A Christian Instruction Containing the Law and the Gospel, Exposition 1 · Dialogue 1
Of the true ſeruice of God, and of good intents. The first Dialogue.
Of the chiefe felicitie of man, and of the ende for the vvhichwhich he vvas created of God.
MATHEVV.
WHat is that whiche naturally men do moſt deſire in this world?
Peter
To be happie.
M
What is it to be happie?
P.
It is to be exempte & deliuered from all euils, to liue in perpetuall reſt and ioy, and to enioy al good things.
M.
And wherin conſiſteth the true and chiefeſt felicitie of man whereby he may be happie in ſuch ſorte as thou haſt declared?Gene. 16.19. b. Prouer. 19. a Eſay. 43. a. Ezeche. 36.
Peter.
It conſiſteth in that, wherefore GOD hath chéefly created him to his image and likeneſſe, and hath put him into the worlde.Pſal. 115. … Roma. 11. d 1. Cor. 6. d. Colloſs. 1. c Deut. 4. b 6. a. 32. a Matth. 1. a Iohn. 17 a Ephe. 1. b. c
M.
Which is then the principal cauſe for the which he hath created and placed him in the worlde?
P.
It is to be glorified in him and by him.
M.
Whiche is the verie true meane whereby God maye bée glorified in mā, & by man?
P.
By the true knowledge of him, which cauſeth man to honour him as his God and creator, with that honour whiche is due vntounto him, and that he requireth of him.
Of the true honor and ſeruice of God.
M.
What is that honour which God requireth of man?1. Par. 15. a Miche. 6. b Deut. 10. c
P.
That he doe him homage, and ſubmit him wholly to him thorough true obedience towardes his holye will.
M.
By what meane maye a man knowe that will of God?
P
By the declaration that God him ſelfe hathe made by his word.
Of the ſumme of all the Doctrine conteyned in the holy ſcriptures.
M.
Whiche be the principall poyntes to conſider in that word reueled by God.
P.
There be two, to the whiche a man maye applie in general, all ye doctrine that it cō teyneth & ſetteth forth to man.
M.
Which be they?
P.
The lawe, and the Goſpell.
Of the lawe of God, and of the office of the ſame.
M.
Vnderſtandeſt thou by the law thoſe cōmandements only which God gaue to Moyſes in two tables of ſtone?
P.
I do cō prehēd thē vnderunder this name of law:Exod. 32. d 34. a. 30. Luke. 24. c Deut. 5. Pſal. 19. c 2. Tim. 4. d Ro. 3. c. 4. c 5. d. 7. b 2. Cor. 3. b. c Galath. 3. … but I do cōprehend in ye ſame alſo al the reſt of the doctrine of God, conteined in the holy ſcriptures: whereby he ſetteth forth to vsus ye very ſame things that he cōmandeth vsus in thoſe two tables.
M.
Declare the ſame ſomwhat more plainly.
P.
I comprehend vnderunder the name of lawe, all the doctrine by the whiche God hath ſhewed vntounto vsus, the good which he alloweth & requireth of vsus, as by right we are boūd thervnto: & in like ſort the euil which diſpleaſeth him, & from the whiche he willeth that we kepe our ſelues for his ſake, to ye end that in al things thorowly, wée yelde vntounto him that perfect obediēce which we owe vntounto him.
M.
Hath ye law of God none other office?
P.
It hath this office alſo, that by ye ſame mean it ſheweth vsus our offēces & ſinnes, by the which we ſtande detters to the iudgement of God, and preacheth to vsus forthwith the wrath and curſe of him that wée hauehave deſerued in offending of him.
Of the Goſpell, and of his office.
M.
What vnderſtandeſt thou by the Goſpell?
P.
I vnderſtand all the doctrine of the holy Scriptures, by the whiche God declareth vntounto vsus the grace that he will ſhewe vsus by his ſonne Ieſus Chryſt, and the meanes whereby we are made partakers.
M.
Doeſt thou vnderſtande that doctrine to be conteyned in any other bookes of the holy Scriptures, than in thoſe of the foure Euangeliſtes?
Pe.
I vnderſtande that it is conteyned in all the holy Bible, and chiefly in the Bookes of the new Teſtament.
Of the difference that is to bee conſidered betwene the law and the Goſpell.
M.
What difference doeſt thou then put betwéene the lawe and the Goſpell?
P.
I take the law as a Proctor fiſcall, or a criminall iudge, which doth accuſe vsus, and maketh our proces before God, in ſuche ſort as it yeldeth vsus all condemned before the iudgement of God, as tranſgreſſours of all his commaundements: and by that meane, declareth vsus all worthie of death and eternall damnation.
M.
If it be ſo, the lawe ſerueth vsus rather to condemnation, than to ſaluation.
P.
It is true, but it is not by the faulte of the law, but by our fault:Ro. 7. c. 8. a for the law of his nature is good, holy, and iuſt: but bicauſe that of our nature we are wicked, and doe not accompliſhe it at all, it dothe in ſteade of iuſtifying of vsus, condemne vsus.
M.
And the Goſpell what newes bringeth it vntounto vsus?
P.
Very good, and much better for vsus than the law, as alſo his name declareth.
M.
what then dothe Goſpell ſignifie?
P.
A meſſage of good,Rom. 3. d 5. c. d 2. Cor. 5. d. Galath. 3. d Heb. 12. c. f. happie, and ioyefull newes.
M.
Hold me no longer in doubt, but tel them me.
P.
It ſheweth to vsus the grace by the which we are diſcharged and ſette frée before the iudgement of God, and deliuered from that death and eternall damnation, to the which we are iuſtly condemned by the lawe, and it declareth vntounto vsus by and by the meanes whereby wée obtaine that grace, and of whom.
Of the couenant and agreement of the lawe and the Goſpell.
M.
Séeing that the lawe (as thou ſayeſt) is to vsus a meſſenger of death and damnation, wherto doth it then ſerue vsus, but only to condemne vsus?
P.
It ſerueth vsus in ſuch ſort to condemne vsus, that if it did not condemne vsus in this poynte, the Goſpell coulde not bring vsus ſo greate wealth as it doth.
M.
How doſt thou vnderſtand this?
P.
If we vnderſtande not of oure diſeaſe, we wil not repaire to the phiſition, which onelyonly may deliuer vsus, for we woulde not thinke that we had any neede. Likewyſe, if we ſhould not knowe our condemnation, we ſhoulde thinke we had no néede of grace,Gala. 3. d Hebr. 7. c. 3. b Math. 17. a g. b. Marke. 9. b. 2. c Luk. 9. c. 5. f & therfore we ſhould not demaund it.
M.
Wilt thou then ſay, that the law is as it wer a phiſition, which ſheweth vsus plainly our diſeaſe, and how dangerous it is, but he can not heale vsus, but ſendeth vsus to an other?
P.
It is euen ſo: And for that cauſe Sainct Paule ſaith,Act. 3. d Heb. 12. g. 2. Timo. 6. c 1. c. Apo. 19. c. 1. Peter. 2. d that the lawe is giuen vsus as a ſchoolemaſter of little children, to directe vsus to the Goſpell, and by the ſame meane to Ieſus Chriſt, which is the chiefe and great maſter, which is alſo ſet forth to vsus in the Goſpell, as the chiefe Phiſition. For there is but he only that can heale vsus of that deadly diſeaſe, to wit, to deliuer vsus from that eternall deathe, which the lawe ſheweth vsus.
Of the cauſe for the vvhichwhich God vvoulde him ſelfe declare his vvill vntounto man by his vvorde.
M.
I vnderſtād now wel, that God would himſelfe declare his will vntounto man by his owne worde, whiche comprehendeth all the doctrine of the law and of the Goſpel, but for what cauſe hath he done it?
P.
Bycauſe he will not be ſerued according to the fantaſies of men, but according to hys owne only will.Deute. 12. a …. 10. c.
M.
What is the cauſe of this?
P.
It is bycauſe that there is but his will only that is iuſt and reaſonable, and that oughte to be a rule of all reaſon and iuſtice vntounto mē. For the which cauſe, he hath generally forbidden all men,Col. 2. b. d. Deuter. 4. a 12. d. Pro. 30. a. of what eſtate or condition ſoeuer they be, to adde or diminiſh any thing to or fro his lawe and worde, which he hath reuealed as well by his Prophets and Apoſtles, as by his owne ſonne Ieſus Chriſt.
Of the good intentes of men that are not gouerned by the vvord of God.
M.
How thinkeſt thou then of thoſe which ſaye, that whatſoeuer is done to the honoure of God, and with a good intente, is well done?
P.
I denie not but that whiche is done to the honoure of God, doth pleaſe him, and that whiche is done with a good intent, is well done: but to the ende that no man deceiue himſelfe vnderunder this faire coloure, I ſay, that nothing can be done to the honoure of God nor with a good intente, but that which is done according to his word, for the word of God is the very true and only rule of all good intents, and of the honoure wherewith he ought to be honoured.
M.
But if a man do think to do well, and doth that whiche he doth to none other ende but to honoure God, is not that inough?
P.
If there were but that required, it had not ben nedeful that God ſhould euer hauehave ſpoken: or that he ſhuld euer hauehave giuen a law vntounto man, to teach him.
M.
Wherfore ſayſt thou ſo?
P
For that that it had then ben ſufficient to hauehave let eueryevery man liue according to his fantaſie, and that he had only commaūded, that eueryevery man ſhoulde doe that whiche liked him, without giuing them any other law, where he hath doone cleane contrary,Deuter. 4. a &. 12. a ſaying: Do not eueryevery one of you that which ſhall pleaſe you, but that onelyonly whiche I commaunde you.
Of humaine traditions.
M.
What thynkeſt thou then of lawes and of mens traditions, which hauehave bene ſet foorth by men,Eſay 29. d Matth. 15. a Marke. 7. a contrary to the woord of God, touching his ſeruice?
P
I will ſaye nothing to thee of my ſelfe, but onelyonly that which god himſelf hath ſaid by the mouth of his prophete Eſay, and that whiche he hath yet afterwarde more confirmed by that of his ſonne Ieſus Chriſt.
M.
What hath he ſayde?
P.
That hee is ſerued in vayne by the doctrines and commaundements of men.
Of the ſeruice of God according to the traditions of men.
M.
DOeſt thou thinke by that, that they which ſerue him in that ſort do loſe wholly their tyme, and that hée dothe not accept it at their hands?
P.
They doe not only loſe their tyme,1. Sam. 15 … Matth. 6. d Hebr. 11. d Rom. 14. a but they doe alſo greatly diſhonor God, and do prouoke his wrath vponupon them.
M.
How ſo?
P.
For ſo muche as whatſoeuer is doone withoute faith cannot pleaſe him, but is ſinne, whiche greatly diſpleaſeth him.
Of the difference of the true and falſe fayth.
M.
BVt if they which ſerue God according as they hauehave ben taught of mē doe the ſame faithfully, may they then do it without faithe?
P.
It fareth with thys good faith, wherof thou nowe ſpeakeſt,Iohn. 6. g. 17 b Rom. 10. d Tit. 1. a. Hebr. 11. a as it doth with good intents, wherof we euen now ſpake.
M.
How vnderſtandeſt thou that?
P.
As ther ar no good intēts, but thoſe whiche are gouerned by the only rule of the wil and word of God, euen ſo is there no true faith, but that which hath certain and ſure foundation in the ſame worde.
M.
Shew me the ſame ſomething more plainly.
P.
When thou doeſt any thing at aduenture, canſt thou doe it with certaine aſſurance?
M.
I confeſſe that I doe it in dout.
P.
Thou mayſt then vnderſtād therby, that thou doeſt it not in fayth.
M.
Why not?
P.
Bicauſe that faith & doubt are as contrarie as is to be certayne and vncertayn.
M.
Howe maye that bée?
P.
Bicauſe that faith is neuer without true aſſurance of that whiche it beléeueth and followeth.
M.
Why may it not be without ſuche aſſurance?Ro. 1. d. 8. g. Eph. 3. c. a. c. Philip. 2. a Hebr. 11. a. b. Iam. 1. a.
P.
Bicauſe that ſhée is buylded vponupon the ſure word of God, by the whiche ſhe is aſſured of his good will.
M.
What followeth thereof?
P.
That ſhe doth nothing at aduenture, but is euer certaine, that that whiche ſhe beléeueth, and that which ſhe doth, is pleaſant to God.
Of the aſſurāce of the cōſcience by the word of God, and what cōmoditie commeth therby to man.
M.
WHat commoditie doth this aſſurance bring to mā?
P.
The greteſt yt he could deſire.
M.
Shew me what it is.
P.
It is not only one, but two, which are very great.
M.
Which is the firſt?
P.
It is yt man ſheweth by the ſame the reurence that he beareth to the maieſtie of God.
M.
Wherin?Deut. 6. a. 10. …
P.
In that yt he feareth not only to offend him, in yt which he plainly knoweth to diſpleaſe him, but alſo in yt wherof he is yet in dout.
M.
What reuerence of God is there in this laſt point?
P.
There is this, yt man hath the maieſtie of God in ſuch eſtimation, & beareth him ſo great reuerēce, yt not only he wil not wittingly offend him, but alſo he will not put himſelf in any hazard, nor do any thing at aduenture, whēther is queſtiō of ye honor & ſeruice of god.Rom. 5. a. 8. … Ephe. 2. d. Galla. 4. a. Heb. 4. d. And therfore he wil euer be aſſured of his will.
M.
Whiche is the other point?
P.
The quietneſſe of a good cō ſcience that man hath by that mean, when he is aſſured that he pleaſeth God, by an aſſurance ſo certaine, founded vppon the witneſſe of God himſelfe.