It is said of Mary, that she spent the third part of her time in read- ing of the word ; and Cfecilia, a Roman maiden of noble parentage, carried always about her the New Testament, and spent much time in reading it. Alfred, once king of England, compiled psalms and prayers into one book, and called it a Manual, which he always carried about him, and spent much time in the perusal of it. Augustine caused David's penitential psalms to be drawn upon the walls of his chamber, that he might read them as he lay in his bed ; he read and wept, and wept and read.i Well, if all this wUl not prevail with you to be much in reading of the Scriptures, consider that Agesilaus, an . excellent king of Sparta, would never go to bed, nor rise up, before he had looked into Homer, whom he called amasium suum, his sweet- heart ; but what was Homer's books to God's book, which is the book of books, as Charles the Great did signify when he crowned it with
^ Vide Pos. in vita Aug.
228 THE NECESSITY, EXCELLENCY, RARITY, [HeB. XII. 14.
his own crown. And Scipio Africanus was much commended for that he usually had in his hands the books of Xenophon.^ But oh, how much more commendable will it be for you to have always in your hands the book of God 1 Alphonsus had always in his bosom the Commentaries of Csesar, and he was so much delighted with the history of Titus Livius, that he once commanded certain musicians, that were very skilful in that art, to depart his presence, saying, he could read a more pleasant story out of Livius. Alas ! what are Livius his stories to the blessed stories that be in the Bible! 0 sirs, if Lipsius, when he did but read Seneca, thought that he was even on the top of Olympus, above mortality and human things ; and if Julius Scaliger thought twelve verses in Lucan better than the German empire, oh, then, of what infinite worth and value is the blessed Scrip- ture ! Shall heathens take such pleasure in reading of the works of heathens, and shall not Christians take as much pleasure in reading of the holy Scriptures, wherein there is so much of the Spirit, hand, and heart of God ? Shall they set so high a price upon the books of heathens, and shall we so slight and undervalue the book of God as not to think it worth a-opening once a day ? Verily, I am afraid, I am afraid, that there are some among us that hardly open their Bibles once a week, and others that hardly open their Bibles once a month, and not a few that hardly open their Bibles once a quarter, &c. Cer- tainly as the rustiness of some men's gold will be a witness against them in the great day of the Lord, so the mustiness of some men's Bibles will be a witness against them in that great day, James v. 1-3.
Quest. But is it not lawful for a, man to read other men's books, to read other men's holy works ? &c.
Ans. Doubtless it is lawful ; and that,
[1.] First, Because other men's holy works, so far as they are holy, are but the fruits, products, and operations of the Holy Spirit, &c.
[2.] Secondly, Because their holy labours are of singular use for the clearing up of many hard, difficult, and mysterious scriptures, &c.
[3.] Thirdly, Because they have been the means of many men's conversion. John Huss confesseth that the reading of Luther's works was the main cause of his conversion. 2 And whilst Vergerius read Luther's books with an intent to confute them, himself was converted by them. I doubt not but that there are many now in heaven, and multitudes now on earth, that have been converted by the books and writings of holy men ; and therefore it cannot but be lawful to read such books, &c.
[4.] Fourthly, Though it be lawful to read other men's holy works, yet the holy Scriptures must still have the pre-eminence, they must be firstly, chiefly, and mostly read. All other books in comparison of the book of God must be cast by ; it is God's book that is indeed the book of books. Josephus, in his book of Antiquities,^ makes mention of one Cumanus, a governor of Judea, that, though he were but a heathen, and a wicked man, yet he caused a soldier to be beheaded for tearing a copy of the book of Moses's law, which he found at the
' An oversight : Huss long preceded Luther. Reverse the names. — G-.
HeB. XII. 14.] AND BEAUTY OF HOLINESS. 229