A Christian Instruction Containing the Law and the Gospel, Exposition 1 · Dialogue 2
Of the Lawe of God. The ſecond Dialogue.
Of the manifeſtation of the wil of God by the law of the two Tables.
M.
SEing then that wée muſte in eueryevery reſpect gouern our ſelues according to the rule of Gods worde,Exod. 20. a 32. d. 34. a. d Deute. 5. a. b & 9. b. folowing the reſolution whiche wée hauehave euen nowe made, ſhewe me now firſt of all, what is that he commaundeth vsus in his lawe?
P.
He himſelfe hath made vsus a bréefe gathering or collection of the principall pointes that the doctrine therof comprehendeth in his commaundements that he hath giuen to his people, by the hands of Moyſes his ſeruaunt, written in thoſe two tables of ſtone, wherof thou haſte euen nowe made mention.
Of the number of the commaundementes conteyned in the two tables.
M.
HOwe manye commaundementes dothe the firſte Table conteyn?
P.
Foure with the Preface, which the Lord vſed at the beginning.
M.
And the ſecōde?
P.
Sixe, which being ioyned to the firſte foure, make ten in the whole.
The firſt table of the lawe.
M.
WHich is that preface whereof thou haſt made mention?
P.
Herken Iſrael: It is I that am the Eternal thy God, who hath drawn thée out of the land of Egypte, from the houſe of bondage.
M.
Which is the firſt commandement?
P.
Thou ſhalt hauehave no ſtraunge Gods before me.
M.
The ſecond?
P.
Thou ſhalt make no image nor likeneſſe of the things that be there aboue in heauen, nor here belowe in the earth, nor in the waters vnderunder the earth.
Thou ſhalt do them no reuerence, neither ſhalt thou ſerue them: for I my ſelf, I am the Eternall thy God, mightie and iealous, who doe venge my ſelfe of the iniquitie of the fathers vppon their children, and vponupon the children of their children, yea euen to the thirde and fourthe line of thoſe that hate me, and do ſhewe fauour in a thouſand generatiōs to them that louelove me and kéepe my commaundementes.
M.
The third?
P.
Thou ſhalt not take in vaine the name of the Eternall thy God. For the Eternall will not hold him for innocent that ſhall take his name in vayne.
Math.
The fourthe?
Peter.
Remember thée to ſanctifie the daye of reſt. Sixe dayes thou ſhalte laboure and ſhalte doe all thy buſineſſe: but the ſeauenth daye is the reſt of the eternall thy God. Thou ſhalte in the ſame doe no kinde of workes, neyther thou, nor thy Sonne, nor thy daughter, neyther thy man ſeruaunt nor thy woman ſeruaunt, neyther thy cattell, neyther the ſtraunger which abydeth with thée.
For in ſixe dayes the Eternall made the Heauen, the Earth and the Sea, and all that which is in them, & did reſt in the ſeauenth daye. And therefore the Eternall did bleſſe the daye of reſt, and ſanctified it.
The ſeconde Table.
M.
REcite them of the ſeconde table, and ſhewe me whiche is the fyrſte thereof.
P.
The firſt of that table, is the firſt folowing the order of the foure going before.
M.
Which is it? Honoure thy father and thy mother, to the end that thy dayes may be long vppon the earth, that the Eternall thy GOD gyueth thée.
M.
The ſixte.
P.
Thou ſhalte not kyll.
M.
The ſeauenth.
P.
Thou ſhalt not be a fornicatour or adulterer.
M.
The eighte?
P.
Thou ſhalt not ſteale.
M.
The ninth?
P.
Thou ſhalte not beare falſe witneſſe agaynſt thy neyghboure.
M.
The tenth?
P.
Thou ſhalt not couet thy neyghbours houſe, nor his wife, nor his man ſeruant, nor his woman ſeruant, nor his Ox…, nor his aſſe, nor any thing that is his.
Of the ſum of the lavve.
M.
WHat doe the commaundements of theſe two tables conteyne in ſubſtance?Matth. 22. d Mark. 12. a. Luke. 10. c
P.
Ieſus Chryſte hath gyuen vsus the ſum, reducing into two poyntes, all the doctrine compriſed in them.
M.
Which is the ſum?
P.
Hearken Iſraell: the Eternall thy God is God only. Thou ſhalte louelove the Eternall thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy ſoule: and with all thy vnderſtanding. It is the firſt and the greate commaundement.Leuie. 19. d. And the ſecond like to the ſame is. Thou ſhalt louelove thy neyghbour as thy ſelfe:Matth. 7. d. All the lawe and the Prophets depende of theſe two commaundements: All things then that you would that men did to you, doe you the ſame vntounto them, for it is the law and the Prophetes.
Of the diuiſion of the matters ſet foorth in the lawe.
M.
WHat doe theſe two poynts comprehende in effecte?
Pet.
The firſt comprehendeth all the commaundementes of the firſt table.
Math.
What do theſe commaundementes of the firſte table comprehende in ſubſtance?
P.
All that whiche God requireth of man, eſpecially touching his owne perſon and maieſtie.
M.
And the ſecond poynt of the ſayd ſūme what conteyneth it?
P.
All the commaū dementes of the ſecond table.
M.
What is it that God requireth of man in them?
P.
That whiche he woulde that all men ſhuld do one to an other, for ye louelove of him.
The diuiſion of the poyntes conteined in the firſte table: and of the principall parts of the true ſeruice of god.
M.
WHiche be the principall pointes that he requireth of man, eſpecially concerning the perſon and maieſtie of God?
P.
A man may in mine opinion, reduce them all chiefly in two generally.
M.
Whiche is the firſte?
P.
The faith toward him.
M.
And the ſeconde?
P.
The teſtifying and manifeſting of the ſame.
Of the faith tovvards God.
M.
WHat requireth he in the firſt?
P.
That man holde him for the only and true God, ſetting all his harte and all the truſt of his ſaluation in him only, and in no other thing whatſoeuer.
M.
Is faith then the chiefe and principall foundation of the honoure and ſeruice whiche man oweth to God?
P.
It cannot otherwiſe be.
M.
Wherefore?
P.
For that yt euē as it is impoſſible to pleaſe God without faith, euen ſo all that which is done without faith, maye be but ſinne, as we hauehave heretofore ſaide.
M.
What is the cauſe thereof?
P.
It is bicauſe that faith is the true fountaine of that true and perfecte obedience whiche God requireth of man towarde his holy will.Deut. 6. d. 10. c. d. 32. f. Wherefore he requireth it foorthwith in the firſt commandement of his lawe, with the whole harte of man.
M.
Shew me this ſomewhat more familiarly.Eſay. 43. b.
P.
I will ſay in effecte, that God requireth that man do ſo ſet all his harte and al his truſt in his God, that, he attende from him only, all goodneſſe, and of none other whatſoeuer,Hebr. 11. a Rom. 14. b. and that in all thinges he depende of none other but of him only.
Of the teſtifying and declaring of faith, and of the partes thereof.
M.
WHat meaneſt thou by the teſtifying and ſhewing foorth of faith,Matth. 7. c. Galath. 5. a. Hebr. 11. Iames. 2. c. d. whiche thou haſt placed for the other point?
Pe.
The teſtimonie whereby man giueth to vnderſtande by the frutes that his faith bringeth forth in him, that it is not vaine, fained nor dead, but that it is true, liuely and ſounde.
M.
Which be the frutes that yeld ſuch teſtimonie?
P.
We may bring them all into thrée points.
M.
Which is the firſt?
P.
The calling vppon the name of God.
M.
The ſeconde?
P.
Thanſgiuing.
M.
The thirde?
P.
The charitie towards our neyghboure: but this apperteyneth more aptly to the ſeconde table of the lawe.
Of the inuocation of Gods name, and of the true vvorshipping of him.
M.
WHat meaneſt thou by the inuocation of gods name?
P.
I meane a pure affectiō of harte, whereby faith maketh a man to run only to God in all his neceſſities,Pſal. 50. e. 14 4. d. Iohn. 4. c. Deuter. 4. c. Matth. 5.6. a. Eſay. 1. d. and to worſhip him in ſpirite and truth as he requireth in the ſecōd and third commaundement.
M.
What is it to worſhip God in ſpirite and truth?
P.
It is to honoure God with a true affection, procéeding from a pure and cleane harte, and not by Images and other viſible and corruptible thinges, or elſe by ſhewes and outwarde ceremonies.
Of thankſgiuing.
M.
WHat meaneſt thou by thankſgiuing, which thou haſt ſet forthe for the ſecond point?
P.
I meane that euen as God will hauehave man to call vppon his name,Pſal. 50. c. 116. b. Hebr. 13. c he will alſo that he acknowledge the benefits yt he hath receiued of him, and that he yelde him thanks in ſuch ſorte as he himſelfe hath ordeyned, for the glory of his name, which is alſo a point that he requireth in the thirde and fourth commaundemente.
Of the outvvard teſtimonie of faith, vvhichwhich God requireth of man.
M.
SEing that God wil be ſerued in ſpirite and truth, as thou haſt ſaide, is not he contented, that euen as man in his heart beléeueth in him, that euen ſo in his heart he call vppon his name, and yelde him thanks?
P.
That ſhould be ſufficiente as towards God.Pſalm. 7. e. Iere. 17. b. Act. 1. d. Apoca. 2. f. For ſo much as he knoweth well what is in the heart of man, withoute any néede of other teſtimonie.
M.
Wherefore is it then that he yet requireth, that man yelde outwarde teſtimonie?
P.
He doth it chiefly for two cauſes.
M.
Which is the firſte?
P.
It is to that ende that man deceiue not himſelfe, making himſelfe to beléeue that he hath true faith in God, when he hath none at all.
M.
How may he know whether he hauehave faith or no,Mat. 7. d. 13. d 25. a. Iames. 1. d. 2. c. d. Mat. 7. c Iames. 2. c. d. by that meane whiche thou ſpeakeſt of?
P.
Euē as the trée is knowne by his frutes, and the workeman by hys worke, and the cauſe by his effecte.
M.
It ſeemeth to me that whiche thou ſaiſt, is a better meane to cauſe others to knowe whether he hauehave faith or no,Rom. 2. b. 2. Peter. 1. b. Math. 5. b. Iohn. 15. b. Rom. 10. b. 1. Peter. 2. b. then hymſelfe.
P.
If others maye knowe it by this meane, there is no doubte but ſuch a teſtimonie whiche he yeldeth to others, may well ſerue him for a proofe, and greater confirmation of his faith, when he ſhall ſée theſe frutes himſelfe.
M.
Which is the other reaſon that thou haſt alſo to thys purpoſe?
P.
It is to the ende that God be glorified alſo before men, by the confeſſion and teſtimonie of the faith that is in the heart of the beléeuing man.
Of the meanes ordeyned to man by God, vvhereby they may make profeſsion of their faith.
M.
WHat meanes hath he ordeyned to make confeſſion,Math. 18. c. 28. d. Exod. 10. b. 31. d. and to yelde teſtimonie?
P.
The chiefe are the aſſemblies of the faithfull, in the whiche he doth precide by his holy ſpirite, and by the miniſterie of his worde, for whoſe cauſes he hath chiefly ordeyned the daye of reſt.
M.
What means are there in ſuch aſemblies,Deuter. 5. b. c. to make there this confeſſion?
P.
There are thrée chiefly.
M.
Which is the firſt?
P.
The allowing and confeſſion of Lordes doctrine, whiche is there ſet foorth by the preaching of the Goſpell.1. Corin. 14. c.
M
Whiche is the ſecond?
P.
The publique and common prayers of the Churche.
M.
Which is the thirde?
P.
It is the communion of the Sacramēts adminiſtred by the ordinance of God in thoſe aſſemblies.
M.
I would willingly learne of thée whiche be theſe Sacramentes?
P.
It were better that we deferred this matter to an other time, to the ende that we continued the purpoſe which we hauehave in hand at this preſente, touching the matters compriſed in theſe commandementes of the lawe of God.
Of the charitie tovvards our neyghboure.
M.
WE hauehave alredy handled two points touching the frutes of faith, tell me now which is the thirde and laſt?Leuit. 19. d. Iohn. 13. d. Rom. 13. b.
P.
It is the charitie that God requireth of eueryevery man one to another.
M.
Seing that faith hath his proper regarde to God only and to the commandements of the firſt table, and charitie hath his regarde to our neyboure and to the commaundementes of the ſecond table, as thou haſt ſaide heretofore. Tell me nowe what agréements there is betwene faith and charitie.Math. 5. g. 1. Iohn. 3. d. 4. c. d. 5. a.
P.
Seing that faith hath regarde to God, he can not be without perfecte louelove of him, neyther the perfect louelove towards him maye be, but forthwith it extendeth to all hys children, and to all thoſe that he recommendeth vntounto vsus.
A diuiſion of the matters conteyned in the ſecond table.
M.
WHat doth this charitie towards our neyghboure comprehende?
P.
All the commaundements of the ſecond table of ye law.
M.
Which be ye principal points of this charitie whereof thou ſpeakeſt?
P.
We maye likewiſe bring them all into two.
M.
What doth GOD require in the firſte?
P.
The honoure and the obedience that he willeth all inferiors to yelde to their ſuperiors, whom he hath giuen vntounto them for leaders and gouernors, in what eſtate ſoeuer they be, euen as the fifth commaundement of the lawe doth conteyne.
M.
What requireth he in the ſeconde?
P.
The dutie wherevnto he hath egally and generally bounde al men one to another, and the honeſtie and iuſtice that all men oughte to kepe in theyr conuerſation in this world towards their God.1. Theſsa. 5. d. 1. Corin. 9. b.
M.
What vnderſtādeſt thou by that iuſtice and honeſtie?
P.
That man kepe himſelfe pure and ſounde, as well in hys ſoule as in his body, to the ende he be not defiled, either by any violence or wrong that he ſhall do to his neyghboure, in any thing that may be, nor by any whoredome or filthineſſe whatſoeuer.
Of the points vvherein eueryevery one is bounde to his neyghbour.
M.
Matth. 22. d 1. Cor. 10. c. 13. b. Philip. 2. a Rom. 13. c. 12 c. d.DEclare to me more exactly what our dutie towards our neyghboure importeth.
P.
That we hauehave the ſame care for all men in generall that we hauehave for our ſelues.
M.
But wherein ought we to hauehave this care for others?
P.
There are two pointes to be conſidered herein.
M.
Which is the firſt?
P.
That we take héede that we do them no diſhonour nor hurte, in any wiſe, be it in the ſoule, body, goods, or name.
M.
Which is the other?
P.
That we procure their health, honoure and profite with all our power, in all thinges as the other fiue commaundemēts folowing do declare.
Of the vveakneſſe & defaulte of povver that is in man to accomplishe the lavve of God.
M.
AL that is very iuſt and very reaſonable, but is it in the power of mā, to yelde to God ſo ſounde and perfect obedience as he requireth of him?Gene. 6. b 8. d. Iere. 7. b. Rom. 8. b. 1. Cori. 2. d Gala. 5. c. d.
P.
He hath not only not that power, but contrarily, it is fully impoſſible for him, to yelde vntounto God ſuch an obedience. For according to his nature, he hath no pleaſure but to reſiſte againſt his holy will.