The Practice of Piety

In a word▪ apply all that thou readest in the holy Scripture, to one of these two head• chiefly; either to confirm thy Faith, or to increase thy Repentance for as susti•e & abstine, bear & forbear, ¹was the Epitome of a good Philosopher• life: so creda & resipi•••, believe and repent, is the whole sum of a true Christians profession. One Chapter thus read with understanding, and meditated with application, ⟨p. 314⟩will better feed and comfort thy soul, then five read and run over without marking their scope or sense, or making any use thereof to thine own self. If in this manner thou shalt read three Chapters every day: one in the morning, another at noon, and the third at night, (reading so many Psalms in stead of a Chapter, as our Church Liturgy appoints for Morning or Evening Prayers) thou shalt read over all the Canonical ^aScripture in a year, except six Chapters, which thou ⟨p. 315⟩mayest add to the task of the last day of the year. The reading of the Bible in order will help thee the better to understand both the History and scope of the holy Scripture. And as for the ^bApocrypha, being but penned by mans spirit, thou mayest read them at thy pleasure, but believe them so far as they agree with the Canonical Scripture, which is indited by the Holy Ghost.

In a word▪ apply all that thou readest in the holy Scripture, to one of these two head• chiefely; eyther to confirme thy Faith, or to encrease thy Repentance for as susti•e & abstine, beare & forbeare, ¹