This treatise, Of the Holy Scriptures, was printed by Dr. Garbrand with another work of bishop Jewell's called 'A View of a seditious Bull sent into England from Pius V. bishop of Rome, 1569.' In the preface to the reader, he says,

'In the Treatise of the Holy Scriptures is showed the authority, and the profit, and the pleasure, and the necessity of the word of God.

'If thou learn to humble thyself before God, and to seek wisdom of him; if thou search the scriptures, and make them thy guides to lead thee through the desert and wide sea of this life, thou shalt soon espy the danger of all practices towards disloyalty and rebellion whereto the Bull driveth thee. For it is not only said by the wise man, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," Prov. i., but also set down by the prophet, "They have rejected the word of the Lord, and what wisdom is there in them?" Jeremiah viii. That is, men become foolish and do such things as are unmeet, because they care not for the word of God; and therefore David in his experience so confesses, that by the commandments of God he was made wiser than his enemies, and had more understanding than all his teachers; because the testimonies of the Lord were ever with him, and he did meditate upon them. Psalm cxix.'

A TREATISE

OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES.

AMONG all his creatures in heaven or earth, God hath not made any like unto the sun in the firmament, the beams whereof are beautiful and pleasant, and give comfort in all places, to all things. It rejoices the whole, and relieves the sick; it causes birds to sing, fishes to play, cattle to stir, worms to creep, grass to grow, and trees to bring fruit; it renews the face of the whole earth.

Yet a blind man has no pleasure in the beauty thereof, because he is blind, and cannot see it; yet a dead man has no warmth by the heat thereof, because he is dead, and feels it not.

Adam was placed in paradise in perfect estate, and in the company of God's angels. God walked and did talk with him. He heard the voice, and beheld the presence of God. The rivers yielded waters abundantly, the trees brought him food of life. He had plenty without travail, he had pleasures, joy, and his heart's desire.

But Adam was unthankful; he knew not God, the worker of his happiness; he knew not the place in which he was; he knew not his own state and bless

edness; therefore the wrath of the Lord grew against him he fell into the snares of the devil, he became mortal, and returned to dust.

What nation in all the world so happy as Israel! They were delivered by a mighty hand out of Egypt, from the tyranny of Pharaoh, from servage and villainy. Their children were no more slain before their faces. They passed through the bottom of the sea, as upon dry land. When they were hungry, there went forth a wind from the Lord, and brought them quails from the sea, and manna was given them from heaven to eat. When they thirsted, the rocks opened and poured out water, that they and their beasts might drink.

In battle they were mighty and strong; no power was able to stand against them. The Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead and by night in a pillar of fire, to When they called upon the Lord, When they trusted in him, they

them the way;
give them light.
he heard them.
were not confounded.

2

But they grew unmindful of all these mercies, and murmured against the Lord, and against his servants: therefore God raught forth his hand against them. He sware in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest. He sent his angel, and destroyed them in the wilderness.

Even so fares it with all such as regard not the word of their salvation; because they have ears and hear not, nor will understand with their hearts, the fury of the Lord shall be kindled against them. The prophet saith in the name of God to Israel, Jer. vii. "I have sent unto them all my servants the prophets, yet would they not hear me, nor incline their ear."

Samuel tells Saul, 1 Sam. XV. "Thou hast cast

1 Slavery, villain formerly meant a serf or bondsman.

2 Stretched.

away the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath cast away thee." Again, Jeremiah saith, chap. vi. “How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us? They have rejected the word of the Lord, and what wisdom is in them?" Again, "Unto whom shall I speak, and admonish, that they may hear? Behold, their ears are uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken; behold the word of the Lord is unto them as a reproach, they have no delight in it; I will cause a plague to come upon this people, even the fruit of their own imaginations; because they have not taken heed unto my words, nor to my law, but cast it off."

After this manner God shows the cause why his word takes not place in us; because we are wilful, and will not hear it, nor receive it, nor take delight in it, nor let the fruit thereof appear; but reject it, and make it a reproach, and cast it away from us. And therefore is it that the Lord doth cast us away; that we are unwise; that we please ourselves with our own devices, and follow our own imaginations, and perish, because we have not understanding to hear the instruction of the Lord's word, but, like ignorant men, disallow it, and cast it behind the back.

The consideration hereof moves me to say somewhat of the holy scriptures, which are the bright sun of God; which bring light unto our ways, and comfort to all parts of our life, and salvation to our souls; in which is made known unto us our estate, and the mercy of God witnessed in Christ our Saviour,

That we may the better see the path which we have to walk in; my meaning is, truly, and plainly, and shortly, to show you what authority and majesty the word of God beareth; then, what profit we may reap by it; also, how needful it is, that we be well instructed in the holy scriptures; and what pleasure and delectation a christian conscience may find in them; and lastly, whether they are dark and doubt

ful, or plain and easy for your understanding: that when we know the majesty and authority of the word, and what comfort and profit God giveth us by it, we deprive not ourselves thereof by our unthankfulness, nor close up our eyes that we see it not; but hear it in reverence and in fear, that it may be fruitful in us, and we receive it not in vain.

The scriptures are the word of God. What title can there be of greater value? What may be said of them to make them of greater authority, than to say, "The Lord hath spoken them? that they came not by the will of men, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost?" 2 Peter i. At the word or proclamation of an earthly prince we stand up and vail our bonnets, and give good heed to it we are bound so to do, it is our duty; such honour belongeth to the powers that are placed to rule over us; for they are ordained of God. And whosoever resisteth them, resisteth the ordinance of God.

If we should have a revelation, and hear an angel speak unto us, how careful should we be to mark, and remember, and to be able to declare the words of the angel! yet an angel is but a glorious creature, and not God. And what is a king? great and mighty, yet mortal and subject to death; his breath departeth, and his name shall perish. Both he and his word, his power and his puissance, shall have an end.

But the word of the gospel is not as the word of an earthly prince. It is of more majesty than the word of an angel. The apostle saith, Heb. ii. "If the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation, which at the first began to be preached by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that beard him?"

God saith by the prophet Isaiah, chap. lv. "My