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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, alledge commonly 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. Others pretend that the difficulty to understand it, and the hardness thereof is so great, that it is meet only to be read of clerks and learned men. As touching the first: ignorance of God's word, is the cause of all error, as Christ himself affirmed 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 forbears not to read, for fear he should fall into error: but he diligently reads, 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 yon may then lie still, and never go, lest, if you go, you fall into 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 to do any manner of good thing, lest, peradventure, some evil thing may chance thereof. And if you be afraid to fall into error, by reading of holy scripture: I shall shew you how you may read

Matt. xxii,

On the Scriptures.

HOM. I.

without danger of error. Read it humbly with a meek and 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 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 place, but the door is very 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 are 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 others 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 profit with only hearing, but he may much more profit, with both hearing and reading. This have I said, as touching the fear to read, through ignorance of the person. And concerning the hardness of scripture, he that is so weak that he is not able to brook strong meat, yet he 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 impartial unto all. And the scripture is full, as well of low vallies, plain ways and easy for every man 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,

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scriptures, with diligent study and burning desire, it cannot be, saith Saint 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 the eunuch, a nobleman of Ethiopia, and treasurer unto queen Candace, who having 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, is not needful 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 therefore. He that asketh, shall have; and he that seeketh, shall find; and he that knocketh, shall have the door opened. If we read once, twice, or thrice, and understand not, let us not cease so; but still continue reading, praying, asking of others, and so, by still knocking, at the last, the door shall be opened: as Saint Augustine saith, Although many things in the scripture be spoken in obscure mysteries, yet there is nothing spoken under dark mysteries in one place, but the self same 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 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 God to

Matt. vii.

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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 he 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 com forted. So that surely none be enemies to the reading of 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.

Thus we have briefly touched some part of the usefulness of God's holy word, which is one of God's chief and principal benefits given and declared 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 receive this precious gift of our heavenly Father. Let us hear, read, and know these holy rules, injunctions, and statutes of our christian religion, and upon that we have made profession to God at our baptism. Let us with 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 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

Psal. 1.

HOM. II.

On the Misery of Man.

studies, that we may speak, think, believe, live and depart hence, according to the wholesome doctrine, and verities of them. And by that means, in this world we shall have God's defence, favour and grace, with the unspeakable solace of peace, and quietness of conscience; and after this miserable life, we shall enjoy the endless bliss and glory of heaven: which, he grant us all, that died for us all, Jesus Christ, to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, both now and everlastingly.

This Homily shews how the word of God teaches divine wisdom, and excels the knowledge of all science; that it is one of the greatest favours conferred upon mankind; and that whosoever reads it with deep humility and fervent prayer will discover the way of salvation, or that God will send an interpreter to instruct him.

HOMILY II.

Sermon on the Misery of Man, and of his Condemnation to Death Everlasting, by his own sin.

THE Holy Ghost, in writing the holy scripture, is in nothing more diligent than to pull down man's vain glory and pride, which of all vices is most universally grafted in all mankind, even from the first infection of our first father Adam. And therefore we read in many places of scripture, many notable lessons against this old rooted vice, to teach us the most commendable virtue of humility, how to know ourselves, and to remember what we be of ourselves,

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