Sin theoni en christoni the answer to the preface of the Rhemish Testament. By…Syn theōi en christōi the ansvvere to the preface of the Rhemish Testament. By…

In the third homily of Lazarus, he doth not object th'excuse of pastime: but declareth that for to deliver themselves from the duty of reading the Scripture, one would say, that he hath matters to plead, another that he hath public affairs, a third that he hath his handy-craft to await upon, another that he hath his wife, his children and family to maintain and take care for, and generally every one could say, I am a man of the world, it belongeth ⟨p. 42⟩not to me to read the Scripture, but to those which having taken their farewell of the world, dwell in the mountains and live a continent life. To whom when he had answered, that they had therefore more need to read the Scriptures: he concludeth, that both they and he that lived amongst men, as it were in the midst of the seas, have always need of the perpetual and continual solace of the Scriptures. And yet reckoning up the manifold uses of reading of the scriptures by the people, he concludeth thus. Wherefore it is necessary, that we should incessantly, fetch our armour at the Scripture. Again, he compareth in the same places which are here quoted, the books of Scriptures, to th'artificer's instrument, wherewith he getteth his living, which he will not gage: and as he maketh his works with his tools, so we by the Scriptures must correct our depraved minds. And a little after, The reading of the Scripture is a great munition against sin, but th'ignorance thereof is a down-fall, & a deep hell: this begetteth heresies. Again, It cannot now be (I say) it cannot be, that ⟨p. 43⟩any can obtain salvation, unless he be continually occupied in reading of the Scripture. There would be no end of writing, if we should lay open all that Chrysostom hath in this behalf, to prove that he herein prescribed physic for the general disease of all Christian people, and not for a special malady (as it might be the sweating sickness) that haunted that people, whereof he had the government. Also for all times both in prosperity and adversity, even uncessantlie; And not¹ only in those wherein (through abundance) they waxing wanton, gave themselves to dicing and carding, &c Wherefore your distinction of a teacher in the School, and Pulpit-man, hath no place here: as indeed it is foolish, and hath no place otherwhere.