[Sidenote: The praise of the holy Scriptures.] But now what piety without truth? What truth, what saving truth, without the word of God? What word of God, whereof we may be sure, without the Scripture? The Scriptures we are commanded to search, _John_ v. 39. _Isaiah_ viii. 20. They are commended that searched and studied them, _Acts_ xvii. 11, and viii. 28, 29. They are reproved that were unskilful in them, or slow to believe them, _Matth._ xxii. 29. _Luke_ xxiv. 25. They can make us wise unto salvation, _2 Tim._ iii. 15. If we be ignorant, they will instruct us; if out of the way, they will bring us home; if out of order, they will reform us; if in heaviness, comfort us; if dull, quicken us; if cold, inflame us. [Sidenote: _St. August. Confess. lib. 8. cap. 12. St. August. De utilit. credendi, cap. 6._] _Tolle, lege; tolle, lege_; Take up and read, take up and read the Scriptures, (for unto them was the direction,) it was said unto St. _Augustine_ by a supernatural voice. _Whatsoever is in the Scriptures, believe me_, saith the same St. _Augustine_, _is high and divine; there is verily truth, and a doctrine most fit for the refreshing and renewing of men’s minds, and truly so tempered, that every one 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_. Thus St. _Augustine_. And St. _Hierome_, [Sidenote: _St. Hieron. ad Demetriad. St. Cyrill 7 contra Julian._] _Ama Scripturas, et amabit te sapientia_, &c. Love the Scriptures, and wisdom will love thee. And St. _Cyrill_ against _Julian_, _Even boys that are bred up in the Scriptures become most religious_, &c. But what mention we three or four uses of the Scripture, whereas whatsoever is to be believed, or practised, 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? [Sidenote: _Tertul. advers. Herm. Tertul. De carn. Christ._ Οἷόν τε, _Justin_. προτρεπτ. πρὸς Ἕλλην. Ὑπερηφανίας κατηγορία, _St. Basil_. περὶ πίστεως.] _I adore the fulness of the Scripture_, saith _Tertullian_ against _Hermogenes_. And again, to _Apelles_ an heretick 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. So St. _Justin Martyr_ before him; _We must know by all means_ (saith he) _that it is not lawful_ (or possible) _to learn_ (any thing) _of God or of right piety, save only out of the Prophets, who teach us by divine inspiration_. So St. _Basil_ after _Tertullian_, _It is a manifest falling away 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, ἐπεισαγεῖν) _any of those things that are not written_. We omit to cite to the same effect St.