For as Faith, Hope Charity, Peace, Mercy, Patience, long suffering, humility, sobriety justice, spiritual liberty, obedience toward the high powers, and all goodness reigneth, where the LORDS word beareth rule, so in like man ner, where it is expulsed, banished & exiled, Incredulity, hatred, envy covetousness, vengeance, contention, Gluttony, drunkenness, rapacity, immoderate ⟨image 4⟩lusts, unclean affects, carnal liberty, disobedience insurrection, arrogancy, pride, ambition, crudelite, manslaughter, theft, false witness, hypocrisy, ignorance, blindness, sects, Heresy, and all that is contrary to the commandment and will of God, beareth dominion, and hath preeminence, as Solomon sayeth,1 Where knowledge is not, there is no goodness for y• soul. Again, when the preaching of Gods word •ayleth,2 the people perish & run clean out of order. Therefore it is written by the Prophet,3 make hast to the law & witness. If they speak not according to this word, they shall not have the morning light, that is to say, the true knowledge of God.4 Rebuked not Christ the Sadducees, because they were ignorant in the holy Scriptures, affirming that they were deceived for lack of the knowledge of them? Ye are ⟨image 4⟩deceived, saith he, because ye know not the scriptures. Therefore in the gospel of John,5 he exhorteth all men to search the scriptures, saying, search ye the scriptures, for they are they ye bear witness of me. And the Psalmograph calleth them blessed,6 which search the testimonies of the LORD & meditate in his law both both day & night The word of God must needs be an excellent & precious treasure, seeing it is the power of GOD unto salvation for so many as believe,7 seeing also it is profitable to teach, to improve, to amend, & to instruct, in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect & prepared to all good works. Who is able to express, what a precious relic and high treasure the word of God is? Verily it is that treasure, whereof Christ speaketh in the Gospel,8 that lieth hidden in the field, which, when a man once findeth, for joy ⟨image 5⟩thereof he goeth & selleth all that he hath, & byeth that field. And it is no less treasure to the soul, than the corporal eyes are to the body, as the Psalmographe testifieth: Thy word,9 O LORD, is a lantern to my feet, & a light to my pathways.
For as Fayth, Hope Charite, Peace, Mercy, Pacience, longe sufferynge, humilite, sobriete iustice, spirituall liberte, obedience towarde the hyghe powers, and all goodnes reygneth, where the LORDES word bereth rule, so in lyke mā ner, where yt is expulsed, banysshed & exiled, Incredulite, hatred, enuy couetousnes, vēgeāce, contencion, Glotony, dronckēnes, rapacite, immoderate ⟨image 4⟩lustes, vncleane affectes, carnal liberte, disobediēce īsurreccion, arrogācy, pryde, ambiciō, crudelite, māslaughter, thefte, false witnes, hypocrisy, ignorāce, blyndnes, sectes, Heresye, and all that is contrary to the commaundeme nt and wyll of God, beareth dominiō, and hath preeminence, as Salomō sayeth,1 Where knowledge is not, there is no goodnes for y• soule. Agayne, whan the preachyng of Gods word •ayleth,2 the people peryshe & runne cleane oute of order. Therfore it is wryten by the Prophet,3 make hast to the lawe & witnes. If they speke not accordynge to this word, they shall not haue the mornynge lyght, that is to saye, the true knowledge of God.4 Rebuked not Christ ye Saduces, bycause they were ignorant in the holy Scriptures, affyrming that they were deceaued for lacke of the knoweledge of them? Ye are ⟨image 4⟩deceaued, sayth he, bicause ye know not ye scriptures. Therfore in ye gospel of Iohn,5 he exhorteth al men to serch ye scriptures, sayēg, serch ye ye scriptures, for they are they ye beare witnes of me. And ye Psalmograph calleth thē blissed,6 which search ye testimonies of the LORDE & meditate in his lawe both both daye & nyght The worde of God muste nedes be an excellent & precious treasure, seinge it is the power of GOD vnto saluacion for so many as beleue,7 seinge also it is profitable to teache, to īproue, to amend, & to instructe, in ryghteousnesse, that the man of God may be perfecte & prepared to all good workes. Who is able to expresse, what a precious relique and high treasure the worde of God is? Uerely it is that treasure, wherof Christ speaketh in the Gospell,
- 1Prover. xixProuer. xix
- 2Prou. xxix
- 3Isaiah. viii.Esaie. viii.
- 4Mark. xii.Marke. xii.
- 5Joan. v.Ioan. v.
- 6Psal. cxviii and .i.
- 7Roma. i. i. Tim. iiii.
- 8Math. xii•
- 9Psal. cxviii
