holynes power and saluation By what maner we be restored agayne to lyfe and healthe FRom this knowledge of our selfe so playnly shewing vs howe we be nothyng at all if it can earnestly settle in our hertes there is a playne and redy way to a more true knowledge of God yea he hym selfe hathe nowe opened vs the fyrste gate into his kyngdome thus vnder mynyng the two moste noysom pestilences I meane the vnregardyng of goddes vengeaunce and y e false trust on our selues For then we begyn to lyfte vp our eyes vnto heauen whiche afore dyd cleaue faste vnto the grounde and we that afore reposed in our selues nowe thynke longe for the Lorde That same lord father of mercy although oure synne hathe deserued the contrary yet for his vnspeakeable mercy of hys owne mere goodnes sheweth hym selfe to the troubled and astonyed conscieces and calleth vs home agayn by what meanes he knoweth most expediēt for our weakenesse from straieng to the right way from deathe to lyfe from perdition to sauegarde yea and from the kyngdome of the deuyll to hys owne kyngedome Wherfore euen to so many as the lorde vouchsaueth to restore to y ◠enheritaūce of his heauēly lyfe he vseth such maner trade that they beyng sore wounded in conscience by theyr synnes and weryed with the burthen therof myght be styrred to fear him Fyrste of al therfore he gyueth vs his lawe to exercise vs vnto that knowledge Of the lawe of the Lorde IN the lawe of god is delyuered vs the most perfecte rule of all ryghtwysnes whiche we maye well call the euerlastynge wyll of the Lorde For there in two tables hath he playnly and fully declared what so euer he requireth of vs. In the fyrste what worshyp his maiestie alloweth and in the other what offices of loue be due to our neyghbour in fewe cōmaundementes he hathe expressed Let vs therfore heare the lawe which done we shall se what learnynge we muste take of it and what truit we ought to gather therof Exod. xx I am the Lorde thy god whiche haue brought the out of the lāde of Aegypt from the house of bōdage Thou shalte haue no straunge Goddes afore my face ONe pece of this cōmaundemēt is in stede of a preface to the hole lawe for whyles he affyrmeth that he hym selfe is the Lorde our God he meaneth that he is suche one as hathe authoritie to cōmaunde and to whose commaundementes we ought to obey As he sayeth by his prophet If I be the father where is loue If I be the lorde wher is feare he also reherseth hys benefytes to reproue our vnkyndenes if we obey not hys voyce For with the same goodnes wherby he preserued y ◠people of the Iues ones out of the bondage of Egypt dothe he also delyuer all hys seruaūtes frō theyr perpetual Egypt that is And where as he forbyddeth to haue any other goddes he restrayneth vs that we shuld not gyue that is gods dutie to any other then to him alonely He sayth therfore Afore my face wherby he declareth y t he wyll not only be knowen as a god by outwarde confession but also y ◠he wyll be truely takē for the only god īwardely in hert These thinges belong properly to god alone which without sacrilege can be gyuen to none other so that him onely we ought to honour in him to repose our trust and hope him to thāk for what soeuer good and holy thing we haue vnto him to rendre all prayse of goodnes holynesse Thou shalte not make thy self any grauen ymage nor any lykenesse of any thinge that is in heauē aboue or ī erth beneth nor in the water vnder the earthe Thou shalte not bowe downe to thē to worshype them LYke as in y e first commaūdement god declared him selfe to be but one so nowe he sheweth what a God he is and howe he wyll be honoured He forbyddeth therfore to make him any lykenes And the cause hereof he sheweth in Deut. and in Esay for that no bodyly substaunce can be resembled to a spirite He further forbyddeth vs to honour any ymage as a thinge of holynes Let vs lerne then y ◠the worshypping of God is a spiritual thinge for lyke as god him selfe is a spirite so he woll be worshypped in spirite trouth He addeth therfore an horryble thretnyng wherby he wold we knewe how greuously he is displeased w t the breache of this cōmaundement I am thy Lorde God This is afmoch as yf he should faye that he onely is the Lorde God on whom we ought to hange and that he cā suffer none to be hys felowe or matched with hym y ◠he wil also defēde his maiestie glory yf any go about to transpose it to grauen ymanges or other thinges with such vengeaūce as shal be neyther short nor sengle but y ◠shall reache to our childrē our childrēs childrē and vnto their childrē also euē as many as folowe theyr fathers wyckednes lyk as again he setteth forthe euerlastynge mercy grace to the godly and their ofsprynge also euen to as many as loue him and kepe hys lawe In thys thynge he sheweth vs the largenes of his mercy stretched forthe into a thousande generations where as he assigneth hys vengeaūce to reache onely but to foure generations Thou shalte not take the name of thy Lorde God in vayne HEre he forbyddeth vs to abuse hys holy name in swerynge eyther for folysh tryfles or to establyshe our owne lyes Othes ought not to serue neyther to selfe wyll nor pleasure but to very necessity wher eyther the glory of God must be vpholden or a thinge affermed that belongeth to the furtheraunce of our neyghbours Utterly he forbyddeth vs to de file his holy name in any thing but to vse it reuerently wyth hygh dignitie accordinge to his holynes whether we swere or what other worde so euer we speake of him And for asmoche as the principall vse of the takynge of gods holy name chiefly consisteth in callinge vpon him here we may vnderstand that we haue a cōmaundement to call vpon him In conclusion he appointeth the penaltie least those shulde trust to escape his reuengeaūce that haue abused the holynes of hys name by perturyes and blasphemous othes and therfore addeth that the Lorde woll not haue him vnreuenged that taketh the name of hys Lord God in vayne Remember thou kepe holy the sabboth daye WE haue marked three causes of this commaundement for it pleased God vnder the quyete of the seuenth daye to gyue the people of Israell a fygure of a ghostly rest wherein the fayth full ought to cease from their owne wyll workes and suffer God to worke in thē Seconde he wolde also that one certayne daye were assigned wherin the people shulde assemble togither to heare the lawe and to do their honest ceremonies Thirdly God wolde that seruaūtes and suche as be at other mens commandement shulde haue one day to
rest in y â— they might haue some release of their labour As touching y â— first cause no doubte it ceased at the commynge of Christ for he is the truthe at whose presence forthwith all figures and tokens vanysh he is the body at whose comminge shadowes be left Therfore sayth Paul the sabboth was but a shadow of a thinge to come the trouth wherof he expoundeth where he teacheth we be buryed with Christ that by hys deathe we myght dye to the corruption of our fleshe Nowe this is not done in one day but in the hole coursse of our lyfe it must be practised vntyll at laste beynge vtterly dead in our selues we maye be fylled with the lyfe of God ChristiaÌ„s therfore ought not to haue any supersticiouse keping of dayes But for as moche as the two latter causes ought not to be accompted with the olde shadowes but serue a lyke for all tymes therfore though the sabboth day be abolyshed yet neuerthelesse amonges vs euen at thys daye this coÌ„maundement hath hys place that at certayne dayes we shulde mete togither for the hearing of goddes worde for y e breakinge of the mystical bread and for common prayers to be made also that seruauÌ„tes and workemen maye haue release from their labours for it can not be brought to passe our infirmitie is so greate that such assembles can be kept euery day Wherfore for y e destroieng of supersticion the Iewes sabboth daye is taken away but for the kepinge styll of good ordre and peax in the churche an other day is assigned to that be houfe Therfore as the trouth was gyuen vnto the Iewes vnder a figure so it is set forth to vs without shadowes Fyrste that all our lyfe longe we shuld practise a coÌ„tinual saboth that is to saye a rest frome our workes that the Lorde by his spirite myght worke in vs. Seconde that we shoulde kepe the lawful ordinaunces of the churche appointed for goddes worde to be herde for sacramentes to be ministred and general prayers to be made Thirdly that we shulde not vngentylly ouercharg our feruauntes and prentyses with worke Honour thy father and thy mother c. HEre is gyuen vs in commaundement to haue a redy seruice of hert towardes our parentes and other which in stede of parentes haue rule ouer vs by the ordinaunce of god as the kyng and other his deputies I meane that we embrace theÌ„ w t al reuereÌ„ce obedience kyndnesse and al the seruice we caÌ„ do For this is the will of the Lord that we shuld recompence those that brought vs into this lyfe with kyndnes for kyndnes And it maketh no mater whether they be worthy or vnworthye to whome this honour is gyuen for what soeuer they be God hath set them ouer vs in stede of our parentes and heddes and wol we honoure them yea thys is the first commaundemeÌ„t that hath any promes knit vnto it as Paul saith wherin whiles God promiseth the blessing of this lyfe to those that honour their pareÌ„tes with due reuereÌ„ce according to theyr bounden duetie he meaueth also that his most certayne curse shall lyght on their neckes that be stubburne and disobedient to their parentes or other superiour powers But thê one thing by y e waye is to be marked that we be not commaunded to obey them but onely in the Lorde we maye not therfore for theyr pleasure trangresse the lawe of the Lorde for then we ought not to take them for our parentes and heddes but for straungers which go aboute to withdrawe vs frome the obedience of our true father Thou shalt not kyll IN thys commaundement is forbyddeÌ„ al violeÌ„ce force wronge and generally all maner of trespace whereby oure neyghbours body is hurt for if we remeÌ„bre how man is made to the ymage of God we ought to esteme him as an halowed thinge so y t he caÌ„ not be distayned but y e ymage of God muste be distayned also Thou shalt not commit adultery HEre god daÌ„neth all kynd of horedom and vncleannesse for the Lorde hathe ioyned togither y e man and womaÌ„ in the lawe of mariage onely And wyth hys blessynge also hath he halowed that couple goynge togither by hys authoritie Wherby it is manifeste y â— all other ioynyng saue only in mariage is cursed before him Wherfore so many as haue not the gyft to refrayne whyche is a singulear gyft and standeth not in mans power let them case the intemperancy of their flesh with the honest remedy of mariage for mariage is honorable amoÌ„ges all men but hore mongers and adnouterers god will iudge Thou shalte not steale VTterly we be forbyd one of vs to lye in awaite for the goodes of an other For god wyl not y t in his people be anye wrongful takinges whereby y â— pore shuld be vexed oppressed nor any disceytes wherby the simple shuld be coÌ„pased about Wherfore yf we woll kepe our haÌ„dâ—s pure innoceÌ„t froÌ„ thefte muste refrayne aswel frome all craft and subteltie as from violent extorcions Thou shalte beare no false wytnes c. IN this coÌ„maundement the Lord damneth al sclaunderous checkes tawntes euyll reapportes wherby oure brothers good name is appeyred he forbydeth also al maner lyes wherby in any part oure brother is hurte for seynge a good name is more precious then al other treasures doubtles it can be no lesse hurtful for vs to be robbed of oure good name then of our temporall goodes for to the vndoing and spoylynge of a man a false wytnes somtyme worketh more myschiefe then the violent force of handes Wherfore lyke as in the other commaundement aboue remeÌ„bred the hand had a restraynt so in thys hathe the tongue Thou shalt not desyre thy neyghbours house thou shalte not desyre thy neyghboures wyfe nor hys seruauÌ„te nor his mayde nor his oxe nor his asse nor anye thynge that is thy neyghbours HEre the Lord maketh a restreynte vpon as manye as raunge ouer the lystes and boundes of charitie for where as other commaundementes forbyd vs to do contrary to the rule of loue this forbyddeth vs euen to thynke any suche thing in herte Wherfore by this coÌ„maundement be reproued hatred enuye and malyce euen aswell as murdre in the other preceptes aboue rehersed lust also and inwarde vnclennesse of hert be here condemned aswell as horedome and aduoutrye in dede And where in the other commaundement were restreynede robhery and gile here is also couetousnesse plucked in by the bryddell where afore all opprobriouse wordes were â—estrayned here is also repreued malice of mynde it selfe So we se here howe vniuersall a commaundemeÌ„t this is that extendeth so on euery syde God requireth suche a wonderous affection and brotherly loue so feruent y t by no lust he wyl haue it aryse against y e welth and profite of our neyghboure Thys is then y e pythe of this coÌ„maundement that suche a studye and minde we ought to haue y t webe incensed ne
mercy promysed vs by hys gospell for thus shall we well defyne what belefe is yf we ernestly beholdâ— y â— nature of gods promysses whyche belefe so hangeth vpon the promesse hys propre foundatioÌ„ that yf ye take the promesse awaye it forthwyth fayleth goeth to nought Wherfore so longe as the Lorde offerethe vs hys mercy by hys promesse in the gospell yf we faythfully trust thervnto we be counted in faith to receyue hys word And thus doth the Apostle defyne fayth where he saith fayth is the grounde of thynges that be trusted vpon and the proufe of thiÌ„ges not sene He meaneth that fayth is none other thing but a certayne sure possession of all suche thinges as be promised vs by God an euidence of thinges that as yet do not appeare I meane of the lyfe euerlastyng wherof we coÌ„ceyue an hope and an expectation vpon the trust we haue in the goodnes of god so lyberally offered vs in his gospell And for as moche as al gods promyses are stronge in Christe and after a maner performed and made good in him it foloweth vndoubtydly that Christ hym selfe is the euerlasting Butte and marke of oure fayth in whome it may beholde all the ryches of gods depe mercye Fayth is the gifte of God IF we well ponder and weye with our selues how blynd thê oure wit is and howe farre vnhable to attayne vnto Gods heuenly secrecies with what doubte and mystrust oure hert laboureth within vs then shall we well perceyue howe farre faith surmounteth and passeth all oure naturall power howe also it is a singuler and excelleÌ„t gyfte of God For sythe that no man as Paul reasoneth is of secret counsell wyth mans wyll but only the spirite of maÌ„ whyche is in man howe maye it be that man can haue any certayne knowledge of gods counsell And for as moche as Gods open trouth is very weake amoÌ„ges vs in those thinges that here we se before our eyes how shuld it be strong and sure where god only promyseth those thinges that neuer were sene by eye nor yet coÌ„ceyued in maÌ„s wytte Now it is euident and playne that fayth is a lyghtenynge of y e holy ghost wherby our wyttes be lyghtened and our hertes established strengthened with a sure staye of conscieÌ„ce being throughly persuaded in our selues that God of hys promyse is so true faythfull and iuste that he can not but performe what so euer he hath bounde him self to by hys holy worde and promesse And for thys cause fayth is called y â— pledge or ernest because it setteth oure conscience at the staye of gods trouth It is also named a seale wherwith our hartes be sealed marked agaynst the daye of the Lorde for the Lorde himselfe is he that beareth wytnesse to oure spirite y t God is our father and we his dere beloued sonnes In christ we he made rightuouse by Fayth FOr as moche as it is euident and playne y t Christe is the euerlastyng Butte and marke of fayth we can none other wyse fele what profites benefytes we take by fayth theÌ„ onely by lokynge and hauynge a directe eye towardes him for vnto this purpose was Christe gyuen vs of the father that in hym we myght obteyne euerlastynge lyfe as he hym selfe sayth thys is the euerlastynge lyfe euen to knowe one god the father and whom he hath sent Iesus Christe Also he saith he that beleueth in me shall not dye for euer that yf he dye he shall lyue But how maye thys com to passe forsoth thus we that be vncleane by reason of synne muste be pourged and clensed in hym for no vncleane thinge shal entre into the kyngdome of God Christe therfore maketh vs parteners and as ioyntpatentes wyth hym so y t though of oure selues we be synners yet for Christes rightwysnes we be accepted for righteouse at the iugement seate of god And thus spoyled of our own rightousnes we be cladde and endewed with Christes righteousnesse So where as by workes we be vnrighteouse by fayth in Christ we be made ryghteouse I saye we be iustifyed by fayth not that we haue any rightousnes within vs of our selues but that Christes ryghtuousnes is counted for our rightuousnes and our wickednes is nothing at al layde to our charge so that wyth one worde we may call thys rightousnes forgyuenes of synnes The Apostle clerely declareth thys whyles oftentymes he setteth the rightuousnes of workes wyth the rightuousnes of fayth and sheweth howe y â— one ouerwhelmeth and turneth the other vpsyde downe Nowe by what fashion Christe hath dedeserued vs thys ryghtousnes and in what partes it is conteyned ye shall se in the symbole of faith where euery Article seuerally by it selfe shalbe orderly rehersed whervpon is founded the hole belefe of a christen maÌ„ By Fayth we be halowed and as it were seasoned to the obedience of the law LYke as Christ through his rightwysnes is a meane for vs vnto God y e father that he beyng as it were our suretie we be takeÌ„ reputed for ryghtwyse so by the partakynge of his holy spirite he haloweth vs to all purenes and innocency For vpon him rested the spirite of the Lorde aboue al measure I meane the spirite of wysedome and vnderstandynge of couÌ„sel streÌ„gth knowlege feare of the Lorde so that of hys plently fulnes we all receyue and drinke vp largely grace for grace They therfore be deceyued that boaste theyr Fayth in Christe where they be vtterlye voyde destitute of the halowynge of hys spirite For scripture teacheth that Christe is not onely made our ryghtwysnes but our halowyng also for by the selfe same couenaunt y t the Lorde maketh wyth vs in Christ he promyseth both to pardon our wyckednes and also to wryte hys law in our hertes Therfore the kepynge of the law is no worke of our hability but of a spiritual power wherby our hertes be pourged frome their corruption made softe in the obedience of ryghtuousnes Now then the vse of the lawe to Christen men is a farre other thinge from that it shuld be without fayth for wheÌ„ ones God graueth in our hertes a loue of hys ryghtousnes then the outwarde doctryne of the lawe whyche before dyd nothynge but accuse vs aswell of weakenes as of trangression is nowe becomme a lyghte to our feete that we shoulde not straye from the strayght waye it is nowe our wysedoÌ„ wherby we be enformed and styred to al honestie it is our nurtonre whiche woll not suffre vs to renne to moche at large in our selfe wyll and luste Of repentauÌ„ce and new byrth HErevpon it is easy to vnderstaÌ„de why repentauÌ„ce is alwaye ioyned wyth faythe in Christe why also the Lorde affirmeth that no maÌ„ can entre into the kyngdom of heauen except he be borne a newe for repentauÌ„ce betokeneth a retournynge wherby we byd the frowardenesse of thys world farewell and repare