The Sum of Christian Religion, Catechism · Part 1 · Question 3 – Question 6
On the ſecond Sabbath.Queſt. 3. Whence knoweſt thou thy miſery?
Anſw. Out of the Law of God.aRom. 3.10.
The Explication.
IN this firſt part concerning the Miſery of man, principally is handled the common place of ſin, and of the effects and puniſhments of ſin. To this are annexed other ſubordinate places, and in this tract leſſe principall then the fore-named, as, the Common places of the creation of man, of the image of God in man, of originall ſin, of freewill, and of afflictions. Touching our Miſery, we are to know in generall, What it is, Whence it is knowne, and the meanes how.
1 What is meant by the name of miſery.The name of Miſery ſtretcheth farther then the name of Sin. By the name of Miſery we underſtand, as well the evill of treſpaſſe or offence, as the evill of puniſhment. The evill of treſpaſſe is, all ſin: The evill of puniſhment is, all calamity, torment, and deſtruction of our reaſonable nature. To be ſhort, the evill of puniſhment comprehendeth all miſeries and ſins that follow after, wherewith ſinnes that goe before are puniſhed. So the numbring of the people committed by David, is both a ſin, and a puniſhment of ſin which went before, to wit, of the adultery and murder committed by David; that is to ſay,What the nature of miſery is. it was an evill both of offence, and of puniſhment: Therefore Mans miſery is his wretched estate ſince the fall, conſiſting of two great evils; 1. That mans nature through ſin is corrupted and averted from God. 2. That for this corruption it is guilty of an eternall malediction, and rejected of God.
2 Whence our miſery is known. Rom. 3.20. Deut. 27.26.We have a knowledge of this miſery out of the Law of God. By the Law cometh the knowledge of ſin, ſaith Saint Paul. And it is the voice of the Law; Curſed is he that fulfilleth not all the words of this Law. Now by what meanes the Law yeeldeth us the knowledge of our miſery, the two next Queſtions which follow in order ſhall declare.
Queſt. 4. What doth the Law of God require of us?
Anſw. That doth Chriſt ſummarily teach us, Matth. 23. Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy ſoule, with all thy mind, and with all thy ſtrength. This is the firſt and the great Commandement: and the ſecond is like unto this, Thou ſhalt love thy neighbour as thy ſelfe. On theſe two Commandements hangeth the whole Law, and the Prophets.aDeut. 6.5. Levit. 19.18. Mar. 12.30. Luk. 10.27.
The Explication.
THis ſumme of the Law Chriſt rehearſeth, Mat. 22.37. and Luke 10. out of Deut. 6.5. Levit. 19.18. And he expreſſeth what is meant by that, Curſed is he that fulfilleth not the whole Law: that is to ſay, who loveth not God with all his heart, with all his ſoul, with all his mind, and with all his ſtrength; and his neighbour as himſelfe. The which ſeverall clauſes are particularly to be unfolded more at large.
Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God. To love God with all the heart, &c. is, on due acknowledgement of his infinite goodneſſe, reverently to regard him, and to account him our principall and chiefeſt bliſſe, and for this cauſe to love him above all things, to rejoyce in him, to relye on him, to preferre his glory before all things, that there be not found in us not ſo much as the leaſt thought, inclination, or appetite of any thing that may diſpleaſe him; and rather to part from that which is deareſt unto us, and partake of any grievous calamity whatſoever, then ſuffer our ſelves to be ſeparated from communion with him, or any way offend him: Laſtly, to direct all our actions to this end, that he alone may be glorified by us.
The Lord thy God. As if hee ſhould ſay: Thou ſhalt love that God who is the Lord, and thy God; who is revealed unto thee, who conferreth his manifold benefits upon thee, and whom thou art bound to ſerve. It is therefore an Antitheſis, or oppoſition of the true God againſt falſe gods.
With all thy heart. By the Heart in this place is underſtood all the affections, inclinations, and appetites or deſires. Whereas then God requireth our whole heart, his meaning is, that he will have himſelfe alone to be acknowledged, and reckoned our ſoveraign and ſupreme God, and to be loved above all things: that our whole heart reſt on him, and not part thereof to be yeelded unto him, and part unto another. Nay, his will is, that we match and compare nothing with him, much leſſe preferre, and admit to ſhare or partake one jot in his love. This the Scripture calleth, to walk before God with a perfect heart: whoſe contrary is, Not to walk before God with a perfect heart, to wit, to halt, and yeeld himſelf by halfes unto God. Object. God alone is to be loved: therefore we ought not to love our neighbours, parents, and kinsfolkes. Anſw. It is a Sophiſme, which Logicians call a fallacy of accident, when we argue from the deniall of the manner of any thing, to the ſimple and abſolute deniall of the thing it ſelfe: As in this preſent example, God is chiefly to be loved, and above all things; that is, in ſuch manner, that there be nothing at all which we either prefer or equall with him, and which for his ſake we are not ready preſently to forgo. We ought to love our neighbour, our parents, and other things alſo; but not chiefly, not above God, not ſo that we rather chuſe to offend God then our parents; but after God, and for God.
With all thy ſoule. By the Soule he comprehendeth that part which is willing to any thing, or the motions of the will: therefore he meaneth, with thy whole will and purpoſe.
With all thy cogitations. By the Cogitations he underſtandeth the mind and underſtanding: as if he ſhould ſay, So much as thou knoweſt of God, ſo much alſo ſhalt thou love him: But thou ſhalt bend all thy cogitations and thoughts to know God perfectly and aright, and ſo ſhalt thou love him. For, ſo much as we know of God, ſo much alſo doe we love him. Now we love him imperfectly,1 Cor. 13.10. becauſe we know him but in part: in the life to come we ſhall know him perfectly; therefore wee ſhall love him perfectly, and that which is in part ſhall be aboliſhed.
With all thy ſtrength. He meaneth all actions both inward and outward, that they be agreeable to the Law of God.
Why the love of God is called the firſt Commandement.This is the first and greateſt Commandement. The love of God is called the first Commandement, becauſe it is the ſpring and fountaine of all the reſt, that is, the impulſive, efficient, and finall cauſe of obedience in all the reſt: For, we therefore love our neighbour becauſe we love God, and that we may declare in the love of our neighbour that we love God. In like manner it is called the greatest Commandement: 1. Becauſe the object, which it immediately reſpecteth and conſidereth, is the greateſt object,Why it is called the greateſt Commandement. even God himſelfe. 2. Becauſe it is the end whereunto all the other Commandements are directed. For our whole obedience hath this onelyonly end, that we ſhew our love towards God, and honour his name. 3. Becauſe that is the principall worſhip of God whereunto the ceremoniall worſhip was to yeeld and give place. For the Phariſees extolled the Ceremoniall law above the Morall. Contrariwiſe, Chriſt calleth love the greateſt Commandement, and preferreth the Morall law before the Ceremoniall, becauſe Ceremonies were appointed for love, and are to vaile and ſubmit themſelves unto it. Object. Love is the greatest Commandement: therefore love is greater then faith: therefore love justifieth rather then faith. Anſw. Love is here taken in generall for our whole obedience which we owe unto God, A diſtinction of love and faith.under which Faith is comprehended: which faith juſtifieth, not of it ſelfe, as it is a vertue in man, but with relation and reference to her object, I meane, the merit of Christ, as it appeareth, and applieth to it ſelfe that merit. But that love which in ſpeciall is properly called love, is not the ſame with faith, neither juſtifieth it; becauſe Chriſts juſtice is applied unto us, nor by love, but by faith alone.
The ſecond is like unto this: Thou ſhalt love thy neighbour. To love thy neighbour as thy ſelfe, is, for the love thou oweſt unto God, that is, becauſe thou loveſt God, to do well unto thy neighbour according to the commandements of God: or to wiſh, and doe all things unto him, which thou wouldeſt in equity, and according to the law to be done unto thee.Our neighbour is every man. Why the love of our neighbour is called the ſecond Commandement. Now every man is our neighbour.
The ſecond. It is called the ſecond commandement: 1. Becauſe it containeth the ſumme of the ſecond Table, or the duties which are immediately performed unto our neighbour. For, if thou love thy neighbour as thy ſelfe, thou wilt not murther him, thou wilt not hurt him, &c. 2. Becauſe the love of our neighbour muſt riſe out of the firſt Table, even from the love of God: therefore it is in nature inferiour to the love of God.
Why it is ſaid to be like unto the firſt.Is like unto this. It is called like unto the firſt in three reſpects: 1. In reſpect of the kind of worſhip, which is morall, or ſpirituall, and principall; becauſe it is there in the ſecond Table no leſſe commanded then in the firſt, and is oppoſed unto the Ceremonies: 2. In reſpect of the puniſhment, which is eternall, becauſe God doth inflict this puniſhment for the breach of either Table. 3. In reſpect of the coherence, becauſe neither can be obſerved without the other.Wherein it is unlike. It is alſo unlike to the firſt: 1. In reſpect of the immediate object, which in the firſt Table is God; in the ſecond, our neighbour: 2. In reſpect of their proceſſe and order; the one being a cauſe, the other an effect of that cauſe: For the love of our neighbour ariſeth from the love of God, but it falleth not ſo out on the contrary. 3. In reſpect of the degrees of love: For we muſt love God above all things: We muſt love our neighbour, not above all things, nor above God, but as our ſelves.
Hence riſeth an anſwer unto that objection,Object. The ſecond commandement is like unto the first: Therefore the firſt is not the greateſt. Or, therefore our neighbour muſt be ſet equall with God, Anſw.and equally worſhipped. For, it is indeed like to the firſt, not ſimply and in every point, but in ſome few; and unlike unto the firſt in ſome other points, as before hath been ſhewed.
On theſe two Commandements hangeth the whole Law and the Prophets: that is, all the doctrine of the Law and the Prophets is reduced unto theſe two heads: and all the legall obedience, which is contained in Moſes and the Prophets, doth ſpring from the love of God, and our neighbour. Object. Yea, but the promiſes and doctrine of the Goſpel are found alſo in the Prophets: Therefore it ſeemeth that the doctrine of the Prophets is unfitly reſtricted and limited within theſe two Commandements. Anſw. Chriſt ſpeaketh of the doctrine of the Law, not of the promiſes of the Goſpel, which appeareth by the queſtion of the Phariſee, demanding, which was the chiefe Commandement, not, which was the chiefe promiſe in the Law.
Queſt. 5. Art thou able to keep all theſe things perfectly?
Anſw. No truly:aRom. 3.10, 20, 23. 1 Joh. 1.8, 10. For by nature I am prone to the hatred of God, and of my neighbour.bRom. 8.7. Epheſ. 2.5. Titus 3.3. Geneſ. 6.5. Geneſ. 8.21. Jer. 17.9. Rom. 7.2.
The Explication.
THis queſtion, together with the two former,Mans miſery known two waies. teacheth that our miſery (as there are two parts thereof before ſpecified; ſo it) is known out of the Law two wayes: 1. By a comparing of our ſelves to the Law: 2. By an applying of the curſe of the Law unto our ſelves. The examining of our ſelves after the Law,What it is to examine our ſelves by the Law. Rom. 8.7. Epheſ. 2.3. Tit. 3.31. and comparing the Law with our ſelves, is a conſideration of that purity and uprightneſſe which the Law requireth, whether it be in us, or no. The compariſon ſheweth, that we are not ſuch as the Law requireth: for the Law requireth a perfect love of God; in us there is a hatred and back-ſliding from God. The Law requireth a perfect love of our neighbour; in us there is a hate of our neighbour. So then out of the Law is knowne the former part of our miſery, I mean, our corruption, whereof the Scripture elſewhere convicteth us.How we do apply the curſe of the Law to our ſelves. The application of the curſe of the Law unto our ſelves is made by the framing of a Syllogiſme practicall, that is, aſſuming and inferring our action; whoſe Major, or former propoſition is the voice of the Law, thus; Curſed is he who continueth not in all which is written in the book of the Law, to doe them. Conſcience prompteth and telleth us the Minor or latter propoſition, thus; I have not continued, &c. The concluſion or ſhutting up of all is, the allowing and approving of the ſentence of the Law, thus: Therefore I am accurſed.
Every mans conſcience frameth ſuch a Syllogiſme: nay, every mans conſcience is nothing elſe but ſuch a practicall Syllogiſme, Conſcience a practicall Syllogiſme.formed in his mind and underſtanding, whoſe Major is the Law of God, the Minor is the pondering and weighing of our fact, which is contrary to the Law. The Concluſion is the approving of the ſentence of the Law condemning us for our ſin; which approbation grief and deſpaire follow at the heeles, unleſſe the comfort of the Goſpel interpoſe it ſelfe, and we perceive the remiſſion of our ſins purchaſed by the Son of God our Mediatour. In this ſort the guilt of eternall malediction, which is the ſecond part of our miſery, is diſcloſed unto us by the Law. For, we are all convicted by this reaſon and argument: The Law bindeth all men to obedience, or, if they performe it not, to everlaſting puniſhment and malediction. But no man performeth this obedience: Therefore the Law bindeth all men to eternall malediction.
On the third Sabbath.Queſt. 6. Did God then make man ſo wicked and perverſe?
Anſw. Not ſo. But rather he made him good,aGen. 1.31. and to his owne ImagebGen. 6.26, 27. Epheſ. 4.24. Col. 3.10., that is, endued with true righteouſneſſe and holineſſe, that he might rightly know God his Creatour, and heartily love him, and live with him bleſſed for ever, and that to laud and magnifie him.c2 Cor. 3.18.
The Explication.
HAving hitherto laid downe and proved this Propoſition, Mans nature is ſubject unto ſin: the next queſtion to be diſcuſſed is Whether it were ſo created by God; And if not ſo, What manner of nature was created in man by God; And, Whence ſin entred and ſet foot in man. Wherefore the Common place of the Creation of man, and of the Image of God in man, is hitherto duly referred. Here alſo we are to make an Antitheſis, or compariſon of mans originall excellency before his fall, and his originall miſery ſince the ſame, for theſe cauſes: 1. That the cauſe and fountain of our miſery being diſcovered, it might not be imputed unto God: 2. That the greatneſſe of our miſery might the more appeare. For look how much more open and eminent our originall excellency is unto us, ſo much more obvious and evident is our miſery; as alſo the benefit of our delivery is ſo much the more precious and honourable in our eyes, by how much the greatneſſe of the evils, whence we are freed, is more apparent.