the sonnes of men reioyceth to be named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to saye the Word and the same preaching without intermission or ceasing hath declared the wil of his heaueÌ„ly father Prouerb 8. Ioan. 1. Heb. 1. And moreouer amongst the things that are exercised in the Church the Word holdeth the chiefe place yea and euen the very force and dignitie of the mysticall actions or Sacramentes dependeth vppon the worde of god Wherevppon it pleased some of the learned fathers and especiallye Augustine vppon Iohn in his Sermon 80. and against Faustus booke 19. Cap. 16. to tearme the same very Sacramentes visible wordes What néede anye long circumstaunce GOD by his worde openeth bothe himselfe and all his benefites and graces vnto man and by faith in the worde man is ioyned vnto GOD and made partaker of eternall blessednesse Wherefore we maye moste truely auouch that to reade the holy Scripture with a godly affection is euen all one to talke and conferre with GOD and to heare God talking and conferring with vs Certes as often as thou readest of precepts exhortations promises threatnings iudgements rewardes punishmentes and other things of like sorte so ofte doest thou heare God himselfe of a truth speaking vnto thée Againe as ofte as thou readest of any confession of sinnes crauing of pardon prayer giuing of thanks or anye suche like so ofte dost thou thy selfe speake vnto god For in these pointes chiefly do consist the naturall commonings betwixte God and men and in these things resteth the substaunce of all sacred sayings and sentences Wherefore then to goe aboute to forbidde or withholde anye man from the reading hearing and vnderstanding of the holy Scriptures is euen as much in effecte as to commande him to dissemble or deny himselfe to be a man that so he mighte be depriued of the power of speaking and of the fruite and benefite of reason Hierome maruelleth and stomacketh the matter and counteth it intollerable if anye man shoulde so presume Forsomuch saith he in the proheme of his exposition of the Epistle of Saint Paule to the Ephesians as we differ from all other creatures in this point chieflg that we are endued with reason and haue the vse of speaking and al reason and holy speach is contayned in the bookes of God by which we both learne to know God and also to what ende wee be created I maruaile greatly at some who either giuing themselues to slouthfulnesse and slepe wil not learne the things that are excellent or else seeke to reproue others that bend themselues that waye Which men whereas I might more straightly stop their mouths shortly send theÌ„ packing either eased or pleased in vouching that it is much better to reade the Scriptures than to gape so greedily after the encreasing and hourding vp of riches I will content my selfe onelye in saying this whiche I maye obtaine euen before a moste incompetent Iudge namely that my vocation from labor and quiet solitarinesse of mind is more pleasant vnto me than al other solemnities whatsoeuer Hitherto Hierome Where if so be nowe it belongeth to mans duetie to loue and learne the words of God declared at large in the holy Scriptures forasmuche as we haue giuen vnto vs of God the power and vse of speaking howe muche more ought we wholly to be addicted vnto them which professe our selues to be ChristiaÌ„s For truly how honorable the name of Christian is and what thinges it putteth vs in minde of it shoulde be good for vs oftentimes and déepely in minde to consider He that nameth a Christian comprehendeth in one worde whatsoeuer maye be added to the dignity of a man He that nameth a Christian vnderstandeth a man to be of the number of those whome God himselfe hath pronounced to be a chosen generation a kingly Priesthoode a holy Nation a people freely purchased Exod 19.1 Pet. 2. He that nameth a Christian signifieth a man to be choseÌ„ of God the father before the foundations of the worlde were layed to bée deliuered by the son of God Iesus Christ out of most miserable captiuitie and out of the bondage of most cruell Tirants the Diuel Sinne and Death to be regenerate by the holy Ghost into the Churche of CHRISTE to bée adorned wyth newe Righteousnesse wyth Fayth Loue and other vertues and spirituall graces vnto whome lastely is appointetd prayse and immortall glorie and also eternall felicitie bothe of bodye and soule bringing with it more bountifull and large benefites than the eie of anye man can sée the eare heare or the hart be able to conceiue Ephes 1. Rom. 8. Esay 64.1 Corinth 2. Suche and so greate is the excellencie of a Christian man But whence I praye you taketh a Christian this name Thou wilt say I am sure of CHRIST Act. 11. But howe then commeth a Christian man by those incomparable benefites and by euerlasting blessednesse Forsooth euen by the knowlege of GOD the father and of his sonne oure sauiour IESVS CHRIST This is eternall life saith our sauiour Christe Ioan. 17. To knowe thee the onely true GOD and Iesus Christe whome thou haste sente And Peter Act. 4. saith There is no other name giuen vnto men vnder Heauen wherein wee can bee saued but onely the name of Iesus Christe Paule in like maner 1. Corinth 1. saith CHRIST became vnto vs the wisedome of GOD and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption But there is no maÌ„ that can distinctly and without ambiguitie know GOD the father or his sonne Iesus Christe the authour and beginner of Christianitie oute of that former booke Concerning the nature of things or out of anye inuentions of mans wisedome whatsoeuer but onely and alone by the reading of the holy Scripture reuealed from aboue Whiche thing to be true oure Sauioure Christe himselfe testifyeth Ioan. 5 saying Search the Scriptures for they are they that testifye of mee And to the intents the sonne oure Sauioure might be the better knowen of his Disciples he interpreteth many places of the Scriptures as touching his owne person The like did the Apostles also and Euangelistes with greate diligence Therefore whosoeuer he be that desireth to be saluted by the name of a Christian and to be accounted among those that knowe Christe and that looke for saluation promised in Christe him truely it standeth vppon to acquainte himselfe with the holy Scriptures and to make them as familiar vnto him as is possible As no manne can make the Iewes beléeue that he is of the Iewish secte which holdeth none of the traditions of their Thalmud and as the Turkes will receiue none for a worshipper of Mahomet that cannot alleage at the leaste some of his decrées oute of their Alcoran â—o is it not likely that he in good earnest and from his hearte shoulde be a Christian that cannot in some measure oute of the bookes of the Prophets and Apostles declare who Christe is and what inestimable benefites he hathe purchased to mankinde For in verie
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
decay of our great vnhappy graundfather Adam they haue not onely bin depriued of all those ornamēts and graces which before they had but also infected with contrary vices and deformities so as in stedde of light they are become darke in stedde of pure they are become obscure in stedde of holy they are become prophane in stedde of vprighte iust perfit happy blessed the image of the eternall God they are become pieuish peruerse vnperfect vniust accursed the Image of the infernall Sathan And this forsooth generally is the state wherein we stand both in respect of our soules and bodies For the more manifest proofe wherof the Scriptures are plentifull especially where they painte foorth man in his naturall coloures and set him vp as it were on a stage to be seene For they teache that there is no sounde or whole parte in him from the crowne of the heade to the soale of the foote For why VVe are all the sorte of vs corrupte we haue all gone astray wee are all become abhominable there is none that vnderstandeth or seeketh after God there is none that doth good no not one Our mindes are distract within vs our memories are maymed oure reason vnreformed our vnderstanding vnperfite our wisedome foolishnesse oure heartes vncircumcised our iudgementes vniuste oure wils waywarde oure thoughtes vaine oure imaginations wicked our conceites carnall our fansies frustrate oure affections euil oure lusts vnbrideled our throats an open sepulchre our tongs haue vsed deceit the poison of Aspes is vnder our lippes our mouths are full of cursing and bitternesse oure handes are filled with cruelty and our fingers with iniquitie our feete are swifte to shed bloude destruction and calamitie are in oure wayes the way of peace we haue not knowen and there is no feare of God before oure eies These and such like are the excellent titles and prerogatiues wherewith the holy Ghost adorneth vs in the Scriptures These are in deede the true markes and monuments of our antiquitie the peculiar badges of our brauery the right Coat-armour of al Adams offspring Whereof leaste any man shoulde doubte and pretende I wote not what priuiledges for himselfe as thoughe he were exēpted out of the common aray of all fleshe the Scripture dealeth yet more plainely with vs and telleth vs that we are not only wretched and miserable by nature as being all conceiued of vncleane seede and all borne the children of wrath and perdition but also that wee haue al sinned where this worde All is referred to euery particular person whether he be Iewe or Gentile and are depriued of the glory of God that we are al workers of wickednes al shrinking and rebellious children lyars and lighter than vanitie it selfe all hatchers of Cokatrice egges and weauers of the Spiders webbe as the Prophet speaketh and to be shorte all subiect to the curse and malediction of God and so consequentlye to endlesse confusion both of soule and body For the rewarde of sinne is death and euery soule that sinneth shal dye saith the Lorde These things thus brieflye premised although they may seeme sufficient to strike as it were an Alarum into al mens consciences and to make them looke about them if haply they may espy any remedy yet ouer and besides these if wee will weigh and consider what an vnmercifull number of spirituall ennimies we haue to deale and encounter with how subtilly they lye in wayte to entrappe vs howe vncessantly they assayle vs howe greedily they gape to deuoure vs wee shall bee muche more inflamed as I thinke to prepare oure selues to the battaile and to stand vppon our guarde if at leaste we haue either anye care of oure owne welfare or dread of our own distruction For if so be wee haue not vnfitly compared the worlde vnto a Wildernes where men wander in the middest of innumerable dāgers are euen subiect cōtinually to a thousande deathes then maye it appeare sufficientlye what oure lotte and portion is in this life and howe hardlye we are like to be dealte withall vnlesse wee walke maruellous warily and circumspectly and bee throughlye fenced and fortified at all assayes We haue to consider that as there the wayes and pathes are verye doubtefull and vncertaine by reason of manifolde crinkes and turnings so here we are to mete with infinite Mazes Labyrinths of superstitions and false opinions so as there is nothing more harde and difficult than for a man amongst them to keepe the straighte course to eternall saluation Againe as the desart places are ful of horrible daungers as well in respecte of the wilde and fauage beastes as also of the Theeues and Robbers that lurke in them euen so are wee in this worlde enuironed about on euery side with farre more grieuous enimies as which for their crueltie and more than bloudy desire of destroying all that euer come in their wayes doe far-awaye exceede the saluagest beastes and cruellest cut-throates that bee For euen amongest vs rangeth that olde manqueller the Diuell who as Peter sayth goeth aboute like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may deuoure And hee is not alone but hee hathe an infinite rable and euen the Deuill and all of wicked Angels and vncleane Spirites to do him seruice so as he is not without good consideration called a Potentate the Prince of darknesse the Gouernour of this world the spirite that ruleth in the Ayre c. to note vnto vs the wonderfull force and puissance that he is of like as in other places for his malice and subtilty he is termed a Serpent for his crueltie a Lion and for all togither a greate redde Dragon hauing seauen heades and ten hornes and seauen Crowns vpon his heads c. There are also belonging to his hellish conduct and Kingdome an innumerable sorte of wicked doers whiche hauing vtterly reiected all sense of Humanitie and Godlinesse are degenerated into wilde saluage beastes For we may see euery where a ranke route of leacherous monsters to grunt like Hogges and Swine a huge throng of wrathfull Termagaunts to yell out lyke Beares a beastly company of Backbiters to barke abroade like Dogges a rauening sorte of Cormorants to houle out like Wolues a fierce and frantike multitude to take on like vntamed Tygres a number to play the parts of the nimble sighted Lynxes a slie and subtill sorte to fare like Foxes a tetchy and kicking kinde of Asses to bray a venemous sighte of Serpents to hisse and to be shorte such a huge rabble of stinking Goates bellowing Bugles puffing Panters and all manner of vncleane Beastes that a man shall walke muche safer in the Wildernesse amongst the wilde beastes in deede than hee can doe in the world amongest men of so beastly conditions neyther haue we to feare so great danger from the very Beasts themselues as we haue to doubt and dreade those that are of the selfe same nature with vs Insomuch that the olde fathers said not without a cause
One man is become a VVolfe to an other Further as the Desart is waste and barren and besides ouergrowen with Bushes Bryars and Thornes so is thys World manured with no knowledge of God at all but is altogither barren and vnapte to yeelde foorth anye good fruite nay contrariwise scrawleth euerye where ful of the briars of Sinnes and Vices whereby we are so grieuously mangled and torne that commonlye and for the most parte we keepe the scarres of them to oure dying daye I might stande here to shewe howe some of vs nay all in a maner are choaked with the cares of this world and with the deceitfulnesse of riches some caughte in the pitfall of Pride and Ambition some snared wyth the Thornes of Couetousnesse some ouer heade and eares in the Bryars of Voluptuousnesse some saped in the suddes of Sensualitie some smouldered wyth the smoake of Vanitie some drenched in the dregges of Drunkennesse some be-smeared wyth the mudde of Maliciousnesse some imbrued with the bloude not of Beastes but of Men and in a worde not some but a great summe stifled in the stench of all Sinne and Wickednesse I mighte shewe in like maner howe there is nothing vnder the Sunne so excellent no worke of God so wonderfull no blessing so bountifull no creature so beneficiall holesome and good but that through the malice of Sathan and our owne miserable corruption it is tourned cleane contrarye vnto oure greate harme and discommoditie yea euen into a present poyson to infecte vs wythall and into a Scorpion as it were to sting vs to death As much might be said of our own selues in whom there is no parte nor power either of soule or bodye but that through sin they are become euen so manye deadly enimies to hale vs to destruction And herein forsooth appeareth by the way the strangenesse or rather vnnaturalnesse as I may so say of our warfare cleane contrary to the warfare of the worlde For whereas worldly Souldiours take weapon in hand chiefly against forrainers and strangers but neuer againste their owne persons wee on the other side muste not looke so muche what oure enimies do abroade as we muste haue an eye what traytours are at home I meane in our own bosoms that so letting others goe in peace by vs wee maye bende all oure whole force and artillery to the battery of oure owne selues Not as though it were lawfull for anye man to cutte himselfe shorte by vntimely death as manye diuellishe and desperate persons doe but to the intent to gette the mastery ouer our affections to bridle oure lustes to mortify oure olde man to kill oure concupiscence to subdue oure nature and finally to submit all our wil wisedome reason vnderstanding and all that euer we haue either within vs or without vs to the rule and obedience of Gods holy Worde and to the gouernment and direction of his holy Spirite But I feare leaste I haue exceeded alreadye the compasse of an Epistle I will therefore bee as briefe as is possible We haue seene then if I be not deceyued how wofull our originall state and condition is what infinite perils and calamities wee are subiecte vnto what mightye and vnrestfull enimies wee are continuallye matchte wythall and howe little refuge or succoure wee haue to looke for in this worlde or in any thing belonging to the Worlde For the VVorlde passeth awaye and the luste thereof but hee that doeth the will of God abideth for euer The vse of all whyche thynges is to teache euery one of vs howe earnestly we oughte to laboure and contend euery man according to his present necessitie to learne well the lesson taughte vnto Nicodemus namely to be borne againe and to be renued in the spirite of our minde so as we may couet the sincere milke of the word to the intent to grow thereby to be remoued I say from the loue of these earthly things here belowe and to stye vp by the wings Fayth into Heauen where Iesus Christe sitteth on the right hande of God the father finally to purchase the certaintie of a better inheritāce and the assuraunce of a better Country by cause as the Apostle saith VVee haue here no continuing Citie but wee seeke for one to come To the obtayning of all whiche graces as Faith alone in the word and promises of God is sufficient so attaine wee to Faith by no other meanes than by conceyuing the free mercy of God in Christe through the reading hearing and meditation of the holy Scriptures The reason is bycause that Iesus Christe beeing the onelye obiect of oure faith and substance of the whole Scripture we apprehend in him all the treasures of knowledge and wisedome and what soeuer else is necessary to eternall saluation For Hee is of God made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption and euen all in all as the Apostle speaketh Who seeth not then what incomparable treasures in comparison whereof all the pompe and glory of the Worlde is nothyng but dung and drosse are comprised in the sacred Scriptures But I maye not stand to amplify this point as by occasion otherwise iustly I mighte considering in very deede a Preface will not beare it I must therefore of necessity referre all this whole matter to the consideration of the godly Reader who may finde euery where in reading plentifull furniture tending to this purpose Only thys I wil adde by way of conclusion that forsomuch as al the holy Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable as Paule saith to teach to conuince to correct and to instructe in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute and made perfite to al good workes and againe that whatsoeuer things are written aforetime are written for oure learning that we throughe patience and comforte of the Scriptures mighte haue hope that therefore I say it behoueth al sortes and degrees of men and women whatsoeuer if at leastwise they stand in neede to be taught and informed in the wayes of the Lorde if they haue neede of dayly correction and amendment of life if they be desirous of continuall comforte and consolation and finally of eternall happinesse and saluation to be in loue with the holy Scriptures to embrace them to reuerence them to reade them to heare them to meditate in them and aboue all to liue after thē and euē to expresse them in their whole lyfe and conuersation Whiche godly diligence and indeuour as I wishe vnfainedly from my very hearte to be wrought effectually in mine owne selfe so make I mine humble prayers vnto the Lord that he would vouchsafe in his great mercy to kindle and stirre vppe the same in the heartes of all people to awaken them out of the sleepe of sinne and securitie to drawe them out of the dirty dregges of Popery and superstition wherein Sathan hath of long tyme and yet still keepeth a great number to scatter the cloudes and mistes