Secondly it is absolutely necessary for all men, to use all those aides whereby they should the more perfectly know what is the will of God;1 thereby to frame themselves to th'obedience of the same. Hereof the law commandeth, that every one should not only have the law sounding like a trumpet in his ears: but also that it should be as a ring upon his finger, as a bracelet upon his hand, as a frontlet before his eyes: that is to say, always in sight. For which cause he commanded further,2 that the law should be written upon the frontiers of the land, upon the gates of the City and Town, and upon the posts of every mans private house. Now if it were then ⟨p. 12⟩thought good to the wisdom of God, that the people should in passing by, read the law graven, or painted upon pillars, gates & doors, where they could not consider of it so gravely & stayedly: how much more was it his good pleasure, they should read the same sitting in their houses: where having the book before them they might more ripely and deliberately conceive the sense, and receive the fruit thereof. Further th' Apostle3 commanding that the word of Christ, should dwell plentifully or richly amongst those that are of the Church; doth thereby give commandment, that they should use all lawful means of familiar acquaintance with it. Unless therefore it be denied (which cannot be of them that grant it sometimes expedient) that the reading of the Scriptures, is a lawful exercise in the word of god, for the obtaining of greater wealth in the same: it is manifest, that it is commanded of th' Apostle. If commanded, then also absolutely necessary. ⟨p. 13⟩Moreover it is commanded to try4 the Spirits, whether they be of God or no: But that can not be without some further knowledge of the word then we receive of the spirits them selves, that is to say, the ministers speaking either in the spirit of error or trueth: wherefore it followeth, that the whole knowledge that a faithful man ought to have, hangeth not of the mouth of the minister, but ought to have a supply of private reading, and meditation of the law at home. Again the King, who of all other for the multitude5 and weight of his business, in the affairs of the common wealth, might seem to be freed from this exercise of private reading, and to content himself with the sermons in the temple:
Secondly it is absolutely necessary for all men, to vse all those aides whereby they shoulde the more perfectly know what is the will of God;1 thereby to frame themselues to th'obedience of the same. Heereof the law commandeth, that euery one should not onely haue the law sounding like a trumpet in his eares: but also that it shoulde be as a ring vpon his finger, as a bracelet vppon his hande, as a frontlet before his eies: that is to say, alwayes in sight. For which cause he commanded further,2 that the law should be written vpon the frontiers of the land, vpon the gates of the Citie and Towne, and vpon the postes of euery mans priuate house. Nowe if it were then ⟨p. 12⟩thought good to the wisdome of God, that the people should in passing by, reade the lawe grauen, or painted vpon pillers, gates & dores, wher they could not consider of it so grauely & stayedly: how much more was it his good pleasure, they should read the same sitting in their houses: where hauing the book before them they might more ripelie and deliberatelie conceaue the sense, and receaue the fruit thereof. Further th' Apostle3 commanding that the worde of Christ, should dwell plentifullie or richly amongst those that are of the Church; doth thereby giue commandement, that they shoulde vse all lawfull meanes of familiar acquaintance with it. Vnlesse therefore it be denyed (which cannot bee of them that grant it sometymes expedient) that the reading of the Scriptures, is a lawful exercise in the word of god, for the obtayning of greater wealth in the same: it is manifest, that it is commanded of th' Apostle. If commanded, then also absolutely necessary. ⟨p. 13⟩Moreouer it is commanded to trye4 the Spirits, whether they be of God or no: But that can not bee without some further knowledge of the word then we receaue of the spirites them selues, that is to saye, the ministers speaking either in the spirite of error or trueth: wherefore it followeth, that the whole knowledge that a faithfull man ought to haue, hangeth not of the mouth of the minister, but ought to haue a supplie of priuate reading, and meditation of the law at home. Againe the King, who of all other for the multitude5 and weight of his busines, in the affayres of the common wealth, might seeme to be freed from this exercise of priuate reading, and to content himselfe with the sermons in the temple:
- 1Deut. 6.
- 2Deut. 6. 7. 8. 9▪
- 3Coloss. 3. 16.
- 41. Joh. 4. •.1. Ioh. 4. •.
- 5Deut 17. 19. Josu. 1.Deut 17. 19. Iosu. 1.
