A Body of Practical Divinity

2. Seeing God hath given us his written Word to be our Directory, this takes away all Excuses from Men. No Man can say I went wrong for want of a Light; no, God hath given thee his Word, as a Lamp to thy feet; therefore now if thou goest wrong, thou dost it wilfully. No Man can say, If I had known the Will of God, I would have obeyed; no, thou art inexcusable, O Man, God hath given thee a Rule to go by, he hath written his Law with his own finger, Therefore now if thou obeyest not, thou hast no Apology left. If a Master leaves his Mind in writing with his Servant, and tells him what Work he will have done, yet the Servant neglects the Work, that Servant is left without Excuse. John 15.22. Now ye have no Cloak for your sin.

2. Seeing God hath given us his written Word to be our Directory, this takes away all Excuses from Men. No Man can say I went wrong for want of a Light; no, God hath given thee his Word, as a Lamp to thy feet; therefore now if thou goest wrong, thou dost it wilfully. No Man can say, If I had known the Will of God, I would have obeyed; no, thou art inexcusable, O Man, God hath given thee a Rule to go by, he hath written his Law with his own finger, Therefore now if thou obeyest not, thou hast no Apology left. If a Master leaves his Mind in writing with his Servant, and tells him what Work he will have done, yet the Servant neglects the Work, that Servant is left without Excuse. Iohn 15.22. Now ye have no Cloak for your sin.

Use 2. Is all Scripture of Divine Inspiration, is it a Book made by GOD himself? Then this reproves, 1. The Papists who take away part of Scripture, and so clip the King of Heaven's Coin; they expunge the second Commandment out of their Catechisms, because it makes against Images; 'tis usual with them if they meet with any thing in Scripture which they dislike, either they put a false Gloss upon it, or if that will not do, pretend it is corrupted; these are like Ananias who kept back part of the Money,