They (as Hierome saith) have the books, we the word of those books: they the Prophets, we the understanding of the Prophets: they are killed by the Letter, we are quickened by the Spirit: They have Barabbas the murderer delivered: to us is delivered CHRIST the Son of God. Judas sold him, the Jew bought him, the true Christian is the possessor of him, whom he findeth in this Word, feeleth in the Sacraments, and feedeth on in his heart by a lively Faith. The antiquity, necessity, dignity, and commodity of Eli writ, if it were truly thought of as it should, would breed a greater love to the reading of it, desire to the knowledge of it, and care to the practising of it, then is now a days in the most of the world. For Antiquity, it is in part as ancient as the first Adam, and in whole, as old as the second, in whom all the Promises contained in this book are, Yea, and Amen. For necessity, as needful as the true knowledge of God, whom to know is eternal life. For dignity, so great that it alone must be called the Law of God, yea, that law then which no man can show a better to serve God by, or by which he may better know his duty to man. Compare we this our Christian law with those of Lycurgus, Draco, Solon, Zaleucus, Numa Pompilius, Roman twelve tables themselves, which Cicero preferreth above all the books of Philosophers, and the difference will be as great as the light ⟨image 212⟩of the Sun, to a candle, the Cedar to the shrub, and the little Ant to the great Elephant. ••••• Augustine considering but one sentence of this book, writeth thus: What disputations, what 1writings of Philosophers, what laws of any Cities, are to be compared to these two Precepts upon which (as CHRIST saith) depend the Law and the Prophets; Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thine heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and thy Neighbour as thy self? Here are Physiques, here are Ethics, here is Logic; here is the la•da•l• government of the Common-wealth, &c.
They (as Hierome saith) haue the bookes, wee the worde of those bookes: they the Prophets, wee the vnderstanding of the Prophets: they are killed by the Letter, we are quickened by the Spirite: They haue Barrabas the murtherer deliuered: to vs is deliuered CHRIST the Sonne of God. Iudas solde him, the Iewe bought him, the true Christian is the possessor of him, whom he findeth in this Word, feeleth in the Sacraments, and feedeth on in his heart by a liuely Faith. The antiquitie, necessitie, dignitie, and commoditie of Helie writte, if it were truely thought of as it should, would breede a greater loue to the reading of it, desire to the knowledge of it, and care to the practising of it, then is now a dayes in the most of the worlde. For Antiquitie, it is in part as ancient as the first Adam, and in whole, as olde as the second, in whome all the Promises contained in this booke are, Yea, and Amen. For necessitie, as needfull as the true knowledge of God, whome to knowe is eternall life. For dignitie, so greas that it alone must be called the Law of God, yea, that law then which no man can shewe a better to serue God by, or by which hee may better knowe his dutie to man. Compare wee this our Christian lawe with those of Lycurgus, Draco, Solon, Zaleucus, Numa Pompilius, Romane twelue tables themselues, which Cicero preferreth aboue all the bookes of Philosophers, and the difference will bee as great as the light ⟨image 212⟩of the Sunne, to a candle, the Cedar to the shrub, and the little Ant to the great Elephant. ••••• Augustine considering but one sentence of this booke, writeth thus: What disputations, what 1writings of Philosophers, what lawes of any Cities, are to bee compared to these two Precepts vpon which (as CHRIST saith) depend the Law and the Prophets; Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God, with all thine heart, with all thy soule, and with all thy strength, and thy Neighbour as thy selfe? Heere are Physiques, here are Ethiques, here is Logique; here is the la•da•l• gouernement of the Common-wealth, &c.
- 1Epist. 3. ad Volus.
