Churches if so be they suffer theÌ„selues to be ouercome in the exercise of reading of Lawyers Phisitions Orators Oh howe truly and grauely is it sayde of Byshoppe Leo the firste in hys Epistle 22. to the Cleargie and people of Constantinople If Ignoraunce seeme intollerable in the Laitie then howe muche more is it vnworthye eyther of excuse or pardon in those that haue the ouersighte of Churches But it is not néedefull that wée shoulde stande longer in handling of thys cause woulde GOD the things that wée haue presentlye touched myghte bée well layde vppe and faste fixed in memorye and then at least-wise some Ministers of Churches woulde wyth these reasons whyche wée haue alleadged bée rouzed vppe and indeuoure to become not onelye readers of the holye Scriptures themselues but also Readers and Expounders of the same vnto others But wée muste not thinke that hereby it is proued that those whyche they call Laie menne are by the like reason discharged and maye passe theyr tyme wythout the pervsing and vnderstandyng of the holye Scriptures For wiselye didde Byshoppe Leo of whome wée hearde euen nowe ioyning the cause of the Laitie wyth the cause of the Ministers of the Churche determine that ignorance of the Scriptures is intollerable euen in Layemenne also Truelye they are verye fonde that doe thus reason The Pastors of Churches oughte continuallye to bée occupyed in reading the word of GOD therefore the Laitie néede not so to doe These men shoulde haue remembred that some dueties are for iuste and wayghtye causes so inioyned to a certaine kynde of menne as thoughe they agréed peculiarlye vnto them alone when as in the meane tyme by reason they are directed vnto Vertue that is to Faith Hope and Charitie they are common to moe yea to all menne vniuersallye wythoute exception and agayne they shoulde haue considered that for iuste causes and considerations certayne vices are in such wise forbidden as thoughe a peculiar sorte of menne onelye oughte to beware of them and yet in verye déede they are forbidden indifferentlye to all But by examples produced wée shall bring to passe that euerye manne maye perceiue it to be true that wée saye The fifte commaundement in the Decalogue séemeth to prescribe onely vnto them of Obedience whose naturall parentes of whome they are begotten bée aliue Honour sayth it thy Faaher and thy Mother But yet no man can deny that in the self same precept it is commaunded that all inferiour persons generallye shoulde yéelde honour and obedience to their superiors For why al muste obey the Magistrates and the Prelates of Churches againe Wardes must obey theyr Gardians Disciples their Tutors Souldiours theyr Capitaine Craftsmen theyr Craftsmayster Marriners theyr Pylot Seruantes and Handmaydens their Maisters and Maistresses and so forth of other degrées But namely and especiallye the example is set downe as touchyng chyldren forasmuche as in them it is conuenient that a greater obedience doe shine forth than in any others In the seauenth commaundement GOD forbiddeth that anye man shoulde breake Wedlocke or commit Adultry Some man perhaps therefore would thinke that it is meante onelye of them that are maried and that Adultry and not Fornication whyche is properly of them that are single and vnmaryed is condemned But we learne partly out of Histories partly oute of the holy sayings of the Scriptures that al carnall company of man and woman out of lawful Wedlocke that is to saye not marryed togyther according to GODS ordinaunce is forbidden and as well Fornication as Adultry howsoeuer they be extinguished are punished of GOD alike 1. Corinth 6 Hebr. 13. But it pleased the holy Ghoste to giue forth this commaunment in suche a forme of wordes for that whereas all men and women oughte to be embracers of Cleanesse and Chastitie yet oughte marryed folkes inespecially to be giuen therevnto Hebr. 13. In like maner Exod. â—8 23 Leuit. 19. It is commaunded that suche Iudges shoulde be ordeyned as feare GOD as are louers of the truth and as are frée from couetousnesse Nowe these things are not so required of Iudges as though it were lawfull for other men to doe the contrarie without controlement but for so muche as when GOD requireth those vertues of all yet he woulde haue them to be séene especially in Iudges Of the same sorte it is that the Apostle 1. Timoth. 3. willeth suche a one to bee chosen Bishop as is vnreproueable the husbande of one wife sober not giuen to ouermuch Wine no fighter Nowe shall a man leaning vpon these wordes cauill and saye that it is lawfull for other whiche are no Bishops to defile themselues with the dregges of all manner of vncleanesse to be caried away wyth wandring lustes to be desguised with drinke and surcharged with Wine not to bridle their furie to flye vppon others with their fistes féete staues kniues and with whatsoeuer else commeth next to hande No but wée must vnderstande that there are required in all men maners vnreproueable chast sober discrete peaceable and that Bishops ought for these vertues to be commended and well spoken of before others After the same manner therefore must we interprete that the Ministers of Churches ought in déede of all other most diligently to searche and ransacke the Bookes of holye Scripture as to whose dutie it belongeth to teache the whole multitude but not so that the Laitie therefore are to be restreyned from the felowship thereof nay rather that the precepte as touching the reading of the Scriptures doe apperteyne to them also and that they ought to labour so far forth in accomplishâ—ng of it 〈◊〉 they may both more easilie vnderstand the publike teachers and also be able after a sort to instruct and 〈◊〉 at the least those of their owne householdes 〈…〉 â—es Wherefore the Apostle whiche willed Tiâ—â—â—â—â— and with him all the Ministers of Churches 1. Tim 4. to applye himselfe busilie to the reading of the Scriptures the same also commaundeth Coloss 3. men of all states and conditions to teach and admonish one another through the word of CHRIST dwelling in them And in the old Testament the only Tribe of Leuie had power and authoritie to deale with the Priesthode with the Sacrifices with the holy rites and to interprete the Lawe of GOD but yet to reade the holye Scriptures and likewise publikely to teach them when oportunitie serued it was left frée to euery mans choice and vnto all the Tribes indifferently to do it For why that there haue come forthe no small number of Prophets euen out of other Tribes also Epiphanius declareth in his Booke De vitis Prophetarum and Christ being descended of the Tribe of Iuda taughte openly in the Temple and in the Sinagogs no man forbidding him Paule in like sorte of the tribe of Beniamin was required oft times very curteously of the chiefe of the Iewes to speake vnto the people So then albeit it be verye requisite and necessarie that in euery felowship societie of men there
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
togither let vs giue good heede to the things that are read that hauing reaped the greater fruite thereby we maye so depart And not much after he addeth That wee oughte so to giue our selues to the studies of holye Scripture as that we maye haue things not only sufficient for our owne vse but what also wee maye minister vnto others as well sayth he in reforming of our wiues children and seruants as also of our neyghbours friends and enimies For such is the nature of spiritual doctrines that they may be propounded in common to al there is no diuersitie in them except it be when one bringeth a minde more attentiuely bente than another and whē one surmounteth another with a more feruente desire c. Neyther can I ouerpasse the chiding speache or expostulation that the same holye father in his thirtéenth Homily vppon the Gospell of Iohn sometyme vsed although it be somewhat long and tedious Let vs blushe sayeth he and be ashamed the woman that had had fiue husbandes and was a Samaritane vseth so greate diligēce in learning that shee coulde neyther in the time of the daye nor by any other lettes or occasions be withdrawn from the doctrine of Iesus Whereas wee doe not onlye not enquire after any thyng that might tende to oure instruction in heauenly things but also are verye carelesse in all thynges and alwayes like affected and therefore passe for no manner of thyng that good is Which of vs I praye you when hee commeth home taketh in hande anye worke worthy of a Christian who searcheth for the meaning of the Scriptures None truely but as for dice and tables we finde them commonly bookes verye seldome which yet if any haue they keepe as though they hadde them not close in theyr Coffers or else all theyr studye consistes in setting forth the leaues and couers and in making the letters beautifull to the eye not to the intent to reade them neyther to gette any profite by them but to vaunte of their riches to shewe their ambition therefore studye they in them So greate is their vaine glorie I heare of no ambitious person that vnderstandeth his booke but hee is in loue onely with the glittering glose of the golden letters What gaine call yee this I beseeche you The Scriptures are not therefore giuen vs that we should haue them in bookes alone but that we shoulde engraue them in our heartes Therefore this outwarde possession of bookes is a token of the ambitiousnesse of the Iewes to whom the commaundemēts were giuen in letters to vs are they not so giuen but in fleshly tables of the heart Howbeit I forbidde no manne to buye bookes but I admonishe and with all my heart desire that we may buye them yet so as we maye oft times ponder both the letters and their meanings in our mindes and by thys meanes haue a pure minde wrought within vs For if in what house so euer the Gospell be there the Diuel dare not enter then how muche lesse power shall the Diuell or Sinne haue ouer that soule that is acquainted with it by continuall readings Sanctify therefore they soule san̄ctifye thy body this shall come to passe if thou haue alwayes the Gospell both in thy heart and tongue Where if the filthinesse of thy tong defyleth the soule if it call vppon Diuels it is euident that by spirituall reading the same is sanctified and the grace of the holy Ghost abundantly powred into it The Scriptures be as it were diuine charmes From them let vs fetch a remedy for our griefe for the maladies of our soule the vtilitie wherof if we would consider we should with attentiuenes apply oure study in them These things I oftentimes touch Is it not a thing very preposterous that common market menne shoulde beare in minde the names of Cartars and Dauncers their kinds countreis actions maners and tell likewise of the prowesse of horses and what euerye one coulde doe and they that come hither goe their wayes knowing nothing at all no not so muche as the number of the holy Bookes Thus muche hath this most excellent Preacher questionlesse in that place who in other places also ofte times singeth the selfe same song as in verye déede that song is neuer thoughte to be oute of season whych is acceptable to the eares of all men especiallye of suche as are skilfull in Musicke and is of it selfe verye swéete and delectable for in his two and fiftith Homilie vppon Iohn he againe wisheth all men to haue the Bookes of holye Scripture in their houses and diligentlye to peruse them throughe In hys fourtéenth Homilie hée requireth greate diligence to be bestowed in searching of the Scriptures And euerye where in the beginnings of hys Sermons and likewise in the latter endes or perorations hée entreateth of the manifolde vse of the Scriptures Vppon whyche occasion hée eftesoones vrgeth requyreth enforceth and pricketh forwarde all menne that whensoeuer oportunitie shall serue they woulde as well at home as abroade conferre togither of the doctrine of godlynesse that they would as touching doubtfull places both aske the opinion of others and also now and then shew their owne iudgement that they would draw this practise as a custome and perpetually kéepe it in vre But what if yée shoude haue hearde Chrysostome himselfe vttering his owne words for let it be lawfull to me I beséeche you to vsurpe the selfesame words of this mā that Aeschines sometimes did of Demosthenes whome he enuied onely for desire of glorie Albeit we haue this priuiledge after a sort graunted vnto vs euen to heare hym also whylest the things whiche he moste swéetely pronounced in the chiefe Citie and seate of a most mightye Empire we may reade in Authētical writing published throughout the whole worlde euen in like sorte as the edictes and proclamations of kings and princes are out of one notable place heard a farre off and take effect in all prouinces But least any man shoulde suppose that the Gréeke writers and Doctours of the East Churches whome otherewise some affirme let them sée with what iudgemēt and with what right they speake it to disagrée and erre in many things from the Latines and west Churches were only and altogither of this minde heare I beséech you likewise the voyces of the Latine writers as touching the selfe same cause What accompt makest thou of Hierom what of Augustine Thou grauntest them I am sure to be of the number of the chiefe and principall Diuines Then marke what Hierome hathe noted vppon those wordes of the second Epistle to the Corinthians the thirtéenth Chapter Laste of al my brethren fare yee well bee perfect be of good comforte It is to be noted sayth he that writing to the whole Churche he telleth them they oughte to be perfite and that the Laitie ought one to exhort an other Again vpon those words of Paule to the Colossians Cap. 3. Let the word of Christ dwel in you Here it is shewed that
eueÌ„ to those that were ouercome than if we shoulde perpetuallye striue with them by the doubtefull dint of sword It falleth not out alwayes well on our sides when wée indeauor to driue away force perforce craft with craft and as it is sayde in the prouerbe one nayle with another It behoueth a wise man first to trye all things before hée fall to they hazard of battel But especially when the case concerneth the affayres of religion or the saluation of soules then of necessitie must swordes giue place to doctrine rage to reason crueltie to humanity warres to peace In the Counsell holden at Vienna a Citie of Gallia Narbonensis in the yeare 1310. it was ordeyned that in al the noblest vniuersities of Europe thâ—re should be maintained professors of the Arabicke tong whyche tongue it is certaine that the Turkes doe vse in their Ceremonies and this cannot I construe to be done for anye other cause or consideration than that our Countreymen mighte be prouided and enstructed aforehande to common and treate at one time or other with the Turkes especially in the cause of religion But it belongeth not to this place to search ouer busily how the Turkes being the sworne enimies of our religion maye be reduced to a better minde and conioyned with vs in rites and doctrine It shal be good rather to speake vnto those that do proudely challendge to themselues the surname of Christians and yet in the meane time of nothing are lesse carefull all theyr life long than of the knowledge of CHRIST out of the holy Scriptures Gladly therefore woulde I learne of you what mindes ye would be off what aduice ye woulde take if at anye time being helde Captiue vnder the yoke of the Turkes yée should be driuen to such a straight as that ye should be suffred neyther to haue any bookes nor yet to heare any Christian preachers Truely I praye vnto GOD that hée woulde vouchsafe to withholde so great a mischiefe froÌ„ the neckes of all Christians neuerthelesse séeing there is none of vs all that oughte to stande in feare of the same or not muche vnlike misfortune distresse there is good cause why euery man should at the least in thoughte consider and deuise with himselfe what he woulde doe if at any time he were in that estate Thou therefore being driuen into miserable bondage and perchaÌ„ce fast fettered in yrons if thou shouldest heare dayly villanous opprobries vomited out against the sacred name of CHRIST if thou shouldest heare al the parts of our religion to be shamefullye intreated and misused wyth tauntes and mockes if sundry arguments should dayly be obiected to carry thée away from godly sinceritie if thou shouldest continually be commpelled to sée heare and doe those things that are altogither vnméete for Christians that is to say for Godly vertuous minds tell me I pray thée how and by what meanes wouldst thou then confirme and establishe thy hearte in Faith how any by what meanes wouldest thou be comforted in the middest of so many temptations that from thy childhode neuer learnedst anye thing at all out of the Bookes of the Prophets and Apostles that mighte help thée therevnto I am sure and certayne whosoeuer will weigh and consider these things vprightely as is méete he shall be enforced to confesse that in very déede there is nothing more miserable than a Christian man oppressed and consumed in a manner wyth suche anguishes both of body and mind and all bycause he is vtterly destitute of all solace and coÌ„fort of GODS word For as muche therefore as it is very playne and euident that the diligence of Laie men in learning the holye Scriptures is verye requisite and necessarie as well to the conseruation of the succession of ministers in Churches as also most profitable and commodious to the adorning of Common Weales and to the amplifying or rather pacifying of Kingdomes and Empires Let all both Kings and Prelates not withoute good cause in a common Councell determine and declare that all Christians withoute exception of what estate or condition soeuer they be ought so long time to be instructed in the holy Scriptures as they maye atteyne at the least some indifferent knowledge of the articles of our Religion and become able after a sorte to declare the same vnto others And would to God that all good men and especially those that are in authoritie aboue the rest would sufficiently consider how necessarie it were for them oftentimes to consult and deliberate about this matter No man is ignorant how in certaine ages past Churches were possessed of vnlearned ideotes and of meÌ„ without all religion such for the most parte as haue lepped out of Kings and Bishops Courtes Pantries Buttries wrastling places banquetting houses nourceries by whose meanes the pure doctrine of the Gospell yea all the whole order of preaching hath bin vtterly banished out of holy assemblies neyther did they busie themselues about any thing else saue the stincking traditioÌ„s of men and a number of colde ceremonies whereof in some there was a great deale more superstition I had almost said sacrilege than was in times past in the fond obseruatioÌ„s of the Heathen And as for the Scholes theÌ„selues what should a maÌ„ haue found in them but vgly rudenesse holding the highest roome togither with vnsauery and yet subtill sophistrie Againe the Romaine Empire hath with shame ynough for the space of these 4. C. yeares bin thrust out of ioynt shakeÌ„ torne in sunder and the partly by the Turkes who taking occasioÌ„ by our sinnes haue purloined froÌ„ vs now these prouinces nowe those partly by Christian Princes themselues through whose vnquenchable discordes the sinewes of the Christian coÌ„mon weale haue bin cut asunder and the whole strength therof vtterly wasted and consumed to speake nothing in the meane time of a million of mischiefes broughte into Europe by the ambition pride of certain Bishops To be short such hath of loÌ„g time bin the state of things amoÌ„g Christians as we reade to haue bin amoÌ„g the Iewes when they were oppressed with the hard yoke of Ieroboam Achab Manasses the Kings of Babylon and such like for why ouer besides most cruell warres innumerable slaughters common calamities not to be named the sincere worship of the true GOD hath bin quite and cleane abolished superstitioÌ„s haue borne the greatest sway faithfull teachers haue bin flayne or thrust out of their places finally the very Bookes of holy Scripture themselues haue bin vtterly lost and rare in very déede was that man to be founde that thoughte anye better of Religion than did godlesse Diagoras For soothly so it is when it pleaseth GOD to punishe barbarous and faithlesse men he strippeth them starke naked as a man would saye and depriueth them of all power But when he determineth to punish his own those people whether they be of the Iewes or Gentiles he bereaueth them of the noble and pretious treasure of his worde whyche
being once taken awaye it cannot be chosen but that infinite daungers must straight and immediately follow after Nowe therefore if we cannot be contente to haue oure Churches reformed and rightlye ordered if we couet to haue our scholes brought into a good frame if we wishe with our heartes to sée all the partes of oure Common weale to florish and recouer their former beautie if wée â—ong vnfeynedly to haue those kings and peoples reconâ—led and vnite vnto vs that are hitherto seuered from 〈◊〉 in the cause of Religion if wée desire to haue a certaine happy worlde so farre forth I meane as appertayneth to the aboundance of spirituall benefites such a one perhaps as happened for a whyle vnder Salomon Iosias Ezechias Ezra c. then the presentest helpe and furtherance to the performaunce of all these things wil be euen this namely if we apply our studies and cares to the continual reading and searching of the holy Scriptures And we sée verily God be thaÌ„ked pleÌ„tiful matter and manifold furniture euery where prouided prepared for this purpose there want not helpes sundry commodities again there are set vp in al places pillers beacons to shew vs the right way wherin if we haue lust to walke we shall not hardly come to the wished marke The volumes of the holy Scriptures are none otherwise than they were in tymes paste vnder kyng Iosias 2. King. 22. or vnder Duke Ezra Nehemias 8. deliuered agayne out of the dungion of darkenesse yea and GOD thrusteth and driueth forthe into all places notable teachers whyche doe faithfully and sincerely interprete his word the brightnesse whereof so farre forth nowe euerye where shyneth and glistereth that no mortall creature can bring for excuse that hée hath not séene at the least some sparkes or beames therof Where these therefore and suche like foundations are once layde where aydes and helpes of moe sortes than one doe voluntarily offer themselues what cause is there why we shoulde not make accounte of far better things Certaine it is that if we being at any time to deale in this matter with good agréement of minds and with oure forces and strengthes ioyned togither GOD also for his parte will ayde and assiste vs more than we can aske or desire But beholde whilst we suppose our discourse to haue some weight in it and are in good hope to accomplishe something to GODS glory sodenly and at aduenture certaine as they séeme pleasaunt and mery conceyted felowes come me forth and not without floutes and scoffes laugh vs to scorne and clappe their handes at vs yea and with one only reason as with the pushe of a moste forceable Ram or rather as with the vndermyning of a trenche in the grounde take vppon them to throwe downe and subuert whatsoeuer hath of vs hytherto bene buylded vp Out vpon thée saye they wyth thy Bybles Thinkest thou that all are called to be diuines As for vs we are neither prelates nor Bishops we are neyther pastours Priests nor Deacons and to saye the truth neyther is it néedefull nor yet possible that all shoulde be suche what dost thou tel vs therfore of these things which are lay men To those that haue vowed themselues to the seruice of the Churche sing thou this song vnto whom we graunte that this burthen doth belong namely that they shoulde perpetually be occupyed about inward and spirituall affayres but as for our partes it is requisite for manye causes that we shoulde be conuersaunte in ciuill and outward businesses neyther in very déede can we otherwise choose For why one man is a King another a Prince some other a noble man or a Courtier againe this man is Iudge a Consull a Pretor a Souldior that man a Lawyer a Phisition and finally some it behoueth to be Marchauntes Artificers Husbandmen c. and wouldest thou haue all these kindes of menne to stande as it were bounde to the holy Scriptures No manne is ignorante but like as it is necessary among Christians that a diuersitie of states shoulde be had so also that dyuers and sundry dueties and actions do belong vnto euery one And of a greate number so many and troublesome are the trades and kinds of dealing that they requyre the whole man to the discharging of them No man knoweth not that those haue néede of greate forecaste counsell aduice industrie painestakyng and muche tyme that doe dayly applye themselues to the practises of Peace and Warre to Marchaundize to Handicraftes and suche like and that doe therewithal continually sustaine bothe themselues and their families Wherefore to goe about as ye woulde saye by a common decrée made so driue all the Laitie to the reading and ensearching of the holye Scriptures séemeth to be a thyng very absurde and inconuenient Yea rather necessitie it selfe requyreth that all of them shoulde be holden excused But as this excuse is knowne to be frequent and common so wyll I bring to passe that euerye man shall perceiue it to be as weake and vayne As often as exhortations are made vnto vertuous dealying and vnto all manner of good actions of life and conuersation this truely is the firste crinke and starting hole that the greatest part of men are accustomed to seeke But Chrisost in his homily 21 vpon Genes sheweth not in very manny words in déede yet suche as are graue and waightye that all lettes and impedimentes whatsoeuer are of them pretended in vayne that do not with their good willes performe any thing belonging to their duetyes For wher as the Scriptured Genesis 5. and 6. reporteth that Enoch and Noe beyng verye olde begate sonnes and daughters and yet notwithstanding worshipped GOD aright and were accepted of GOD he in good time addeth as followeth Let vs pretende neyther the gouernment of house neyther the charge of wife and children nor yet any other thyng beside as matters sufficient to excuse oure negligente and slouthfull lyfe Neyther let vs alleadge those colde wordes and saye I am a worldlyng and haue a wyfe and charge of chyldren as manye are wonte to saye if at any tyme wee exhorte them to take vppon them some vertuous labours or to apply theÌ„selues to the reading of the holy Scriptures Thys is no parte of my charge saiste thou What haue I forsaken the worlde Am I become a Monke What sayste thou O man Is it the duetie alonely of Monkes to please GOD GOD woulde haue all men to be saued and to come to the knowledge of the Trueth and that Vertue shoulde be neglected of no man For heare howe hee speaketh by the Prophete I will not the death of a sinner but that hee should be conuerted and liue Was it a lette or hinderaunce I pray you to thys iuste man he speaketh of Noe to haue the company of a wife or the charge of chyldren I beseeche you therfore that wee deceiue not our selues but by how much the more we are entangled in these cares by so much the more let vs
and especially in the exercises of holye Scripture or take anye long and greate paines in the Schooles of Learning when he smelleth that there will be no publike vse thereof and foreséeth that no manner of rewardes shall bée allotted to his laboures in Churches I appeale to the testimonies of a great number of good menne whyche can remember that in Churches verye greate and notable there haue not béene scarce foure Sermons throughoute the whole yeare made vnto the people and yet if there happened to be anye it was spente for the moste parte eyther in a fruitelesse narration of Myracles and those commonlye false or else in some subtill disputation sauoring more of Aristotle than of the Prophetes and Apostles Verily I remember that I hearde ouce in Fraunce one beyng old and hoareheaded and a man of singular modestie tel and reporte that he was declared Doctor of Diuinitie in the Sorbon Schoole at Paru when as hée had neuer in all his life read ouer so muche as thrée Chapiters of the holy Bible and further that he was afterwarde the Pastor of no obscure Churche and althoughe he dayly descanted vppon the hundreth and ninetéenth Psalme wherein is wonderfully commended the study efficacie and vse of Gods worde and here and there also be repeated these wordes In the lawe of the Lorde wil I meditate day and night yet notwithstanding that it neuer came into his minde one whit to peruse the Bookes of holy Scripture with a desire of vnderstaÌ„ding the truth nor neuer made also any Sermon oute of the Scriptures to the people Whyche thinges he not wythout an honest kinde of shame callyng to remembraunce bothe bewayled the vnhappinesse of the tyme past and also complayned of the shamefull ignorance of the men of his coate and calling Yea and moreouer in dyuers Countries where I haue trauailed I haue séene many Priestes as my manner is in euery place to enquyre diligently of the state of Churches whyche when they were vtterly voyde of learning and very Drones had no Churche wherein they mighte lawfully minister But out of their Masses as they call them whych they beyng hyred daylye sayde they sucked out no small gaine and aduantage sustained themselues in their filthy ydlenesse Furthermore we sée it euerye where commonly receiued not by custome but as yée woulde saye by a lawe established that Priestes are made wythoute choyce no more as they were in times past to teache but onelye to say Masse As who should say forsooth this way do the holy Byshops followe the holy Cannons whyche forbidde that without a title for so they speake any man shoulde be ordered Distinction 70. C. Neminem Sanctorum Canonum c. Therefore as touching the Doctrine of Religion there is among them no further question but it maye be sayde as Ierome speaketh expounding the thirtéenth Chapiter of Ezechiel that for the sinnes of men the word of GOD is vtterly loste and that grieuous calamitie sent downe into the worlde that GOD by the Prophet Amos Cap. 8 threatneth namely a cruell hunger thirste and scarcitie of hearing the worde of GOD. The other inconueniences whyche haue flowed oute of that fountayne to witte the false perswasion of the Ministery to consiste in bare Songs and Ceremonies I ceasse to make any further reckening of But to procéede where Bishops do not prouide that the Scriptures be continually readde and expounded in Churches and yet giue orders to a greate number of suche as they knowe haue neyther bestowed any time before in studying the holy Scriptures neyther can or will do hereafter I leaue it to be considered of euerye man whether suche either Byshops or Priestes can rightly chalenge to themselues the power Ecclesiasticall and kayes of the kingdome of Heauen as granted vnto them of God or no. We haue learned forsooth out of the Sermons of Christ and the Apostles that there is a double power of the Churches or that there be two kayes the one of Doctrine whyche consisteth in teachyng that is to saye in interpreting the Scriptures and administration of the Sacramentes whiche are annexed to the worde and euen a certaine portion of the worde like as in very déede they are acomplished by the worde the other is prepared to giue iudgement and to binde and loose But nowe howe shall he â—â—â—â—ly teache in the Churche all the chiefe poyntes of Christian Doctrine oute of the Law and the Gospell How agayne shall be wisely giue sentence as well of sinnes for whiche the obstinate must be bounde as also of faith and repentance for the witnessing whereof it behoueth them to be loosed that were bounde which neuer exercised himselfe in the monumentes of the Prophets and Apostles neither intendeth at any time to beginne Certesse that no keyes of Christes Church are committed to vnlearned Priestes it is well proued by the iudgement of those Prelates that ouer and besides that they haue deputed a good parte of the rabblement of Priestes only as I sayde to the execution of Masserites and Ceremonies haue moreouer deuised certaine cases which they name Reserued whereof some they wil haue referred to the Bishops only of euery Church othersome only and alone to the Bishop of Rome Now there shoulde be no néede to trudge for counsell to the higher Prelates if so be they déemed the Priests which themselues had made fitte to giue iudgement of matters incident and sufficiently furnished to bind and lose But that which the authours of reserued cases haue openly protested touching certayne Priestes the same may we interprete worthily to be vnderstoode of all in generall whether they be Bishops or Priestes that are founde voyde and destitute of all furniture of learning Héereby then we shall be inforced to suspect that many Churches haue of long time wanted and bin altogither withoute keyes For the vnderstanding and interpretation of the Scriptures being once loste it coulde not be chosen but that the keyes must néedes haue bin lost also And in what state the house is that is neyther opened nor shutte at any tyme with keyes but hauing as yée woulde saye the lockes and dores broken all to fitters standeth on euery side and alwayes and to euery one that commeth wide open in the very same state we suppose the Churches to haue bin and to be in whiche is had no consideration at all of the handling of the holy Scriptures But we shall haue lesse cause to maruayle that Priestes haue not hitherto bin carefull of receyuing the true keyes if in case we consider that a number of them haue not bene accustomed to go in and out by the dore but by some other way and that there haue appeared in them more liuely markes of hirelings than of anye true Shepheardes It remayneth therefore that whosoeuer hauing gotten any dignitie in the Churche of God wyll also purchase to himselfe credite and authoritie and be acknowledged in very déede for a true Shepheard hauing interest in the keyes and skill to vse
controuersies risen among men wisely to publish and set forth lawes and ordinaunces to reléeue the afflicted especiallye widowes fatherlesse children and all persons in generall that are vnworthily oppressed and neither for fauoure nor for hatred to tourne aside from equitie to take vpon thée the defence indifferently both of the poore and riche weake and mightye small and greate it shal become thee before all men continually to reade the holye Scripture wherein are founde moste waightie examples and preceptes which maye in all thine actions and dealings putte thée in remembraunce of Iustice and equitie Reade in especially Exod. 18.23 Leuit 19 Deut. 1.10.15.16.17.22.24.27 Iudg. 2.3.1 King. 1.2 Paral. 19. Prouerb 18.24 Psalm 82. Ies 5. Iere. 5.22 and other places moe else where So highly oughte all good men to estéeme of the worde of GOD that they shoulde couet to haue the lawes putte forthe by Emperours and Kings tried and examined by the rule thereof and if anye clauses be founde not throughly to agrée wyth the doctrine of Christ that those then either to be corrected or vtterly to be excluded from the compasse of Christian equitie But howe shall anye Iudge perceiue whether the ciuil lawes doe aunswere to the rule of that doctrine or no if so bée he hathe neuer at any time bestowed any study in it for if a man shall content himselfe onely with the lawes once broughte in and established and without anye further triall of them haue no regarde at all to the sacred Scripture verily this man maye bée iudged to be in no better case thâ—n a Pagan or Miscreante But it pleased the moste godly and wise Princes Constantine Valentinian Theodosius Lotharius and manye others otherwise to determine Who séeyng many lawes to be more hard and sharpe than that they ought to enioine Obedience to men that professe Christ and true Religion chaunged some of them and othersome they vtterly abolished For in déede they truly iudged according as the case requyreth that the worde of GOD oughte to be preferred before all mannes lawes whatsoeuer and that inferioure lawes cannot be taken for iuste and vpright that are founde in anye parte to varie from the highe and supreame Lawe of GOD. But if thou professe thy selfe to be a Souldiour then soothly euen for this cause forsomuche as nowe in these dayes through the negligence of Captaines the good ordinaunces of warlike discipline are for the moste parte disanulled thou standest in more néede to taste of the holye Scriptures and euen by little and little to drinke them in as I may so saye with full draught For oute of them shalte thou learne to stande in awe of GODS Maiestie and shalte be admonished verye earnestlye not so vngratiouslye héereafter to abuse as Souldiors doe nowe euerye where common souldiours especially more vile than anye barbarous and hyred Carian one while the moste holye name of GOD and otherwhile other thinges whyche oughte to be moste highlye estéemed of all and not withoute a certaine reuerence and signification of Honoure and Feare once to be named or spoken of O howe horrible and vnspeakeable blasphemies doe these common Campe followers and sellers of all manner of riffraffe daylye vomite oute of their mouths Verily I whollye quake and tremble and am afraide leaste the earth shoulde open so ofte as I stande or sitte in companye where some thinges are discoursed as touching the vncredible crueltie of these newe kinde of Souldioures for doubtlesse to the people of old time I suppose that such were not known Why do they not therfore at the length take the holy Scriptures into their handes and oute of Moses Deut. 11.12.13 oute of Iehosua 23. oute of the Psalme 144. oute of Iohn Baptiste Luke 3. and other places moe learne with what fidelitie integritie and discipline they oughte to be conuersant in warre and with what conditions to looke for ioyfull victory at the hands of Almighty GOD If by no other meanes yet truelye euen by the vngodlynesse alone of the souldiors of thys tyme GOD beyng prouoked to anger iustely sendeth downe vpon the earth which now al prouinces do féele and bewayle euen the vttermoste of all extremities and calamities Doubtlesse I am persuaded that it cannot come to passe that those Chieftaines shoulde euer obtaine anye glorious victory and triumphe ouer their enimies being garded and enuironed with wicked souldiours and now and then fighting without cause why caste themselues headlong into wonderfull daungers For the sinne of one false harted souldiour whiche had priuily kept to hymselfe some of the thinges that were commaunded to be destroyed all the whole hoste of GODS people was broughte into greate hazarde Iehosua 7. Then what may we looke for where so huge a rablement of moste vile and treacherous souldioures are dayle hyred for the warres But I remember that whyche Anacharsis on a time demaunded of one namely Whether those that saile ought to be counted among the quicke or deade And hée added the cause that when they are thought to be in greatest safety of all they are no further off from death than the thickenesse of the shippe borde that is a three of foure fingers breadth Whiche reason Iuuenall in his Satire 12. forgate not to render saying Goe nowe thy waye and to the Windes thy lyfe and soule commit And truste vnto a brittle borde as thoughe full safe on it Thou mightste remayne when further off from death thou shalte not be Than ynches foure or seauen at moste Be et nere so large a tree And surely euen as doubtfull and vncertayne is the life of those men that serue vnder the standerdes of any Emperoure or Capitayne whatsoeuer within the sight of their enimies Campe. For among so manye weapons of the enimies so many Darts and Halberds so many Swordes and as nowe the manner is amongst innumerable bullets of Gunnes whyche are shotte verye swiftely and very farre off who can be sure of hys life so muche as one moment of an houre Alas howe often commeth it to passe that a manne sitting in his Tent dores or being in the Towne and Castell besieged or at home in hys house doyng of some worke and thinking of nothyng lesse than of death is sodainely taken awaye with one of these bullets There is no regards or difference of the Emperoure Marshall of the hoste Standerd-bearer common Souldiour pezaunt Scullion Moreouer as nowe adayes for the moste parte warres are made and Souldiors doe liue all verye dissolutely and intemperatelye ofte tymes it happeneth that contagious disseases doe spreade abroade throughe all the troupes and bandes by means whereof many moe are consumed with burning agues with inflamations with perillous flixes wyth the pestilence wyth hunger wyth thyrste with colde than wyth the force of theyr 〈◊〉 Wherefore like as in tymes paste there were some that counted it a happy thyng in case they mighte dye in battell and winne as greate renowne after their deathe as didde the Latines or worthy Romaynes whereby
truth both of sayings and doings maye appeare in all his actions which then chiefly commeth to passe when he inforceth himselfe to abide by his worde and couenant when hée dothe not counterfet or adulterate the wares broughte home from anye place but without vanitie withoute fraude or guile withoute the conceyte of filthy gayne vttereth and selleth the same But that any man should in this wise giue both vnto God that whiche is Gods and vnto men the things that are mens it is very vnlikely nay it is impossible except he shall firste déepely imprint in his mind the commaundements of God put forth in the holy Scriptures as touching buyings and sellings as touching diuers and sundry kindes of contractes or bargaynes Leuit. 25. and elsewhere of payments Leuit. 19. Deut. 24. of pawnes or pledges Exo. 22. of iustice and equitie in weightes and measures Leuit 19. Deut. 25. Prouer. 11.20 out of whiche oracles as out of welsprings doe flow all ciuill lawes deuised and made of like matters The selfesame iudgement is to be giuen of all artificers and craftesmen in generall Where if it were so nowe that husbandmen knewe howe greatly their state and condition is euery where commended in the holy Scriptures but who is able to recken vp the places wherein are propounded and put forthe examples sentences precepts comparisons parables taken and drawen from matters of husbandry if they knewe likewise what duties of godlynesse are prescribed vnto them towardes the pore and towarde strangers Leuit. 23. they woulde no doubt make muche of those Bookes and suffer no daye to escape wherein they would not bestow some time at home eyther euening or morning in reading and meditating the worde of god Doubtlesse the things that are conteyned in theÌ„ be farre more excellent than those whiche Chrysostome in hys 19. Homilie to the people of Antioch setteth downe as touching the honestie and vertuous conuersation of Husbandmen though I graunt his allegations are not to be despised yet for breuities sake I will not héere insert them And for so much coÌ„monly as these kind of men do inhabit and dwell farre off froÌ„ neybors and besides haue not alwayes the Ministers of theyr Churches néere hand vnto theÌ„ it caÌ„ not be but very requisite and necessarie that at leastwise the good man of the house himself especially where there is great store of children a seruants many workemen are dayly hired as it vâ—ually coÌ„meth to passe in husbaÌ„dry being for this cause very worthy of commendation should so profite go forward in the doctrine of ReligioÌ„ that he might be able to goe before his houshold and familie in inuocatioÌ„ prayer sometimes to opeÌ„ and declare the chief points principles of faith and in case anye casualtie or misfortune so require to lift vp him that is beaten downe with affliction or other necessitie to comfort those that be sicke and like to die whether they be in his owne or in his neyghbours house to arme and strengthen wyth places of holy Scripture the partie that wrastles in the last agonie of deathe to instructe his children in some measure in the wayes of godlynesse and when they of his housholde are letted by vuseasonable weather or other occasion wherby they can not resort to the Church to heare the worde of God expounded by the Minister then he to reade somethingâ— vnto them out of the holye Scriptures after whiche sort truly we knowe that the holy Patriarkes and innumerable others haue in olde time bin accustomed to do What shall I say further There is no house that can rightly be called a ChristiaÌ„ house except the worde of Christ dwell in it and something be dayly vttered hard as touching holy matters or points of Diuinitie Euery wel ordered true Christian familie ought to represent the forme similitude as well of the common weale as also inespecially of the Church and that most chiefly by the continuall haÌ„â—â—ing intreating of the word of god Neither caÌ„ it be preteÌ„ded that any person is vnapt or vnfit to be taught If it to fall out that euen little children doe soone perceyue wordes tending to laughter or otherwise vnprofitable lighte I will not say lewde and filthy and caÌ„ find the meanes readily ynough to râ—peate them agayne why shoulde they not as well learne nowe and then somewhat as touching godlynesse of life and Christian Religion wherefore Chrysostome in his 2. Homilie vpon Iohn with a very sharp and controlling kind of spéech ratleth vp parents saying That they do prouoke Gods wrath against themselues more than they would thinke when they count it to be troublesome and ouertimely to haue their children trayned vp in the exercise of sprituall things Do not so accompte it sayth he do not so esteeme it This age doth of all other stand most chiefely in neede of Spirituall admonitions it is greene and tender and quickly drincketh in the liquors that are dripped into it If any man wil go about to draw them euen from their cradles and as yee would say from the very traces of sinne vnto the way of vertue he shal confirme them in a certayne stayednesse and nature of godly liuing Neyther will they lightly of their owne accorde fall into a worser biasse where they haue with suche a custome as this bin allured from their tender yeares vnto vertue By this meanes also they shall the more willingly both honour and reuerence their elders Agayne they shall be made more fitte to deale in any worldly affayres Thus much hath he there I am compelled to adde heerevnto out of the same Authoure that is to say the golden wordes of his golden mouth written in his 21. Homilie vppon the Epistle to the Ephesians Wouldest thou haue sayth he thy sonne to be well nurtured bring him vp froÌ„ his youth in the feare and nourture of the lord Thinke it not to be superfluous if hee heare the holy Scriptures for there shall be first heare this Honour thy Father and thy Mother Therefore this is done for thy behoofe Say not it belongeth to Monkes to heare the Scriptures Shal I make my sonne a Monke No it is not needefull for him to be a Monke Why fearest thou that whiche is greatly for his profite Make him a Christian It is chiefely requisite for worldly folkes to knowe what things are taught them out of the Scriptures especially for children for there is muche folly in that age And that folly of children is muche encreased euen in outward things when they once know that those noble men also whome they haue in admiration are subiect to infirmities and afrayd of deathe Of which sort was this that Achilles when he saw that hee must now dye for his concubine repented him then of his deede of which sort is this also namely when one is drunke and manye other suche things are committed These medicines therefore are needefull For is it not to be thought a poynt of greate folly in
vnto Righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made vnto Saluation Moreouer the Apostle Peter in hys seconde Epistle and thirde Chapiter sayth that all those that haue giuen their names vnto Christe or are called Christians oughte so farreforthe to procéede in the study of the holy mysteries that they hauing hearde the truth of their Faith out of the Prophets and Apostles declared in the Scriptures mighte fully and substantiallye comprehended the same and also be able euerye man for himselfe at all times and to euery one that requyreth it to render a reason of his faith and hope But that any man shoulde be able to confesse his faith and to yéelde an accompte thereof that hathe not béene some space conuersante in the sacred Scriptures it is by no meanes probable or likely For it is one thing simply to make a confession of Faith and an other to render an accompte of Faith. As for the one it maye readilye ynoughe after a sorte be performed of euerye manne especiallye when there is no perill of persecution néere at hande and there is no manne in a maner which hath not séene at one time or other many folkes so to haue learned and repeated by hearte the Symbole of the Apostles yea and the Nicene Créede and that now then also in an vnknowen language as Popiniayes are wont to chatter whē they bid men good morrowe or good euen but as touching the other he that will do it must of necessitie declare that his faith is vpholden by the worde of GOD it selfe and as Paule speaketh Rom◠confirmed with the testimony of the lawe and the Prophets For thou arte vtterlye deceiued incase thou thinkest it lawfull for thée to put ouer the office of beléeuing to another and to be sufficient in case thou confessest thy selfe to beléeue as thy Godfather beléeued which vndertooke and gaue his worde for thée at the holye Fonte or as the Churches beléeue or as the Ministers of Churches For vndoubtedly in the matter whyche appertayneth to the euerlasting saluation of the soule euerye manne oughte to be his owne factour to be nearest vnto hymselfe to gage hys owne proper Fayth béefore GOD and the Churche wyth hys owne proper hearte to beléeue vnto Righteousnesse and with his owne proper mouth to confesse vnto Saluation For like as it profiteth not thy bodye in case an other manne taketh meate for thée or in thy steade and thrusteth it into his owne mawe and in the meane tyme leaueth thée hungry and almoste hungersterued for wante of foode euen so arte thou wonderfullye deceyued when thou wéenest that it will be behouefull for thy soule in case thou thy selfe beyng ignoraunte of the thynges that belong vnto Faith whilest I meane thou arte bothe of age and vnderstanding méete to haue learned the worde of GOD and making no confession at all an other man doe declare hys Faith before GOD and his Churche This is not the waye no this is not the way beléeue me to attaine vnto the scope and marke of Saluation Those saide preceptes of beléeuing of confessing of rendring an accompte doe in verye déede binde euerye particular man withoute anye difference Be yee readye sayth Peter to gyue a reason alwayes and to euerye one that asketh But how canste thou hope that thou shalte haue at all tymes and in euerye place eyther thy Godfathers and Godmothers or teachers of the Churche to be present wyth thée whyche wyll doe so muche I meane make answere for thée And for this verye cause is the custome commonlye receiued in the Churche that the confession of Fayth shoulde vpon Sondayes and Holy dayes be recited in suche a forme as albeit there be but one common Faith of all like as there is but one GOD and one Baptisme yet it shoulde not be saide in common we beléeue in one GOD but I beléeue in one GOD to the intent verily euery man might perceiue that he hath for himself both to make confession and also to render a reason of his faith For whiche cause also when Baptisme is ministred it is vsed in all Churches and Prouinces after one and the selfesame manner as for example euery one being asked the question of the minister of the Church seuerally aunswereth for himselfe and sayth I beleeue in GOD the father I beleeue in Iesus Christ hys onelye begotten sonne I beleeue in the holye Ghoste and so foorthe as touchyng whyche order of questioning and aunsweryng there is plaine mention Act. 8. where is touched the regeneration of the Ethiopian Eunuch Neither can it be declared howe great a pestilence that fond opiniō of Faith inuolued as they terme it scattered abroad by certaine vnlearned ideots hath broughte into the minds of menne where by they thinke they do inough when they professe thēselues to beléeue as other men beléeue For doubtlesse here vpon hath risen a moste perillous securitie Yea it hath come to passe by little and little that those which should haue obtayned saluation by faith haue bin so bold as vtterly to neglecte and contemne Faith. But those that haue once neglected cast from them the care of their faith howe is it possible that they should afterward performe the workes of Charitie especially such as are pleasing and acceptable vnto GOD of which sort are those onely and alone that flowe and procéede from Faith And in whom there is neither Faith nor Charitie the same must also of necessitie be destitute of the benefite of hope These things being thus determined it followeth that suche persons are hitherto fallen away from the grace of GOD and oughte not to be made anye better accompte of if we haue regarde to spirituall blessings than Pagans or brute beastes Than whiche estate doubtlesse especiallye of a man that is baptized and glorieth in the name of CHRISTE nothyng can bée sayde or thoughte more wretched or myserable The manne that hathe eyther no Faith in hym at all or suche as is verye slender and vnperfecte neyther vseth to stirre vppe to nourishe to encrease and confirme the same by reading and meditating of the worde of GOD that manne I saye whatsoeuer he bée looketh in vaine to receiue anye spirituall benefites at GODS hande But that Faith do we affirme to be nothing or as slight and slender a thing as maye be whiche onelye is implicita that is to saye inuolued or enwrapped suche I meane as is fast fixed and locked vppe in the breaste of an other manne but hath no maner of place in thine owne Therefore euen as Fayth is looked for at thy handes and muste issue from thine owne selfe so is the reading and knowledge of GODS worde wherein are declared the principles of Fayth and whereby the liuely iustifying faith is kindled and nourished in the mind likewise requyred at thy hands must of necessitie also procéede from thy selfe And to thys end pertaineth that rebukemēt or cōplaint whither it be of Chrisostome in hys sixtéene Homily vpon Iohn Some there be
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