The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 2 · Chapter 8
The eyghte Chapter. An exposition of the Morall lawe.
HEre I thinke it shall not bee from the purpose, to enterlace the ten Commaundementes of the lawe wyth a shorte exposition of them, bycause thereby both that shall better appeare which I hauehave touched, that the same keping of them whiche God hathe ones appoynted remaineth yet in force: and then also we shall hauehave besides that a profe of the seconde poynte, that the Iewes dyd not onelyonly learne by it what was the true force of godlines, but also by ye terroure of ye iudgement, syth thei sawe thē selues vnable to keepe it, they were compelled whether they woulde or no, to be drawen to the Mediatore. Nowe in the setting forth the sūme of thofe thinges that are requyred in the true knowledge of God, wee hauehave already taught, that we can not conceyue hym accordynge to hys greatnesse, butte that by and by his maiestie presenteth it selfe vntounto vsus to binde vsus to the worship of him. In the knowledge of our selues we hauehave set this for the chiefe pointe, that beynge voyde of the opinion of oure owne strength, and cleane stripped of the truste of our owne righteousnesse, and on the other side discouraged and beaten downe wyth conscience of our owne needynesse, we shoulde learne perfect humilitie and abacement of oure selues. The Lorde setteth fourth bothe these poyntes in his lawe, where firste chalenging to himselfe due power to gouerne, hee calleth vsus to the reuerence of hys diuine maiestie, and appoynteth oute vntounto vsus wherein it standeth and consisteth: & then publyshyng a rule of his righteousnesse, (againste the righteousnesse where of oure nature as yt ys peruerse & croked, doth alway striue, & beneth ye perfectiō wherof our power as of it selfe it is weake & feble to do good, lieth a great way bylowe) he reproueth vsus both of weakenesse and vnrighteousnesse. Moreouer that inwarde lawe whyche we hauehave beforesaide to bee grauen and as it were imprinted in the heartes of all men, doth after a certaine manner enforme vsus of the same thinges that are to be learned of the two tables. For oure conscience doth not suffer vsus to stepe a perpetuall slepe withoute feelynge, but that it inwardly is a wytnesse and admonysher of those thynges that we owe to God, and layeth before vsus the difference of good and euell, and so accuseth vsus when we swarue from oure dutie. But manne beinge wrapped in such darkenesse of erroures as he is, scarse euen sclenderly tasteth by that lawe of nature, what worship pleaseth God: but truly he is very farre distante from the righte knoweledge thereof. Byside that, hee is so swollen with arrogancie and ambition, & so blinded with selfeloue, yt he can not yet loke vponupon, and as it wer, descende into himself to learne to submitte and humble himselfe, and confesse his owne myserie. Therfore (as it was necessarie bothe for oure dulnesse and stubbornesse) the Lorde hathe set vsus a lawe wrytten, whyche shoulde bothe more certainely testifie that whyche in the lawe naturall was to obscure, and also shoulde shake awaye oure drousenesse and more liuely touche oure mynde and remembrance.
Nowe it is easye to vnderstande what is to be learned of the lawe, that is, that as God is oure creatoure, so of ryght he hathe the place of oure father and Lorde, and that by thys reason we owe to him glorie, reuerence, louelove & feare. Yea and also that we are not at oure owne lyberty, to folowe whether soeuer the luste of oure minde doth moue vsus, but that we oughte to hange vponupon hys backe, and to reste onelyonly vponupon that whyche pleaseth hym. Then we learne, that he deliteth in ryghteousnesse and vpryghtnesse, that he abhorreth wyckednesse, and therfore, that vnlesse we wyll wyth wycked vnthankfullnesse fall awaye from oure creatoure, wee muste necessarily obserne ryghteousnesse all oure life longe. For if then onelyonly we yelde vntounto him the reuerence that we owe, when we preferre his will before oure owne, it foloweth, that there is no other due worship of him, but the obseruation of righteousnesse, holynesse and cleannesse. Neither maye we pretende this excuse that wee wante power, and lyke wasted detters be not able to paye. For it is not conueniente that wee shoulde measure the glorye of God by oure owne power: for whatsoeuer we bee, he alwaye abydeth lyke to hym selfe, a louer of ryghteousnesse, a hater of wickedesse. Whatsoeuer he requyreth of vsus (bycause he ca…ne requyre nothynge butte that whyche is ryghte) by bonde of nature we muste of necessitie obey: but that we are not able, is oure owne faulte. For if we be holden bounde of oure owne luste wherein sinne reighneth, so that we are not loose at libertie to obey oure father, there is no cause why we shoulde allege necessitie for oure defense, the euell whereof is bothe within vsus, and to be imputed vntounto oure selues.
When we hauehave thus farre profited by the teaching of the lawe, then muste we by the teachinge of the same lawe also descend vntounto ourselues: whereby at lengthe we may carry away two thynges. The firste is, by comparing ye righteousnesse of ye law with our life, to learne, yt we are farr of from being able to satisfie ye will of God, & yt therfore we are not worthy to hauehave place among his creatoures, much lesse to be reckned among his children. The second is in considering oure strength, to learn yt it is not onli insufficiēt to fulfil ye law, but also vtterli none at al. Hervpon foloweth bothe a distruste of oure owne strength, & a care and fearefullnesse of mynde. For conscience canne not beare the burden of iniquitie, but that by and by the iudgement of God is present before it: and the iudgemente of God canne not bee felte, butte that it stryketh into vsus a dreadefull horroure of deathe. And lykewise beynge constrained wyth proues of her owne weakenesse, it canne not choose butte by and by fall into despere of her owne strength. Both these affections do engendre humilitie and abatemente of courage. So at lengthe it commeth to passe, that man made afrayde wyth felinge of eternall death, which he seeth to hange ouer him by the deseruinge of his own vnrighteousnesse, turneth hym selfe to the onelyonly mercy of God, as to the onelyonly hauen of saluation: that feelynge that it is not in hys power to paye that he oweth vntounto the lawe, desperinge in hym selfe, hee maye take breathe againe and beginne to craue and looke for helpe from els where.
Butte the Lorde not contented to hauehave procured a reuerence of hys righteousnesse, hathe also added promyses and threatnynges, to fyll oure heartes wyth louelove of hym, and wyth hatred of wyckednesse. For, bicause oure mynde is to blynde, to be moued with the onelyonly beautie of goodnesse, it pleased the mooste mercyfull Father of hys tendre kyndnesse, to allure vsus wyth sweetenesse of rewardes, to louelove and longe for hym. He pronounceth therefore, that wyth hym are rewardes layed vp for vertue, and that hee shall not spende his laboure in vayne, whosoeuer he bee, that shall obey hys commaundementes. Hee proclameth on the other syde, that hee not onelyonly abhorreth vnryghtcousnesse, but also that it shall not escape vnpunyshed, for that hee wyll bee a reuenger of the contempte of hys maiestie. And, to exhorte vsus by all meanes, hee promyseth as well the blessinges of thys present lyfe, as also eternall blessednesse, to their obedience that keepe his commaundementes: and to the transgressors therof, he threateneth bothe present miseries and the punyshmente of eternal death. For the same promise, (he that doth these thynges,Leu. xvi… v. shall liue in them:) and also the threatenynge that aunswereth it, (the soule that synneth, the same shall dye) doe wythoute doubte belonge to the immortalitie or deathe that is to come,Eze. xviij.iiii. & xx. and shall neuer be ended. All be it, wheresoeuer is mentioned the good wyll or wrathe of God, vnderunder the one is contained eternitie of lyfe, vnderunder the other eternall destruction. Of present blessynges and curses there is a longe regyster rehersed in the lawe.Leu. xxvi▪iiii. D…. xxvii….i. And in the penall ordinaunces appeareth the soueraigne cleannesse of God, that can suffer no iniquitie: but in his promises, byside his greate louelove of righteousnesse, (which he can not finde in his hearte to defraude of her rewarde) ther is also proued his merueilous bountifullnesse. For wheras we and all oures are indetted vntounto his maiestie, by good ryght whatsoeuer he requyreth of vsus, he demaundeth it as due det, but the payment of det is not worthy of rewarde. Therfore he departeth with his owne right, when he offereth rewarde to oure obediences, which we do not yelde of oure selues as thinges yt were not due: but what those promises do bring vntounto vsus, is partly said alreadye, and partly shall appeare more plainely in place fitte for it. It sufficeth for this present, if we remembre and consyder, that there is in the promysses of the lawe, no small commendation of, ryghteousnesse, that it maye the more certainely appeare howe muche the keepynge thereof pleaseth God: that the penall ordinaunces are set forthe more detestation of vnryghteousnesse, leaste the synner, delited with the swete flatteringes of vyces, sholde forget that the iudgment of the lawemaker is prepared for hym.
Nowe whereas the Lorde geuynge a rule of perfecte ryghteousnesse, hathe applyed all the partes thereof to hys owne wyll, therein is declared that nothynge is to hym more acceptable than obedyence, whiche is so muche more diligently to be marked, as the wantonnesse of mans mynde is more ready to deuyse nowe and then dyuerse sortes of worshyppinge to winne his fauoure wythall. For in all ages that irreligious affectation of religion, bycause it is naturally planted in the witte of manne, hath shewed and yet dothe shewe fourthe it selfe, that menne do alwaye delyte to inuente a waye to obtayne ryghteousnesse bysyde the woorde of God, whereby it commeth to passe, that the commaundementes of the lawe hauehave but small place amonge the woorkes that are commonly called good woorkes, while that innumerable rate of mennes woorkes occupyeth allmoste all the roome. But what other thynge meante Moses than to restraine suche lycentiousnesse,Deut. x….viij. when after the publyshynge of the lawe hee spake thus to the people: Geue heede, and heare all the thynges that I commaunde thee, that it may bee well to thee and to thy chldren after thee for euer, when thou shalte doe that whyche is good and pleasaunte before thy God. What I commaunde thee, that onelyonly do: adde not vntounto it, nor dymynyshe yt. And before, when hee hadde protested, that thys was hys wysedome and vnderstandynge before other nations that hee hadde receyued iudgementes, ryghteousenesse and ceremonies of the Lorde, hee saide futher,…eut. …iij.ix. Keepe therefore thy selfe and thy soule carefully, that thowe forgette not the woordes whyche thyne eyes hauehave seene, and that at no tyme they fall oute of thy hearte. For, bycuase God did foresee, that the Israelites woulde not reste, butte that after they hadde receyued the lawe, they woulde besyde it trauaile in bryngynge fourthe newe ryghteousnesse, yf they were not seuerely holden backe: therefore hee pronounceth that herein is conteyned the perfection of ryghteos…nesse, whyche shoulde hauehave beene the strongest staye to holde them backe, and yet they dyd cesse from that boldenesse so muche forbydden them. Butte what of vsus? wee are surely comprehended wythin the same charge: for it is no doubte that that continueth styll wherby the Lorde hathe chalenged to hys lawe the absolute doctryne of righteousnesse, yet wee not contented therewyth, doe monsterouslye trauaile with forgynge and coyninge of newe good woorkes one vponupon an other. For the healinge of thys faulte, the best remedye shall bee, yf thys thoughte shall be stedfastely settled in vsus, that the lawe is geuen vsus from God to teache vsus a perfect ryghteousnesse: yt therin is taught no righteousnesse, butte the same that is examined, by the appoynted rule of Gods wyll: that therefore newe fourmes of workes are vaynely attempted to winne the fauoure of God, whose true worshype standeth in onelyonly obedience: butte rather that suche studye of good woorkes as wandereth oute of the lawe of God, is an intolerable defylynge of Gods ryghteousnesse and of the true ryghteousnesse. Augustine also saythe moste truely,Lib. 4. de c…i. De…. …. 12 de bo…o coniugali contra aduer. Legis & proph. … whyche calleth the obedyence that is done to God, somtime the mother and keeper, somtime the originall of all vertues.
But when wee hauehave expounded the lawe of the Lorde, then more fitely and with more pofite shall that be confirmed whiche I hauehave before spoken of the office and vse of the lawe. But before that I beginne to discusse eueryevery seuerall commaundemente by it selfe, it shall be good nowe to geue suche lessons as serue to the vniuersall knoweledg therof. Fyrste let vsus holde for determined, that the life of man is instructed in the lawe, not onelyonly to outewarde honestye, but also to inwarde and spirituall righteousnesse. Whiche thynge whereas no man can denye, yet ther be fewe that rightly marke it. That commeth to passe, bicause they loke not vponupon the lawemaker, by whose nature the nature of the lawe also ought to be weied. If any kinge do by proclamation forbid to committe fornication, to kill, or to steale: in this case I graunt that yf a man do onelye conceiue in his minde a luste to committe fornication to synne, or to steale, & do not comitte any of these thynges in deede, he is out of the compasse of this prohibition. And the reason is, for that, bicause the foresighte of a mortall lawemaker, coulde not extende but to outwarde ciuilitie: his commaundementes are not broken, but whē the outewarde offences are committed. But God (whose eye nothinge escapeth, and whyche regardeth not so muche the outewarde shewe as the cleannesse of the hearte) vnderunder the forbiddinge of fornication, manslaughter and thefte, forbiddeth luste, wrathe, hatred, co…etynge of an other manns, guyle, and what soeuer ys lyke to these. For insomuche as hee ys a spirituall lawemaker, hee speaketh no lesse to the soule than to the bodye. Butte the manslaughter of the soule, are wrathe and hatred: the thefte of the soule, ys euell desyre and couetousenesse: the fornycation of the soule, ys luste. Butte mans lawes also (wyll some man saye) hauehave regarde to ententes and wylles, and not to successes of fortune. I graunte, but yet they are suche ententes and wylles, as hauehave outewardely broken oute. They weye wyth what entente euerye outewarde acte hathe been done, butte they searche not the secrete thoughtes. Therefore they are satysfyed when a manne onelyonly wythholdeth hys handes from offendynge. On the other syde, bycause the heauenly lawe ys made for oure mindes, therfore the restraynte of myndes ys pryncypally needefull to the keepinge thereof. Butte the common sorte of menne, euen when they mightylie dissemble there contempt of the lawe, doe frame theyr eyes, their feete, their handes, and all the partes of their bodye to some obseruation of the lawe, in the meane time thei holde their hearte moste farre of from all obidience, and thynke them selues well dyscharged, yf they keep close from menne that whiche thei do in the sighte of God. They heare yt sayde: Thou shalte not kyll: Thou shalte not committe adulterie: Thou shalte not steale: they drawe not oute their swerde to kil… thei ioyne not their bodyes with harlotes: they laye not their handes vponupon other menns goodes. All thys ys well hytherto. Butte in their whole heartes they breathe oute murders, they boile in luste, thei cast their eyes asyde at all mens goods, and deuoure them with couetinge. nowe wanteth that whiche was the chiefe pointe of the law. Whense, I praie you, commeth so grosse dullnesse, but that leauinge the lawemaker, thei rather measure righteousnesse by their own witie? Against these doth Paule mightily crie oute,Rom. vij x… ▪ affirminge that the lawe is spirituall: whereby he meaneth, that it not onelyonly demaunndeth an obedie…ce of the soule, mynde and wyll, but also requireth an Angelike purenesse, whiche hauinge all ye fylthynesse of ye fleshe cleane wyped awaye, maye sauoure nothinge but of the spirite.
When we saie that this is the meaninge of the lawe, we thruste not in a newe exposition of oure owne, but we folowe Christ the best expositoure of the lawe. For when the Pharises hadde infected the people with a false opinion,… that he perfourmeth the lawe that hathe wyth outewarde worke committed nothinge againste the lawe, he reproued this moste perilous erroure, and pronounced that vnchaste lookinge at a woman ys fornication: hee protested that they are mansleyers that hate their brother, for he maketh them gyltye of iudgement that hauehave but conceiued wrathe in their minde, & them gylty of the counsell that in murmuringe or grudginge hauehave vttered any token of a displeased minde: and them gyltye of Hell fyer, that with tauntes and raylynge breake fourth into open anger. They that hauehave not espied these thynges, hauehave famed Christe to be an other Moses, the geuer of the lawe of the Gospell, whiche supplied the imperfection of the lawe of Moses. Wherevpon commeth that common pryncyple of the perfection of the lawe of the Gospell, whyche farre passeth the oulde lawe, whiche ys a moste pernicious opinion. For hereafter, wher we shal gather a summe of the commaundementes, it shall appeare by Moses himselfe, howe reprochefully thei dishonoure the lawe of God. Truely it sheweth that all the holynesse of the fathers dyd not muche dyffer from hypocrisye, and it leadeth vsus awaye frome that onelyonly and perfecte rule of ryghteousnesse. But it is very easye to confute that erroure: for that they thoughte that Christe did adde vntounto the lawe, whereas he did but restore the lawe to her integritie, whyle hee made it free, and cleansed yt beinge obscured with lies, and defiled with leuen of the Pharises.
Let this be oure secounde note, that there is alwaye more conteyned in the commaundementes and prohibitions, than is by wordes expressed, whiche yet is so to be tempered, that it bee not like a Lesbion rule, whereby licenciously wrestinge the Scriptures, we may make of every thing what we lyste. For many bringe to passe by this vnmeasured libertie of runninge at large, yt with some the authoritie of Scripture groweth in contempte, and other some despere of vnderstandinge it. Therefore, yf yt bee possyble, wee muste take some suche waye, that maye by ryghte and perfecte pathe leade vsus to the wyll of God, wee muste I saye searche howe farre oure exposition maye exceede the boundes of the woordes, that it maye appeare that it is not an addition of mennes gloses knitte to the woorde of God, butte rather that the pure and naturall meaninge of the lawe geuer ys faythefully rendred. Truely in a manner in all the commaundementes yt ys so manyfest, that there are fyguratiue speaches, meaninge more in expressinge parte that he maye woorthyly bee laughed at that wyll restraine the meaninge of the lawe to the narrownesse of the wordes. It is euident therefore, that sober exposition dothe passe beyonde the woordes: but howe farre, that remaineth harde to iudge, vnlesse there be some measure appoynted: wherefore I thynke thys to be the best measure, that if it be directed to the entente of the commaundemente, that is, that in eueryevery commaundemente be weyed, why it was geuen vsus. As for example: Euerye commaundemente is either by waye of byddynge, or of forbidding: the trueth of bothe sortes shall fourthwith be founde, if we consider the entent or the ende thereof. As the ende of the fifte conmaundement is, that honoure is to be geuen to them to whome God appoynteth it. This therefore is the summe of the commaundement, that it is righte and pleaseth God, that wee honoure them to whome he hathe geuen any excellence, and that he abhorreth contempte and stabbournnesse againste them. The entente of the fyrste commaundemente is, that God alone be honored. The summe therefore of the commaundement shallbe, that true godlinesse, that is to say, true worship of his maiestie pleaseth God, and that he abhorreth vngodlynesse. So in eueryevery commaundement we muste looke, vponupon what matter yt treateth: then muste we searche oute the ende, till we fynde what the lawemaker doth testifie therin proprely to please or displease him: and laste of all muste wee drawe an argument from the same to the contrarie, after this manner: If this pleaseth God, then the contrary displeaseth him: if this displease hym, then the contrarie pleaseth him: if hee commaunde this, then he forbiddeth the contrarie: if he forbid this, thē he commaundeth the contrarye.
That whiche is now somwhat darkely touched, shal in expounding of the commaundementes become very plaine by practise, wherfore yt suffyseth to hauehave touched it, sauing that this last pointe, is to be shortly confirmed with some profe thereof, bicause otherwise either it sholde not bee vnderstanded, or beinge vnderstande, it might parhappes at the beginninge seeme to sounde lyke an absurditie. Thys needeth no profe, that when a good thing is commaunded, the euell is forbidden yt is contrarie to it: for ther is no man but he will graunt it me. And common iudgemente will not much sticke to admitte, that when euell thinges are forbidden, the contrarie dueties are commaunded. It is an vniuersall opinion that vertues are commended, when the contrarie vices are condemned. But we require somwhat more than those formes of speache do signifie commonly amonge the people. For thei for the moste part take the vertue contrary to any vice, to be the absteining from the same vice: we say yt it procedeth farther, yt is to contrarie duties & doinges. Therfore in this commaundement, Thou shalt not kyll, the common sense of men will consider nothing ells, but that we must absteine from all hurt doing, or lust to do hurte. I say that there is further conteined, yt we shold by all ye helpes that we may, succoure the life of oure neigheboure. And, leaste I speake without a reason, I proue it thus: God forbiddeth yt our brother be hurte or missused, bicause he willeth yt our neighebours life be deare & precious vntounto vsus: he doth therfore require withall those dueties of louelove that may be done by vsus for the preseruatiō of it. And so may we see how ye ende of ye cōmaundement doth alwai disclose vntounto vsus al yt we are therin cōmaunded or forbiddē to do.
But why God, in suche as it were halfe commaundements hath by figures rather secretli signified, than expressed what his wil was, wher as ther are wonte to be many reasons rendred thereof, this one reason pleaseth me aboue ye rest. Bicause ye flesh alway endeuoreth to extenuate the fylthinesse of sinne, & to coloure it with faire pretenses, sauinge where it is euen palpable for grossenesse, he hathe set forthe for an example in eueryevery kinde of offence that whiche was moste wicked and abhominable, at the hearinge whereof oure very senses might be moued with horroure, therby to emprinte in oure myndes a more haynous detesting of eueryevery sorte of sinne. This manie times deceiueth vsus in weyinge of vices, yt if thei be any thinge secret, we make them seme small. These deceites the Lorde dothe disclose, when hee accustometh vsus to referre al the whole multitude of vices to these principall heads, which do best of all shewe, how muche eueryevery kinde is abhominable. As for example, wrathe and hatred are not thoughte so heynous euells, when thei are called by their owne names, but when they are forbidden vsus vnderunder the name of man slaughter, we better vnderstande how abhominable they are before God, by whose worde they are set in the degree of so horrible an offence: and we moued by his iudgement, do accustome oure selues better to weye the haynousenesse of those faultes that before seemed but lyghte vntounto vsus.
Thyrdely is to be consydered, what meaneth the dyuidynge of the lawe of God into twoo tables, whereof all wisemen wyll iudge that there is somtime mention made not vnfitly from the purpose, nor with oute cause. And we hauehave a cause ready, that dothe not suffer vsus to remaine in doubte of this matter. For God so diuided his lawe into two… partes, in whiche is conteined the whole righteousnesse, that he hath assigned the fyrste to the dueties of religion that do peculiarly pertaine to the worshipinge of his Godheade, the other to the dueties of Charitie whiche belonge vntounto men. The first foundation of righteousnesse is the worship of God: whiche beinge ones ouerthrowen, all the other membres of righteousenesse are torne in sunder and dissolued, like to the partes of a house vnioynted and fallen downe. For what manner of righteousnesse wylte thowe call yt, that thou vexest not men wyth robberye and extorcious, if in the meane time by wicked sacrilege thou spoylest Gods maiestie of his glorie? that thou defilest not thy bodye with fornication, if with thy blasphemies thou prophanely abuse the sacred name of God? that thou murtherest no man, if thou trauaile to destroye and extinguishe the memorie of God? Wherefore righteousenesse is vainely bosted of without religion, and maketh no better shew, than if a mangeled bodye with the heade cutte of, shoulde be broughte fourth for a beautifull syghte. And religion is not onelyonly the principall part of righteousnesse, but also the very soule wherwith it breatheth: and is quickened. for men keepe not equitie and louelove amonge them selues without the feare of God. Therfore we saye, that the worshipe of God is the beginning and foundation of righteousenesse, bicause when it is taken awaie, al the equitie, continence and temperance that men vse amonge them selues, is vaine and tryflinge before God. We saye also that it is the springe heade and liuely breathe of righteousnesse, bicause hereby men do learne to lyue among them selues temperately and wythoute hurte doynge one to an other, if they reuerence God as the iudge of right and wrong. Wherefore in the first table he instructeth vsus to godlinesse and the propre duties of religion, wherwith his maiestie is to be worshipped: in the other he prescribeth home for the feares sake of his name, we ought to behaue our selues in the felowship of men.Matt. xxij xxxvij. Luke. x.xxvij. And for this reason our Lord (as the Euāgelistes reherse it) did in a summe gather the whole law into two principall pointes, the one that we should louelove God with al our heart, with al our soule, with all our strength: the other, that we louelove our neighbour as our selues. Thus thou seest how of the two partes wherein he concludeth the whole lawe, he directeth the one toward God, and apointeth the other toward men.
But although the whole law be cōteined in two principal pointes, yet, to the ende to take away al pretense of excuse, it pleased our God, to declare in the ten commaundementes more largely and plainly al thinges that belong both to the honour, feare and louelove of himself, and also to that charitie, whiche he cōmaundeth vsus to beare to men for his sake. And thy studie is not ill spent to knowe the diuision of the commaundementes, so that thou remember that it is such a matter wherin eueryevery man ought to hauehave his iudgement free, for whiche we ought not contentiously to striue with him that thinketh otherwise. But we must needes touche this point, least the readers shoulde eyther scorne or maruell at the diuision that we shall vse, as newe and lately deuised. That the law is diuided in ten wordes, bicause it is oft approued by the authoritie of God himselfe, it is out of controuersie, wherefore there is no doubt of the number, but of the manner of diuiding. They that so diuide them, that thei geue three cōmaundementes to the first table, and put other .vij. into the second, do wipe out of the number the cōmaundement concernyng images, or at least they hide it vnderunder the first: whereas without doubt it is seuerally set by the Lord for a commaundement, and the tenth commaundement of not couetyng the thinges of his neighbour, they do sendly teare into two. Biside that it shal by and by be done to vnderstande, that suche manner of diuidyng was vnknowen in the purer age. Other do reckē, as we do, fower seuerall cōmaundementes in the first table, but in place of the first they set the promise without the commaundement. As for me, bicause vnlesse I be conuinced by euident reason, I take the ten wordes in Moses for ten commaundementes, me thinkes I see so many diuided in very fit order. Therefore, leauyng to them their opinion, I will follow that which I best alloow, that is, that the same whiche these later sorte make the first cōmaundement, shalbe in stede of a preface to the whole law, and then shal follow the cōmaundemētes, fower of the first table, and sixe of the seconde, in suche order as they shalbe rehearsed. Augustine also to Boniface agreeth with vsus,Lib. …. qu. …et. Test. whiche in rehersyng them kepeth this order: that God only be serued with obedience of religion, that no idole be worshipped, that the name of the Lorde be not taken in vaine, when he had before seuerally spokē of the shadowish cōmaundemēt of the Sabbot. In an other place in deede that first diuision pleaseth him, but for to sclender a cause, that is, bicause in the number of three, if the first table consist of three cōmaundementes, the misterie of the trinitie more plainly appereth. Albeit in the same place he sticketh not to confesse that otherwise he rather liketh our diuisiō. Byside these, the authour of ye Unperfect worke vpō Matthew is of our side. Iosephus, vndoutedly according to the cōmon consent of his time, assigneth to either table fiue cōmaundementes. Whiche is bothe against reason, bicause it confoūdeth the distinction of religion & charitie and also is confuted by the authoritie of the Lord himself, which in Matthew reckeneth the cōmaundement of honoring our parētes,Matt. xix.xix. in the number of the secōd table. Now let vsus heare God himself, speakyng in his owne wordes.