which are as needful (most of them) for children as old folkes, for the simple as the wise: but yet would marre all, if they were at the guiding of other then wise men, or were in the handes of euery one, for whose preseruation they be profitable.The holy Scriptures to carnal men & Heretikes, are as pearles to swine. She forbiddeth not the reading of them in any language, enuieth no mans commoditie, but giueth order how to doe it to edification, and not destruction: how to doe it without casting the holy to dogges, or pearles to hogges: Mat. 7, 6. (See S. Chrysost. bo. 24 in Matth, declaring these hogges & dogges to be carnal men & Heretikes, that take no good of the holy mysteries, but thereby do both hurt them selues & others:) how to doe it agreably to the soueraine sinceritie, maiestie, & depth of Mysterie conteined in the same. She would haue the presumptuous Heretike, notwithstanding he alleage them neuer so fast, flying as it were through the whole Bible, and coting the Psalmes, Prophets, Gospels, Epistles, neuer so readily for his purpose, as Vincentius Lirinensis saith such mens fashion is: yet she would according to Tertullians rule, haue such mere vsurpers quite discharged of all occupying and possession of the holy Testament, which is her old and onely right and inheritance, and belongeth not to Heretikes at all, whom Origen calleth Scripturarū fures, theeues of the Scriptures.Li. de prescriptionibus.Orig. in 2 ad Ro. She would haue the vnworthy repelled, the curious repressed, the simple measured, the learned humbled, and all sortes so to vse them or absteine from them, as is most conuenient for euery ones saluation: with this general admonition, that none can vnderstand the meaning of God in the ScripturesLucæ 24. except Christ open their sense, and make them partakers of his holy Spirit in the vnitie of his mystical bodie: and for the rest, she committeth it to the Pastor of euery prouince and people, according to the difference of time, place, and persons, how and in what sort the reading of the Scriptures is more or lesse to be procured or permitted.
S. Chrysostoms exhortations to the reading of holy Scriptures, and when the people is so to be exhorted.Wherein, the varietie of circūstances causeth them to deale diuersly: as we see by S. Chrysostoms people of Constantinople, who were so delicate, dull, worldly, and so much giuen to dice, cardes, specially stage-plaies or theaters (as S. Gregorie Nazianzene witnesseth) that the Scriptures & all holy lections of diuine things were lothsome vnto them: whereby their holy Bishop was forcedHo. 2 in Mat. & ho. 3 de Lazaro. et ho. 3 in 2 ad Thess. & alibi sapè. in many of his sermons to crie out against their extreme negligence and contempt of Gods word, declaring, that not onely Eremites and Religious (as they alleaged for their excuse) but secular men of all sortes might reade the Scriptures, and often haue more neede thereof in respect of them selues, then the other that liue in more puritie and contemplation: further insinuating, that though diuers thinges be high and hard therein, yet many godly histories, liues, examples, & precepts of life and doctrine be plaine: and finally, that when the Gentiles were so cunning and diligent to impugne their faith, it were not good for Christians to be to simple or negligent in the defense thereof. as (in truth) it is more requisite for a Catholike man in these daies when our Aduersaries be industrious to empeache our beleefe, to be skilful in Scriptures, then at other times when the Church had no such enemies.In vita Athanasij.
S. Chrysostom maketh nothµg for the popular and licentious reading of Scriptures vsed among the Protestants now a daies.To this sense said S, Chrysostom diuers thinges, not as a teacher in schole, making exact and general rules to be obserued in all places & times, but as a pulpit man, agreably to that audiēce & his peoples default: nor making it therfore (as some peruersely gather of his wordes) a thing absolutely needful for euery poore artificer to reade or studie Scriptures, nor any whit fauouring the presumptuous, curious, and contentious iangling and searching of Gods secretes, reproued by the foresaid fathers, much lesse approuing the excessiue pride and
