Certain sermons preached before the Queens Majesty, and at Pauls crossCertaine sermons preached before the Queenes Maiestie, and at Paules crosse

Now to conclude this first remedy, whereby Jericho may be kept from building: we may say that of the use of good learning, which S: Augustine speaketh against those that charge ¹the scriptures with unnecessary speeches: Solo vomere terra proscinditur: sed ut hoc fieri possit, etiam caetera aratri membra sunt necessaria. The share only renteth the ground, but to help this work, the other parts of the plough are also needful. We say, eloquence and other liberal arts are to be likened to that part of the Carpenters wimble, which turneth about, goeth round, and by little and little draweth in the iron, or steel bit. The wooden handle entereth not into the wood, but wreatheth in the piercer: so do these arts, if they be rightly used, further the understanding of the word of God. This use Lactantins seemed to seek when he ²said, Vellem mihi dari eloquentiam, vel quia magis credant homines ornatae veritati, vel ut ipsi suis armis vincantur, I would gladly have the gift of eloquence, either because men might give better credit to the trueth, when it is beautified: or else because the heathen may the sooner be overcome with their own weapons. And in another place, he showeth that ⟨image 30⟩this eloquence must serve and wait upon the wisdom of God: Circumliniatur poculum coe ³lestis sapientiae melle, ut intelligamus non hominē loqui, sed Deum. Let the cup (of your speech) be seasoned with y• honey of Gods wisdom, that we may know it is god that speaketh, and not man. Where this is not done but men give them selves rather to be curious in hearing eloquence and pleasantness of speech, then desirous to learn the trueth, the word of God becometh unfruitful, as it is to be feared in many, that they little account of the Gospel of Christ, but seek to please their itching ears with fantasies of men. Augustine sayeth ⁴to such. Bonorum ingeniorum insignis est indoles, in verbis verum amare, non verba: Quid enim prodest clavis aurea, si aperire quod volumus non potest? aut quid obest lignaea, si hoc potest? quando nihil aliud quaerimus nisi ut pateat quod clausum est. Such as be of good disposition seek not after words but after the trueth: For what availeth a key of gold, if it cannot open that we would have opened? & what hurteth a key of wood if it can open? seeing we desire no other thing but that it be opened unto us, which is shut.