3. From the commendation of all those who have applied themselves to the reading of the Scriptures. The eunuch is commended Acts viii. 28; the Bereans, Acts xvii. 11: yea, all are pronounced blessed who become assiduous in the study of the Scriptures, Ps. i.

4. From the case of the Apostles; who, as they preached publicly the mysteries of salvation to the people, so also, by their Epistles, they recommended the whole doctrine to be read by the same. For it is most absurd for any one to say that what was heretofore written as much to the people as to the clergy, is not now proper to be read by the people. We may instance the Epistles to the Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians.

5. From the utility and necessity of this study. By the reading of the Scriptures men are enlightened and converted, Ps. xix. 8, 9. They are directed as by the most faithful counsellors, in all the ways of life, Ps. cxix. 24. They are armed against the fiery darts of Satan, Ephes. vi.

6. From the unanimous consent of all the Fathers; who exhort the laity to the private reading of the Scriptures, and testify that the Scriptures were publicly read in ecclesiastical assemblies, not in an unknown tongue, but in a language understood by the people. Justin Martyr, Apolog. 2. ad Anton. near the end, and Tertullian in Apologet. testify, that the Scriptures were publicly read to the edification and understanding of the people. And B. Rhenanus, in Annotat. to Tertullian's book De corona militis, says, I wish that custom could be restored to us, &c.*

* Beatus Rhenanus, a native of Schelestat, or Slestad, in Alsace, where he was born in the year 1485. He was one of those men of learning who do not embrace any particular profession, and whose only business is to cultivate the sciences, and do service to the learned world; of the classical attainments of which he possessed a considerable share, and was likewise well skilled in Divinity. His favourite employ was correcting or explaining ecclesiastical or profane authors, several of the works of both which classes he published with notes or introductory prefaces, and which were in general much esteemed. Tertullian's treatises were the first he published, with annotations on the peculiar words and difficult phrases of that author, and prefaces to most of his pieces. But he distinguished himself most by a history of Germany, published in 1531, in 4to. and which Du Pin entitles "a

As to the private reading of the Scriptures: Jerome, ad Demetriad. de virginit. servanda; Chrysostom, Hom. 1, and 2 in Matt. and Hom. 3, de Lazaro, and Hom. 9, in Coloss.; Augustine, Enarr. in Psal. 33, and Epist. i. ad Volusian.; Damascenus, De orthod. fide, lib. 4. cap. 18.; Theodoret, De curand. Græc. affect. lib. 8, not far from the beginning; all advise it. To these I add two testimonies of Count Mirandula:* the former is drawn from the Preface to his Heptaplum; All the Israelitish multitude, cobblers, cooks, dealers, shepherds, servants, maidens, to all whom the law was delivered to be read, could not bear the burden of the whole Mosaic wisdom. The latter testimony is extracted from his Exposit. orat. Domin. The Evangelical history ought to be continually read by every Christian man.

You may see the arguments, by which Bellarmin and other Papists endeavour to take away the reading of the Scriptures from the people, refuted by Whitaker of blessed memory,† in 1 controv. De sacra Script. quæst. 2. cap. 11,

noble history." He wrote also a description of the provinces of Illyricum, and a preface to Erasmus's works. He was a particular friend of Erasmus, who entertained a high opinion of his attainments as a scholar and a critic, and of his character as a man. He died at his native place, in the communion of the Romish faith, in 1547. Yet one of his pieces, de Primatu Petri, is in the Index Libror. Prohib. of Benedict XIV., together with his Annotations on Tertullian's works. He was opposed to the Court of Rome's usurpation of temporal power.

* See Vol. i. Note †, page 354.

+ Dr. William Whitaker, the justly celebrated Master of St. John's, Cambridge, at the period when our Expositor commenced his College career, and who first noticed Davenant's abilities and genius. He was a native of Lancashire, and educated at St. Paul's School, whence he proceeded to Trinity College, Cambridge, of which he became a Fellow. He was afterwards made Professor of Divinity at Cambridge, and Chancellor of St. Paul's Cathedral in 1579; but resigned this latter preferment on being ap. pointed Master of St. John's. He displayed his learning by Greek Translations of the English Liturgy, and of Dean Nowell's Catechism, and in his different College Theses and Lectures; but still more in his zeal for the doctrines of the Reformation, by various publications against Cardinal Bellarmin, the Jesuits Campion and Stapleton, and others. In the former it might be questioned, whether he shewed himself more the pious Christian or the learned Divine; by the latter he became esteemed as one of the most eminent Protestant Polemics of the age; proving himself extremely

and shewn to be altogether sophistical and nugatory: For from the abuse of the Scriptures, they infer that the use itself is to be denied to the people, in this manner,

1. Some of the laity, by reading the Scriptures, fall into absurd heresies; some into contempt of the Scriptures; some, either into contempt of the saints, or a pernicious imitation of them, when they read of their adulteries, lying, and things of that kind: therefore, the laity are to be restrained from the Scriptures.

If this kind of argument were good, God, Christ, and the Apostles have sinned, who would have the word of God proclaimed to all indiscriminately, notwithstanding many abused them to their hurt, 2 Pet. iii. 16. Besides, on this ground, the reading of the Scriptures should be denied equally to the clergy and the laity: for they also ofttimes shamefully abuse the Scriptures. For who does not know that almost all the heresies have sprung, not from the laity and seculars, but from bishops, presbyters, and monks? We have almost as many testimonies, as names of heretics. Lastly, the argument is inconclusive; many laics have abused the Scriptures, therefore they are to be taken away from them indiscriminately: Let the abuse be taken away; or at least, let the Scriptures be denied to those,

well versed, and strongly armed, in all the points of the Roman Catholic Controversy. Bishop Hall was an almost enthusiastic admirer of him: "The honour of our schools (says he), and the angel of our church, learned Whitaker, than whom our age saw nothing more memorable. What clearnesse of judgment, what sweetness of style, what gravity of person, what grace of carriage was in that man! Who ever saw him without reverence? or heard him, without regard ?" His works and his worth gained him renown throughout Europe; so that Cardinal Bellarmin, the champion of Popery, though often foiled by his pen, honoured his picture with a place in his Library; and said, "He was the most learned heretic he had ever read." His works were published collectively at Geneva, in 1610, in two vols. folio: but any of his pieces detached, when to be met with, are worth the purchase to a person engaged in the study of the Romish Controversy. It was Dr. Whitaker who drew up the famous Lambeth Articles, intended by Archbishop Whitgift, and several other Bishops and learned Divines assembled at I.ambeth, to settle some points then strenuously controverted by one Barret, and Peter Baro. His answer to Campion is in Pope Benedict's Index Prohibit.; but none of his other works.

concerning whom it appears that they read with a perverted mind. For, as Tertullian rightly observes, lib. 1. adver. Marcion, There is much difference between the cause and the fault, between the state and the excess. Not the institution of a good thing, but the misuse of it is to be reprobated.

Bellarmin here adds two testimonies from the most noted of the Fathers.

One is of Basil; who checked the steward of the Emperor's kitchen, impertinently prating about dogmas of faith, with this rebuke, It is thy business to provide porridge, not to serve up Divine eloquence.

I answer; He did not recal him by the rebuke from the study or the reading of the Scriptures; but restrained his pride and folly, who, when he was unskilful, thought that he could teach and refute Basil, the teacher of the world, and determine concerning the most weighty controversies of theology. Who would not confess this was a just reproof?

The other is drawn from Jerome's epistle to Paulinus, where he thus writes:

...... What is the duty of Physicians,

Physicians undertake; artificers confine themselves to their work:

The knowledge of the Scriptures is alone what all claim to themselves, The prating old woman, the drivelling old man, the wordy sophist, all presume upon, twist, teach this, before that they know it, &c.

We answer, he does not reprehend the laity because they read the Scriptures; but blames all, of whatever rank, who presume to teach and interpret the Scriptures, and undertake as it were the theological office, when they are either altogether ignorant of the Scriptures, or have been only slightly conversant with the first principles of the same. We also confess this to be intolerable audacity. That this is the meaning of Jerome is plain, because elsewhere he commends every way the study and the reading of the Scriptures by the laity, and on this very passage of the Apostle which we have now under consideration, he thus writes; It is here shown that the laity ought not only to possess

the word of Christ sufficiently, but even abundantly. These remarks concerning the first part of this verse, in which he excites to the study of the Scriptures, may suffice.

Teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts unto the Lord.] In the preceding words he excited the Colossians to the study and knowledge of the Scriptures; now he shews the manifold use of scriptural knowledge.

1. The first use is, that Christians (even laics) should mutually teach and instruct one another in things pertaining to the faith; and what knowledge they procured to themselves from the Scriptures, they should employ to edify their brethren when needful. For although the business of teaching publicly with authority rests upon ministers; yet the duty of teaching privately out of charity, is incumbent upon every private person, to whom the faculty and the occasion is granted of edifying others in faith and religion. Thus parents are bound to teach their children, Deut. xi. 19; Psal. lxxviii. 5. This is commended in Abraham, Gen. xviii. 19. So husbands should teach their wives; If the women will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home, 1 Cor. xiv. 35. This, in fine, every brother should teach his brother: as we read Apollos was instructed in the doctrine of the Gospel by Aquila and Priscilla, Acts xxviii. 26. There is an inward desire in all, says Clemens, of generating its own: in natural men indeed of generating men only; but in the pious and faithful of generating pious and faithful men. Now this is done by imparting to them the doctrine of the Gospel. 1 Cor. iv. 15.

We hence learn,

1. That it behoves the laity, not only to aim at their own edification, but also their neighbour's.

2. The Papists grievously err, who scarcely permit the laics (especially those who are in a humble condition) to speak about the Scriptures, and the things pertaining to Religion; whereas Paul exhorts them mutually to teach one another in these things.

3. A knowledge of the Scriptures is to be employed, not out of vain ostentation, not for sophistical skirmishing,