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short, there is nothing that more maintaineth godliness of the mind, and driveth away ungodliness, than doth the continual reading or hearing of God's word, if it be joined with a godly mind and a good affection to know and follow God's will. For without a single eye, pure intent, and Isai. v. 13, 24: good mind, nothing is allowed for good before God. Matt. xxii. And, on the other side, nothing more darkeneth xiv. Christ and the glory of God, nor bringeth in more modities the blindness and all kinds of vices, than doth the God's word ignorance of God's word.

29: 1 Cor.

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THE SECOND PART OF THE SERMON OF THE
HOLY SCRIPTURE.

In the first part of this Sermon, which exhorteth
to the knowledge of holy Scripture, was de-
clared wherefore the knowledge of the same is
necessary and profitable to all men, and that by
the true knowledge and understanding of Scrip-
ture the most necessary points of our duty towards
God and our neighbours are also known. Now as
concerning the same matter you shall hear what
followeth.

If we profess Christ, why be we not ashamed to
be ignorant in his doctrine, seeing that every man
is ashamed to be ignorant in that learning which
he professeth? That man is ashamed to be called
a philosopher which readeth not the books of phi-
losophy; and to be called a lawyer, an astronomer,
or a physician, that is ignorant in the books of
law, astronomy, and physic. How can any man
then say that he professeth Christ and his religion,
if he will not apply himself, as far forth as he can
or may conveniently, to read and hear, and so to
know, the books of Christ's Gospel and doctrine?
Although other sciences be good and to be learned, God's word
yet no man can deny that this is the chief, and excelleth all
passeth all other incomparably. What excuse shall
we therefore make at the last day before Christ,

sciences.

Vain excuses dissuading from the

God's word.

The first.

that delight to read or hear men's phantasies and inventions more than his most holy Gospel; and will find no time to do that which chiefly, above all things, we should do; and will rather read other things than that for the which we ought rather to leave reading of all other things? Let us therefore apply ourselves, as far forth as we can have time and leisure, to know God's word by diligent hearing and reading thereof, as many as profess God, and have faith and trust in him.

But they that have no good affection to God's word, to colour this their fault, allege commonly knowledge of two vain and feigned excuses. Some go about to excuse them by their own frailness and fearfulness, saying that they dare not read holy Scripture, lest through their ignorance they should fall into any error. Other pretend that the difficulty to understand it, and the hardness thereof, is so great, that it is meet to be read only of clerks and learned

The second.

men.

As touching the first, ignorance of God's word is the cause of all error, as Christ himself affirmed Matt. xxii. 29. to the Sadducees, saying, that they erred, because they knew not the Scripture. How should they then eschew error that will be still ignorant? and how should they come out of ignorance that will not read nor hear that thing which should give them knowledge? He that now hath most knowledge was at the first ignorant: yet he forbare not to read, for fear he should fall into error; but he diligently read, lest he should remain in ignorance, and through ignorance in error. And, if you will not know the truth of God (a thing most necessary for you), lest you fall into error, by the same reason you may then lie still, and never go, lest, if you go, you fall in the mire; nor eat any good meat, lest you take a surfeit; nor sow your corn, nor labour in your occupation, nor use your merchandise, for fear you lose your seed, your labour, your stock and so, by that reason, it should be best for you to live idly, and never to take in hand

ies and el; and , above er read

ought

? Let

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to any

ander

is

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without all Scripture is

peril, the holy

to be read.

to do any manner of good thing, lest peradventure some evil thing may chance thereof. And, if you How most be afraid to fall into error by reading of holy Scripture, I shall shew you how you may read it without danger of error. Read it humbly with a meek and a lowly heart, to the intent you may glorify God, and not yourself, with the knowledge of it; and read it not without daily praying to God, that he would direct your reading to good effect; and take upon you to expound it no further than you can plainly understand it. For, as St. Augustine saith, the knowledge of holy Scripture is a great, large, and a high palace, but the door low; so that the high and arrogant man cannot run in, but he must stoop low and humble himself that shall enter into it. Presumption and arrogancy is the mother of all error: and humility needeth to fear no error. For humility will only search to know the truth; it will search and will bring together one place with another; and, where it cannot find out the meaning, it will pray, it will ask of other that know, and will not presumptuously and rashly define any thing which it knoweth not. Therefore the humble man may search any truth boldly in the Scripture without any danger of error. And, if he be ignorant, he ought the more to read and to search holy Scripture, to bring him out of ignorance. I say not nay, but a man may prosper with only hearing; but he may much more prosper with both hearing and reading.

that

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ther

This have I said as touching the fear to read
through ignorance of the person. And concern-
ing the hardness of Scripture, he that is so weak
that he is not able to brook strong meat, yet he 1 Cor. iii. 2;
may suck the sweet and tender milk, and defer the
rest until he wax stronger and come to more
knowledge. For God receiveth the learned and
unlearned, and casteth away none, but is indif-
ferent unto all. And the Scripture is full, as well Scripture in
of low valleys, plain ways, and easy for every man is easy, and

Heb. v. 12-14.

some places

in some places hard

to be under

stood.

God leaveth taught that hath a good

no man un

will to know his word.

How the

knowledge of

Scripture may be attained

unto.

to use and to walk in, as also of high hills and mountains, which few men can climb unto. And "whosoever giveth his mind to holy Scriptures with diligent study and burning desire, it cannot be," saith St. John Chrysostom, "that he should be left without help. For either God Almighty will send him some godly doctor to teach him, as he did to instruct Eunuchus, a nobleman of Ethiope, and treasurer unto queen Candace; who having a great affection to read the Scripture, although he understood it not, yet, for the desire that he had unto God's word, God sent his Apostle Philip to declare unto him the true sense of the Scripture that he read; or else, if we lack a learned man to instruct and teach us, yet God himself from above will give light unto our minds, and teach us those things which are necessary for us, and wherein we be ignorant." And in another place Chrysostom saith, that "man's human and worldly wisdom or science needeth not to the understanding of Scripture, but the revelation of the Holy Ghost, who inspireth the true meaning unto them that with humility and diligence do search Matt. vii. 8. therefore." He that asketh shall have, and he that seeketh shall find, and he that knocketh shall have the door open. If we read once, twice, or thrice, and understand not, let us not cease so, but still continue reading, praying, asking of other; and so, by still knocking, at the last the door shall be A good rule opened, as St. Augustine saith. Although many derstanding things in the Scripture be spoken in obscure mysteries, yet there is nothing spoken under dark mysteries in one place but the selfsame thing in other places is spoken more familiarly and plainly to the capacity both of learned and unlearned. And those things in the Scripture that be plain to understand and necessary for salvation, every man's duty is to learn them, to print them in knowledge of memory, and effectually to exercise them; and, as for the dark mysteries, to be contented to be ignorant in them until such time as it shall please

for the un

of the

Scripture.

No man is excepted from the

God's will,

hills and 0. And

riptures

cannot

should might

h him

man

wh

other

ab

God to open those things unto him. In the mean season, if he lack either aptness or opportunity, God will not impute it to his folly: but yet it behoveth not that such as be apt should set aside reading, because some other be unapt to read. Nevertheless, for the hardness of such places the reading of the whole ought not to be set apart. And briefly to conclude: as St. Augustine saith, by the Scripture all men be amended, weak men be strengthened, and strong men be comforted. So that surely none be enemies to the reading of What persons God's word but such as either be so ignorant that they know not how wholesome a thing it is, or else be so sick that they hate the most comfortable medicine that should heal them, or so ungodly that they would wish the people still to continue in blindness and ignorance of God.

would have

ignorance to

continue.

one of God's

reading, use,

holy Scrip

Thus we have briefly touched some part of the The holy commodities of God's holy word, which is one of Scripture is God's chief and principal benefits given and de- chief benetits. clared to mankind here in earth. Let us thank God heartily for this his great and special gift, beneficial favour, and fatherly providence. Let us be glad to revive this precious gift of our 2 Tim. i. 6. heavenly Father. Let us hear, read, and know The right these holy rules, injunctions, and statutes of our and fruitful Christian religion, and upon that we have made studying in profession to God at our baptism. Let us with ture. fear and reverence lay up in the chest of our hearts these necessary and fruitful lessons. Let us night and day muse and have meditation and Ps. i. a. contemplation in them. Let us ruminate and as it were chew the cud, that we may have the sweet juice, spiritual effect, marrow, honey, kernel, taste, comfort, and consolation of them. Let us stay, quiet, and certify our consciences with the most infallible certainty, truth, and perpetual assurance of them. Let us pray to God, the only Author of these heavenly studies, that we may speak, think, believe, live, and depart hence, according to the wholesome doctrine and verities of