saith he more fonde than children that saye Blessed is euerye soule that is simple and hee that walketh in Simplicitie walketh in Faith. This truelye is the cause of all calamities that a great number can no skill to alleadge fitte testimonyes of Scripture for matters in question For the simple in that place is not to be taken for the Foole and for hym that knoweth nothing at all but for hym that is not euill for hym that is not craftye For if it shoulde so bee vnderstoode it hadde beene superfluous to saye Be yee wise as Serpentes and simple as Doues But nowe oughte euerye man very carefully to beware and take héede leaste he erre in anye wise in the Doctrine of Faith or be deceyued and beguiled of others The Angell of darkenesse oft times changeth himselfe into the likenesse of an Angell of lighte In these dayes are to be séene euery where greate swarmes of Hipocrites false teachers and enuious mē whiche doe breake into the Lords field by night and there sow darnell Againe there is no man priuie in his owne conscience that he is on euery side so confirmed in sound doctrine but that he may both be deceyued of others and also deceyue others yea and euen himselfe to Our firste Parentes Adam and Eue whome God had adorned as well with perfite righteousnesse as also with a most plentifull knowledge of all goodnesse and many other spirituall graces were notwithstanding beguiled of the subtil serpent and euen forthwith withoute any great striuing gaue consent to hys treacheries and illusions How and by what meanes therefore may we warrant our selues that we shall in no case be insnared or intangled when as we are both farre more weake than they and the old serpente dothe nowe no lesse craftily than in times past endeuoure by Heretikes and false teachers to intrap and circumuent vs He then may séeme rightly to be out of his wittes and euen to striue with reason it selfe whosoeuer feareth not ne standeth in doubte of suche a daunger And soothly that thou mayest arme thy selfe substancially against all pestilent opinions that thou mayst be able to auoyde to preuente and beate backe the strokes of the aduersaries who séeke on euery side with the enuenomed dartes of wicked arguments to assayle and set vpon thée and mayst stande so fast and perseuer so vnvanquishable in sound doctrine as is most méete and requisite thou hast néede to put on spirituall weapons the shield of faith the helmet of saluation but especially the sword of the spirit which is the word of God as the Apostle teacheth and commaundeth in the sixte of the Ephe. But thus doth he arme and defend himselfe that dayly and duly heareth readeth meditateth learneth the worde of GOD set forth in the bookes of holy Scripture For the Apostle Paul in the second Epistle to Timothy and third Chapter sayth very well that the Scripture is profitable to reproue and confute those that casting abrode the nettes of false opinions goe about to beguyle to maske and destroy the vnwary and weake What doctrine soeuer is first brought in it is necessarye that the same be tried by the touchstone of the holy Scripture as by a most absolute rule And there are to be found euery where in the sacred bookes as wel exhortations which do plainely shewe with what great héedfulnesse the authours of sects are to be auoyded as also counsels and certaine reasons whyche doe no lesse euidently declare how wisely and circumspectlye the same ought to be resisted Whych things do verye plainely proue that it is a most vaine toy that a number to beguile simple people withall do oft times iangle off and haue continually in their mouthes reading of the Scriptures doe by by become Heretickes But this speach is more worthy to be abhorred and abandoned than to be answered For what other thing else is this than to saye that the Phisicke wisely giuen and ministred of GOD himselfe is poyson and that sicknesse death is procured by that thing which is prouided to the furtherance of health and preseruation of life Shall we thinke him that we haue oftentimes spoken off Iohn Chrisostome to haue bene beside himselfe and voyde of reason who following the iudgement of the Apostle by howe muche more he sawe many Heresies to growe vppe in his time and in manner of the disease called the canker to créepe further and further by so muche more thought it necessarie to haue his hearers admonished that they shoulde diligently apply themselues to the reading of the holye Scriptures There were in déede at that time no small number of Heretikes as namely the Manichees the Anomaeans the Arians Aetians Eunomians Valentinians and Marcionites the Marcellians and Sabellians the Acoluthiās there were to be short Gentiles and such as following the Emperoure Iulianus had reuolted from the Tentes of the Christians for with all these it is euident that hée encountred by sharpning his penne againste them and so much the rather for that they vnmeasurably vexed the Churches of Constantinople and else where ouer all Greece and verye manye menne being otherwise not euill were seduced by them This necessitie therefore draue the most vigilant Bishoppe to stirre vp all mens mindes as well by bookes notoriously written as also by publike preachings and Sermons to the continuall reading of the propheticall and Apostolicke wrytings as wée haue more than once or twice here alreadye And in one place hée pronounceth that is we intende to resiste Heresies and to descerne the true Churche from the conuenticles of Heretikes we haue néede especially to the doing of it of the ayde and furtheraunce of the Scriptures Hys words in the exposition of the foure and twentie Cha. of Math. Homilie 49. are these In these dayes since Heresie inuaded the Churches there can no triall bee hadde of true Christianitie neyther is there any other refuge for Christians desirous to knowe the variety of Fayth than the holy Scripture of god Before indeed it was shewed many wayes whych was the Churche of CHRIST and whiche was Gentilitie but nowe it can no waye bee knowen of anye whyche is the true Churche of CHRIST but onely by the Scriptures And why Bycause that all these thyngs whyche are properlye Christes in trueth those Heresies haue also in Schisme they haue Churches alike and the holy Scriptures themselues they haue Bishops alike and other orders of Clearkes they haue Baptisme alike they haue the Eucharist alike and al other things and finally euen Christ himselfe A man therefore desirous to know which is the true Chuche of Christ howe shall he knowe in so great a confusion of likenesse but only and alone by the Scriptures Againe before tyme the Churche of Christ was knowen by hir very maners and conditions when the conuersation of Christians either of al or of the most was holy and blamelesse which was not so among the vngodly But nowe Christians are become as euill or worse than are
the Heretikes or Gentiles For to say the truth there is greater continencie founde among them though in schisme then among the Christians He therefore that will knowe whiche is the true Church of Christ how shal he know but only by the Scriptures The Lord knowing then that so great a confusion of things should happen in the later times therefore commaundeth that the Christians whiche are in the state of Christianitie and desirous to embrace the stedfastnesse of the true faith should haue recourse to no other thing than to the Scriptures Otherwise if they shall haue regard to any other matters they shal be offended and perishe not vnderstanding whiche the true Church is Thus much there Yea moreouer the same Father is bold to say that Heresies doe then chiefelye budde forth when men neglect to reade the holy Scriptures A great defence and bulwarke against sinne saith he in his 3. Homilie of Lazarus is the reading of the Scriptures a great downefall a daungerous pitte is the ignorance of the Scriptures a greate losse of saluation it is to know nothing of Gods lawes this thing hathe ingendred heresies this thing hathe broughte in corrupte life this thing hath turned all things vpside downe For it can not be no it can not be I say that any man should depart without fruite that is delighted with the continuall reading of the Scriptures The counsel therfore that we sée Chrisostome gaue the selfe same no doubte did other of the holye fathers giue also as Origen Hierome Augustine and suche like who then especially exhorted al men to the reading of the Scriptures when as Heresies euery where waxed rife In these sentences then as well of the Apostle Paul and also of Chrisostome and others laying forthe the lawfull vse of the holy Scriptures we wil willingly reste and if any shall be founde hereafter to the high reproche and slaunder of GODS diuine maiestie to crye out that the sacred Scripture doth minister matter and occasion of Heresie those vnlesse they wil be conuicted of high treason against the holye GHOST the author of the holye bookes we will commaunde and charge to hold their peace But if they shal go forward to speake blasphemies againste the holy GHOST then will wée with the martyre Polycarpus for so doth Iustine write of him to Florinus stoppe our eares with our fingers and turning vnto GOD saye O merciful GOD what tymes hast thou brought vs into that we should heare these things If euer at any time then vndoubtedlye at this time which ingendreth sectes not a fewe whereby the ignorant multitude is infected it were to be prouided that out of the most plentifull storehouse of the holy GHOST against the pestilent ayre of wicked opinions all good men would diligentlye procure to themselues in time preseruatiue remedies gathered out of the most excellent rules of the olde and newe Testamente whiche in déede ought to be preferred before all maner of costly and swéet smelling spices whatsoeuer Where if so bée anye malapert merchaunt or craftye cousiner be founde to abuse the Scriptures of themselues moste notable and most holesome to his own and other mens destruction there can nothing here truely be imputed to the Scriptures but what euill or mischiefe so euer bée taken it muste of necessitie be ascribed to the peruerse nature of men as well of the deceiuers as of the deceyued There is nothing at any time so excellent profitable and holesome that Satan and his Disciples dare not subtilly counterfayte and apply to another end than it ought to be but especially to do hurt Euil men make the ayre sunne fire water earth meate drinke to become hurtfull vnto them when they will not vse them aright The like iudgement is to be giuen of the worde of GOD which in the holy Scriptures is called a light a lanterne breade meate foode fire But indéed like as the Apostle saith that he preacheth CHRIST crucified vnto all that are called both of the Iewes Grecians the power of GOD and wisdome of GOD albeit the vngodly either Iewes or Gentiles should neuer so muche be offended and laugh him to scorn euen so is the course of our talke directed to the commendation of GODS worde to the intente the Godlye minded may receyue life thereby though the wicked and vngodly do snatch it and violentlye wrest it how and whithersoeuer they list themselues Againe howe many Christians may we finde whiche doe not now and then diuerse wayes ouershoote thēselues and fowly also fall If we say that we haue no sin we deceiue our selues and ther is no truth in vs as saith S. Iohn in the first Chapter of his first Epistle whervnto it behoueth vs al to subscribe For why it is requisite that euen the saints also do pray dayly as oure Lord and maister CHRIST hath taught and commanded saying Forgiue vs our debtes And the excellent Prophete Dauid Psal. 33. sayeth that all the holy ones shall cal continually vpon GOD to obtayne pardon for their sinnes I wil acknowledge sayth he my sinnes vnto the Lorde and thou hast pardoned my vnrighteousnesse For this cause shall all the godly pray vnto thee Wherefore there is no man liuing that standeth not in néede oft times of a controller or Iudge which may diligently admonish rebuke chasten and bring him into order But if it so fall out that men dare not reproue thée being a sinner or they vouchsafe it not or they doe it not so franckly and courteously as were to be wished and that peraduenture bycause thou art grieued if any doe deale with thée in that order then truely there remayneth this only aduice namely that thou reade with an attentiue minde the preceptes contained in the holye Scriptures the sentences the threatnings vttered of GOD againste sinners likewise the Sermons of the Prophetes and Apostles wherin the sinnes of all men and therefore thine also are openly and seuerely reproued humbly transfer vnto thy self whatsoeuer things thou findest agréeable to thy state By this meanes euen alone thou maist in good earnest be brought to the knowledge of thy sinnes from this knowledge secondly to repentaunce and from repentance finally to faith and amendment of life Adde moreouer that the Scripture doth finde out and condemne those secret sinnes in thée which men know not off and which thou wouldest be ashamed to confesse and so coulde neuer be reproued by the liuely sounding voyce of any man Therfore the holy Scripture when thou readest it speaketh only vnto thée alone it is a faithful kéeper of thy secrets it wil admonish thée of most weyghty affayres it wil not put into thy minde but those things that are excellent and of whiche peraduenture thou shouldst neuer haue heard anye thing of any man liuing For in good sooth this very worde whilest it is reuerently and with a feruent affection read or heard recited of another becōmeth quick and mighty in operation so that it pearceth to the very marow
page 163. line 9. omit out page 166. line 1. for excused reade exercised page 167. line 23. for come reade came page 172. line 25. for all bookes reade al the bookes page 215. line 9. for stammered reade staggered page 218. line 22 for all the people vvhen reade all the people vvepte vvhen c. page 223. line 25. for all them reade and all of them page 177. line 22. for conuently reade conueniently FINIS To the most noble and renoumed Prince Lewis Duke of Bauier Countie Palatine of the Rhine c. his most gracious Lord Andrew Hyperius sendeth greeting THis is a common guise and practise among Christian Kings and Princes most noble Prince that in publishing and proclayming their Edictes and other monumentes of writing in theyr Coynes which by their Mintmen they cause to be coyned and now and then also in their buildings vpon statues or images curiously carued in theyr paynted tables againe on their clothes of estate on their gorgeous hangings of Tapistrie on their purple robes on their Couerlets of Arras and suche like precious ornamentes when they put to their name and function they discretely adde something whereby they professe themselues to haue obteyned THROVGH THE GRACE OF GOD all the honoures and dignities that are befalne them which custome commonly and euerye where receyued can neuer sufficiently be praysed and extolled for it putteth them in minde of most graue and weightie matters and such as ought alwayes worthily to be before their eyes First it teacheth them to confesse and acknowledge that kingdomes and common weales are at GODS disposition that they are most wisely gouerned by his prouidence and that one whyle forsooth they flourishe for the Godlies sake and another while are subuerted bycause of the wicked as testifye Iob Chap. 34. and Salomon Prouerb 28.29 and finally that wonderfull alterations far beyond all mens expectation witnessing Daniell Chap. 2. are brought to passe in them Secondly they are giuen to vnderstand that it is their partes and duties to ascribe all their honoures power and happinesse whatsoeuer beâ—ideth them on earth only and alone to GOD and to render thanks vnto him continually for the same in as much as of Dauid a most diligeÌ„t ponderer of GODS iudgemeÌ„ts they may all learne that it is GOD alone and none other that giueth happie successe and safetie vnto Kings Psalm 144. with whome his sonne Salomon in all poynts agreing pronounceth that he only by the benefite of GOD was installed in the soueraigne state of his kingly dignitie 2. Chronic. 1. And in the same place where the same Salomon craueth wisedome to be giuen him GOD hymselfe maketh answere That he would not only giue him wisedome whiche is a thing very necessary to a happye gouernemeÌ„t but also that he would franckly and bountifully adorne him with riches power glory and magnificence Moreouer it is méete and conueniente that they acknowledge GOD to be a most mightye Emperoure and Monarch in whose power and dominion it is to punish with horrible paines or euen vtterly to destroy and that iustly all those that refuse to submitte themselues and to do his commandements And for this cause it is that the said kingly Prophet Dauid sang Be wise nowe therefore yee Kings be learned ye Iudges of the earthe serue the Lord in feare reioyce in him with trembling Kisse the sonne least he be angrie and yee perishe in the way if his wrath be kindled but eueÌ„ a little To be short so many Kings and Princes as doe aduisedly consider that they BY THE GRACE OF GOD haue obteyned the highest degrée of honour should for many causes endeuoure themselues with all their power and inforcement to become as like vnto GOD as is possible imitating so farre forthe as they may his goodnesse iustice clemencie in al points It is most truly said of a certaine wise man That a Prince is the image of GOD that gouerneth all things Though euen this also ought not a little to moue them that in the holy Scriptures they are not seldome times called GODS Exod. 22. Psalme 82. Now héere vpon further it followeth that all Kings and Princes especially so manye as doe beare the worlde in hand that they knowe CHRIST by whome grace and truth is broughte downe to vs from Heauen and that they embrace and kisse hym from their hearts that I may vse the worde of Psalmist ought diligently with all dutifulnesse to perfourme and set forwarde all those things that tend to the aduancement of the glory of our true euerlasting GOD on earth who alone is the most mightie King of all Kings Lord of all Lords Apoc. 19. For héere vnto doth the diuine crier inuite all that are in authoritie Psal. 29. saying Giue vnto the Lord yee sonnes of the mightie giue vnto the Lorde glory and strength And surely if Kings and Princes would by any meanes go about to amplifie GODS glory they caÌ„not do it any better way than if they cause as many people as maye be to be brought to the knowledge and sincere worshipping of GOD the Father of hys son IESVS CHRIST For why GOD accompteth this to be hys greatest prayse and glory whiche also he challengeth to himselfe alone and will neuer yéelde it to anye other that all men shoulde haue the knowledge of hys power goodnesse righteousnesse that they shoulde receyue hys commaundementes worshippe and call vppon hym wyth their whole heart and finallie from hym looke for all good things and euen euerlasting saluation As touching which thing Moses Prince of al Prophets Deut. 10. saith And now ô Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to feare the Lord thy God to walke in all his wayes and to loue him and to serue the Lorde thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soule And Esay 43. God himselfe sayeth Euery one shall be called by my name for I haue created him for my glory Again in the same place This people haue I formed for my selfe they shall shewe foorth my prayse And Chap. 48. For mine owne sake for mine owne sake will I do it rather than my name shoulde be polluted neyther wyll I giue my glory to another By no small number of suche sentences GOD declareth that he then excelleth in sound perfite glory when as of good meÌ„ he is honoured praysed worshipped but to what end is it to make any loÌ„ger rehearsall Howbeit least anye man should doubte that the chiefe happinesse consisteth in the true knowledge seruice of GOD and that therby men atteine vnto that place where with the blessed Saincts they shall enioy euerlasting felicitie Let vs hearken vnto GOD himselfe Ieremy declaring in this sort Let not the wise man saith he glory in his wisdome nor the strong man glory in his strength neyther the rich man glory in his riches but let him that gloryeth glory in this that he vnderstandeth and knoweth me for I am the Lord which
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
For in very déede euerye mannes owne proper cause is here handled And it behoueth vs all oftetimes to consider that the Churche is a publike and common Schoole instituted of GOD oure heauenly father wherein the moste excellent teacher of trueth the holye Ghoste teacheth and professeth of frée cost and louingly allureth vs all vnto him The Scholers admitted into this Schoole are euen so many as are baptized into the name of CHRISTE There is but one booke and that is gyuen indifferently to all containing the writings of the Prophets and Apostles in whiche Booke is nothing else declared in effecte than howe by IESVS CHRISTE righteousnesse and eternall saluation commeth to the beléeuers and againe howe all the Goldye oughte to indeuoure that their Faith Loue and Hope may become manifest and apparante vnto all men It standeth euerye one of vs in hande wisely to weigh and consider howe he behaueth hymselfe in this Schoole and what profite hée reapeth from tyme to tyme in the holye Booke For he that doeth daylye in expounding reading hearing and repeating of it diligently exercise hymselfe and be a meane to prouoke others to doe the lyke hée declareth hymselfe indéede to be the Scholler of GOD and to be well worthye of prayse and commendation But on the other side who soeuer he be that refuseth to reade heare and learne the sayde Booke also causeth others to abstaine from the same he doeth not obscurely signifye that hée is of hys father the Diuell For so leaste any man shoulde be offended wyth me as hauing spoken more boldelye than becommeth mée Christe hymselfe determineth Iohn 8. Hee that is of GOD sayeth he heareth Gods wordes you therefore heare them not bycause yee are not of God whome also a little before he had said flatly to be borne of their father the Diuell And this sentence béeyng of more force than all the definitiue sentences of the Iudges of the whole world as that whiche is pronounced not of any mortall manne but of the immortall GOD himselfe muste of necessitie abide firme and vnchaungeable Let euerye manne therefore diligently repute wyth himselfe what maner of iudgement maye be giuen of hym that is to saye whither he be addicted vnto GOD to euerlasting life or giuen ouer to the Diuell to eternall confusion ¶ OF THE READING and dayly meditation of the holy Scriptures very requisite and necessary for al Christians of what estate or condition soeuer The seconde Booke HE that will take vppon hym to persuade with a sicke man must not onelye tell him what medicine is of force against his sickenesse but also howe and in what order the same is to be vsed For it skilleth verye muche whether a thing be taken within the bodye or withoute of an olde manne or of a yong of a strong bodye or of a weake of a man or of a woman also at what tyme of the yeare and to be shorte in what order or manner tempered and made Saint Augustine reporteth in his fifte Epistle to Marcellinus that there was a man on a tyme throughe a certaine medicine ministred by the excellent Phisition Vindicianus restored to health after a fewe yeares when the verye same sickenesse came againe the sicke partie withoute asking any counsell of the Phisition vsed the selfe same medicine as before but it did him no good Anone there was running to Vindicianus of whome they demaunded what the cause should be why the medicine nowe lastelye taken did not auaile hée answered that it was therfore vnauaileable bicause he himselfe had not willed it to be taken but least they should suspecte any harme by his so saying he added that the manner of the vsing of a thing is greately to bée taken héde of and that all things are not méete for all ages In like manner therefore for so muche as we haue hytherto with sundrye and playne argumentes declared that it is the office of euery Christian dayly and continuallye to reade heare and learne something out of the holye Bible it remayneth nowe that we specifye and demonstrate howe and by what meanes a man maye readily and without any trouble or thinking of the time long so take in hande and poynte out thys office of reading euerie daye of the wéeke as that in a yeares space he maye well reade and pervse ouer all the holy Bookes especially so many as the olde and purer Churche hathe auouched to be Canonicall Wée haue indéede tarried longer in the former Booke than we were aware of inasmuch as no man is ignorante that there is a more laboure and diligence required of vs when mens minds are first of all to be prepared and inflamed vnto any thing séeming strange in the opinion of the vnlearned multitude and hard to outwarde appearance neyther truly shall it repente vs eyther of oure trauell or long standing if we maye by some meanes bring that to passe whyche we couet and desire but in the matters following we wyll bée more briefe as also the thing it selfe of whiche wée haue determined to speake maye well be dispatched in fewer wordes Whosoeuer hée be therefore that is truely and indéede so carefull of hys owne soules health as he would bée counted and knoweth assuredly that the knowledge of Gods wyll out of the holy Scriptures is very requisite and necessarie to saluation that manne maye easilie if he list finde oportunitie to reade and ensearch the same The thyng that a man hathe once earnestly sette hys minde vpon vnto that by striuing may he at length atteyne It is no hard matter wyth vs to deuise a way whereby at one time or other wée maye enioy that whiche we gréedily gape for The couetous sorte séeke narrowly and will be sure to gette both tyme and all manner of helpes that serue to the increase of their gayne and some can fynde the meanes to serue their turnes in gadding vppe and downe in riding too and fro othersome in quaffing and drincking in telling of fond Fables in playing at Dice c. in whyche besides the losse of their money are manye thyngs also hurtfull and noysome why mayst not thou therefore if thou wilte bestowe some parcell of time in the searching and pervsing of Gods holy mysteries Truely it is agaynste all reason that anye manne shoulde complayne that he wanteth time to reade the holy Bookes sith wée maye beholde the same dayly to loose manye good houres in things not necessarie and peraduenture vnséemely or at least wise vnprofitable And a very preposterous care it is springing of a peruerse iudgement to searche néerely and nimbly to prouide all manner of things that tend to the satisfying of the paunch the lust ambition pride and other suche lyke desires of a corrupted mind and when vertue commeth in question so to doubte so to wauer in minde so to weaue delayes so to pretēd lettes and impediments and I wote not what as though all wayes and entries vnto it were on euery side forestalled and shutte vppe