The second tome of homilies of such matters as were promised, and entitled in…The second tome of homilees of such matters as were promised, and intituled in…

And although it is more clear then the noon day, that to be ignorant of the scriptures, is the cause of error, as Christ saith to the Sadducees: Ye err, not knowing the scriptures, and that error doth hold back, & pluck men ¹away from the knowledge of God. And as saint Hierome saith: Not to know the scriptures, is to be ignorant of Christ. Yet this notwithstanding, some there be that think it not meet for all sorts of men to read the scriptures, because they are, as they think, in sundry places stumbling blocks to the unlearned. First, for that ⟨p. 299⟩the phrase of the scriptures is sometime so homely, gross, and plain, that it offendeth the fine and delicate wits of some courtiers. Furthermore, for that the scripture also reporteth, even of them that have their commendation to be the children of God, that they did divers acts, whereof some are contrary to the law of nature, some repugnant to the law written, and other some seem to fight manifestly against public honesty. All which things (say they) are unto the simple an occasion of great offence, and cause many to think evil of the Scriptures, and to discredit their authority. Some are offended at the hearing and reading of the diversity of the rites and ceremonies of the sacrifices and oblations of the law. And some worldly witted men, think it a great decay to the quiet and prudent governing of their common weals, to give ear to the simple and plain rules and precepts of our saviour Christ in his Gospel, as being offended, that a man should be ready to turn his right ear, to him that strake him on the left, and to him which would take away his coat, to offer him also his cloak, with such other sayings of perfection in Christs meaning. For carnal reason being alway an enemy to God, and not perceiving the things of Gods spirit, doth abhor such precepts, which yet rightly understanded, infringeth no judicial policies, nor Christian mens governments. And some there be, which hearing the scriptures to bid us to live without […], without study or forecasting, do deride t•e […]ities of them. ⟨p. 300⟩Therefore to remove and put away occasions of offence so much as may be, I will answer orderly to these objections. First I shall rehearse some of those places that men are offended at, for the homeliness and grossness of speech, and will show the meaning of them.