Ministerie without the substance of it is an absurde thing They that can not perfourme the office of the Ministerie must not reape the fruites of it The Ministers that are vnskilfull of the Scriptures oughte to bee remoued from their places They do moste grieuoâ—sly offende whiche beeing placed in the Ecclesiasticall Ministery doe still neglect the holy Scripture Albeit the studye of the holy Scripeurs doe especiallye become the Ministers of the worde yet maye not the Laitie therefore reiect it There is no degree of men among Christians to whome it perteyneth not exactly to learne the holy Scriptures Kings and Princes must reade also the holy Scriptures All Câ—urtiers and noble men must diligently reade the holy Scriptures Iudges Consuls Pretors must exercise themselues in reading the holy Bible Neither must souldiors neglecte to reade the holy Scriptures Lâ—wiâ—rs ougâ—â— to be familiarly acquainted with the holi Scripturs Phisitions also muste deuoutly trauâ—ile in the Scriptures It is expedient that Merchant men also and Artificers should profit in the Scriptures To husbandmen also is commended the reading and hearing of the Scriptures It is expedient that Boyes and Mothers also be instructed in the holy Scriptures There be certayne duties common to all Christians whiche it is needefull for theÌ„ to learne out of the holy Scriptures All Christians muste endeuor to shewe themselues to be true members of the Churche Euerye Christian ought to bee readye to render a reason of hys Fayth to euerye one that asketh it Euery Christian ought to foresee prouide that hee erre not or be not deceiued in the doctrine of Religion There is no ChristiaÌ„ that standeth not in neede to be reproued for his sinnes and oft times to be admonished No Christian caÌ„ be without comfortes The Conclusion The willing mind easilie findeth oportunitie to do well It is false to saye that in reading there is labour and griefe How we maye get leysure oportunitie to read the holie Scriptures That a time certain ought to be giuen to the reading of the Scriptures VVhat time most apt to the reading of the Scriptures How much euery day to be read The Canonical bookes of the olde Testament Let a man read dayly certaine chapters but vvithout superstition The depth and maiestie of the holy Scriptures ought not to fray vs froÌ„ the reading of theÌ„ No maÌ„ ought to complayne that he cannot vnderstaÌ„d the Scripturs howe we maye attayne to the vnderstaÌ„ding of them Some thinges we are ignoraÌ„t of to cure benefite Howe thou mayste gather spirituall profite by the thyngs that thou readest The power of the spirite worketh priuiely through the worde is the heartes of the readers and hearers Certain Chapters or fountains to which all things in the holy Scriptures ought to be referred Teaching Reprouing Instructing Correcting Comforting Conclusion Jmprinted at London by Henry Bynneman 1579.
¶ THE COVRSE of Christianitie or As touching the dayly Reading and Meditation of the holy Scriptures very requisite and necessary for all Christians of what estate or condition soeuer TVVO BOOKES Translated out of Latine into English by Iohn Ludham Vicar of Wethersfeld 1579. The commaundement of God in the olde Testament Deut. 6. 11. These wordes whyche I commaunde thee this daye shall be in thine heart and thou shalte rehearse thē continually vnto thy children and shalt talke of them when thou tariest in thine house and when thou walkest by the waye when thou lyest down and when thou risest vp c. The commaundement of God in the nevve Testament Ioan. 5.39 Searche the Scriptures for they they be that testifye of mee Printed at London by Henry Bynneman 1579. TO THE RIGHT VVorshipful Vertuous and my very good Lady the Lady Mary Wroth late vvife to the right vvorshipful Sir THOMAS WROTH Knight of godly memorie deceassed Iohn Ludham wisheth continuaunce of health and al things prosperous in Christe Iesus WHat greate cause there is right worshipfull and my very good L. why all men of all sortes should be exhorted and earnestly excited to the daily readyng and meditation of the holy Scriptures the infinite perilles and calamities wherevnto we are al of vs continually subiect do moste plainely and plentifully declare For why who seeth not howe combersome and perillous a state they enter into that take vpon thē to trauaile in the Wildernes in the night season without the helpe either of Moone or Starres or any other light to direct them by Goe they not oftentimes out of the way Doe they not manye tymes stumble and stagger like men berefte of their senses Are they not euer and anone caughte in the Bryars and there pitiously tattred and torne Be they not like from time to time to run themselues either againste some Rocke Blocke or Tree standing before them wherby they get one while perhaps a shrewde rushe on the sides an otherwhile a curst thwacke ouerthwarte the shinnes now and then a sore bounse on the breaste by and by a dreadefull duste on the necke and shoulders straightwayes and odde blowe crosse the face and euen immediately an auke rap vpon the nose or some one dash or other in the eies eares or teeth But what are these in comparison of the rest very fleabitings For if they escape either with some or with all these hurts and annoyances which we haue now mētioned they may say and that truly they haue played the tall fellowes But ouer and besides these they light many tymes vppon some daungerous quagmire foregrowne Lake or Pitte wherein they sticke faste and are not able to winde themselues out againe no not to the death What shall I say of the huge multitude of Beastes so fierce and terrible in their kindes Are they not like euery moment to be deuoured of them Howe is it possible they should escape so many roaring Lions so many rauening Wolues so many bloudy Beares boy sterous Bulles cruell Tygres Panters Pardals Leopardes Serpentes Dragons and suche like and not become a pray vnto them I say nothing all this while of a daunger as greate as any other namely of the theeues and robbers cormorants and caytifes that lurke in obscure places gaping for the spoile of wayfaring men of whom notwithstanding they are cruelly rifled and haue oftetimes their throates miserably cut But who is able to expresse all the harde happes and hazardes whyche they throw themselues into that iourny by night in the Desart as is aforesaide Verily I suppose not Syluanus hymselfe Nowe then if incace the state of these menne be so difficulte and daungerous that are in hazarde onely of a bodily death howe muche more perillous and pernitious is the case of all those that remaine in suche continuall ieopardy bothe of bodye and soule Suche doubtelesse is the plighte of all Adams children euen from the tyme of their byrth to the daye of their death Such is the case and conditiō both of high and low rich and poore noble and base bonde and free Iewe and Gentile al and some one and other For why so soone as wee are borne we enter into thys worlde as into a huge Wildernesse where we are eftesoones environed with innumerable straites of the body with innumerable perplexities of the soule As touching the bodye we come naked into the worlde without either mantell to couer vs or strength to defende vs or discretion to guide vs or prouision to succour vs in whiche behalfe the very brute beastes do far-away surmount vs And wee be no sooner crawled foorth of our mothers womb but wee sette oute oure throates and crye euen thereby bewraying bothe oure present misery and oure wretchednesse to come As we growe vppe in yeares so increase oure troubles Troubles within vs troubles withoute vs troubles aboue vs troubles beneath vs troubles behinde vs troubles before vs troubles on the righte hande troubles on the lefte and euerye where troubles Within vs all manner of maladies and disseases proceedyng of inwarde causes whyche in verye deede are so manye in number as the verye Phisitions themselues coulde neuer as yet find oute propre names ynoughe for them much lesse prescribe any sitte remedies to heale them Without vs all kinde of outwarde crosses and distresses as hunger thirst colde nakednes woundes soares botches blaynes blindenesse lamenesse deafnesse dumbnesse perills of sworde perilles of fyre perilles of water c. Aboue vs are the Heauens as yee woulde saye armed againste vs the Firmament frownyng vppon vs the Ayre distempered the Windes wrastling the Thunders roaring the Lightnings flashing the Comettes and blazing Starres lowting the Sunne eclipsed the Moone depriued of hir light and all tokens of calamities vnto vs. Beneath vs is the earth oftetimes trembling and quaking many times sindged and scorched diuers times ouerflowen surrounded sometimes opening and swallowing vp all that euer is not seldome times breathing out pestilent vapours and exhalations to the destruction of whole Cities and Townes Behinde vs are al troubles vnlooked for Before vs all troubles foreseene On the right hande our friendes On the lefte hande oure foes Yea and which way soeuer we turne vs troubles vppon troubles trials vpon trials one vexation vppon an other and euen death it selfe cōtinually pursuing vs And thus fareth it with vs as touchyng our bodies But as concerning our soules the case is so muche the more dangerous as the enimies are pernitious and calamities grieuous whervnto they are subiect Subiect I say not by creatiō but by deprauatiō or rather by originall corruption For in deede if they be considered accordyng to that excellent nature wherein they were first created before the fall of Adam it will appeare that as in substance spirituall and in qualitie immortall so were they indued also with singular ornaments and heauēly vertues as whereby they resembled the image euen of God himselfe But alas euer since that fatall ruine and dismall
thriftinesse then he that vnderstandeth no suche matter but hangeth onely vppon the bare name of religion and cleaueth therevnto as to a holy ancker and supposeth the knowledge of GOD to consist only in the bare name of the sect Thys lawe the Emperour commaunded to be openly proclaymed by Ariobindus his Liuetenaunte and other officers and so many as woulde not obey it to forfayte all their goods and to goe into exile But if thys moste holy Emperour was carefull to determyne in what tong the Iewes who at that time as touching that matter contended very odiously among themselues should read the holye Scripture why shoulde not our kings Princes prouide by Lawes firste that all Christians vnder theyr Dominions maye reade then nexte in what tongue they maye reade the sacred Byble not so muche publikely in Churches as priuatelye in their houses And what shall we say of the Emperour Theodosius the seconde who as the reporte goeth and no doubte moued by the commaundement of GOD whyche is extante as touching Kinges Deutronomie 17. wrote out with hys owne hande the Bookes of the Newe Testamente reade euerye mornyng in hys house some parte of them and recyted customarily certaine Psalmes and prayers togither wyth hys wife shée was Eudocia the daughter of Leontius a Philosopher of Athens of whome they say were written right learned Poems and with his sisters But if I shoulde go aboute to produce moe proues tending to thys ende I feare leaste I shoulde incurre offence who especiallye haue excéeded alreadye the compasse of an Epistle Therefore that my speache maye drawe to an ende I am perswaded verylye that it wyll then goe well wyth the Church and with the whole common wealth when as the Kings Princes and all other Magistrates of these our times seriously turning their minds to the Statutes of the Almighty and euerliuing GOD whiche were rehearsed euen nowe out of Deuteronomie and to the examples of the most noble Emperoures of whome wee haue spoken shall beginne to putte forthe and with all godly diligence to commend vnto the people committed to their charge lawes as touching the dayly and domesticall and that perdie in their owne Countrey language reading hearing and meditating of the holye Bible And as for the reasons wherewith men may bée moued to obey their most holesome lawes and decrées I haue in this volume partly out of the most sacred Sermons of the Prophets and Apostles partly out of the Commentaries of the most excellent Doctors packed togither as ye would say in one bundle very many and the same not to be misliked so that this onely remayneth namely that with what willingnesse and desire they are of me offered with the selfe same all menne whensoeuer they shall reade them woulde vouchsafe to receyue them My purpose and scope to dispatche it in a worde is to profite at leastwise somewhat by my labour all sortes of men that are carefull for a better life and for the euerlasting saluation of their soules But vnto your highnesse most noble Prince I haue thought good to consecrate this worke as well for sundry causes and considerations as also especially for twayne which haue in them more force than the rest The one is when I behold and consider the iustice clemencie gentlenesse and other vertues naturally ingenerate in you togither with the notable education and instruction worthy a most famous Prince doubtlesse I am perswaded that your Highnesse may easilie be broughte to this poynte namely that you will not onely exercise your selfe dayly in the reading of the holye Byble according to GODS commaundemente Deuteronomie 17. but also prouoke and stirre vp one whyle by gentle exhortations another while by sharpe and seuere preceptes all the people and inhabitantes of youre Dominion as GOD also hath willed Deuteronomie 6. and. 11. to the doing and practising of the like For what shoulde not I looke for at his hands whose father Friderike Prince Elector Palatine and those twayne of the same house neuer sufficiently praysed supplying before hym the selfesame honoures to theyr innestimable commendation I meane Fridericke and Otho Henry haue accomplished many difficulte attempts for the amplifying of GODS glory and encrease of sincere Religion Neyther haue I anye doubte but that youre Highnesse most noble Father caused therefore of late the Bookes of the Diuine Oracles most cléerely and at his greate charge to bée Printed in the vulgar tong to the intente that both innumerable Copies myght be conueyed and spredde ouer all youre Dominions and other places and also be deuoutely redde of euery man for conscience sake in theyr priuate houses The other cause is so soone as other Potentates shall perceyue you whose glory standeth aloft on a high and stately place to gyue some onset to the trayning of Christian people to the reading and exercising of the holy Scriptures it is very lykely that immediatelye therevppon many of them that are in authoritie wyll stoutely followe in the selfesame rare of godlynesse It happeneth I wote not how that the vertue whiche procéedeth from Princes and greate men casteth forthe farre and néere an incredible brightenesse and as yée would say beames whereby it both rouzeth vp a great number and also allureth them to mutation And euen as wittie Paynters doe choose out all the welfauouredst bodyes they can come by and do lay to gette Tables that haue bin aforehande curiously wroughte by the cunningest Artificers of their occupation to the intente they may drawe forthe and expresse them wyth theyr pencill and couloures so likewise suche men as are of a noble courage and especially of an honourable stocke and Parentage do much more willingly and desirously learne vertue of their equals than of anye other sortes of men besydes whatsoeuer Wherefore I most humbly pray and beséech youre Highnesse to take well in worth my good wyll and meaning héerein The King euerlasting immortall inuisible and GOD onely wise vnto whome alone all honour and glory is due vouchsafe through IESVS CHRIST his sonne to informe your mind with his holy Spirite to good gouernement and to guide and defende you to the ende Farewell moste noble Prince The Ides of march M.D.LXI Of the reading and dayly meditation of the holy Scriptures very requisite and necessarie for all Christians of what estate or condition soeuer The first Booke ALl doe agree in this that Man differeth from other Creatures in vnderstanding and reason But if we shall procéede further and enquire wherein a Christian Godly man may be discerned from an vnchristian and vngodly man verily I do not see what fitter aunswere may be made than in the knowledge if GOD and in the studie of accomplishing his will. For as touching the wicked and vngodly man eyther hee is altogither ignorante of GOD his maker and Creator and vtterly voyde of the knowledge of his wil for else if he can giue any iudgement thereof at all yet is he moued in the meane time with no desire of
hym Soone after hauyng gotten oportunitie hee adioyned to hymselfe certaine Merchaunts of Rome by the help of whom he beganne there to gather companies togither after the maner of Christians and with greate courage and sinceritie of mind to preach the Gospell vnto them To bee shorte throughe his long and continuall exhortations hee broughte to passe that the inhabitantes of all that Countrey were instructed in the misteries of oure Religion and professed with greate reuerence Iesus Christe to be their only sauiour In the Chapters next immeddiatly folowing in the same writers we reade That a certaine seely Christian woman whilest being captiue among the Iberians they are people neare vnto Fontus toward the Northe and the sea Euxinus shee was grieuouslye tormented with the continuall lothsomnesse of the prison labouring with harty prayers vnto God and fastings became shortly after very famous through hyr wonderful and very Apostolicall vertues Especially she was renoumed for the power of working signes wonders and besides shee taught the chiefe pointes of Christian religion with so great a grace and dexteritie that al might well wonder at it in that sexe but none follow it or come neare vnto it Nowe as shee excelled in bothe kindes so shee preuayled in shorte space so far forth by hir singular diligence and fidelitie that she brought the king the Queene and all their subiectes to the knowlege of the true God of our sauiour IESVS CHRIST Moreouer shee caused temples to bee builded wherein the people mighte religously meete togither and procured ambassadours to be sente to the Romayne Emperour that godlye Constantine to require of him teachers such as shoulde be meete to forwarde so holy a worke The Emperour hauing receyued this message was rauished with no lesse ioye and gladnesse then if he had gotten by hys owne pollicye and puissance some new kingdomes and vnknowne prouinces to be adioyned to the Romayne state and therewithal picking out many chosen men for the purpose excelling both in sinceritie of life and doctrine he commaunded them with all speede to hasten thither Furthermore Nicephorus Callistus writeth in the eight booke and fiue and thirtith Chapter of his Ecclesiasticall Historie that by one Gregory whom after manye iniuries and sundrye tormentes Tiâ—idates king of the Armenians hadde kepte by the space of fourteene yeares togither in a deepe and filthy dungeon al Armenia was happily drawen to forsake Idolatrie and to worship the one and eternall GOD in the Faithe of IESVS CHRIST And in the 33. Chapter he pronounceth generally that the warres which the Romaines helde wyth the Barbarians especially vnder the Empire of Gallienus and thenceforth gaue oftimes occasion wherby Christian religion was spread abroade farre and neare when as the prisoners which the Barbarians toke of the Romaynes and caried home to theyr houses became afterwarde vnto them faithfull teachers of wholesome doctrine of Christ IOHN Zonaras a Gréeke writer recordeth that at what tyme the Bulgarians warred continually without ceassing againste the Constantinopolitans it fortuned that they toke a certaine noble Damosell whyche being eftsoones brought to Constantinople profited beyonde all mens expectation in good learning and in the doctrine of our religion But when as afterwarde truce or peace being concluded on both sides this sayde Damosell was returned home againe into hir Countrey shée perswaded the king of Bulgarians whose sister shée was although our men knew not so muche to submitte himselfe with all his people to CHRIST the LORD This came to passe about the yeare after our saluation purchased by Christe 866 what time the soueraigntie of Constantinople was in the handes of Michaell the sonne of Theophilus I hadde almoste ouerskipped that whyche Cassiodorus booke tenne Chapter eight of his Tripartite Historie and Nicephorus Callistus in his booke fourtéenth and Chapter eigtéene haue lefte in writing namely that whilest Isdegardis raigned among the Persians there were sente ambassades for diuerse causes oftner than at anye tyme before from the Romaines to the Persians and againe from the Persians to the Romaynes Nowe whilest there wente often thyther from the Romaynes men learned and very zealous of Christian religion vnto whom also was twice adioyned Maruthas bishop of Mesopotamia it was broughte to passe by theyr modesty vertue holynesse and vehement exhortations that no small number of the Persians began to reuereÌ„ce our religion and by little and little wholy to imbrace it whervpon afterward it was permitted to the beléeuers to appoint Churches or congregations to dedicate for euer Temples vnto Christ You sée therefore by what means those forraine countries contrary to al mens expectation were set at quiet with our men through the séeds of Christian doctrine sown among barbarous people how happily our religion grewe vp in processe of time brought forth most ioyfull fruites But the matter coulde neuer haue come to that passe if in those captiue Laie men in Frumentius I saye the ladde in the poore séely woman in the miserable and desolute Gregory in the noble Virgin in the Merchants trauelling through al quarters for traffike in the Ambassadors notable for their godly knowlege in others of like estate coÌ„dition there had not bin before they were transported into those Countries a meane vnderstanding of Gods holye misteries therewithall also a certaine wonderful dexteritie in expressing the sense meaning of their minds where-throughe wilde and barbarous natures mought haue bin méeked mollified and turned There was no Christian in those dayes but was fully persuaded of this that he had manfully to labour for his owne parte to prouide so much as in him lay that the bounds of ChristiaÌ„ religion might bée exteÌ„ded stretched forth to Gods glory And it was the coÌ„mon opinion of all meÌ„ that by the simple exposition of the principles of ChristiaÌ„ doctrine by Faith Lowlinesse Modesty by the duties of Loue Charitie a man might more preuaile with the barbarous people than by any other meanes beside whatsoeuer And truelye so it is indéede Long fierce and bloudy warres haue Christian Princes foughten in our and in oure fathers remembrance wyth the cruell Turkes often inuasions haue they made one into anothers borders horrible slaughters haue they committed on bothe sides they haue gotten perforce they haue troden vnder foote they haue distroyed all that euer is But who euer heard that anye Turke was so farre forth moued with these things that hée so muche as once thought to forsake his error and to imbrace our religion Agayne what honour or what glory hath redounded vnto GOD out of these mortall and bloudie battels Where on the other side if so be we by entreating modestly wisely of the dignity certaintie of our religioÌ„ should giue theÌ„ to vnderstaÌ„d that we sought neither for theyr goods nor their Castels nor their Cities but the health safetie of their soules I suppose that we should sooner this way come to a glorious victorie and such as would be acceptable
simply a Brightnesse or Cléerenesse and Thummim Innocencie Integritie Perfection Besides all thys the Prelates of the Christian Churches not intending to beare with so greate a reproche of ignoraunce and blindnesse haue put forthe dyuers and sundrye Cannons whereby they giue commaundement that such as are chosen to the gouernment of the Church in cace they be founde not sufficiently learned and especiallye ignorante of the holy Scriptures shoulde be remeued from their place and dignitie There are extante ouer and beside the Cannons of generall Councelles sundry prescriptes of Byshoppes sentences also and resolutions of certayne of the fathers as maye appeare Distinction 36.37.38 againe in the Decretalles as touchyng the election and power of the elected as touchyng the age and qualitie of those that are to receyue orders The Histories in like manner and Epistles of the Byshoppes doe testifye that some haue nowe and then bin deposed from the Ecclesiastical Ministery among whome was the Byshoppe of Catina deposed by Honorius the thirde of whome wée maye reade in the Decretals Can. Quamuis multa And vnlesse that euen in these our dayes also that laudable custome of excluding vnfitte and vnable Ministers maye as it were after long banishement be reduced into oure Churches it is not likely that theyr aucthoritie can any long time continue in safety Euery vnlearned ydeot do now offer themselues to the Ministery and are admitted wythoute any difference no lawfull triall beyng had before of theyr profyting in Diuine knowledge and being once admitted they then thinke that they are cocke sure as they saye and euen conclude wyth themselues that they can neuer afterwarde bée remoued By whyche reasons and consideration it is too too euident that they are bothe hardened in slouthfulnesse and in contempte as yée woulde saye of all good studies and exercises and also enboldened to atttempt and committe any euill and disorder whatsoeuer thoughe neuer so shamefull and desperate And certes I do not alittle maruaile oftetimes with my selfe that no Ministers of Churches in a manner can with so manye reasons hitherto aleadged â—ée rouzed vppe and prouoked to the loue and practise of the holy Scriptures They haue the manifest precepts of GOD they haue the exhortations promises threatnings of the Prophetes and Apostles they haue the decrées published in councelles by Byshoppes Moreouer they sée and perceyue that they are contemned and derided of all men for their ignoraunce they sée that they are troubled and ouercrowed of Laye menne and Heretikes whyche doe obiecte for themselues the Scriptures but for the moste parte wickedly wrested they sée a number of Churches vtterlye decayed and to be wythout possibilitie of any repayring or amending excepte sounde Doctrine be restored againe to hir former puritie they sée that they cannot gyue a fitte answere to those that aske a question and requyre anye counsell or comforte at their handes they sée finallye that they can by no meanes performe the thynges that pertayne to theyr office and callyng so long as they are destitute of the knowledge of the Propheticall and Apostolike doctrine I saye nothyng all thys whyle as touchyng the oportunitie of learnyng whyche nowe by the wonderfull goodnesse of GOD is offered euerye where in greate measure For GOD hathe vouchsafed to rayse vppe as a man woulde saye from Hell the studies of good Artes and Disciplines whyche were before euen as good as deade and of long tyme vtterly buryed barbarous Sophistry and vaine iangling subtilties doe no more kéep a quoyle in the Schooles as tofore they haue done againe in manye places the studies and exercises of Diuinitie are méetely well scowred from many corruptions so that men hauing ouersayled the maine Sea of colde questions and doubtes flowing from the sentences of Peter Lombard they are come directly to the cleare and swéete fountaines of the sacred Scripture moreouer in manye Countries and Regions the mindes aswell of the teachers as of the learners are effectually long since stirred vppe by Gods spirite to embrace and sette forth the holy Scriptures yea and the tongues prophecie and other spirituall giftes wherewyth it behoueth Churches to bée enlightned and adorned are séene dayly more and more as it were wyth full streame to breake in into them also to the furtheraunce hereof serue not alittle the godlye desires of a greate number of good menne and theyr incredible expectation as touchyng the reformation of the Churche Certainely they that with these and suche like reasons and argumentes féele not themselues to bée awaked and stirred vppe muste néedes bée verye senselesse and blockishe But if they doe féele the force of them and yet wyll not yéelde vnto them then muste they of necessitie bée verye wicked and insolent I for my parte woulde suppose them to bée intoxicate wyth nightshade or some suche like poyson and in verye déede to bée rightelye madde as Pâ—inie speaketh and to bée vtterlye bereafte of theyr righte minde For why that it is no small or light offence to neglecte the occasion offered to despise so manye and so excellent giftes of the holye Ghoste euerye one of you maye easilye consider thoughe I holde my peace The Ciuilians to the intente they maye gette commendation in their kinde of studies sticke not to spende whole twentye yeares togyther in the huge and intricate Volumes of the Imperiall Lawes It grieueth not the Phisitions to bestowe a good parte of theyr tyme in reading of Hipocrates and the tedious workes of Galen Where if it so were that they had al the rules of theyr profesion comprised in so small a Booke as is the holy Bible I beléeue verilye that they woulde then konne them all and euerye of them perfectlye at theyr fingers endes and wée shoulde sée those I mean the Lawyers to be able out of hand and quickly and as it were wyth one breathe to recite the lawes bothe olde and newe and these namely Phisitions no lesse promptely and readily to repeate Aphorismes and preceptes as touchyng any matter propounded or fallyng into question whatsoeuer Those that woulde gladly be counted Ciceronians doe as wée maye sée apply themselues continually to the Bookes of Cicero and often tymes reade them al ouer not slightly and by startes but wyth so great attention and indeuour as that they obserue not onely the matters but also euerye word and sentence and as well the sense and meaning as also the order and placing of them Whiche trauaile and diligence though it bée very painefull and not greately néedefull to the ordering of the Church or Common weale yet we sée that it is verye well lyked and approued of all learned men If then the case standeth thus why doe not those that oughte to be Doctors and Teachers of Christian Churches vse the lyke diligence in learning the small yea easie and passable worke of the holy Bible by the opening whereof not onelye Churches but also common weales may verye muche be furthered and holpen A foule shame is it for Ministers of
It may very truely bée sayde that it lyeth for the most parte in vs that a thing be made to be eyther easie or hard The gate vnto well doing is alwayes open so that we our selues do not shutte it vp or of our owne accord turne aside from it But I heare incontinently one that sayth vnto mée the reading whiche you so greately vrge hathe no little laboure and painefulnesse in it further it requyreth good leysure and oportunitie Verily to the intent I maye cutte off whatsoeuer appertayneth to thys excuse I will indeuoure in fewe wordes to shewe howe a man maye prouide that in reading hée shall féele neither laboure nor yrkesomnesse then next that it is not so harde a matter to finde both leysure and oportunity I will in one worde declare that whiche maye séeme sufficient Bring with thée to the reading of holy thyngs a godlye and willing minde and thou haste in effecte vtterly remoued all manner of incombraunces There are some diseases if we maye beléeue Galen writing De locis adfectis lib. 3. Cap. 6. in whyche the powers of the senses are so damnified and hurte that the patientes for so muche as they are continuallye attached wyth a kynde of heauinesse and feare doe imagine whatsoeuer they sée to be sharpe bitter and altogyther agaynste them wherefore they haue in suspition and ielousy all thynges that are done or sayde and doe eschue and abhorre the presence and company of men but yet after a while they are healed and deliuered froÌ„ thys maladie Euen in like case saye I the reading of the Scriptures séemeth harde and painefull vnto thée bycause forsooth thou doest so imagine it to be some euill spirite peraduenture beguiling and bewitching thy senses but the same no doubte will become swéete easie yea and pleasaunte also vnto thée when by the helpe of the holye Ghoste thou hast cast from thy mind that imagination And to what ende I beséeche you shoulde anye man thus colourably pretende these thinges sith wée maye sée daylye a greate number that thinke not the time long a whit when they reade the long and tedious tales stuffed wyth lies of certayne old Gréekes and the fantasticall Asse of Apuleius and the fonde dotages of Lucian I saye nothing al this whyle of the most vaine figmentes of Florandus Syr Lancelot Syr Tristram king Arthur the foure sonnes of Aymon of Magelona Melucina the rounde table I speak nothing of Amorous or rather venemous books ouerflowing in lasciuiousnesse and vncleanesse of the hundred Nouels of vnsauerie and ribaldly â—estes and of other dregges of like stampe whiche it were far better to be abolished with fire the so ofte times to be putte forth in print And in these toyes whylest Courtiers whylest noble men noble women yong men maydes whilest the worshipfull whilest the common sorte of men do spend certaine houres in the fore noone certaine in the afternoone again some after supper and oftimes a greate parte of the night there is not so much as one word whispered as touching any labour or pain in reading but as well the eyes as the eares yea and mindes both of the reader and also of the whole company sitting about him do abide intentiuely fixed vpon these trifles and neyther the noyse of the houshold nor the comming in of others can possibly breake off the base and loude-sounding voyce of the speaker And moreouer the labour of reading if at leastwise it deserueth to be called labour thou mayst now then diuide with the residue of thy familie so that thou that art gouernour of the house mayst read one while another while some one of thy company another while thy sonne or thy daughter another while thy wife another whyle some other in the house that can skill of reading As in other actions so in this also may one not without a cause succéede another resembling as a man wold say Hercules who as the Poets imagine rescued wearye Atlas by bearing vp heauen with hys shoulders Neyther truely oughte it to séeme a thing straunge or remoued from the vsage of the godly to commitet the office of reading and recyting holy bookes vnto wiues children seruaunts and other in the house Again if the reading of the scriptures be fitly pointed out and distinguished into certaine peculiar houres as it is expedient it should be then maist thou haue sufficient space both to breath in and also to recouer the powers of thyne eyes the sight whereof peraduenture is dazeled or of thy voyce if it be thy hap to read in the presence of other and this mayst thou doe albeit thou hast determyned to pervse ouer dayly many Chapters Moreouer there is no let to the contrarie but that thou mayst now and then to auoyde yrkesomnesse chaunge places For thou mayst very wel reade in thy chamber when as eyther thou risest in the morning or goest to bed at night in the Churche when there is eyther nothing or very little out of the Scriptures as it oftimes commeth to passe red or expounded to the people in thy parlour so long as thy dinner or supper is in makyng readie vntill thou be about to take thy meate whilest the dishes are brought too or carried from the table in thy Studie in thy garden to be short wheresoeuer thou wilt and art disposed Saint Augustine euen before the time of hys Baptisme reade with great feruencie and at all times and in euery place the holy bookes hée disputed as touching the sayings of the Prophetes and Apostles He reporteth in the 8. booke and 6. Chapter of his Confessions that he read Paules Epistles at the table Chap. 22. that he tooke in hand oft times the new Testamente in his Ortchard where he hearde once a voyce froÌ„ heauen saying vnto him Take read Wherby hée was vehemently moued prouoked to imbrace Christian religion as he recordeth also in other places moe Again being awaked in the night in the morning after dinner after supper and one while alone another while with his most swéete companions Licentius Trigetius Nauigius Alipius Nebridius and others he vsually and often and with an incredible desire of learning conferred as teaching the word of god By these meanes therefore the difficultly and tediousnesse if any be thought to spring out of reading is easilye eyther diminished or vtterly takeÌ„ away For as the mouth that is out of taste can not away with anye meate thoughe neuer so deintie and holesome but when it is recouered is refreshed there with and can scarcely be satisfied so when a man beginneth first to read the holy scriptures he quickly loatheth them but when he hath once tasted the swéetenesse of the spirituall doctrine then he féeleth dayly more and more all things to become more pleasant acceptable vnto him and then singeth he with the Psalmist How sweete are thy testimonies to my throate yea they are sweeter than hony to my mouth But it remayneth nowe that we shewe howe and
to the xi day before Easter lette the fiue bookes of Moses be read From the fifteenth day before Easter to the Supper of the Lord the Prophet Ieremy From the Octaues of Easter to the Octaues of Pentecoste the Apocalyps the Actes of the Apostles the Canonicall Epistles From the eyght daye beefore Pentecost to the Calendes of August the bookes entituled of the Kings and Paralipomenon From the firste Sonday of August to the Calendes of September the Bookes attributed to Salomon namely the Prouerbs and Ecclesiastes the Booke of Wisedome and Ecclesiasticus From the firste Sondaye of September to the Calendes of October Iob Tobias Esther Ezras of some is added also Iudith From the first Sonday of Nouember to the Calendes of December Ezechiel Daniel and the twelue small prophets From the firste Sondaye of December to the natiuitie of the Lorde Esay From the firste Sonday following the natiuitie of the Lorde to Septuagesima the Epistles of S. Paule the Apostle These Bookes therfore among whiche notwithstanding we sée some â—o be placed of the Bishops which the olde purer Church acknowledged not for Canonicall and againe some whiche are reckned in the Canon to be pretermitted were vsually read and expounded of readers whâ—n and at suche time as the faithfull come togither in the morning and oft times before dailight We gather hereby a most certaine argument as touching the prayers which they call morning prayers and are yet still in vse in many Churches and in whiche certaine parcels oute of the Bookes of the olde Testament are vsually read Againe the Bookes of the Euangelistes concerning the doctrine and doyngs of Christe they did in like maner and peraduenture in the time of Euening praier reade ouer and expounde But now in these daies this practise is vtterly worne out of Churches only the beginnings or parcels of certaine Bookes are slightly tasted of a nuÌ„ber of newe-founde and vnnecessary songs being brought in cleane contrarye to the decrées of the auntient fathers as in déede many other things moe in time paste holesomly ordeined we sée now either vtterly to be decaied or wonderfully to be peruerted and corrupted And ther is now no place left so muche as to the bookes of the Euangelists that they might be red ouer once in a yere but on the sondayes onlye certaine Histories out of theÌ„ are by piecemeale picked out whereas of our auncestours the Euangelicall bookes especially were wonte to be expounded wholye without interruption to the people I graunt indéede that in some places in the holy feastes chiefely of Easter and Whitsontide and likewise at the Natiuitie of the Lord for as much as then commonly those that had profited sufficiently in the doctrine of the Cathechisme or in the principles of Christian religion were with great preparation and to the incredible reioycement of all the godly baptized the interpretation of the holy booke begun and not ended was a little intermitted and left off and the mysteries of the natiuitie and resurrection of CHRIST of the sending of the holye GHOST also the doctrine as touching the vse of Baptisme diligeÌ„tly declared But assoone as those holy dayes were past it was prouided that the same bookes should agayne be taken in hande and continued whych thyng Sainct Augustine doth not obscurely signifye in the beginning of his exposition of the Epistle of Saint Iohn But to what purpose is it to stande longer in these things When as ofte therefore as I beholde consider the diligeÌ„ce example of the fathers me thinketh verylye that it were no harde matter to finde a meane whereby eueÌ„ nowe also anye manne maye once or oftner in a yeares space reade ouer the whole Bible or certaine bookes of it according as he himselfe shal thinke good For there is no lette to the contrary but that a man may appoint this lawe vnto himselfe namelye to pervse ouer the holy bookes in the selfesame order and time that as we declared euen now they are reckened and distinguished in by Gâ—eâ—iâ—n Euery man may easily obserue that forme and order that is of him prescribed But for so much peraduenture as that order and disposition wil not be liked of all men wherein be recounted some bookes whiche are not in the Canon and againe othersome that being Canonicall and right worthy to be read are omitted I meane the volumnes of the foure Euangelistes and the Psalmes of Dauid wée as by the pointing of a finger will shewe another way and that truely more easie and more certaine as comprehending all the Canonicall bookes and likewise least any man should complayne the residue also called Apocrypha Go too therefore first of all lette vs place by themselues the Canonicall bookes according as they are of the auntient Hebrues and also of the Gréekes and Latines but especially of OrigeÌ„ Epiphanius Hilarius Hierome Augustine and the counsel of Loadicea digested and sette downe and withall let vs mark into how many Chapters euery booke is diuided These bookes following belong to the olde Testament Genesis hath Chapters 50 Exodus hath Chapters 40 Leuiticus hath Chapters 27 Numeri hath Chapters 36 Deutronomy hath Chapters 34 Iosua hath Chapters 24 Chronicles 1. hath Chapters 29 Chronicles 2. hath Chapters 36 Ezra 1. hath Chapters 10 Ezra 2. hath Chapters 13 Esther hath Chapters 9 Esay hath Chapters 66 Iudges hath Chapters 21 Ruth hath Chapters 4 Samuel 1. hath Chapters 3â— Samuel 2. hath Chapters 24 Kings 1. hath Chapters 22 Kings 2. hath Chapters 25 Ieremy hath Chapters 52 Lamentations hath Chapters 4 Ezechil hath Chapters 48 Daniel hath Chapters 12 Hosea hath Chapters 14 Ioel hath Chapters 3 Amos hath Chapters 9 Abdias Conteyneth Chapters 1 Ionas Conteyneth Chapters 4 Micheas Conteyneth Chapters 8 Nahum Conteyneth Chapters 3 Habacuc Conteyneth Chapters 3 Sophony Conteyneth Chapters 3 Haggeus Conteyneth Chapters 2 Zacharie Conteyneth Chapters 14 Malachie Conteyneth Chapters 4 Psalt hath psal Chap. 150 Iob hath psal Chap. 42 Prouerbs hath psal Chap. 31 Ecclesiastes hath psal Chap. 12 Song of SalomoÌ„ hath psal Chap. 8 Out of all these bookes a man maye lawfullye fetche proofes and allegations to fortify and confyrme the doctrine of religion and they are in authoritie before the other bookes and fragments which are called Apocrypha and be in lesse price wherefore we shall not without good cause bestowe our greatest care and diligence in reading and learning of the same Therefore in this wise and order I iudge they maye once or oftner in a yeares space readilye and without trouble be red Now I holde best that we take our beginning at the Psalter and that it be reade apart yea sometimes read againe by reason of the manifolde profite and vtilitie thereof For it is manifest that in it is contained as yée woulde saye an Epitome or abridgement of the whole Scripture Therefore there is offred alwayes in it that which maye profitablye be learned there commeth alwayes next to hande something whereby the minde in
so great plentye and varietie of things maye be refreshed and therefore is the one only booke of the Psalmes before al other thought worthy to bée learned yea and to be kaÌ„ned by hart of all men This booke moreouer consisteth of prayers prepared for euerye euent and purpose of thankesgiuing it minstreth doctrine of greate importaunce and excelleÌ„cie there be in it exhortations sharpe and seuere it aboundeth with most swéete consolations yea al things are so handled and deliuered in it that in euerye parte thereof both the glorie of GOD is celebrated and set forth and the minde of man informed to godlynesse of life and conuersation Wherefore euen they also are wonte that absteyne froÌ„ other books of holy scripture not vnwillingly to exercise themselues in reading reciting dayly both morning and euening certaine of the Psalmes Which things séeing they are thus we do not without good cause and consideratioÌ„ set down our aduertisement apart by it selfe as touching the reading and substanciall learning of the Psalmes Now the Psalmes doe amount in number to a hundred and fifty and the whole yeare consisteth of two fiftie wéekes one day If therfore thou be disposed to reade ouer the booke of Psalmes once in a yeares space thou shalt read euery wéeke thrée Psalmes so shal there remayn two wéeks to spare or if thou wilt thou maist pervse only two Psalmes in euery of the last 6. wéekes But if thou be determined to read ouer the Psalmes twice in one yeare then shalt thou reade euery wéeke sixe Psalmes which will most conueniently be done if thou repeate euery day after the Lords day one Psalme Howbeit so againe will be left two wéekes voyde vnlesse peraduenture it liketh thée in euerye of the foure laste wéekes to reade only thrée Psalmes Where if incase now by obseruing the selfsame order thou wilt recite euerye wéeke nine Psalmes then shalte thou reade ouer the whole Psalter thrice in one yeare vsing a Prouiso in the meane time that in some of the latter wéekes thou distribute the number of the Psalmes according to the proportion specified in the premisses Albeit thou mayst also in suche wise diuide and participate this labour as namely in one wéeke thou mayst recytâ— eight Psalmes and in an other nine and so goe on with like proportion to the reste and at the length thou shalt perceyue fiftéene Psalmes to be kept in store to the last wéeke Last of all when thou shalt be minded to reade ouer the booke of Psalmes foure times in a yeare it is requisite that thou reade euerye wéeke eleuen Psalmes and in euery of the foure last wéekes fiftéene Psalmes and so there will remayne one only daye frée from reading Thou séest therefore an easye and open waye whereby thou mayste in twelue monthes space reade ouer the whole booke of the Psalmes once or twice or thrice or fouretimes euen as thou lyst thy selfe And is this so greate and troublesome a labour wherein thou accustomest to saye thrée Psalmes in a wéeke or euery daye one or two Psalmes and the one perhaps in steade of a prayer in the morning when thou risest and the other at nighte when thou goest to bed Let vs procéed now in like maner to the other bookes called Canonicall There are founde in these seauen hundred thréescore and seaâ—entéene Chapters Wherfore if a man wil reade euery wéeke fiftéene Chapters he shal dispatch al bookes which a litle before we numbred once in a yeares space and there shall remayne two dayes onlye to spare And it will be a very easye matter to dispatch the reading of fiftéene Chapters if in some one day of the seauen thou repeate thrée Chapters and in euery of the rest twayne Who is hée therefore that can iustly complayne that hée hath euen by this meanes an ouer heauye and importable burthen layde vpon him Nowe then as it shall please thée to multiply the number of the Chapter so will it be easye for thée to accompte how and in what order thou maist in a yeares spaces pervse ouer either twice or thrice all the bookes of the old Testament But in what estimation sayeth some man shall the bookes called Apocrypha be had Shall it be good to spende any time in reading of them also Why shoulde wée not say I whensoeuer oportunitie serueth euen extraordinarily reade them Or if it please thée to applye the reading of them to certaine peculiar tymes appointed there is no let but thou mayst do it Let vs therfore rehearse as well the names as Chapters of the sayde bookes and fragments Tobias hath Chapters 14 Iudith hath Chapters 16 Susanna hath Chapters 1 Bell dragon hath Chapters 1 Song of the threée children hath Chapters 1 Fragmentes of Esther hath Chapters 8 Ezra 3. hath Chapters 9 Ezra 4. hath Chapters 16 Machabees 1. hath Chapters 16 Machabees 2. hath Chapters 15 Baruch hath Chapters 6 Wisedome hath Chapters 19 Ecclesiasticus hath Chapters 51 The summe of the Chapters amounteth to a hundered thréescorne and thirtéene Reade therefore euerye wéeke thrée Chapters but the laste wéeke of the yeare saue one tenne Chapters and the laste of all thirtéene and thou shalt verye well dispatche all the whole matter But there is no cause as I haue also admonished before why thou shouldest bestow so much study in these as in those which the church hath long agone auouched to bée Canonicall Nowe it is requisite that we speake of the Bookes of the newe Testament And they are in this order by a receyued custome which no man wil lightly finde fault with placed and disposed Mathew Contayning Chapters 28 Marke Contayning Chapters 16 Luke Contayning Chapters 24 Iohn Contayning Chapters 21 Actes of the Apostles Contayning Chapters 28 Epistle of S. Paul to the Romaines Contayning Chapters 16 To the Corinthians the first Contayning Chapters 16 To the Corinthians the seconde Contayning Chapters 13 To the Galathians Contayning Chapters 6 To the Ephesians Contayning Chapters 6 To the Philippians Contayning Chapters 4 To the Colossians Contayning Chapters 4 To the Thessalonians the first Contayning Chapters 5 To the Thessalonians the secoÌ„d Contayning Chapters 3 To Timothy the first Contayning Chapters 6 To Timothy the second Contayning Chapters 4 To Titus Contayning Chapters 3 To Philemon Contayning Chapters 1 To the Hebrues Contayning Chapters 13 The Epistle of Iames Contayning Chapters 5 Of Peter the first Contayning Chapters 5 Of Peter the second Contayning Chapters 3 Of Iohn the first Contayning Chapters 5 Of Iohn the second Contayning Chapters 1 Of Iohn the third Contayning Chapters 1 Of Iude Contayning Chapters 1 Apocalyps Contayning Chapters 22 The Chapters in all are two hundred thrée score For in what place the Epistles of Peter the seconde of Iohn the seconde and thirde and one of Iude deserue to be put I do not nowe dispute who professe my selfe to followe the common opinion or rather custome Now if thou readest euery wéeke in the Newe Testament fiue Chapters thou shalt go