A Christian Instruction Containing the Law and the Gospel, Exposition 1 · Dialogue 5
THE FIFTHE dialogue, is of the faith in God.
Of the true foundation of Faith, & of the difference that it maketh betweene the Chriſtian religion, and all other religions.
MATHEVV.
SEing it is ſo that man receyueth of God, all theſe great goodneſſes, whereof thou haſt made mention, by the meane of the onelyonly faithe in Ieſus Chriſte, it followeth then according to thy ſaying, that Ieſus Chriſt is the true foūdation of the ſame.Rom. 5. a. 8. c Galath. 4. …
P.
It is not to be doubted. For we cannot lay hold vponupon the merciemercy of God, nor be aſſured, that he is become our louing and merciful father, but only in Ieſus Chriſt and by Ieſus Chriſte his beloued ſonne.
M.
Then if it bée ſo, it followeth, that Man hathe no true faythe in GOD,Iohn. 5. d 1. Iohn. 2. d but that whereby man dothe imbrace hym in Ieſus Chriſt, when he beléeueth in him.
P.
It is very true, and therefore that faith is the very point whiche diſcerneth the chriſtian Religion from all others, and the Chriſtians from all other people.Rom. 10. b.
M.
But ſéeing that the fayth is in the heart, wherby man beléeueth to iuſtification, how can it diſtinguiſhe the religions?
P.
I do not here ſpeake proprely of the diſtinction whiche is made by the outwarde confeſſion whiche men make, but of that whiche lyeth in the true foundation and in the propre ſubſtance of the religion, which hath his only foundation in God and in his word,Hebr. 11. a albeit that vnderunder the name of the faith, I comprehend alſo the confeſſion of the ſame.
M.
Doeſt thou meane that all other religions which are not grounded vppon the faithe in Ieſus Chriſte, are no true religions, but falſe?
P.
If religion maye be religion withoute hauing a God which is honoured therby, they may be accompted for religions, and not otherwiſe.
M.
Why ſayſt thou ſo?
P.
Forſomuche as there is no true God, but only he whiche hath ſhewed himſelfe in Ieſus Chriſt,Rom. 1. a. Hebr. 1. a Matth. 10. d no more can he alſo be knowen nor honoured as God, but in Ieſus Chriſt.
How that all religion is without God, ſauing the Chriſtian religion.
M.
IF that be true, the Iewes, the Turkes, and all other men, which beleue not in Ieſus Chryſte, nor in the Goſpel, hauehave then no God.
P.
No in déede, but only by imagination.
M.
Why ſayſt thou ſo?
P.
Forſomuch as God can be none other than he is.
M.
I vnderſtand it wel: but what wilt thou conclude thereof?Malach. 2. b Pſalm. 102. d Iohn. 1. c Colloſs. 1. b Hebr. 1. a. Eſaye. 44. c. Pſal. 50. d
P.
That ſéeing that God can not be knowne ſuche as he is, but in Ieſus Chryſte, who ſoeuer doth not acknowledge him in Ieſus Chryſte, knoweth hym not at all. Wherfore he forgeth to himſelf an other God than the true God.
M.
In what ſorte doth he forge him?
P.
In ſo muche as he maketh and pourtraiteth God, not ſuche an one as he is in déed, but ſuch as he hath béen able to imagine hym in his brayne and vnderſtandyng.
M.
Thou then calleſt other gods, and ſtrāge gods, the imaginations that men do cōceiue of God in their vnderſtāding, wherby they do imagine and eſtéeme him other thā he is, and did manifeſt him ſelfe in his ſonne Ieſus Chryſte, and in his woorde.
Pe.
What thinkeſt thou then that the ſtrange gods are?1. Cor. 8. b. For ſéeing ther is but one true God only, it followeth then very wel, that al the others whiche men call gods, are not gods at all, but onelyonly by the imagination of men.Ephe. 2. c Act. 4. c. 17. c. Rom. 1. c.
M.
Is that the cauſe why Saint Paule did write to the Epheſians, that the Pagans wer without God?
P.
Ther is no doubte thereof. For albeit they had many by name, and by fantaſie, yet notwithſtanding they had none in déede, ſeeing they were ignorant of the true God.
Of the ſummarie of the chriſtian faith, and for what cauſe it is called the Symbole of the Apoſtles.
M.
SEing it is ſo as thou ſaiſt, it ſéemeth to me then to be wel doone, & very néedfull to conſider yet ſome thing more néere, the principall poyntes, that thys chriſtian fayth doth comprehende, whiche is of ſo great vertue as thou haſte ſayde.
P.
They are conteyned in the fourme of the ordinarie confeſſion, whiche the chriſtians make dayly, the which is cōmonly called, The Symbole of the Apoſtles.
M.
What ſignifieth this word ſymbole?
P.
It is taken of the Gréekes,Plautus. Terentius in Andriana. of whome the Latines hauehave borrowed it, to ſignifie an enſeigne of acknowledging, and the part that is gathered of eueryevery mā in any thing, as whē eueryevery man giueth his ſhot.
M.
Why is this confeſſion of faythe called by that name?
P.
Chéefly for two cauſes.
M.
Whiche is the firſt?
P.
It is bycauſe that it conteyneth as choſen and gathered togither into a ſumme, the chief pointes of the doctrine ſette foorth by the Apoſtles,Iohn. 17 c. c. 22. e Matth. 28. d Marke. 16. … whome Ieſus Chryſt hath giuen and ſent as vniuerſall doctours of all the worlde.
M.
Which is the ſeconde?
P.
It is, for that this doctrin is the true mark whereby eueryevery man that voucheth the ſame, yeldeth certain teſtimonie that he is a membre of the Chriſtian Churche, as the men of warre declare by the enſeigne whiche they beare, what prince they belong vntounto, and ſerue.
The Symbole of the Apoſtles.
M.
WHich is the ſumme of thys faith the whiche thou calleſt Symbole?
P.
I beléeue in God the Father almightie, maker of heauen and of earthe: And in Ieſus Chriſt his onelyonly ſonne our Lorde: whiche was conceyued by the holie Ghoſt: borne of the virgin Mary: ſuffered vnderunder Ponce Pylate: was crucified, deade, and buryed: he went downe into hell: the third day he aroſe from the deade: aſcended into heauen: he ſitteth at the right hande of God the Father almightie: and from thence ſhall he come to iudge the liuing and the deade. I beléeue in the holie Ghoſte: I beléeue the holie vniuerſall Churche: the communion of Sainctes: the forgiueneſſe of ſinnes: the reſurrection of the bodie: and the eternall lyfe.
Of the generall diuiſion of the principall pointes conteined in the Symbole of the Apoſtles.
M.
HOw many articles and principall pointes bée there in this ſumme?
P.
Men do commonly diſtinguiſh them in twelue: but me thinketh we may reduce them all into two generally, out of the whiche men may drawe the others afterwarde.
M.
Whiche be theſe two pointes?
P.
The firſt is touching our faith towards God, the ſeconde concerneth his Churche which is builded vppon the ſame faith.
Of the faith that a Chriſtian man oughte to hauehave in God.
M.
WHat ought we to beleue of god?
P.
There are firſt two principal thinges to be conſidered in this matter.
M.
Which is the firſt?
P.
That whiche he hath declared vntounto vsus of his diuine nature by his worde.
M.
Whiche is then the ſecond?
P.
That whiche we oughte to beleeue of his works, by the whiche he hath declared vntounto man what was his power, his wiſedome and goodneſſe, and the other vertues & proprieties whiche are in him, of the whiche we can hauehave no knowledge but by his works.
Of the vnitie and trinitie that is in the eſſence of God.
M.
Deu 6. a. 32. Eſay. 44. a. 1. Cor. 8. b. Matth. 3. d. 28. d. Iohn. 14. b. c. 15. d.WHat thinges ought we to conſider concerning his diuine nature, according as he hath declared vntounto vsus in his worde?
P.
There be two principall.
M.
Which is the firſte?
P.
It is the vnitie whiche is in his diuine eſſence, whereby we are taughte that there is but one God in whome we beléeue.
M.
Whiche is the ſeconde?
P.
It is the trinitie of perſons, that is in that vnitie of the diuine eſſence, the whiche we do confeſſe when we ſaye, that we beléeue in the Father,Galla. 3. d. Act. 20. d. in the Sonne, and in the holy Ghoſt.
Of the difficultie that is in this matter.
M.
IT ſéemeth to me that there is great contrarietie in this matter.
Peter.
Wherein?
M.
In that that it ſéemeth that it is as muche as if one ſhould ſaye, that there is but one only God, and that there be three.
P.
We ought not ſo to take thē, ſéeing that we confeſſe but one only diuine eſſence, albeit that we acknowledge in the ſame, the father, the ſonne, and the holy Ghoſt, in ſuch ſorte diſtincte in proprieties of perſons, that yet for all that theſe thrée perſons are but one only and very God.
M.
Canſt thou expounde the ſame vntounto me ſomething more plainely by ſome ſimilitude?
P.
As there is but one Sunne in the world, no more is there but one only God:Iohn. 1. c. 17 d. Act. 17. g. Hebr. 1. a. Iohn. 1. a 1. Iohn. 1. a. Colloſs. 1. c. Iohn. 14. b. d. 15. d. 16. b. Act. 1. a. Ephe. 2. a. 1. Cor. 2. a b 1. Iohn. 3. d. 5. b. and as the Sunne ſheweth himſelfe by his beames, euen ſo God, as father, doth ſhewe himſelfe by his ſonne Ieſus Chriſt, which is his worde and Eternall wiſedome: and as the Sunne by his heate doth make vsus féele his force, euen ſo God maketh vsus to féele his vertue by his holy ſpirite whiche is his infinite power.
Of the principall vvorks of God vvhereof mention is made in the Simbole of the Apoſtles.
M.
SEing that we hauehave ſpoken of the things that we ought to conſider in the eſſence of God, and in his diuine nature, declare vntounto me nowe yt which thou haſt to ſay concerning his workes, by the whiche he hath declared himſelfe to man ſuche as it hathe pleaſed him to be knowen of him.
Peter.
The Simbole of the Apoſtles doth comprehende chiefly thrée, out of the which a man may drawe all the reſt.
M.
Which be they?
P.
The firſt is, the works of ye creation of al things.
M.
And the ſecond?
P.
The works of the redemption of man.
M.
And the thirde?
P.
The worke of vinification, the which we may alſo cal the works of ſanctification.
M
What doſt thou vnderſtand by that worke of viuification and ſanctification?
P.
I vnderſtande the vertue that the holy Ghoſt hath to make vsus wholly partakers of Ieſus Chriſt, and of all hys benefites.
Of the vnion that is betvvene the father, the ſonne, and the holy Ghoſt in their vvorks.
M.
ACcording to this purpoſe, the father, the ſonne and the holy Ghoſt hauehave they any thing particuler, concerning their works, or elſe hauehave they them all common togither, and chiefly thoſe whereof thou haſt now ſpoken?Gene. 1. Iohn. 5. c. Iohn. 1. a. Hebr. 1. a. Galath. 4. … Rom. 1. a.
P.
Seing they are but one only God, it is certaine that they can do no worke wherein they may be ſeparated the one from the other.
M.
It ſéemeth to me notwithſtanding, that in this ſumme of the faith, men doe attribute as proper to the Father, the worke of the creation, and to the ſonne, that of the redemption, and to the holy Ghoſt, that which thou calleſt viuification, and ſanctification.
P.
That muſt not be vnderſtande as though theſe workes were done by diuers workers.2. Theſ. 2. c. 1. Peter. 1. a Pſal. 19. a. Act. 14. c. Rom. 1. c. Hebr. 11. a.
M.
Howe doeſt thou then vnderſtande it?
P.
After that we hauehave firſte confeſſed that we beléeue in one only GOD, we then by and by after declare alſo, howe he is manifeſted by hys workes, ſuche as we hauehave ſaide that we oughte to conſider him in hys diuine eſſence and nature, and what it is that we beléeue.
Of the moderation and meaſure that ought to be holden in this matter.
M.
IT ſéemeth to me that this matter is very high and harde for mans vnderſtanding to comprehende.
P.
There is none more high nor more incomprehenſible.
M.
What is there then to be done in the ſame?
P.
Without enquiring of more than we may vnderſtande and comprehende,Exod. 33. d. Rom. 11. d. Deut. 4. a. b Rom. 10. d. it oughte to ſuffiſe vsus that God which in his diuine nature and eſſence is incomprehenſible, is euen ſo declared in his worde, vponupon the which only we muſt ſtay and builde our faith.