The Sum of Christian Religion 2, Part 1 · Subpart 1
THE FIRST PART.
OF THE MISERIE OF MAN.
Whence knoweſt thou thy miſerie?
OVT of the law of GodaRom. 3.20..
What doth the Law of God require of vsus?
That doth Chriſt ſummarily teach vsus, Mat. 22. Thou ſhalt louelove the Lord thy God with all thy hart, with all thy ſoule, with al thy minde, & with all thy ſtrength bLuk. 10.27.. This is the firſt and the great commaundement, and the ſecond is like to this, Thou ſhalt louelove thy neighbour as thy ſelfe. On theſe two commaundements hangeth the whole Law, and the Prophets.
Art thou able to keepe all theſe thinges perfectlie?
No truelycRom. 3.10. & 23. 1 Iohn. 1.8: For by nature I am prone to the hatred of God and of my neighbourdRom 8.7. Epheſ. 2.3. Tit. 33..
Did God then make man ſo wicked and peruerſe?
Not ſoeGen. 1.31.: But rather hee made him good, and to his owne imagefGen. 1.26. & 27., that is, endewed with true righteouſnes and holines, that hee might rightly know God, his creator, and hartily louelove him, & liue with him bleſſed for euer, and that to lawde and magnify himg2 Cor. 3.18. Col. 3.10. Eph. 4.24..
Whence then ariſeth this wickednes of mans nature?
From the fall and diſobedience of our firſt parentes, Adam and EuehGen. 5. Rom. 5.12.18.19.: Hence is our nature ſo corrupt, that wee are all conceaued and borne in ſinneiPſal. 51.5. Gen. 53..
Are wee ſo corrupt, that wee are not at all apt to doe well, and are prone to all vice?
Indeede wee are: except we be regenerated by the holie GhoſtkIohn. 3.5. Gen. 6.5. Iob. 10.4. & 15 14.16. & 3… Eſaie. 53 6..
Doth not God then iniurie to man, who in the Law requireth that of him, which he is not able to perfourme?
NoelIohn. 3.5. Eph. 4.24.. For God had made man ſuch a one, as he might perfourme it: But man, by the impulſion of the diuelmLuk 10.30., and his owne ſtubburneſſe, bereaued himſelfe and all his poſteritie of thoſe diuine graces.
Doth God leaue this ſtubburneſſe and falling-away of man vnpuniſhed?
Noe: But is angrie in moſt dreadfull manernRom. 5.1…. Heb. 9.27., as well for the ſinnes wherein we are borne, as alſo for thoſe which our ſelues commit, and in moſt iuſt iudgement puniſheth them with preſent and euerlaſting puniſhmentes, as himſelfe pronounceth: Curſed bee hee that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to doe them oDeut. 27.26 Gal. 3.10..
Is not God therefore mercifull?
Yea verilie, hee is mercifullpExod. 34.6.: but ſo, that hee is alſo iuſtqExod. 20.5 Pſal. 5.5. 2 Cor. 6.14. Wherefore his iuſtice requireth, that the ſame which is committed againſt the diuine Maieſty of God, ſhould alſo be recōpenced with extreme, that is, euerlaſting puniſhmentes both of bodie and ſoule.
IN THIS firſt part concerning the Miſerie of man, there are three places handled.
1 Of ſinne.
2 Of the creation of man, which maketh to the vnderſtanding of the former place concerning ſin.
3 Of free will.
How we come to the knowledge of our miſerie and ſinne. By the Lawe.We know our miſerie, and that we hauehave ſinned, out of the Lawe of God, which exacteth and requireth of vsus the contrarie to that which is in vsus. For we are prone to hate God and our neighbour, which is very ſinne it ſelfe: but the Lawe requireth of vsus the louelove of God. Nowe the name of miſerie ſtretcheth farther then the name of Sinne. By the name of miſerie, we vnderſtād, the euil of treſpas or offence, that is, al ſin: and the euil of puniſhment, which comprehendeth al the deſtructions of our reaſonable nature, as griefes, torments, calamities. To be ſhort, the euil of puniſhment comprehendeth al miſeries and ſinnes that follow after, wherewith ſinnes that goe before are puniſhed. So the numbring of the people, committed by Dauid, is both a puniſhment and a ſinne. That our miſerie is learned out of the Law, it appeareth ſufficiently by this ſyllogiſme or reaſon, whoſe*That is proued by a ſyllogiſme, Whoſe maior being ſet by the Law, Deut. 27.16. Gal. 3.30. Mat. 22.38. Maior or firſt propoſition the Law it ſelfe mentioneth: Accurſed be euerie one who abideth not in the perfect louelove of God and his neighbour. Now this louelove of God, Chriſt calleth the firſt & greateſt commandement. Likewiſe our conſcience addeth the*And Minor added by our conſcience, The concluſion muſt neceſſarily follow, as an approbation of the ſentence of the Law. Mat. 22.37. The part of the maior explicated. 1 Why In perfect louelove, and what that is. Minor or ſecond propoſitiō: I hauehave not abiddē in al: of theſe two propoſitiōs ariſeth the concluſion, which is the approbation or alowing of the ſentence of the Lawe: therefore I am accurſed. So then out of the Law commeth our knowledge of ſinne.
Neuertheles the Maior, or firſt propoſition, is to be declared more at large. Firſt it is ſaid, whoſoeuer abideth not in perfect louelove, that is, as Chriſt expoundeth it, hee that loueth not God with al his hart, with al his ſoule, with al his cogitation, and with al his ſtrength. With al his hart] by which are vnderſtood al the affections, inclinations & appetits, or deſires. For God wil hauehave himſelfe alone to bee acknowledged the chiefeſt, and himſelfe to be loued aboue al things: and, that men may relie on him, hee wil hauehave the whole hart to be yeelded vp to himſelfe, not part to him, and part to another: and to this is oppoſed, not to walke before God with a perfect hart. Obiection. If we ought to louelove God with al our hart, then ought we not to louelove our Parentes. Aunſwere. It is lawful for to louelove other things alſo beſides God, but nothing aboue God. We ought to louelove our Parents, but not chieflie. For we ought to louelove al other things for God. It followeth, with al thy ſoule] by which he comprehendeth that part which is willing to anie thing, or the motions of the will: then therefore hee meaneth, with thy whole will and purpoſe. Thirdly, with al thy cogitations] by which he vnderſtādeth the vnderſtanding and mind: ſo much as we know of God,1 Cor. 13.10. ſo much alſo doe we louelove him; therefore when we ſhal know him perfectlie, that which is in part ſhal be aboliſhed. And therefore our louelove of God which now is but in part, ſhall then bee perfect. Laſtlie, with al thy ſtrength] in which al inward actions agreeable to the Lawe of God are contained. Secondlie, it is ſaid, In the LoueLove of God: 2 Why In the louelove of God, and what that is.as vntounto whom, being once manifeſted and doing good vntounto him, man is bound: whereupon the Lord calleth himſelfe our God. Now to louelove God, is to acknowledge him to bee the chiefeſt good, and to bee the chiefeſt good to vsus: and ſo to louelove him, that thou wilt rather forgoe all things then thou wilt depart from him, or not bee ioined with him: for that which is beſt, that thou doſt moſt deſire, and doſt couet moſt of al to be ioined with it.
Thirdly it is ſaid, In the louelove of thy neighbour. 3 What is, In the louelove of thy neighborTo louelove thy neighbour, is for the louelove that thou oweſt vntounto God to wiſh well and doe well vntounto thy neighbour, and to doe all things to him which thou wouldeſt in aequitie and, according to the Law to be done to thee.
The LoueLove of God is the ſumme of the Law,Why the louelove of God is the ſumme of the Law. Why it is called the firſt commandement. becauſe it is taken for our whole obedience, as beeing the cauſe of our obedience. The louelove of God is called the firſt Commaundement, becauſe it is the ſpring and fountaine of the reſt. It is the fountaine of the reſt. 1. becauſe it is the efficient and impulſiue cauſe. 2. becauſe it is the final cauſe or ende which the reſt propoſe, which is, for to declare our louelove towardes God. In like maner it is called the greateſt commaundement. 1. becauſe it is the end of al the reſt of the cōmaundements, & of our whole obedience▪ for therfore thou oughteſt to do well vntounto thy neighbour, becauſe thou loueſt God: & again, that thou maiſt ſhew thy obedience to him. 2. becauſe that is the principall woorſhippe for which the ceremoniall lawes were ordained, and ſo is oppoſed vntounto the ceremoniall woorſhip, which was appointed for this morall lawe.
Obiection. The ſecond commaundement is like vntounto the firſt, therefore the firſt is not the greateſt. Anſwere. The louelove of our neighbour is like vntounto the louelove of God. 1. Becauſe that commandement of louing our neighbour is oppoſed vntounto the ceremonies. 2. Becauſe the obedience of the firſt table is the cauſe of the ſecond. Thirdlie, becauſe the breach of the ſecond table doth as well deſerue eternall puniſhmentes, as the breach of the firſt. 4. Becauſe it appertaineth to the morall woorſhip, which is deſcribed in the firſt and ſecond table. 5. It is like, becauſe of the coherence of both, for that neither can be obſerued without the other. 6. Becauſe one is autor of both. 7. Becauſe both of thē contain our whole obedience. Hēce now appeareth the anſwer to this obiectiō. Therefore our neighbour is to bee ſet aequall with God, and to bee aequally worſhipped. For ir hath beene ſaid before, Thou ſhalt louelove God alone with al thy hart. Now the louelove of our neighbour is like vntounto the louelove which wee owe vntounto God, in reſpect of the kind of worſhip, but vnlike in reſpect of the degree. And it is alſo vnlike firſt in reſpect of the obiectes, or things loued. For God and man who are to be loued are diuers obiectes. 2. For that the louelove of our neighbour riſeth from the louelove of God: but it falleth not ſo out of the contrarie. 3. As it was ſaid, it is vnlike in reſpect of the degree of our louelove to God. Obiection. If the louelove of God bee the chiefeſt commaundement, then the louelove of God is greater then faith. Anſwere. LoueLove is heere taken for our whole obedience which wee owe vntounto God: vnderunder which faith is comprehended, which is the cauſe of all the reſt of our actions. For in that wee are commaunded to louelove God, wee are alſo forbidden to offend him: for no man offendeth him whom he loueth.
Why the louelove of our neighbour is called the ſecond commandement.The louelove of our neighbour is called the ſecond commaundement. 1. becauſe it containeth the ſumme of the ſecond table: for if thou louelove thy neighbor as thy ſelf, thou wilt not murther him, thou wilt not hurt him. 2. becauſe the louelove of our neighbour muſt riſe out of the firſt table, euen from the louelove of God: and ſo is that alſo explicated, which is added of Chriſt: That on theſe two commaundements hangeth the whole Law & the Prophets, that is, that al the other legall obedience which is cō tained in Moſes & the Prophets doth ſpring from our louelove of God and our neighbour. Obiection. In the Prophets alſo is the promiſe or doctrine of the Goſpell: therefore Chriſt ſeemeth not to ſpeake aright in this place. Anſwere. He ſpeaketh of the doctrine of the Law, not of the promiſes of the Goſpel, which appeareth by the queſtion of the Phariſie demanding, which was the chiefe commaundement, not which was the chiefe promiſe: and therefore Chriſt anſwereth him vntounto the purpoſe. Hitherto reacheth the declaration of the Maior or firſt propoſition concerning the abyding in the perfect louelove of God and our neighbour.
Now remaineth the Minor Propoſition, which is, But I hauehave not abidden in al, that is, I hauehave neither loued god nor my neighbour as I ought: whence the concluſion ariſeth: Therefore I am accurſed: and ſo it appeareth that indeed the knowledge of our miſerie and of our puniſhment, which is contained vnderunder the name of miſerie, is drawen out of the Law. That, which alſo is proued by another argument, The Lawe ſheweth our puniſhment, becauſe it bindeth vsus either to yeeld obedience, or to ſuffer puniſhment: But no man performeth that obedience: Therefore it bindeth vsus to ſuffer puniſhment. Furthermore, the Law ſheweth that al euils happen vntounto vsus becauſe of our ſins. Againe, it ſheweth the iuſtice of God, the greatnes and heauines of the wrath of God againſt ſinne. Hence ariſeth a queſtion, whence ſinne commeth, eſpeciallie ſince that the Lord made man good, and to his owne image. To this queſtion apperteineth the common place concerning ſinne, the creation of man, and free wil: which three places we wil diſcourſe of in order.
THE COMMON PLACE OF SINNE.
THE queſtions here to bee obſerued, are theſe.
1 Whether ſin be, or whence it appeareth to bee in vsus.
2 What ſinne is.
3 How manie kindes of ſinne there are.
4 What bee the cauſes of ſin.
5 What hee the effectes of ſinne.