Now it followeth we consider how necessary, 1and needful it is for us to be guided by the word of God, in the whole trade of our life. The word of God is that unto our souls, which our soul is unto our body. As the body dyeth when the soul departeth, so the soul of man dyeth,2 when it hath not the knowledge of GOD. Man liveth not by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Behold saith God,3 I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst of water, but of hearing ⟨p. 180⟩the word of the Lord. Their tongue shall wither, their heart shall starve, they shall dye for hunger: They shall wander from sea to sea, and from the North unto the East, shall they run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it. 4They shall stumble at noon days, as at the twilight: they shall grope for the wall like the blind: and truth shall fall in their streets. For, how shall they be saved unless they call on the name of the Lord?5 how shall they call on him, in whom they have not believed? Howe shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? & how shall they hear without a Preacher? & how shall they preach except they be sent? Chrysostom therefore saith, Neither can it be, I say, it can not be, that any man shall attain to salvation, except he be always occupied in spiritual reading. The wise man faith, Where there is no prophecy, 6the people decay. Where the Scriptures are not opened, when there is none that can edify, and exhort, and comfort the people by the word of God, they must needs ⟨p. 181⟩perish: for they know not the way in which they should walk: they know not whom to honour, nor upon whose name they should call: they know neither what to believe, nor what to do. Hell hath enlarged it self, and hath opened his mouth without measure, and they that are wilful and ignorant, and the children of darkness, go down into it. They become thrall, and captives unto Satan. Their heart is bound up, they understand nothing: their eyes are shut up, they can see nothing: their ears are stopped up, they can hear nothing. They are carried away as a pray into Hell, because they have not y• knowledge of God.
Nowe it followeth we consider howe necessarie, 1and needefull it is for vs to be guided by the word of God, in the whole trade of our life. The worde of God is that vnto our soules, whiche our soule is vnto our body. As the body dyeth when the soule departeth, so the soule of man dyeth,2 when it hath not the knowledge of GOD. Man liueth not by breade onely, but by euerie worde that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Beholde saith God,3 I will sende a famine in the lande, not a famine of breade, nor a thirst of water, but of hearing ⟨p. 180⟩the word of the Lord. Their tongue shal wither, their heart shall sterue, they shal dye for hunger: They shall wander from sea to sea, and from the North vnto the East, shall they runne to and fro to seeke the word of the Lord, and shall not finde it. 4They shall stumble at noone dayes, as at the twilight: they shall grope for the wall like the blind: and truth shall fall in their streetes. For, howe shal they be saued vnlesse they call on the name of the Lord?5 how shal they call on him, in whom they haue not beleeued? Howe shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard? & how shall they heare without a Preacher? & howe shall they preach except they be sent? Chrysostom therefore saith, Neither can it be, I say, it can not be, that any man shall attaine to saluation, except he be alwayes occupied in spiritual reading. The wise man faith, Where there is no prophecie, 6the people decay. Where the Scriptures are not opened, when there is none that can edifye, and exhort, and comfort the people by the word of God, they must néeds ⟨p. 181⟩perish: for they knowe not the waye in whiche they shoulde walke: they know not whome to honour, nor vpon whose name they shoulde call: they know neyther what to beléeue, nor what to do. Hel hath enlarged it selfe, and hathe opened hys mouth without measure, and they that are wilfull and ignorant, and the children of darkenesse, goe downe into it. They become thrall, and captiues vnto Sathan. Their hearte is bounde vp, they vnderstande nothing: theyr eies are shutte vppe, they can sée nothing: their eares are stopte vppe, they can heare nothing. They are carried away as a pray into Hel, because they haue not y knowledge of God.
- 1The necessity of the Scriptures.The necessitie of the Scriptures.
- 2Deut. 8.
- 3Amos. 8.
- 4Esa. 59.
- 5Rom. 10.
- 6Pro•. 2•.
