Selected quad for the lemma: law_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
law_n	gentile_n	heart_n	write_v	7,180	5	5.8793	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A61645	A stock of divine knowledge, being a lively description of the divine nature, or, The divine essence, attributes, and Trinity particularly explaned [sic] and profitably applied the first, shewing us what God is : the second, what we ought to be / by the late learned and laborious preacher, and worthy instrument of Gods glory, Richard Stock ...	Stock, Richard, 1569?-1626.	1641 (1641)	Wing S5693; ESTC R34616	191,839	352

workes that he doth this experience teacheth and he doth it freely he doth it not upon oath he is not sworne to it he is a free Lord and out of his love to justice he doth it it is not with him as with others that may doe justice and have no love to it therefore it is fitly applied to him it is added further whatsoever he doth is just he cannot do unjustly because the Lord is a free Lord his will is the rule of justice he is not a Lord sworn to laws as Princes comming to their kingdoms are sworn c. but a free Lord. God cannot go beyond law his owne will is his law and the rule of justice whatsoever he wills he wills it by his owne Essence therefore whatsoever he wills is just c. Will he justifie the theefe upon the crosse and condemne others will he call Peter and condemne Iudas will he love Iacob and hate Esau he doth it justly Rom. 9. there is no rule for his will but his will which is the rule of justice howsoever man seeth no reason that justice should be just Salvian saith we cannot say that justice is unjust Gods will is the rule of justice and therefore it cannot be unjust though man cannot be the reason of the justice Quest Why say you that he executes his law upon reasonable creatures Answ Because such onely are capable of law therefore the sentence appertaines onely to them either of reward or punishment we manifest this they only are subject to the law because the law was given to reasonable creatures and none else In the first beginning it was written in their hearts Rom. 2.15 before it was written in tables of stone it was written in their hearts in whose in the hearts of the Gentiles After when it was written in tables of stone to whom was it given to reasonable creatures and therefore they are bound to the obedience of it so that the execution of the law belongs to them as the Apostle saith whatsoever the Lord spake he spake it to those that were under the law unreasonable creatures naturally have no judgement therefore they are not subject to the law Saint Bernard saith true it is that Gods justice sometimes takes hold of the unreasonable creatures but it is not for themselves nor any sinne they have committed but for their sinnes to whom they belong and for whom they were created and that have the use of them Gen. 3.17 that judgement cursed shall be the earth but for what for it s owne sake no but for mans as when God blessed the creatures he blessed them for mans sake so when he curses them he curses them for mans sake therefore we say it is executed upon reasonable creatures Quest Why say you that by Iustice he rewards the obedience of the godly and punishes the disobedience of the wicked Answ Because he is bound to the one by promise and to the other by due desert we will open this I say he is bound to the one by promise for the righteousnesse and conversation of any man whatsoever never deserved any thing at the hand of God because that good which they doe is none of their owne 2 Cor. 3.5 We are not sufficient of our selves to thinke a good thought Is there then a good will no the Apostle saith God works in us the will and the deed Philip. 2.13 as Saint Austin speaks my God whatsoever I have is thy donation thou givest all and in many other places whatsoever he be that numbers his merits he hath nothing if he have nothing what then can helpe him Againe whatsoever he hath is stained how then shall that which is stained tainted and defiled like a menstruous cloath merit any thing at the hands of God therefore if God reward any mans righteousnesse he doth it not out of merit yet out of justice because he is bound to them by promise Matt. 10.41 42. He that receives a disciple in the name of a disciple shall have a disciples reward he that gives him a cup of cold water shall not lose his reward whilst God promises so great a reward to so little a worke it shewes it is of promise and not of merit and hence it is that the Apostle Saint Paul appeales to justice 2 Tim. 4.8 I have fought the good fight c. from hence is laid up for me a crowne of righteousnesse which God the righteous judge shall give me It is a crowne given not merited yet an act of righteousnesse to give it because promised God hath made himselfe a debtor saith Saint Austin not by receiving any thing from man but by making promises to man and promise we know is due debt therefore we say that he is bound to the one by promise to the other he stands bound by due desert But it may be objected Why should the sinnes of men deserve and not their good workes Because that which is good is neither their owne nor perfect and is therefore recompensed in much mercy according to promise That which is evill is their owne flowing from their owne corruption and absolutely evill and therefore punished according to desert in justice Saint Gregory saith our good things are not purely good but our evill things are purely evill and therefore God when he comes to judge he judges one by mercy respecting his promise and the other by justice duely rewarding them And thus we have seene this description opened Vse 1. The first Use teacheth us that though the workes of God seeme to us at any time unjust yet we must acknowledge them just Though flesh and blood cannot see the reason of them flesh and blood must be silent and say it is justice that hath done it Saint Austin saith the reason of man is after one way and the justice of God after another All the works of God past present and to come are done in justice all his wayes are judgement therefore though we can see no cause why he should do them we must lay our hands upon our mouthes For instance did God cast Adam out of Paradise for eating fruit and did he bring a curse upon all his posterity though we can give a reason or though we could not give a reason for it yet it is just for God hath done it You will say What for so small a thing to bring a curse upon him and all his posterity though humane sence can see no reason yet it is just so that that God did in destroying Corah Dathan and Abiram and all their families wives and children if we could see no reason for it yet it were just Againe did the Lord elect some to salvation and doth he reprobate others can we give no reason for it justice hath done it doth he harden some and shew mercy to others all is justly done In all these though the reason be hid from us yet we may not deny that which is apparant though we cannot see why it should be

in the knowledge of God is better then the wisest Clerk in the world being ignorant of God Brethren come out of this ignorance labour for the knowledge of God and labour for this in the first place to know that yee are but fools in all that yee know besides God and certainely this will be the beginning of the best wisdome for then yee will say with the heathen man Though I know all things yet I know the least part of that which I ought to know And let mee tell you this is the bane of knowledge because you think you know enough The more knowledge a man hath the more ignorant hee seemes to himselfe and he that thinks he knowes any thing knows nothing yet as he ought to know 1 Cor. 8.2 Use 2. This shews their error or rather impiety that think the knowledge of God not necessary for women of this fault are the Papists guilty If this bee an error I pitie them but if impiety I abhor it for Solomon saith that error is worthy the pitying but iniquity is worthy to bee abhorred Are not women bound to know themselves which they cannot doe without the knowledge of God stand they not bound by creation to worship God aright which they cannot doe without the knowledge of God must they not be made partakers of the same glory and eternall happinesse with men deny these if thou darest Brethren they are bound to know God the Lord that made them made man male and female in his owne image If the woman must renew that she lost in Adam then shee ought to know God so the Apostle Bee renewed in knowledge after the image of him Col. 3.10 Undoubtedly this is nothing but the spite of hell to hinder women from the knowledge of God Use 3. Brethren beleeve you this that I say that it is the chiefest wisdome of man to know God if so bee you beleeve faith will breed care to accomplish what you beleeve you make knowne to us that you doe not beleeve if you doe not take this care And you must give me leave to beleeve that if you doe not beleeve then certainely you are Atheists Brethren doe you beleeve this to salvation then you must doe as men doe in Trades look what knowledge is most gainefull for them and for that they labour above all others this knowledge of God is the chiefest knowledge that belongs to the trade of a Christian labour for this As Saint James saith Shew mee your faith by your works if you bee willing to bee saved or else you thrust your selves into the mouth of the Divell Saint Augustine saith that a Christian without the knowledge of God differs nothing from an Indian or a Pagan they are beyond thee in the knowledge of Arts and Trades they doe exceed thee Now this knowledge of God is that which makes thee a Christian without this thou art no better then an Indian or Pagan Wherefore if thou wilt differ from Atheists labour for the knowledge of God else there is no difference therefore submit your selves and your families to this order of catechizing that you may pull your selves and your families out of the clawes of the Divell And further for help you must use prayer and meditation that you may come to it prepared Art thou a Christian and canst thou let the morning passe without private prayer with thy family and with thy selfe alone One demanded what would make a good Scholler another answered A good Master and a good student and thirdly to teach others and if you follow this course happy shall you be CHAP. II. PSAL. 147.19 20. Hee sheweth his word unto Jacob his Statutes and his Judgements unto Israel Hee hath not dealt so with every Nation c. THis Psalme sheweth us what is the chiefest wisdome of a man and wee have found it out that it is the true knowledge of the true God Therefore forasmuch as God is invisible and no man hath seene God at any time a principle so certaine that for this cause the Jewes put the Prophet Isaiah to death because he said that hee saw God Isa 6.1 sitting upon a throne high and lifted up c. a necessary question will arise that since God cannot be seene Quest How can a man come to know God Ans God is to bee knowne two wayes First by Nature and those naturall notions that are in the mindes of men or by those effects that declare this excellent workmanship as his wisdome his power his justice his mercy and the like Secondly by Revelation both of these intimated in that text that I have read where hee saith that God gave unto his Church his Law and Statutes That wee may further confirme this It is manifest that all Nations at all times have as it were groped after God to finde what a kinde of one he was that they might know him This doth appeare by those excellent Writings that many heathen men have written as the books of Tully c. as also by many testimonies of Scripture as Saint Paul when he had to doe with the Gentiles prest this thing that by naturall reason God was to bee knowne and that two wayes either by the naturall and inbred notions that are planted in the mindes of men or by those great workes which were wrought by God This appeares because that which might bee knowne of God is manifest by his works Rom. 1.20 the Apostle there speaks of the Gentiles and of the wise men of the Gentiles that God might bee knowne in knowing of themselves and of his works The learned understand that place onely of Philosophers who by search have knowne God and they should have taught this knowledge unto others that God might have beene knowne by others also but they out of the pride of their hearts kept it to themselves And to this purpose there is an Epistle extant of Aristotles which hee wrote to Alexander the Great wherein hee saith that he had written them meaning his Physicks as if hee had not written and the same Apostle saith Act. 17.27 that God was neere to every one of them by these effects by his wisdome by his power and the rest as the Creator and the things created because a man cannot looke upon any thing that God hath made but hee shall see some footsteps leading to the knowledge of God much more when hee shall looke upon the frame of heaven and earth Psal 19.1 The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy-works The holy Ghost sheweth that there is something by which the most barbarous Nations that are cannot bee ignorant of God therefore wee add that which the Apostle hath Rom. 1.20 the invisible things of God even his eternall power and Godhead are cleerely seene being considered in his works as his government and preservation of all things therefore saith the same Apostle The Lord left not himself with out witnesse in that hee did good and gave us raine

discerned by others Saint Bernard saith when he was entred upon a text upon Cant. This Well is deepe and I have nothing to draw but yet I see by experience that if a man cover the Well with a linnen cloth he shall wring out some moysture which otherwise hee should not I have therefore bended my selfe upon it and stretched my hands to thee that thou wouldest reveale something to mee for every man bending and stretching himselfe his heart and his hands to God shall receive something for the enterance to thy Word saith David giveth light Solomon saith a diligent hand maketh rich a little stock to begin with being diligently imployed maketh rich So it is in spirituall things a diligent hand maketh rich if a man have a little knowledge if hee have a diligent heart and hand though the Word bee as it were in a dark place yet hee shall see more and more There are two things to be enquired of concerning the written Word of God First by whom it was written Secondly for whom it was written For the first that is by whom this Word was written time will not give me leave to speake of therefore I will proceed to the next Quest For whom was this Word written Answ For all men of all ages and conditions the text that I have read proves it Search the Scriptures to whom did Christ speak To all men of all Nations and Countries that were gathered there together Act. 2.39 The promise is made to you and to your children and to as many as the Lord God shall call the promises were not made to the Jewes onely but also to the Gentiles even to as many as the Lord shall call therefore the Word is written for all Rom. 15.4 Whatsoever things were written afore time were written for our learning they were not written for them onely but for us also upon whom the ends of the world are come These things are come upon them for examples 1 Cor. 10.11 Therefore it is apparent that the Word was written for all men Out of this ariseth another question Quest How is it proved that it is written for all men Answ Three wayes besides the testimony of Scripture First because the Lord that writ it is Lord over all perfect in wisdome Secondly because this written Word is Gods revealed will Thirdly because there is but one way to salvation for all men and this is laid downe in it Wee will manifest this First because it is Gods Word and God is over all times over all places and over all persons as well successors as predecessors as well them that goe before as them that follow after therefore the Word belongs to all We have a Proverb New Lords new Lawes but it is not so here God doth keepe alwayes one Law Kings that have their severall Kingdomes have all severall Lawes the reason is because they cannot make Lawes without their subjects and amongst them one thinks this fit another thinks that but the Lord is an absolute King that makes Lawes without men for the earth is the Lords and all that therein is Psal 24.1 I add to this that hee is perfect in wisdome men when they have made Lawes they repeale them againe because they are imperfect in wisdome and cannot foresee what will bee convenient for after times But God is perfect in wisdome therefore his Lawes are alwaies the same Secondly because it is Gods revealed will the rule of justice by which things are made good or evill and therefore it must needs bee a universall Law his will is over all his Word and himselfe have the same extent without any restraint whatsoever Thirdly because there is but one way to salvation and that is by the Word the Word brings salvation to all men of all times and of all conditions never had any man any way but one and that is by fulfilling of the Law only there is this difference between the Law of works and the Gospel for that by the covenant of works all that will be saved by the Law must doe the works of the Law themselves by the covenant of grace all that will bee saved by the Gospel must apply by faith the fulfilling of the Law by Christ for he is the end of the Law to salvation he must be applyed to every man that will bee saved so that here is an admirable conclusion that man must be saved by mercy and justice and for this the Word was written for all men and for all ages Use 1. If this be so then it is necessary that all men should have the Word of God in their own language though it was written in another language and before they were yet it was written for them a point that our Jesuits cry down that every woman and every boy and every maide should have the Word they cry out of it but if God writ it as well for the unlearned as for the learned why should they not have it when God first writ the Bible did hee write it in a strange language If God had beene minded to have had the Word shut up from the people hee would have writ it in a strange language but God in his wisdome wrote it not in a strange language but in such a one as all might read Nay more then this the Churches at all times have had their Bibles translated into their owne languages Certainely the Spirit of God never knew that which the President of the Councell of Trent saith A Distaffe was more fit for a woman then a Bible when as God hath commanded that women should read it as well as men a Distaffe is fit in due times and seasons but these doe accuse God as the Divell in the Serpent did when he said to Evah God would not have you to know this this is nothing but the brood of the Serpent Saint Chrysostome saith Theeves when they meane to steale first put out the candle so hereticks when they meane to deceive first corrupt the Scriptures The Papists themselves have translated the old and new Testament into English but so darkly that none that reads them unlesse hee be a Scholler can understand them their translating proves against themselves the lawfulnesse of a translation for how dare they doe that which they judge unlawfull their affectation of obscurity is a mocking of God and of his people Use 2. Was the Word written for mee then I ought to have a care to read it and to understand it This is the ground of all wee shall never doe you good with teaching except you read the Scriptures privately God hath written them for you as if your names were expressed in them If a man had lived in the Church of Corinth when the Epistle was written to the Corinthians would hee have thought that hee had beene excluded nay hee would rather have thought himselfe to have beene bound to have read it The whole Word of God is Gods Epistle to the creature If an Emperor should

write a letter to thee saith Gregory thou wouldst not rest till thou hadst read it but when God writes this letter of life and salvation wilt thou not read it how ungratefull art thou to God Thou wilt confesse the whole Church worthy to bee condemned if it should neglect the reading of the Scriptures then thou being a member of the Church condemnest thy selfe A man may read other books but hee must read this there is a necessity laid upon him therefore hee must read them And know thou man and woman thou art in a fearfull estate when thou maiest reade the Scriptures and yet neglectest them Brethren know it for a truth for you shall one day know it that though you have now excuses why you cannot reade as because you cannot neglect your callings c. yet the time will come when you shall have no excuse to keep you from being condemned If ever therefore you look to have salvation you must read the Scriptures Use 3. This must teach us that a man must not read onely but hee must apply also to himselfe hee must not read it for others but hee must apply it to himselfe to his estate and condition Wee have a common speech That that which is said in generall is spoken to none but it is not true here that which Christ said to all Watch hee said to every one that which God saith to all Read hee saith to every particular person as Tertullian saith in reading the Scripture Wee are to observe every severall occasion to make use of every sentence Doth the Word command any thing to bee done or doth it forbid any thing doth it threaten any evill or promise any mercy labour to know it that it may comfort thee that it may instruct thee c. and this is to read the Word profitably for every man to learne his owne lesson thereby many bad Schollers when they cannot read their owne lesson can read anothers so many can learne others lessons but they cannot learne their own as they can say This text meets with such a one See what a trewant thou art in this Schoole of Christ labour to know thy lesson as this threatning serves to terrifie mee this promise to comfort mee c. Brethren many men make a partiall application some will apply the promises but not the threatnings take heed of eating too much honey the promises will doe thee no good if first thou have not applyed the threatnings hee that takes not his part in the threatnings hath no part in the promises therefore take a view of the whole Booke of God Againe they that have a trembling conscience can see nothing but threatnings these are onely such as the Lord leaves for a while they cannot apply the promises to themselves but the other are in a worse condition then these for of these there is hope because the Lord is fitting them for himselfe but labour thou to apply the whole Word that thou maiest see thy selfe The holy Scripture is a looking-glasse saith Saint Gregory and a looking-glass we know is to see both what is comely and what is deformed so is the Word to distinguish things that differ and to discover good and evill by the Law is the knowledge of sin and duty therefore labour to make use of it All the Word is written for thee as well as for any every part of it as well as any part therefore apply it to thy selfe that thou maiest have comfort and mercy in this life and eternall happinesse in the life to come CHAP. IV. 2 TIM 3.16 All Scriptures are given by divine inspiration of God IT hath been shewed that the saving knowledge of God is to be found in the Word and that the Word is written It is necessary to be considered who writ it and for whom it was written Of the former of these By whom it was written is now to be handled at this time Quest By whom was this Word written Answ It was given by God by divine inspiration 2 Pet. 1.21 the proofe of which is manifest out of this text that I have read All Scriptures are by divine inspiration and in this respect it was called Scripture because that not onely the matter but the voice the stile the phrase was by inspiration from God Other writings may be the Word of God but this was by Gods appointment the writing was the writing of God Exod. 32.16 for Moses at first writ not the Commandements but God and after the Tables were broken they were no lesse the Word of God then before Exod. 31.18 others were the pen-men but God the hand others the instruments but God the maker and author of this Word Isa 30.8 Therefore it is that the Apostle Saint Peter hath it 2 Pet. 1.20 21. there is no Prophecie but it comes from God holy men of God writ them and they spake them not by the will of man but by the holy Ghost This truth because it is of weight and hath great opposition of men and breeds great doubts in men we will labour to establish and for further confirmation of it we will confirme it by internall and externall arguments internall I call those that are in the Scriptures themselves and in the minde of men externall those that doe confirme these Quest How doth this appeare that it was written by divine inspiration from God Ans By internall arguments that are in the Scriptures themselves First from the doctrine it selfe and excellencie thereof Secondly from the majestie of the stile Thirdly from the perpetuall consent of Christ and his Apostles To examine these Reas 1. The first argument is the doctrine which is so holy and divine that no man could write but a divine wisdome and that is thus manifested 1. From the greatnesse of these things written surpassing all humane reason 2. From the purity of the Word which convinceth men of injustice and yet teacheth all men to bee just 3. From the consent there is an admirable communion betweene justice and mercy betweene the salvation of men by the satisfaction of Christ and sanctification by the holy Ghost No man could think of any such thing till the Scripture did reveale it 4. Lastly The end of the writing which is onely the glory of God as the Apostle saith Let him that rejoiceth rejoice in the Lord this abaseth nature and advanceth grace therefore it cannot be but by divine inspiration Againe no writing can bring comfort to a man but the Scriptures Rom. 15.40 These things have beene written that wee through patience might have comfort of the Scriptures these are such things that a man could never attaine to but by God Reas 2. The second proofe that wee gave was the majestie of the stile Whosoever is exercised in reading the Scripture shall plainly see that no meer man was ever able to write it of himselfe The excellencie of the stile is so great that as Eusebius reports they thereby tryed the writing of hereticks

Church cannot giue authority unto it The second Use serves to admonish us to receive the Scriptures for themselves for their owne authority and not for any mans authority whatsoever not for any mans person nor upon the authority of the Church for if we doe so we cannot have true saving faith Every man ought to receive the Scripture for its owne authority not that any man should condemn the authority of the Church but he may not depend onely upon it no not upon Saint Paul himselfe but must search the Scriptures to see whether it be so or no we ought not to receive the testimony of any Church in the world except it be grounded upon the Scripture we will use that which Aquinas saith of the woman of Samaria we may use the helpe of an enemy when she told them what things Christ did they beleeved but when they came to Christ himselfe they beleeved not for her saying but because they heard him themselves so we use the authority of the Church as a meanes to come to beleeve but when we beleeve let us not beleeve for the saying of the Church but for the Scriptures themselves Vse 3. This is to admonish every man when he hath received the Word to know it is the truth of God and therefore to labour to make it the Cannon of his faith for the authority it hath in it selfe we ought to examine our selves by this Word Hast thou done any thing that hath not this ground repent of it and for the time to come labour to make this the Cannon of thy life and the rule of thy obedience Art thou tempted by thy owne corruptions or by any other aske them Is there any such Word that will give leave if not thou must beleeve and hold to this for this is the Cannon by which thou oughtest to do all things Hierome complaines of some in his time who did wrest the Law to their owne wils and not their wils to the Law but we must be farre from this for whosoever walks after this rule Gal. 6. mercy and peace shall be to him but if he walke not after this rule he shall have judgement mercilesse Quest The next question is what is the sufficiencie of this Word Answ The answer is that it is that by which it is perfected concerning all things necessary to salvation that place which the Apostle hath 2 Tim. 3.17 doth prove this it is able to make the man of God wise unto salvation and therefore it is sufficient so Deut. 12.32 Thou shalt keepe all these Commandements thou shalt adde naught thereto nor take ought therefrom and therefore it must needs be perfect that to which nothing can be added and from which nothing can be taken must needs be perfect also Psal 19.7 the Law of the Lord is perfect Revel 22. Whosoever shall adde unto this booke God shall adde unto them the plagues that are written in this booke Thus the Word testifies of it selfe and therefore seeing the Word is true it must needs be a perfect rule Quest What Reason doe you shew for further proofe of this Answ First because it was the written Will and testimony of God Secondly Because after the Lord had given the Law in writing the Jewes were never guided by any unwritten word Thirdly Because Christ and his Apostles never proved their Doctrine by any unwritten word To explane these First It is the written Will and testimony of God therefore we call these the old and new Testament a mans will after it is confirmed no estate will admit to be altred therefore if we may not alter mans will much lesse may we alter Gods Secondly It is sufficient because that after the Lord had given his Law in writing the Jewes were never guided by traditions before the giving of the Law the truth went from hand to hand but after that God had written the Law they never came to him but upon some especiall occasion as for the Blasphemer c. Bellarmine confesseth this that there are some Catholiques speake with great probability that the Jewes after God had written the Law had no traditions Austin saith in the old Testament the Gospell was hid but in the new Testament it was made more plaine If God would teach the Jewes by nothing but by the written Word when it was more obscure much lesse us who have it more cleare Thirdly Because whatsoever Christ and his Apostles taught they proved by the written Word thus saith a Prophet and thus saith the Psalmes nay certainly Christ opposed traditions when he found that their authority corrupted the Law Mat. 5. but I say unto you rejecting those traditions the true word of God is this therefore the conclusion is that the Scriptures are a perfect rule containing all things to be beleeved and done Vse 1. The first Use teacheth us that then must fall to the ground all unwritten traditions the ground of all which is said to be the insufficiency of the Scriptures but if the Scriptures be sufficient then traditions have nothing to leane upon but it is blasphemie to thinke that God would not perfect that Word he began and therefore traditions are nothing Oh! say they the Scriptures doe not containe all fundamentall points for faith To this I answer If they had said the Scriptures doe not containe all the fundamentall points of their faith I would willingly subscribe to it the word of God no where speakes of Saint Peters successours the word no where speakes of invocation of Saints prayer for the dead indulgences and pardons these things the Scripture doth not containe but these are all of them contrary to the foundation but we beleeve nothing as necessary to salvation besides the Scripture We doe not doubt but that the Saints kept many excellent speeches and sayings of Christ as that in the Acts as the Lord said it is a more blessed thing to give then to receive but if there be any such tradition that is not for substance to be found in the word that we reject because the Scriptures are sufficient for the conclusion we will end with a speech of St. Austin I seek in the Gospell if I finde it not there where shall I finde it so may I say if we find not traditions in the word where shall we find them Vse 2. This teacheth the Ministers of God that they must prove the Doctrine they teach unto the people where shall they have that light no where but from the word they must not follow the vision of any man but only the word wherein God hath comprized every thing that he will have his people taught as it was in the creation the light was at large before the Sunne was created but after that was created God inclosed all light in the Sun so some time the word of God was taught from hand to hand God informed some and they taught others but after that God had written the Scriptures all were to receive their light