Two treatises concerning regeneration, 1. Of repentance, 2. Of the diet of the soule shewing the one, how it ought to be sought after and may be attained vnto, the other, how it being gotten, is to be preserued and continued.

Sec. VI.

THus our Christian is to reade the scrip∣ture: but what auaileth it to reade that, that is not vnderstood? or how can we suppose that euery Christian can vnder∣stand the scripture which is so hard, that euen they who giue themselues wholly vnto the studie of it, cannot with any paines or means which can be vsed, sound the depth of it?

We answere, that as it is not possible, so it is not needfull for any man to attain the true sense of the scripture in euerie place: and a∣gaine, that it is both possible and easie for any Christian to vnderstand so much of it as will serue for his spirituall edification in all respects. Yea, it hath pleased God in great mercy and wisedome so to prouide for the saluation of his elect, as to make those things which are most effectuall to edification, most easie to be vnderstood, and so to meete with the carnall curiositie of men, as to make vn∣necessary questions and quiddities most in∣tricate, and euen as labyrinthes, into the which it is easie to enter, but impossible to get foorth. And therefore no man ought to be kept backe from reading the scripture, by

considering the difficultie of thē, but rather to be persuaded, that by prayer to God who can open the eies of the blind to behold the wonderful things of his law, by acquainting himselfe with the phrase & maner of speech which the holy Ghost vseth, by conferring one place with another: and lastly, by vsing the helpe of those who haue laboured pain∣fully and faithfully in searching out the true meaning of the scripture, hee shall vn∣derstand so much of it, as shall be aboun∣dantly sufficient for his edification and sal∣uation. Thus the scripture being paineful∣ly read and truely vnderstood, will yeelde vnto vs plentifull foode for the confirma∣tion of our knowledge, faith, loue, pati∣ence, temperance, and of all spirituall graces. Wee shall enter into these fertile fieldes and pleasant gardens, in ignorance, doubting, distrust, impatience, and sor∣row, but shall come out of them full of faith and of the holy Ghost, and repleni∣shed with all spirituall ioy. With this rea∣ding of the scripture, we must ioyne the rea∣ding of the writings of those who haue ga∣thered the doctrines & exhortations cōtai∣ned therin to their proper heads, in forme of catechismes, sermons, commentaries, treati∣ses, disputations, common places, and praier,

and so haue prepared spirituall foode for o∣thers, who haue not the like oportunitie of doing it. The benefite and profite, which the Chuch reapeth by this meanes, is verie great. For by this meanes many poyntes of singular vse are gotten, and as it were digged out of the scripture, which otherwise would lie in thē, as in the bowels of the earth, hiddē and vnknowne, especially they who are not endued with so great a measure of know∣ledge and iudgement, as that they are able of themselues to vnderstand the scripture, & therout to gather whatsoeuer is needfull for them. And therfore they are to be red both thankfully, in respect of god, the giuer and authour of them: and also carefully, in regard of our own profit & edification, yet not with that reuerence, estimation, and confidence, which is to be vsed in reading the scripture. For that which man saith may bee false, but whatsoeuer God speaketh, is vndoubtedly true. For the which cause, we are not to relie and depend wholy vpon the writings & au∣thoritie of any man, of what learning & ac∣count soeuer he be, as it is y^e custom of many, who not content to acknowledge, & admire the excellency of gods gifts in men, do so ad∣dict themselues to al their sayings, opinions, and fashions, that they take for vndoubted

truth, without any further inquiring of it, or examining it by the word of god, whatsoe∣uer proceedeth frō them, wherof many incō∣ueniences folow. For first, as no man is with∣out his errors, wants & infirmities, so by this me••ns it cōmeth often to passe, that in stead of sound and wholsom food, they receiue in∣to their soules corrupt errours infecting thē. Yea, as for those sound doctrines which they haue frō them, they do not examin them by the rule of gods word, but take them hande ouer head vpon their words, and so haue no firme & setled perswasion, and resolution of them in their minds. Thirdly, by this partiall conceit, which men haue of some one tea∣cher or writer, they are brought to cōtemne al other men with their gifts and and labors, and so depriue themselues of that great fruit & edification which they might reap by thē.