The praise-worthinesse of reading and enquiring into the Scripture. [ 1931]
MAny have thought Agesilaus,* 1.1 that most wi••e and excellent King of Sparta' worthy of all commendations, that he would never go to bed, not rise up before he had looked into Homer, whom he called Amasium suum, his Sweet∣heart; but others have extolled Alphonsus King of Arragon, for reading the Scriptures fourteen times over with glosses and expositions; And the Emperor Theodosius the second, for reading Prayers, and singing Psalms every Morning with his Family;* 1.2 Nay, Scipio Africanus was thought worthy of commenda∣tions, that he had usually in his hands the books of Xenophon's Institution of Cyrus, which yet were rather written according to the form of a just Empire, then the truth of the history. O, but how much more praise-worthy are they that read and enquire into the holy Scriptures, such as with David make the Law of God their delight and Counsellor, such as consult those blessed Oracles of Truth, and with those noble Bereans are upon the search, Whether the things spoken, or any otherwise delivered as concerning God, be so or not, Act. 9.