A Treatise of Christian Religion, Chapter 14
CHAP. 14.
Of the Couenant of Workes in ſpeciall.
The Couenant of Workes, or the Law in ſpeciall. In which conſider
Generally,
How it is defined.
By what rules interpreted.
Specially, and herein the
Preface.
The Law it ſelfe,
The firſt Table of Gods worſhip,
Inward onelyonly.
1. Commandement, Ch. 15.
Outward alſo,
More generally.
2. Commandement. Chap. 16.
More particularly cō cerning the
Special vſe of Gods Name.
Comman. 3.
Chap. 17.
The ſpeciall time of his worſhippe.
Com. 4.
Chap. 18.
The 2. Table, of our Duties to man.
ROM. chap. 2. verſ. 14. 15.
14. For when the Gentiles which hauehave not the Law, doe by nature the things contained in the Law: theſe hauing not the Law, are a Law vntounto themſelues,
15. Which ſhew the worke of the Law written in their hearts, their conſcience alſo bearing witnes, and their thoughts the meane while accuſing, or elſe excuſing one another:
Q. HItherto of the Couenant of Workes in generall: it followeth to treat thereof in ſpeciall. Where is the Couenant of Workes ſummarity ſet downe?
A. In the Morall Law.
Q. Doth the Doctrine of the Morall Law goe before the Doctrine of the Goſpell?
A. Yea.
Q. Why ſo?
A. Becauſe it was before the Goſpell, for it was giuen to Adam, in his Integrity; when the promiſe of Grace was hidden in God.
Q. Muſt it therefore be firſt in vſe?
A. Yea verily: as touching the former vſe or vertue of the Law, which is, to ſhew vsus what wee ſhould do, and our ſinne, and the puniſhment due vntounto our ſinne.
Q. VVhy is it ſaid, that the Law was not before Moſes?
A. That is to be vnderſtood of the Law, as it was written, whether by Moſes, or the hand of God: otherwiſe the ſame Law (for the ſubſtance thereof) was alſo written in the beginning in the heart of Adam and Eue.
Q. VVhat is the Morall Law?
A. It is a Doctrine commanding the perfection of Godlineſſe, and Righteouſneſſe, binding vsus to eternal Deut. 5. 32. & 12. 32. 42.death for our leaſt defect therein; which Law is handled at large throughout the whole Scripture, but is ſummarily contriued, firſt into ten words, or ten Commandements, Deut. 4. 13. & 10. 4. Mat. 22. 37.written by Gods owne finger at the firſt, in Tables of ſtone: to ſignifie thereby, not onelyonly the hardneſſe of our hearts, in which they ought to be imprinted; but alſo the perpetuall vſe of them, to the Galath. 3. 10.very end of the world. And after, further abridged into two Commandements by our Sauior Chriſt, containing the ſumme of the whole Law.
Q. VVhat is the firſt thing that is neceſſarily required of vsus, for our better profiting by the Law?
A. That wee hauehave the true knowledge, and right vnderſtanding of the Law, without the which it is vnpoſſible to reape any of the former fruits. For how can a man acknowledge the breach of that Law, which he knoweth not? or how can he ſerue him in the endeauour of performance of it, vnleſſe hee vnderſtand his Maſters will?
Q. VVhat rules are there to helpe vsus, to the right vnderſtanding of the Law?
A. There be chiefly foure; whereof the firſt is, that the Law is ſpirituall, reaching to the ſoule, and all the Rom. 7. 14. Deut. 6. 5. Mat. 22. 37. Mark. 12. 30. Luk. 10. 27.powers thereof: For the Law chargeth the vnderſtanding to know eueryevery duty, euen all the will of God contained in it. It chargeth the iudgement to diſcerne betweene good and euill; betweene two good things, which is the better. It chargeth the memorie to retaine; it chargeth the will to chuſe the better, and leaue the worſe; it chargeth the affections to louelove things to be beloued, and to hate things to be hated.
Q. Doth the Law require theſe alike of all?
A. No, but according to the ſexe, growth in age, difference of calling: as more of a man, then of a woman; of a young man, then of a child; of a publike perſon, then of a priuate man.
Q. VVhat is the ſecond rule?
A. That the Law is perfect, not onelyonly charging the Pſal. 19. 7.ſoule, but alſo the whole ſoule: not onelyonly to know, diſcerne, retaine, will, and follow good, but to doe the ſame perfectly. So in condemning euill, it condemneth all euill; and in commanding good, it commandeth all good.
Q. What is the third rule?
A. When the Law forbiddeth or commandeth any thing, it forbiddeth and commandeth all meanes, Mat. 5. 27. 30.occaſions, and prouocations thereunto.
Q. What is the fourth rule?
A. Whatſoeuer the Law commands, it forbids the Mat. 5. 21. 23. 24. 25.contrary; and whatſoeuer it forbids, it commandeth the contrary.
Q. Why is eueryevery Commandement ſet forth vntounto vsus, by the ſecond perſon of the ſingular number?
A. God therein wiſely preuenteth a common abuſe amongſt men, which is to eſteeme that which is ſpoken to all men, to be (as it were) ſpoken vntounto none. As you ſhall hauehave it common amongſt men to ſay and confeſſe, that God is iuſt and mercifull, and that hee commandeth this, and forbiddeth that; and yet they vſually ſo behaue themſelues, as though it nothing concerned them, & that they notwithſtanding might liue as they liſt.
Q. What learne you from this?
A. That eueryevery particular man is to iudge and eſteeme that God ſpeaketh in ye Law, to him in particular, & that he is accordingly to be affected therwith.
Q. Why are all the Commandements (except two) ſet downe negatiuely?
A. Becauſe the Negatiue bindeth more ſtrongly: for the Negatiue precept bindeth alwaies, and to all moments of time; the Affirmatiue bindeth alwaies, but not to all moments of time.
Q. To come then vntounto the words of the Law, how are they diuided?
A. Into a Preface, and ten Precepts or Commandements.
Q. What is the Preface?
A. I am the Lord thy God, that brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the houſe of bondage: which hath a reference to all the ten Commandements, and is a reaſon to vrge the obſeruance of eueryevery one of thē. Thus: If I be the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, thou muſt then keepe all my Commandements; but I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt; therefore thou muſt keepe all my Commandements.
Q. How can this belong vntounto vsus which are not Iſrael?
A. Though we bee not Iſrael in name, or according to the fleſh, yet we are the true Iſrael of God, according to the Spirit and promiſe: God alſo by this Leuit. 26. 4-10. Deut. 28. 13. 13.ſtile doth cleerely diſtinguiſh himſelfe from all Idols whatſoeuer.
Q. Why doth the Lord make choyce of that benefit, which ſeemeth nothing at all to belong vntounto vsus, rather then of any other, wherein we communicate with them?
A. Firſt, becauſe it is the manner of God, to allure the Iſraelites, to whom the Law was giuen at the firſt, as children, with temporall benefits, hauing reſpect to their infirmity and childhood: wheras we are bleſſed of God with greater knowledge; and therefore in reſpect of them, are (as it were) at mans eſtate.
Secondly, becauſe it was fitteſt to expreſſe the ſpirituall deliuerie from Satan, by Chriſt, which was thereby (after a ſort) repreſented; and ſo it belongeth no leſſe (if not more) to vsus then to them. And thirdly, we hauing been freed from the ſlauerie of our bloody enemies, whereunto we were ſo neere more then once, and vntounto whom we iuſtly hauehave deſerued to hauehave been inthralled; and it being the common caſe of all Gods children, to be in continuall danger of the like, and to feele the like goodneſſe of God towards them, wee may alſo make vſe of this title, and eſteeme it a bond alſo for vsus vntounto God.
Fourthly, becauſe it was the lateſt benefit, the ſweetneſſe whereof was yet (as it were) in their mouth. And herein ye Lord had a reſpect vntounto our corrupt nature, who are ready to forget old benefits, how great ſoeuer.
Q. So much of the Preface: How are the Commandements diuided?
A. Into two Tables: whereof the firſt containe our duties to God, in the four firſt Commandements; and the other thoſe to our neighbour, in the ſix other Commandements.
Q. What are thoſe towards God?
A. Such as concerne his worſhip; and therefore to bee preferred before the other towards our neighbour.
Q. How may that be ſhewed?
A. By the inequality of the perſons offended, God, and man; then alſo by the puniſhments aſſigned in the Scripture: for the breaches of the firſt Table, are to be more ſeuerely puniſhed, then the breaches of the ſecond. As he that reuileth the Magiſtrate ſhall beare his ſinne; but he that blaſphemeth God, ſhall bee ſtoned …. Sam. 2. 25.to death. Which ſerueth to diſcouer the craftie practices of the Papiſts, who would make men beleeue, that the chiefeſt and moſt meritorious good Workes, of all, required in the Law of God, are the workes of the ſecond Table; as Charity, almes-deeds, thereby deceiuing the people to enrich themſelues.
Q. Are all the duties of the firſt Table greater, then all the duties of the ſecond?
A. Yea, if the compariſon be equally made, as if the chiefe of the firſt Table, bee compared with the chiefe of the ſecond; the middle duties of the one, with the middle duties of the other; and the laſt and leaſt of the former, with the laſt and leaſt of the latter; otherwiſe not. For if the murther of a man be compared with the leaſt abuſe of the name of God, it is a greater ſinne then it: ſo is Adulterie, being in compariſon ſet againſt the leaſt breach of the Sabbath.
Q. How is this Worſhip of God diuided?
A. Into Inward only and Outward alſo.
Q. Where is the Inward Worſhip commanded?
A. In the firſt Commandement.