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14. In all these books those who fear God and are of a meek and
pious disposition seek the will of God. And in pursuing this search
the first rule to be observed is, as I said, to know these books, if
not yet with the understanding, still to read them so as to commit them
to memory, or at least so as not to remain wholly ignorant of them.
Next, those matters that are plainly laid down in them, whether rules
of life or rules of faith, are to be searched into more carefully and
more diligently; and the more of these a man discovers, the more
capacious does his understanding become. For among the things that are
plainly laid down in Scripture are to be found all matters that concern
faith and the manner of life, to wit, hope and love, of which I have
spoken in the previous book. After this, when we have made ourselves
to a certain extent familiar with the language of Scripture, we may
proceed to open up and investigate the obscure passages, and in doing
so draw examples from the plainer expressions to throw light upon the
more obscure, and use the evidence of passages about which there is no
doubt to remove all hesitation in regard to the doubtful passages. And
in this matter memory counts for a great deal; but if the memory be
defective, no rules can supply the want.
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