Holy Scripture, Part 3 - Ignorance, Blindness and Vice

"Nothing more obscures Christ and the glory of God, nor induces more blindness and all kinds of vices than does the ignorance of God’s word. If we profess Christ, why are we not ashamed to be ignorant in his doctrine, seeing that every man is ashamed to be ignorant in that learning which he professes? That man is ashamed to be called a philosopher who reads not the books of philosophy; or to be called a lawyer or an astronomer or a physician, that is ignorant in the books of law, astronomy, and physic. Now can any man then say that he professes Christ and his religion if he will not apply himself (as far as he can or may conveniently) to read and hear and so to know the books of Christ’s gospel and doctrine? Although other sciences are good and to be learned, yet no man can deny that this is the chief and passes all others incomparably. What excuse shall we therefore make (at the last day, before Christ) if we delight to read or hear men’s fantasies and inventions more than his most holy gospel, and will find no time to do that which chiefly (above all things) we should do, and will rather read other things than that for which we ought rather to leave reading of all other things. Let us therefore apply ourselves, as far as we can have time and leisure, to know God’s word, by diligent hearing and reading thereof, as many as profess God and have faith and trust in him."

* Taken from A Fruitful Exhortation to the Reading and Knowledge of Holy Scripture by Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury (1547)


STORYLINE CHALLENGE READING SCHEDULE

Sunday, April 13, Exodus 37
Monday, April 14, Exodus 38
Tuesday, April 15, Exodus 39
Wednesday, April 16, Exodus 40
Thursday, April 17, Numbers 1
Friday, April 18, Numbers 2
Saturday, April 19, Numbers 3