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
prouide remedies by reading of the holye Scriptures There foloweth more to the same effect but bicause I couet to be briefe I haue thought good to omit it He entreateth also more at large touching the self same matter in his 3. homily of Lazarus the rich man. And I knowe not whether those wordes of his as they are generally spoken will satisfye all men or no. For it is a very harde matter to stoppe the mouthes of curious and obstinate men with a short and generall kinde of speach and there wyll some complaine peraduenture such especially as desire to séeme sharpe witted beyond the reste that we haue not aunswered to euerye member of theyr obiection Wherefore I suppose it wil be grately to the purpose if I deuide the obiectioÌ„ aforegoing as it were into parts and speake somwhat more exactly of euery of them in order I will graunte them therefore first and formost yea and I will recken vp many causes also for the whiche it shal be necessary that so many as haue addicted themselues to the Ecclesiasticall function shoulde before all other Christians apply their diligence to the vnderstaÌ„ding of the misteries of the holy Scriptures Secondly I wil proue very plainely that for the rest whyche they call Laitie it is by no meanes lawful to caste from them the selfe same studye but rather as it behoueth the states of men to be diuided so there is prescribed to euery one in the holye Scriptures a certaine rule of godly liuing and that those alone finally do substantially performe their dueties that haue thoroughly learned out of the same scriptures how to fear and loue GOD and howe to behaue themselues in all the actions and dealings Thirdlye I will adde to the rest certayne reasons whych maye moue the conscience of euery one to confesse that there is no man that maketh any at least to Christian Religion that can liue altogither destitute and ignorant of the Trueth and Doctrine contained in the Scriptures Whyche thyngs beyng thus once declared may stand the godly in greate steade to confute other obiections also if any chaunce to be made and put forthe Therefore they do greatly erre and abuse contrary to our meaning all that hath of vs hitherto béen said whiche suppose that any that at least-wise acknowledge themselues to be Christians are excepted from the study and reading of the holy Scriptures But of all other wée doe leaste of al exclude them that prepare themselues to the Ministery of the Church or that are alreadye conuersaunte in it For why that of these is first and chiefly required the exacte knowledge of Gods holy will I take it to be so apparante vnto all men as that it néedeth not once to bée touched of vs For who knoweth not that it is the duety of a faithfull Shéepehearde to procure all thinges that are auaileable to the féeding and preseruation of the shéepe of hys folde whether we haue regarde to the pastures or waters or shadowings or curings of diseases or defeÌ„ce against Wolues or anye suche like thing else beside and that it behoueth the father or goodman of the house to goe before all his familie in wisedome and discreation in prouiding and disposing of thinges necessary and that the Schoolemayster ought to be better learned than his Scholers and to appoint vnto them a forme or methood of Doctrine and finally that the Emperoure or Capitayne of an haste shoulde excell in warlike knowledge al hys souldyors fighting vnder his standerd Herevppon forsooth it followeth that those also which are placed ouer the Churche if they couet wholsomly to féede the mindes of the people committed to their charge carefully to gouerne them truely to teache them directly to bring them to saluation oughte to bée farre better séene in the doctrine of the holy Scriptures than any other of the common sorte If any man yet doubteth lette him beléeue God who in Leuitic 10. and in other places moe gaue commaundement to the Priestes and Leuites that they shoulde faithfully teache the people the Lawe and Statutes whyche hée had deliuered vnto them Let hym heare Malachy the Prophet in hys seconde Chapiter saying The Priestes lippes shall kepe Knowledge and they shall requyre the Lawe at hys mouth Let hym credite Christe who calleth the teachers of the Gospell the Light of the worlde and the Salte of the earth Let hym credite the Apostle Paule who woulde haue euery Bishop and Minister of the Churche to be suche a one as were Didacticos that is to say apte to teache as hadde a forme and patterne of wholesome Doctrine as coulde rightly cutte and diuide the worde of Trueth as were able to holde faste the Worde which is according to Doctrine and to exhorte by sounde Knowledge and conuince the gaine-speakers 1. Tim. 3.2 Tim. 1. 2. Ch. vnto Tit. 1. for vndoubtedly as it standeth other in hand to heare learn the word of God so is it the chief part duty of those the haue the ouersight of Churches to expound teach the same and that not slightly for fashions sake but learnedly grauely so as many may reape profite thereby And therefore verye subtilly haue they abused the Worlde that wyth duckyng downe theyr heades and wyth their eyes countenaunce voice and gesture wholly set to semble and dissemble haue not bene ashamed to auouche that the Ecclesiasticall Ministery consisteth onelye in the bare recitall of certayne Psalmes Hymnes Proses and that written in a tongue knowen to very few and scarce also to the Singers themselues againe in the imitation of certain ceremonies which mans wisdome without the warrant of GODS word hath inuented one after an other doe no whit auaile either to the mouing of mens mindes or to the establishing of any order or decencie For nowe during certaine ages men haue thought the whole substaunce of ReligioÌ„ forsooth to stand in these two things Singings I say not vnderstoode colde ceremonies yea and those Churches to be very wel ordered wherein euen these alone haue with a cunning kinde of Hipocrisie bin practised of their craftsmaisters Truly it is to he maruailed that any men I saye not excellent and learned but euen so much as of the coÌ„mon sorte coulde be brought to that passe namely to beléeue those deceiuers when in the meane time they perceyued in very déede that al the sincere worshipping of GOD which â—s Christ his Apostles haue prescribed consisteth in true inuocation prayer in the pure preaching of the Gospell dispensation of the Sacrements haue vtterly in a manner thorough the preuailing of those shrill squeakings dumb ceremonies bin cast out of Churches and suppressed For howe coulde it otherwise be but that the handling of the Scriptures béeyng ouce driuen oute of Churches and Congregations the studies likewise of good letters in the Schooles shoulde vtterly fall downe decaye For what man would then séeme to bestowe hys trauel in sundry disciplines
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
knowlege of Christe Let vs sée now what was done in certaine ages folowing It is the fashion of some of the common sorte wheÌ„ there is anye newe doctrine or maner of teaching especially in Philosophie firste sette abroache to flocke by by togither by heapes to be sodainely inflamed with a feruent desire of learning But as soone as they haue receiued any smacke or tast fo suffer their heate by little little to waxe colde in continuance of time to be quyte extinct aswel their doctrine as their whole secte if anye were risen to vanish away Much like as if a greate fire being kindled after it hathe for a certaine space shewen forth a huge light bin séene a great waye off by little little ceasseth to caste foorth any sparke or flame and last of all hath nothing lefte but smoake ashes whereof yet the one goeth into the ayre and the other are scattered with the winde But so muste we not iudge of the holy Scriptures For albeit the Apostles died were buried yet was by no means the studie Diuinitie buried with them The Iewes had an antient custome among them namely throughout euerie Citie when they come togither in their Sinagogues on the Sabaoth dayes to recite publikely certaine Chapters oute of the Lawe the Prophets which forthwith some one or other expounded in a familiar kinde of order to the capacitie and instruction of the hearers The selfe same forme of reading and interpreting was by the Apostles brought into the congregations or assemblies whiche in respecte of that time the faithfull were suffered to haue as maye appeare Luc. 4. Act. 13 15. 1. Corinth 14. That which the Apostles obserued in their time their successours the Pastors of Churches neuer suffered to be intermitted or broken off no not so muche as turn then when the affaires of the Christians were broughte into greate extremities and Tyrantes soughte by all meanes to worke their decaye For they neuer ceassed to haue their méetings and assemblies as appeareth euen by the testimonie of Plinie in his Epistle to Traiane the Emperoure They vse sayth he before day light to come ordinarily togither What was accustomed to be done in these assemblies manye credible writer doe reporte Iustine who liued in the yeare of Christes incarnation 1â—0 in his seconde Apologie which he wrote for the Christians hath these words On the day whiche is called Sunday all that remaine in the townes or fieldes doe come togither into one place where the bookes of the Prophets or Apostles are read so long as an houres space will suffer Then when hee which readeth leaueth off hee that is chiefe among vs admonisheth and exhorteth that wee shoulde diligently follow and embrace those good lessons that are read theÌ„ rise we all and praye togither Clemens Alexandrinus who florished Anno. 200 lib. 7. Stromatum sayeth that the sacrifices whiche they vsed in those dayes were prayers and thanksgiuings and lessons of the Scriptures which they read before meate From these Disagréeth not Tertullian who liued Anno. 230. Apologetici Cap. 39. Wee come togither sayth he to the reading of the holy Scriptures if the qualitie of the times present enforceth vs to forewarne or reknowlege any thing Forsooth with holy words we feed our faith we erect our hope we establish our trust and neuerthelesse with often repetitions and suggestions we confirme the discipline of preceptes Dionisius also the author of the Ecclesiastical hierarchie about the. 300. yere of our Lord entreating of the mysterie of the Lords supper saith very plainly By the office of the Ministers is orderly recited the lesson of the holy Scriptures And a little after The most sacred songs and readings of the Scriptures do minister vnto them directions as touching the gouernement of life and whiche in order goeth before teacheth the amendment of their corrupte affections and most pernicious nature Who wold require no witnesses to be produced And séeing Iustine liued in Asia as borne in Nicopolis a town of Palestine as Ierom reporteth was conuersant at Rome and else where in Europe Tertullian in Affrica Clemens at Alexandrîa in Egipt for as touching Dyonisius wée haue as yet no certaintie It is euident hereby that there was euery where in those daies so far forth as concerned the reading of the holy Bible a greate wonderfull consent But when as after the stormes and tempestes of persecutions were once by the singular prouidence of God appeased assuaged the godly had a time of respite graÌ„ted vnto them the Churches beganne nowe to be increased which came to passe if not in the time of Philip the Emprour Anno. 250. whom Eusebius lib. 6. cap. 25. Orosius lib. 7. cap. 20. doe reporte to haue bin the firste Christian Prince of any power that euer was after Christe yet certes vnder Constantine aboute the yere of Grace 320 thou shouldest haue séene if a man may credite Eusebius high and stately temples builded vp to the Lord wherein were practised the selfe same things that late before wer vsed in priuate houses And leaste that anye thing in this behalfe shoulde at any time be confusedly or negligently done there were appointed in all Churches readers vnto whom was enioined by the Bishop the office of Reading who deliuered vnto them in the presence of all the people the holy and sacred Bible As touching whiche matter thou mayste reade in the 8. canon of the fourthe councell of Carthage and in Gratian distinct 23. Moreover leaste any other Bookes than those that are accompted to be Canonicall shoulde be read it was prouided by the councell of Laodicea whiche was helde anno 370. canon 59. and by the third councel of Carthage canon 47. And that Iohn Chrisostome and many others who were afterwarde of great authoritie in the Churche first supplied the office of Readers before they aspired to anye higher promotions maye be auouched verye clearely by Histories Nowe the Homilies that is to saye the Sermons diuised and made by the holy fathers whyche are extante euen from the time of Origen to the Empires of Charles the greate during whose raigne Alcuinus and Beda two of the laste Authors in a maner of these Sermons flourished do proue euidentlye that the same custome whiche wée spake of euen now was obserued in all Churches Reade I pray you but the beginnings only of the homilies of Origen vpoÌ„ the bookes of Moses certain others reade likewise the beginnings of Chrisostome prefixed before his expositions vpon a good part of the bookes of holy Scripture made vnto the people reade the dyuers sundrie entries of Sermons of Saint Augustine especially where he entreateth De verbis Domini Serm. 15.33 De verbis Apostoli Serm. 1. Again very many of Maximus the Bishop Bede and other moâ— and euen forthwith in the very shorte exordiums or beginnings of their Sermons ye shall perceiue howe by them though they were Doctours of diuers times and
the maners that nowe are vsed ioyned with so great contempâ—e of GODS worde I can hardlye I saye beléeue that they would account vs for their posteritie or take vs in anye wise for Christians So farre forth are wée all for the most part degenerated and gone out of kinde from that godly sinceritie of our elders Neither truely had Lay men and women onelye a colde and slender taste of Gods holy mysteries but a number of them went forwarde with so greate zeale and enforcement of minde in searching the holy Scriptures that by little and little they attayned to suche ripenesse that they became not onely excellently well learned themselues but also were able to teach and instructe others By profiting in the holy Scriptures by prophecie that is to saye by a learned and reuerende interpretation God will haue his Churche as by a certaine marke and peculiar token to be disseuered and discerned from the assemblies of the wicked wherfore to this marke did all the godly bothe in times past ayme and nowe oughte all to leuell to the intente they may not onely become wise prouident for themselues but also for others by admonishing I say by teaching and by what meanes soeuer they can besides Moses when it was tolde him Num. 11. that Heldad and Medad did prophecie or preache the worde of God in their tentes and some looked that he woulde haue forbidden them hée was so farre off from forbidding them that excellent office that hée rather wyth feruent desires sayde Woulde God that all the Lordes people were Prophets and that the Lorde woulde gyue hys Spirite vnto them Paule the Apostle 1. Corinth 14. in saying That all maye prophecie one by one gyueth to vnderstande that there were in olde time a greate number and that at all tymes there should be some in the Churche whiche by the benefite of the holye Ghoste shoulde be adorned with gret grace and dexteritie in teaching and for that their giftes shoulde not vanish away without fruite but rather be encreased thoroughe exercise that there should a place to teache not vnwillingly bée graunted vnto them so that nothing were done confusedly or vnaduisedly but all directed to the edifying of the Church Whosoeuer therfore were from that time forwarde but namelye enlightned with the giftes of the holye Ghoste leaste they shoulde alwayes like children craule vppon the grounde and neuer declare themselues to haue consideration of Gods benefites chéerefully and couragiouslye applyed their wittes to teache and enstructe others For therevnto it is that Saint Chrisostome laboureth to moue his hearers in his seauenth Homilie vppon Genesis whilest hée willeth them al to be of good courage and to prepare themselues to the painefull trauailes of teaching I woulde haue you sayth he yea and I beseeche you all to be in the nuÌ„ber of teachers and not only to be hearers of our sayinges but also to minister our doctrine vnto others and to seke after those that stray that they may returne into the waye of truth and as Paule saith 1. thess. 5. Exhorte yee one an other and edifye one an other and with feare and trembling worke oute youre owne saluation So it will come to passe that GOD shal encrease our number and your shall more plenteouslye bee enriched with his grace hauing greate care and consideration of youre members For in deede GOD woulde not haue a Christian man to be conteÌ„ted only with himself but that hee shoulde also edify others and that as well by doctrine as also by his life and conuersation So saith hée It is euident therefore that whilest the hearers were oftentimes pricked forward after this manner some of the Laitie what by hearing reading and friendelye conferring one with an other aspired to that degrée of Learning and Erudition that they were able as well publikely as priuately wisely to entreate as touchyng the affayres of Religion For verily to some of them it was permitted in Councelles lawfully called and before the whole assemblye of Byshoppes to dispute with the aduersaries othersome were not onely admitted to teache the people in the Churche but also verye gently inuited by the Byshoppes themselues And a greate sorte of them no doubte spedde very well and deserued no small commendation for their godlye diligenâ—e And as touching Disputations that this was founde true in the Nicene Synode Nicephorus Callistus declareth very plainelye in the eighte Booke and fourtéenth Chapiter of hys Ecclesiasticall Historie There are besides two notable examples sette forth in the Tripartite Historie the seconde Booke and thirde Chapiter the one oute of Socrates Constantinopolitanus of a certaine young manne the other oute of Sozomenus of an olde man oute of them bothe it is declared that by means of the Laitie studious of the holye Scriptures and modestly propounding certaine things the pride subtiltie of the Logitians Philosophers was wonderfully detected and beaten downe Albeit we cannot dissemble that they broughte more to passe by the excellencie of their faith and prayers than by the helpe and furtheraunce of Learning in so muche that all theyr dooyngs may séeme rather to be after a sorte miraculous than to procéede of any knowlege Furthermore as touching Laie men that haue taughte publikly in the Church there are extant in Eusebius book 6. Chap. 15. the words of Alexander Bishop of Ierusalem out of a certaine Epistle written to Demetrius Bishop of Alexandrîa I maruell saith he that in your letters you wil seme to affirme that it was neuer heard or done that Laie man shoulde dispute and expound the Scripures in the Churche when the Byshops were present when as this custome was commonly receiued that if there were found any in any place that could instruct the brethren in the Church coÌ„fort the people thei wer alwaies entreated of holy Bishops to haÌ„dle the Scriptures So was Euelpius inuited of oure brother Neon among them of Larandra and so was Paulisius of Celsus at IconiuÌ„ and Theodorus of Atticus at Synada And there is no doubte but that many other also in other places if any there were that coulde conueniently fulfill the worke of God in word and doctrine were to the selfe same end inuited of holy Byshoppes Hitherto Alexander of Ierusalem And that the same thing was euerye where drawen into a custome the councell holden in the time of S. Augustine at Carthage doeth not obscurely proue For thus we reade it enacted in the saide Councell A Laie man in the presence of Clearkes excepte they require him therevnto shall not presume to teache And this they did not for that they accompted it vnlawfull for Laie men to teache but forsomuch as a number of them were learned and alwaies fit and ready to teach they meant to prouide Firste that no manne shoulde vnaduisedly when and where he lifted and wythoute hauing regard of dutie to the Bishops or Clarks yea and peraduenture contrary to their mindes inuegled by Heretikes take vpon him to teach or preache Secondly
thee to sende thy children to learning and to prouide them Scholemaysters and to see that nothing bee wanting for their instruction and in the meane time not to bring them vp in the nourture and chastisement of the Lorde Therefore do euen we first of all reape the fruite of this thing that is to say through our owne defaulte we haue harebraynd vngracious disobediente and vnmanerly children Let vs not then thus do but let vs obey this blessed Apostle who giueth vs good councell let vs bring them vp in the instructiō and information of the lord Let vs set before them an example causing them from their tender youth diligently to apply the reading of the Scriptures Wo is me whilest I am thus continuallye speaking I seeme to do nothing else but trifle howbeit I will not ceasse for all that to do that which mine office bindeth me to do These things hath he All that Sermon of his is very worthye to be read as in whiche hée sheweth with manye reasons that those when all is said do best prouide for their children and lay open vnto them the way to riches peace and tranquilitie of life happie estate and to preferment in Princes courts whiche haue a care ouer them that they be instructed euen from their infancie in the holy Scriptures To bée short the husbande and the wife the parentes and children the maisters and seruantes the mistresses and maydes may find in the holy Bookes infinite as well preceptes as examples whiche it is not néedefull to rehearse as touching all those things that it behoueth euery one of them to doe in their seuerall state and calling The same must thou thinke to be spoken both vnto widowes and virgins of whose care and diligence like as also of the instruction of children in the holye Scriptures we haue aboue somewhat discoursed So far-forth therefore is that true which Saint Augustine sayth De verbis Domini Sermone 19. namely that vnto all estates of mē there is prescribed in the sacred bookes a rule to liue by and that all and euery sexe age and degree is prouoked to leade an vprighte and godly life Therefore as we began to saye before not onely those that are appoynted to the Ecclesiasticall ministerie but also generally all Christians of what estate or condition soeuer they be ought dayly to bestow sometime at the least in reading and pervsing the Bookes of the Prophets and Apostles The continuall meditation of the Scriptures is not the priuate and peculiar office of some fewe persons but the common and publike dutie of all Christians I graunt in déede that the godly and learned Pastors of Churches shoulde goe before but yet muste all other states and degrées followe after There is none neyther one nor other that can bée debarred from this daunce There is no man in this life in all respectes so perfite vnto whome remayneth not some thing more to be learned no man so exactly accomplisheth his dutie but that some good man for I speake not of anye slaunderous and enuious cauiller may say vnto him this would be amended Wherefore I beléeue there is not any man liuing whiche by the rules and exhortations of the holy Scriptures may not onely become better learned but also better qualified and which by reading of the word of God may not bée made more strong and couragious to all good actions of life whatsoeuer A greate offence it were doubtlesse to surmise that the Philosophers or anye other persons besides shoulde be able better to prescribe what euerie one ought to do or to leaue vndone than God himselfe Certes the Philosophers Lawmakers and other worldly wise men when they dispute of duties doe oftentimes erre Euidente proofes héereof we haue in Plato Aristotle Panaetius Cicero and such like whyche doe commonly one carp and controll another Neyther doe they commend any thing as comely and honest but so far-forth as it is déemed to be suche by the opinion of men But the Prophetes and Apostles coulde not erre bicause they were taught by the holy Ghost who is the spirit of truth and voyd of all error yea they so vrged commanded all things as they knew the same to be allowed of god But to frame the life and maners in suche wise as God maye be pleased with them is no doubte a most soueraigne thing highly to be desired of all men And in déede the Philosophers cā after a sort tell vs what one man oweth vnto another but what mā oweth vnto god how God shuld rightly be worshipped of true faith in God remissiō of sins of the inward spirituall righteousnesse of the heart of other things like vnto these they do not so much as make any mētion at al much lesse cā they perfitly declare thē As oft as in the writings of the Philosophers ther happen any place as touching God or as touching the duty of man towards God we sée how coldly slenderlye and obscurelye they runne ouer it Which truely that it shoulde so come to passe God vndoubtedly had ordeyned that eyther for bycause they were conuicted in their owne cōsciences and stayed not vpō any sure foundation in these their disputations or else for that it was not their proper charge but was reserued for others the Prophets I meane Apostles their Disciples and finally for so much as God would haue all men to be admonished by this meanes that the perfite knowledge of God and of his will is to be learned not out of the Bookes of the Philosophers but only and alone out of the holy Scriptures And this is that in effect whiche the Apostle meaneth 2. Timoth. 3. when he saith That the holy Scripture inspired of God is profitable to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect and prepared to all good works Wherevnto Sainct Augustine hauing respecte in hys 2. Sermon vpon the 90. Psalme very wittily said That the holy Scriptures are letters patents sent downe from the heauenly Citie to vs which do exhort vs all to lyue well Wherfore whosoeuer coueting to reade the holy Bible wherein is most absolutely cōprised all the discipline cōcerning the duties of all and euery Christian as wel towards God as towards men and to reforme his maners accordingly requireth the same Bible to bée reached vnto him he shal more truely a great deale say of it Giue me my Maister then long ago Cyprian vsurped the like saying as oft as he meant or spake of the most famous writer Tertullian if we may credit Hierome But I will procéede somewhat further to speake of certayne dueties which are common to all Christians and yet in the meane time can not rightly be performed of any man without the reading and knowledge of the Scriptures Howbeit I will speake only of the chiefe principall wherevpon depend other almost infinite In the explication whereof we will gather togither those reasons wherewith the consciences I hope of