By this means then, thou wilt that no man teach an other, but that every man take the Scripture, and learn by himself. Nay 1verily, so say I not. Nevertheless, seeing that ye will not teach, if any man thirst for the truth, and read the Scripture by himself, desiring God to open the door of knowledge unto him, god for his truths sake will, and must teach him. Howbeit my meaning is, that as a master teacheth his prentice to know all the points of the mete yard, first how many inches, how many feet, and the half yard, the quarter, and the nail, and then teacheth him to mete other things thereby: even so will I that ye teach the people 2Gods law, and what obedience God requireth of us unto father and mother, master, Lord, King, and all superiors, and with what friendly love he commandeth one to love an other. And teach them to know that natural venom, and birth poison, which moveth the very harts of us to rebel against the ordinances and will of God, and prove that no man is righteous in the sight of God, but that we are all damned by the law. And then (when thou hast meeked them, and feared them with the law) teach them the testament, and promises which God hath made unto us in Christ, and how much he loveth us in Christ. And teach them the principles, and the ground of the faith, and what the sacraments signify, and then shall the spirit work with thy preaching, & make them feel. So would it come to pass, that as we know by natural wit, what followeth of a true principle of natural reason: even so by the principles of the faith, & by y• plain scriptures, & by the circumstances of the text, should we judge all mens exposition, and all mens doctrine, and should receive the best, and refuse the worst. I would have you to teach them also the properties, and manner of speakings of the scripture, and how to expound proverbs and similitudes. And then if they go abroad, and walk by the fields, and meadows of all manner doctors and Philosophers, they could catch no harm. They should discern the poison from the honey, and bring home nothing, 3but that which is wholesome.
By this meanes then, thou wilt that no man teach an other, but that euery man take the Scripture, and learne by hymselfe. Nay 1verely, so say I not. Neuerthelesse, seyng that ye wyll not teach, if any man thyrst for the truth, and read the Scripture by hymselfe, desiring God to open the dore of knowledge vnto him, god for his truthes sake wil, and must teach hym. Howbeit my meaning is, that as a mayster teacheth his prentice to know all the poyntes of the mete yarde, first how many inches, how many feete, and the halfe yarde, the quarter, and the nayle, and then teacheth him to mete other things therby: euen so will I that ye teach the people 2Gods lawe, and what obedience God requireth of vs vnto father and mother, mayster, Lord, King, and all superiours, and wyth what frendly loue he commaundeth one to loue an other. And teach them to know that naturall vename, and byrth poyson, which moueth the very harts of vs to rebell against the ordinaunces and will of God, and proue that no man is righteous in the sight of God, but that we are all damned by the lawe. And then (whē thou hast meeked them, and feared them wyth the lawe) teache them the testament, and promises which God hath made vnto vs in Christ, and how much he loueth vs in Christ. And teach them the principles, and the ground of the fayth, and what the sacramentes signifie, and then shall the spirite worke wyth thy preaching, & make thē feele. So would it come to passe, that as we know by naturall wit, what followeth of a true principle of naturall reasō: euē so by ye principles of ye fayth, & by y• plaine scriptures, & by the circumstāces of the text, should we iudge all mēs exposition, and all mens doctrine, and should receaue the best, and refuse the worst. I woulde haue you to teach them also the properties, and maner of speakinges of the scripture, and how to expound prouerbes and similitudes. And then if they goe abroad, and walke by the fieldes, and medowes of all maner doctours and Philosophers, they coulde catch no harme. They should discerne the poyson from the hoonny, and bring home nothyng, 3but that which is holsome.
- 1When no man will teach, if we desire▪ God will teach.
- 2The order of teaching.The order of teachyng.
- 3The disorder or over thwart order of our […] men. The school doctrine […] they call […] corrupteth the judgements o• youth.The disorder or ouer thwar• order of our 〈…〉 men. The schole doctrine 〈…〉 they call 〈…〉 corrupteth the iudgementes o• youth.
