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in heaviness, comfort us; if dull, quicken us; if cold, inflame us. Tolle, lege; Tolle, lege, Take up
and read, take up and read the Scriptures [S. August. confess. lib 8 cap 12], (for unto them was the
direction) it was said unto S. Augustine by a supernatural voice. “Whatsoever is in the Scriptures,
believe me,” saith the same S. Augustine, “is high and divine; there is verily truth, and a doctrine
most fit for the refreshing of men’s minds, and truly so tempered, that everyone may draw from
thence that which is sufficient for him, if he come to draw with a devout and pious mind, as true
Religion requireth.” [S. August. de utilitcredendi cap. 6] Thus S. Augustine. and S. Jerome: “Ama
scripturas, et amabit te sapientia etc.” [S. Jerome. ad Demetriad] Love the Scriptures, and wisdom
will love thee. And S. Cyril against Julian; “Even boys that are bred up in the Scriptures, become
most religious, etc. [S. Cyril. 7 contra Iulianum] But what mention we three or four uses of the
Scripture, whereas whatsoever is to be believed or practiced, or hoped for, is contained in them?
or three or four sentences of the Fathers, since whosoever is worthy the name of a Father, from
Christ’s time downward, hath likewise written not only of the riches, but also of the perfection of
the Scripture? “I adore the fulness of the Scripture,” saith Tertullian against Hermogenes. [Tertul.
advers. Hermo.] And again, to Apelles an heretic of the like stamp, he saith; “I do not admit that
which thou bringest in (or concludest) of thine own (head or store, de tuo) without Scripture.”
[Tertul. de carne Christi.] So Saint Justin Martyr before him; “We must know by all means,” saith
he, “that it is not lawful (or possible) to learn (anything) of God or of right piety, save only out of
the Prophets, who teach us by divine inspiration.” So Saint Basil after Tertullian, “It is a manifest
falling way from the Faith, and a fault of presumption, either to reject any of those things that are
written, or to bring in (upon the head of them) any of those things that are not written. We omit to
cite to the same effect, S. Cyril B. of Jerusalem in his 4::Cataches., Saint Jerome against Helvidius,
Saint Augustine in his 3::book against the letters of Petilian, and in very many other places of his
works. Also we forebear to descend to later Fathers, because we will not weary the reader. The
Scriptures then being acknowledged to be so full and so perfect, how can we excuse ourselves of
negligence, if we do not study them, of curiosity, if we be not content with them? Men talk much
of [an olive bow wrapped about with wood, whereupon did hang figs, and bread, honey in a pot,
and oil], how many sweet and goodly things it had hanging on it; of the Philosopher’s stone, that
it turned copper into gold; of Cornucopia, that it had all things necessary for food in it, of Panaces
the herb, that it was good for diseases, of Catholicon the drug, that it is instead of all purges; of
Vulcan’s armor, that it was an armor of proof against all thrusts, and all blows, etc. Well, that which
they falsely or vainly attributed to these things for bodily god, we may justly and with full measure
ascribe unto the Scripture, for spiritual. It is not only an armor, but also a whole armory of weapons,
both offensive and defensive; whereby we may save ourselves and put the enemy to flight. It is not
an herb, but a tree, or rather a whole paradise of trees of life, which bring forth fruit every month,
and the fruit thereof is for meat, and the leaves for medicine. It is not a pot of Manna, or a cruse of
oil, which were for memory only, or for a meal’s meat or two, but as it were a shower of heavenly
bread sufficient for a whole host, be it never so great; and as it were a whole cellar full of oil vessels;
whereby all our necessities may be provided for, and our debts discharged. In a word, it is a Panary
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