The Right Way from Danger of Sin and Vengeance, Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
A briefe exposition of the lawe: wherein any man may learne to see and know himselfe.
THE first setting foorth of the lawe of God vntounto man, so as in wryting it should procéede thorow out all the worlde, was in wildernesse at the mounte Sinai, when as the Israelits (deliuered out of Egipt through thered sea) were assembled and stode round about the lower parts of ye mountaine and the Lorde vponupon the mountaine in flaming fire, smoke, cloud, storme and thunder, presently spake and sayd:
I am the Lord thy God,
O mortall man, consider with what reuerence, louelove and diligence thou hearest, remembrest, and regardest this lawe, then pronounced of the eternall God, with such terrible sightes and signes, and nowe conueyed and commended vntounto thy eares, and eyes, by so many sounding voices and visible letters, as make eueryevery worde and iote euerie where most euident and present, too be séene and heard of thée, for the Lord thy God hath spoken & written these words, that they shall for euer by letters and voices be brought vntounto thine eares and eyes, in such sort as thou mayest euer heare and sée, and shouldest take and kéep the law of God, as a light commending the righteousnesse of God, and confounding the vnrighteousnesse of man, and as a good tutour or scholemaister to bring man from all presumption of himself, towards a sure faith and trust in Christ. Sée therfore how wonderfully and how plainly the eternal God from the mount Sinai by infinite wordes and wrytings speaketh vntounto thée in al places at eueryevery time, O mortall man, saying: I am the Lorde thy God. This shoulde with more thankefull reuerence be hearde and remembred of thée, than if all men would say and assure thée, that they bee thy freindes, their golde thy good, their riches thy tresures, and that al which is theirs should bée thine. For God hath well assured thée of his goodnesse.
VVhichWhich brought thee out of the lande of Egipt, out of the house of bondage.
These words wel taken & applied vntounto vsus, hée of more waighty matter than is the story of the bare letter, spoken and referred too the Israelites only. For when as these two things, the storie in the letter, and the mysterie in the full matter, be not separated in sunder, but ioyned together. Then Pharao king of Egipt, is also (by signification) the Diuel, prince of darknesse. Their passage through the red Sea wherein their enemies were drouned, is also our regeneration in baptime, wherby our enimies be subdued, both fleshly lusts dayly mortified, and spirituall powers continually vanquished. Manna angels food as raine from the cloudes scattred amongst them, is also the true liuely food of the worde of God, out of the hart's of the Preachers plentifully poured amongst vsus. Riuers of water running out of the stonie rock to refresh them, is also abundance of the spirite procéeding from the father and the sonne, to replenishe vsus, and many such matters so couered and closed vnderunder figures and shadows vntounto them, as could scarce then be perceiued, which be all nowe wythout any straunge colours of darke shadows plainly and plentifully ministred vntounto vsus. Therefore hearing or reading these wordes: I am the Lorde thy God whiche brought thee out of the lande of Egipt, out of the house of bondage. Knowe that the eternal God speaketh vntounto thée, O mortal man, which was by thine own corrupt nature a childe of wrath, couered and kept in darknesse to serue in sinne vnderunder Sathan, and art now, from thence by gods merciemercy and grace deliuered and brought into the housholde of God as a Citizen wyth sainctes to serue God in suche holinesse and righteousnesse as is acceptable before him all the dayes of our life. For he is the Lord that hath all power and authoritie. Hee is thy God, that is, al gratious goodnesse with excéeding louelove and fauour vntounto thée, which sayeth:
Thou shalt hauehave none other Goddes before mee
Thou deliuered out of darkenesse of sin, and danger of damnation, too walke by the light of the truthe in the way of righteousnesse vntounto eternall saluation: shalte hauehave, shalt honoure or serue, beléeue or confesse, with prayer, thankes or praise none other Goddes, which bée all Idols, false formes and fashions of creatures craftily counterfeited by diuelishe illusion in mans imagination, so that thou shalt not take any such vanitie to be thy god: but mee, which am in deed of perfit and infinit being and power, goodnesse and glorie, euen I onelyonly am the liuing God, and all others be no Goddes, but vaine idols & wicked diuels. Therfore I giuegive thée this commaundement as a doctrine and charge, for thée to flée from all euils, dangers and damnation comming by them, that thou mayst hauehave all good things with life and saluation of me, onelyonly. And bicause althings at altimes in eueryevery place, yea euen the very secrete thoughtes of the heart, be euident afore my face. Therfore euer be mindefull how by thought, word, or déede, thou dost honour or dyshonor me, being euer in my presence, euen openly before my face.
Thou shalte not make vntounto thy selfe any grauen Image, nor the likenes of any thing that is in heauen aboue, or in earth beneath, nor in the water vnderunder the earth, thou shalt not bow downe to them nor worship them. For I the Lorde thy God am a gelous God, and visit the sinne of the fathers vppon the children, vntoo the third and fourth generation of them that hate mee, and shew merciemercy vntoo thousandes in them that louelove mee and kepe my commaundements.
THOV, created and made by the infinit wisedome and goodnesse of God lyke vntounto his image and likenesse truely in deed: shalt not make vntounto thy selfe, shalt not deuise or abuse by the inuention and fantasie of man falsely framing in imagination any grauen image, nor the likenesse of any thing, any resemblaunce of creatures, counterfayted through caruings or coloures, in any matter, place or time. Thou shalt not bowe downe to them nor worship them, thou being the liuely image of god, created by gods wisdome vntounto gods glorie, shalt not submit thy self to honor or reuerence counterfeted creatures carued or coloured by the craft of man, to satisfie the foolish fantasie of man, vnderunder pretence or purpose to honor God, in preferring the deuise of man vntounto the wisdome of God, & a counterfeted resembling of a corruptible creature, vntounto the liuely image of the eternall God. For I the Lorde, thy God, the maker and louer of all things truely created and made, & specially of thée o man as most like vntounto me & best beloued of me, am a gelous God, am greeuously offended when my beautiful image and amiable creatures bée shamfully abused by thy fowle fashioned fantasies. For albeit in thy own conceit thine own work séemeth faire vntounto thée, yet in deed & truth afore my face, far fowler is that fashion of an eie which is without all sight, than that which is much bleared: and likewise that forme or figure of face and body, which hath no life, no féeling, nor no sense, is far fowler and worsse thā that which is full of al sicknesse & sores. Thy idols which hauehave eyes and sée not, eares and heare not, be nothing like vntounto my creatures, which séem as they be, and be as they séem, in forme and substance true and perfit. Therefore I visit the synne, I reuēge and punish the sinne of the fathers vponupon the children, proceding from the elders in their successors, vntounto the thirde and fourth generation of them that hate mee, when as the elders deuise and giuegive, and their successors take and followe occasion and ensample of sinne against mée, especially when as they so disdayne mine honor, abuse mine image, and corrupt my creature, as proueth plainly that they hate mee, & deserue that I shuld so punish them, and shewe merciemercy in thousands, and bestowe my mercy in forgiuing the faults and bearing with the infirmities of very many in long succession, of them that louelove mee, liking and allowing in their heartes all my workes better than any of their owne deuises, and kepe my commandementes, alwayes readie and willing to do or not to do any thing as they be taught & bidden of me. Wherfore, O mortall man, sayth the eternall God concerning imagerie, in the which is more noysome poison of counterfet corruption, than auaileable profit of true representation of my good creatures purely and plentifully made and placed eueryevery where by mée, vntounto my honour and glorie, and vntounto thy comforte and commodity, if thou do louelove and not hate me, if thou wouldest escape vengeaunce and purchase merciemercy of mée, take heede and beware that thou do not follow any subtile reason, craftie inuention, or common custome, contrarie vntounto this my commaundement.
Thou shalt not take the name of the Lorde
thy God in vaine. For the Lorde will not holde him giltlesse that taketh his name in vaine.
O man lacking light and void of knowledge, the Lord thy God that can be resembled by nothing, nor named by anie word according vntounto the worthinesse of his glorious maiestie: and yet wil by many words and works notifie himselfe vntounto thée, as is for thy capacitie and commoditie, hée commaundeth and teacheth thee, with suche reuerent diligence to hearken vntounto his woord and regarde his workes, and such his ordinarie meanes as may make, continue and increase in thée vnfayned feare and louelove of him, by true knowledge and remembrance of him. Wherefore, Thou shalt not take in vaine, without increase of honour vntounto him and comforte vntounto thée his name, in anie of his wordes or workes, especially his holy Scriptures, and godlie saccraments. For the Lorde God, which by his woordes and woorkes doth declare and witnesse sufficiently vntounto a ll men anye truthe, wil not holde him giltelesse, will not iudge him out of fault, or suffer him escape vnplagued, that taketh his name in vaine, that taketh and abuseth his holy worde, good creature, or blessed ordinaunce, to couer or confirme any lies and vanities, or else refuseth and neglecteth the same, as not necessarie and sufficient to teache, trie, and wytnesse any godlie truthe and veritie, so as is most vntounto Gods honor and glorie, and best for mans comforte▪ and commoditie. Therfore O man, being of thy selfe a shameful lier, and yet by Gods grace called and ordayned vntounto the knowledge and witnesse of God and of his truth, vntounto his glorie, and thy comforte, with dreade, louelove and reuerence, to bring and keepe the knowledge of God and his truthe amongst men, thou shalt search in the holy scriptures, desire of god in faithfull prayers, and declare, and witnesse in time expedient the truthe of God in the name of God. For vponupon all such as béeleue blinde prophecies, or arrogant Astronomers, that call vponupon Diuels in coniuring. or that abuse the name of GOD in swearing, or that fearing to professe the truthe, hauehave hope in dissembling and lying, will God bée reuenged, when as they by strong illusion wrought by the subtiltie of Sathan, bée woonderously deceyued, too bée worthily plagued and damned, bicause they would not receiue ye louelove of the truth that they might bée saued.
Remember that thou kepe holy the Sabbothe daye, sixe dayes shalt thou labour and do all that thou hast too do, but the seauenth is the sabboth of the Lorde thy God. In it thou shalt do no manner of worke, thou and thy sonne and thy daughter, and thy manseruant and thy mayde seruant, and thy cattell, and the stranger that is within thy gates. For in syxe-dayes the Lorde made heauen and earth, the sea and all that in them is, and rested the seauenth day: wherfore the Lorde blessed the seauenth daye and hallowed it.
O man bannished out of pleasaunt Paradise for thy sinne, vntounto painfull penance vponupon earth, to eate there thy breade in the sweate of thy face all the dayes of thy life, and yet by the grace of God hauing prouided and graunted vntounto thée for release, and reléefe, a holy sabboth of solace in the Lord thy God, now in all trauayle and laboures duely seruing thine owne necessitie, thou mayst and shouldest feele cheereful comfort in mindfull remembrance of keping a holy Sabboth vntounto Gods glorie. And as the last day and ende of the weeke was the sabboth of the Iewes: so after all trauayle and labours in this life to bée ended by death, beginneth rest and quietnesse in the Lorde eternally to continue wythout any ende or feare of death: and in euerie Christen congregation certaine times be appointed for all men to ceasse from bodily labours, that they may with more quietnesse of mynde receiue more spiritual comfort: yea, and euerie man priuately hath many iust occasions of some rest and quietnesse after his labours and businesse. Seing therfore that al painfull labours pertaine vntounto penance deserued by sinne of man, and al comfortable restes be gratious giftes of Gods goodnesse vntounto the reliefe and release of mans miseries. Remember that thou keepe holie the sabboth day, in thy painefull labours thou shalt continue, chéere and refresh thy self with comfortable remembrance of ghostlie rest and quietnesse. For syx dayes shalt thou labour and do all thou hast to do, thou shalt with good corage in any labors to discharge thy duety continue at all times, but the seauenth day is the sabboth of the Lorde thy God, but then when as by any death, any common ordinaunce, or by some singular and peculiar occasion thou shalt of God bee dimissed from bodily businesse vntounto spirituall rest and quietnesse, which time as the last day of the weeke, and the ende of al thy workes and businesse, thou shalt euer kéep holie, euer reserue & referre wholly vntoo the Lorde thy god: In it thou shalte doo no maner of worke, thē shalt thou not be troubled with worldly affaires, or bodilie businesse, but receyuing comfort and consolation of the Lorde, render thankes and praise with ioy and gladnesse of minde, for in remembring to mortifie thy flesh with bodilie labors vponupon the worke dayes, thy mind shal not be weried, but well dysposed vntounto all charitable exercises and godly meditations vponupon the holy day, vponupon the day & time graunted and giuen of god vntounto thée, that then thou refreshing thy mind in quiet godlie meditation, shouldeste not burthen thy bodie, or cūber thy conscience with worldly cares or businesse, then shalt thou leaue of all such labours, thou and thy sonne and thy daughter, and thy man seruante and thy mayde seruant, and thy cattel, and the stranger that is within thy gates, as all that béelongeth vntounto thée, were made partakers of punishmente, when as thou was put to penance for sinne, so shall they all hauehave their parte and portion of this reste and release graciously giuē to thy recreation & renouation. For in syx dayes the Lord made heauen and earth, the sea and all that in them is, for the Lord that made al things, appointed al other times for necessary works, and rested the seauenth day, shewing by example that a pleasaunt rest shoulde remaine after the end of times consumed in labours. VVherfore the Lorde blessed the seauenth day and hallowed it. Wherfore O man, the Lorde god hath blessed the time of his rest frō thy labors, with most plesant blessings, vntounto al creatures, & hallowed it in most acceptable seruice vntounto himself. Wherfore thou remē bring with diligēce ye dispatch of al worldly works in due time, to kepe al thy rest euer wholy & holie vntounto the Lord, shal most and best praise god, please other, & comfort thine own cōscience, according as thou hast here example & cōmaundemēt of the Lorde God. So this manner of kéeping of my sabboths is a sure tokē & signe that I the Lord God do sanctifie thée with all, that thou hast to kepe a continuall sabboth or continuall quietnesse of conscience, seruing mee the Lorde thy God in holynesse and righteousnesse all the day…s of thy life. As contrarywise the breaking or abusing of my sabboths is a certain signe that such as so do be subiect to Sathan the prince of this world, euer labouryng with corruption of minde and conscience to serue them selues in vngodlinesse and wickednesse all the dayes of their liues. So are not suche men sanctified by me, but my sabboths and all that they hauehave of me, be polluted and abused by them.
Honour thy Father and thy Mother, that thy dayes may bee long in the lande whiche the Lorde thy God giueth thee.
Bicause thou arte a childe of suche follie and fraylenesse, that thou canst not sufficiently prouide for thy selfe, nor charitably liue in order and kéep company with other but by the fatherly protection and prouision of suche as I the Lorde thy God of fatherly affection towardes thée, hauehave placed in authority ouer thée. Therfore thou shalt with all louing obe…ience and due payments honouring them, obey and glorifie mée, that thy dayes may bee long, that thou maist continue wyth comforte, vnderunder the protection of them whose heartes alwayes be in the hande of the Lorde to maintaine and direct that power and authoritie which they hauehave of the Lorde, euer to correct, punish, or destroy euill doers, and to cherish, rewarde and defende them that do well, in the lande which. the Lorde thy god giueth thee: in place or in places which the Lorde God of louing fauour towardes thée, wil euer prouide, so as he foreséeth and knoweth bée most méete and expedient for thée.
Thou shalt do no murther.
Thou thy selfe being a man, shalt in no wise by thought, word or déed commit anie suche euill, as in any wise hurtefull vntoo the life of man, for the hurt of mans life, is the sheading of mans bloud: and the sheading of mans bloud vponupon earth cryeth vntounto God for vengeaunce to fal from heauen: & God which searcheth the heart, séeth al that lieth lurking in the minde: so that if there bée in thy hart any hate of thy brother, thou art afore God a murtherer: yea, he is the cause of the death of man afore God, that lacketh louelove to saue the life of man vppon earth. Therfore that thou mayest kéepe thy handes cleane from sheading of innocente bloude, and not be the cause and prouoker of vengeance to fal from heauē vponupon earth, thou shalt do or wishe nothing that is euill vntounto any man, but all that is good to the vttermost of thy power vntounto eueryevery man, according vntounto the meaning of this commandement, giuen of god vntounto man, for the preseruation of man.
Thou shalt not commit adulterie.
Thou whome God hath created like vntounto his pure image, and vntounto whom he hath made a fellowe helper in like fourme, to be coupled together in honourable matrimonie, for the godlie continuance of thy kinde in succession, shalt eyther keep thy self chast in pure virginitie, or else in sanctified matrimonie liue wyth thy yoke fellowe only: so that no filthie luste in thy hearte, loke of thine eye, or gesture in any parte of thy bodie, defile thy flesh with adultrie, with any man…r of corruption contrary vntounto the purenesse of godlie matrimonie. For al filthie lust cōming of that séed which god hath created in nature, and sanctified in wedlock vntounto the increase of mankinde, when as it is not dysposed and vsed in the holinesse of matrimonie, vntounto the blessing of succession, and the auoiding of fornication, then doth it vnnaturally and vngodly defile, delude and driue bodie and minde of man to abuse, refuse, and breake godlie wedlocke vntounto the corruption, curse and perdition of man, his séede and succession. Therfore thou shalt auoide all such vnnaturalnesse, such vngodlinesse, such corruption, cursse and perdition, and kepe thy self pure in spirit, in soule and bodie, if thou kepe this cōmandement duly.
Thou shalt not steale.
Thou hauing of Gods gracious gift body and soule, which by reason of Gods plentifull prouision, can neuer bee vtterly destitute of any thīg necessary, shalt by no craft or crueltie, keep or conuay from any man any thing that is his, according to law and equitie, or that should serue vntounto his cōfort or reliefe, according to godly charitie. For as God the only Lord ouer al hath disposed and giuē vntounto al, seing & prouiding best for eueryevery mans necessitie, so should eueryevery man be best contēt to yeld himself vntounto gods ordinance & prouidence, not willing or seking any profit or plesure vntounto him self, by breking the ordinance, and refusing the prouidence of God, in getting any thing vncharitably from man. Therfore to auoyde the daunger of dispising Gods ordinaunce and prouidence, and to liue in the lawe of louelove and charitie, thou arte charged and taught by this commaundement, not vnlawefully to take frō any man any thing that he hath of his owne, nor vncharitably to kepe from him any thing that he néedeth of thine.
Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour.
Thou hauing a tong, and other meanes to wytnesse the truthe, vntounto the honour of God and profit of men, shalt by no manner of meanes denie the truth, or forge lies, which is alwayes a dishonouring of God, with daunger and domage vntounto man. For as God is the authour of all truthe, and the Diuell the father of all lies: so all examinations of truthes, and occasions of lies, be trials causing the children of God and of the Diuell to confesse and vtter the wylles and workes of their fathers. Therfore that thou mayst shewe thy selfe a childe of God, and not of the diuel, thou shalt neuer make or maintain any lies, but euer confesse and confirme any truth as shal be expedient for thy neighbour. And note that al blind prophesies, all forged lies, all false reports and vntrue tidings, all fayned flatterie and enuious slaunders, and all vncharitable dissembling or deceytfull counterfeating of any thing, be diuelish contrarying of Gods truthe, against thy neighbour, against that duty, which thou owest of charitie vntounto thy neighbour.
Thou shalte not couet thy neighboures house, thou shalt not couet thy neighbours wife, nor his seruaunte, nor his mayde, nor his oxe nor his asse, nor any thing that is his.
Thou walking afore the face of GOD whose eyes behold all secrets, euen in the bottome of thy heart, shalt not couet, shalt not will or wish, thy neighbours house, any possession of person, landes or goods, which is thy neighbors, to be thine, nor any thing that is his, nor any thing to be thine, which is giuen of god not vntounto thee, but vntounto him. Yea the profit or pleasure of any thing that is thy neighbours, shal not stirre vp in thée a luste to hauehave it thy selfe: but rather any lacke or néede that thou mayest sée in thy neighboure, shall make thée to helpe hym if thou bée able, and euer mooue thée hartily to pray and desire of God all goodnesse vntounto him, euen as vntounto thyself, according to the lawe of louelove and perfection.