A14462:363
A14462:363
The first part of the Christian instruction, and general so[m]me of the doctrine, contained in the holy Scriptures wherein the principal points of the religion are familiarly handled by dialogues, very necessary to be read of all Christians. Translated into English, by John Shute, according to the late copy set forth, by th'author Master Peter Viret. 1565. Overseen and perused, according to the order appointed, by the Queens majesties injunctions.The firste parte of the Christian instruction, and generall so[m]me of the doctrine, conteyned in the holy Scriptures wherein the principall pointes of the religion are familiarly handled by dialogues, very necessary to be read of all Christians. Translated into Englishe, by Iohn Shute, accordyng to the late copy set forth, by th'author Maister Peter Viret. 1565. Ouersene and perused, accordyng to the order appointed, by the Queenes maiesties iniunctions.
London: printed by John Day, 1565London: printed by Iohn Day, 1565
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
D. And therefore God did first command Moses to declare unto the people the works which he most marvellously had done, as well in the land of Egypt, as in the 1going forth out of the same, by the which he did show his great power, in overthrowing the force of the Egyptians, through his wrath, and delivering his people from their tyranny through his mercy: to the end that they might the better understand of what power he was to punish those which should rebel against his law, and to show mercy unto those that should submit them selves thereunto: and how worthy he was both to be feared and loved, and in what reputation they ought to have his servant Moses, by whose hand he had done these great works, and afterward to cause his people the more to love him, & the better to encourage them to hear his word, & to obey ⟨p. 163⟩his law, he doth renew the ancient promises, which were made to them and to their fathers, and more strongly doth confirm and establish them, declaring unto them the great honour, the great profit, and the great wealth that should happen unto them, if that they did obey their God, & serve him, according to his will and law. After that he had made all these declarations, he then gave them to understand how he was determined to show him self, and to speak unto them, and to give unto Moses in their presence his law, according to the which he will be honoured and served, and then he declareth the cause and the reason why he will do it: To the end (saith he) that the people do hear whilst I speak to thee, and also that they believe thee for ever. T. These are godly admonitions.
D. ANd therfore God did first commaund Moyses to declare vnto the people the workes which he most marueilously had done, as well in the lande of Egipt, as in the 1going forth out of the same, by the which he did shewe hys great power, in ouerthrowing the force of the Egiptians, through his wrath, and deliuering his people from their tiranny through his mercye: to the ende that they might the better vnderstand of what power he was to punishe those whiche shoulde rebell agaynste his lawe, and to shewe mercy vnto those that should submit them selues thereunto: and how woorthye he was both to be feared and loued, and in what reputacion they oughte to haue his seruaunt Moyses, by whose hand he had done these greate woorkes, and afterward to cause his people the more to loue hym, & the better to encourage them to heare his woord, & to obey ⟨p. 163⟩his law, he doth renew the auncient promises, which were made to them and to their fathers, and more strongly doth confirm and establish them, declaring vnto them the great honour, the great profyt, and the great wealth that should happen vnto them, if that they did obey their God, & serue him, according to his wil and lawe. After that he had made all these declarations, he then gaue them to vnderstande how he was determined to shewe him selfe, and to speake vnto them, and to geue vnto Moyses in their presence hys law, according to the which he will be honored and serued, and then he declareth the cause and the reason why he wyl do it: To the end (sayth he) that the people doo heare whilest I speake to thee, and also that they beleue thee for euer. T. These are godly admonitions.
D. IT cannot then be said hers, that these things were feigned, and that Moses did unjustly make them believe that God did speak unto him, and gave him that law 1which he brought to the people, and yet that there was no such thing at all. For the people did see the cloud in the which God spake unto Moses, to declare thereby his majesty: To wit, that he is the chief King and Prince of heaven and of earth, unto whom all creatures must obey. And forsomuch as God doth more manifest his presence, his glory, his power, and his majesty, in the heaven & in the air, then in any other of his creatures, he took the clouds for to declare his majesty and sovereignty that he hath over all. But he was not yet contented with this, but before he would descend into the mount Sinai, in the thick & dark cloud, he caused the thunder to burst out in a marvellous sort in the air, whose cracks were heard all over, & made a horrible and a fearful noise. He did also send forth the great lightnings, in such sort, that at the air was lighted ⟨p. 164⟩and was filled with great fires, which were seen in all places very terrible. On the other side, the people did see all the Mountain in a smoke, as it had been of a great fire, or of a burning furnace. They heard also the cornet and the trumpet found, which did ring with a marvellous violence, & made a very fearful noise, in such sort, as there was neither great nor small that was not wonderfully afraid, & did not tremble with great horror, and was not as it were half dead for fear. All that while the whole mountain was covered with the great cloud, in the which God spake with a mighty voice in the hearing of all the people, and did pronounce from his own mouth the very same words which he had written with his own finger in the two tables of stone, the which Moses did afterward bring down from the mountain of Sinai, and of the talk which he had with God in the same hill.
D. IT cannot then be sayde hers, that these thinges were fayned, and that Moyses did vniustlye make them beleue that God did speake vnto him, and gaue him that law 1whiche he brought to the people, and yet that there was no suche thing at all. For the people did see the cloude in the which God spake vnto Moyses, to declare therby his maiesty: To wyt, that he is the chiefe King and Prince of heauen and of earth, vnto whom al creatures must obey. And forsomuch as God doth more manifest his presēce, his glory, his power, and his maiesty, in the heauen & in the ayre, then in any other of his creatures, he tooke the cloudes for to declare his maiesty and soueraigntye that he hath ouer al. But he was not yet contented with this, but before he would discend into the mount Synay, in the thick & darck cloude, he caused the thunder to burst out in a marueilous sorte in the ayre, whose crackes were heard al ouer, & made a horrible and a fearfull noyse. He did also sende foorth the great lightnings, in such sorte, that at the ayre was lighted
T. What was the meaning of all that? for it was not done without cause. D. It served for the more strong confirmation of the things whereof we have already spoken: for there was none of them but that they did know right well that there was neither illusion nor enchantment in those things, and that they were done by no power of man, but of God: wherefore, they served again as a new seal for the confirmation of the ministry, and vocation of Moses, & of the majesty and power of God to save his, & to destroy his adversaries: for by that he did declare that he was the God of nature, and that he did dispose of her even as it pleased him, and that he did all that he would as well in heaven as in earth. And therefore he would him self even from his own mouth preach unto his people: he would also ring to the sermon that he would make unto them, and ⟨p. 165⟩prepare them and make them heedful to hear him. He had then for his belles, & for his Music, the Cornet and trumpet, to cause them to hear his voice, and to awaken them, which things did very well agree with the nature of the law. For by the same the sentence of the curse of God is pronoun ced 1upon all those that shall not observe it even to the uttermost jot.
T. WHat was ye meanyng of al that? for it was not done without cause. D. It serued for the more strong cō firmation of the thinges whereof we haue already spoken: for there was none of them but that they did knowe ryght well that there was neyther illusion nor enchauntmente in those thinges, and that they were done by no power of man, but of God: wherefore, they serued againe as a new seale for the confirmation of the ministerye, and vocation of Moyses, & of the maiesty and power of God to saue hys, & to destroy his aduersaries: for by that he did declare that he was the God of nature, and that he did dispose of her euen as it pleased him, and that he dyd all that he woulde as well in heauen as in earth. And therfore he would him selfe euen from his own mouth preach vnto his people: he would also ring to the sermon that he would make vnto them, and ⟨p. 165⟩prepare them and make them hedefull to heare him. He had then for his belles, & for his Musike, the Cornet and trumpette, to cause them to heare his voyce, and to awaken thē, which things did very well agree with the nature of ye law. For by the same the sentence of the cursse of God is pronoū ced
T. Then is there none but he is accursed, for how may we observe and fulfil the law thoroughly, when we are not able perfectly to accomplish the least point contained therein? D. All be it that it is evil as thou sayest, yet doth it not follow but that it profiteth us much: for it doth condemn us, and causeth us to seek our absolution, having recourse to the grace and mercy of him who condemneth us by the same, to absolve us afterward, and to deliver us from the condemnation which we have deserved. She declareth unto us the curse, to teach us to know the wrath of God against sin, and to stir us up to seek that seed of 1blessing which is in Jesus Christ, by whom that curse is wiped away. T. They have not a little profited that have learned this knowledge.
T. THen is there none but he is accurssed, for how may we obserue and fulfill the law thorowly, when we are not able perfectlye to accomplishe the leaste pointe conteyned therin? D. All be it that it is euill as thou sayest, yet doth it not folow but that it profiteth vs much: for it dothe condemne vs, and causeth vs to seke our absolutiō, hauing recourse to the grace and mercy of hym who condemneth vs by the same, to absolue vs afterward, and to deliuer vs from the condemnatiō which we haue deserued. She declareth vnto vs the cursse, to teache vs to knowe the wrath of God against sinne, and to stirre vs vp to seeke that seede of 1blessing which is in Iesus Christ, by whō that cursse is wiped away. T. They haue not a little profited that haue learned this knowledge.
D. And for so much as the hart of man is high, proud, and stubborn, and can not humble himself under the mighty hand of God, nor acknowledge the power and the Majesty of him, and his wrath against sin, & how much he is to be feared & redoubted, his will was to declare these things by such tokens. For if the sound of the thunder, which is called the voice of God, be so horrible and fearful, that ⟨p. 166⟩there is none but is moved and afraid with it: and if the material lightning be so violent, that nothing is able to resist 1it, nor to stand before it, let us then think how horrible and fearful the voice of God shall be when he shall speak to the wicked in his anger, and in his wrath, and when he shall 2say unto them: go your way, and depart from me ye workers of iniquity: go into everlasting fire, which is prepared for the Devil and his Angels. The same shall be a terrible thunder which shall cast so exceeding a horrible lightning, y• no one of those y• it shall smite, shall be able to abide it, but that he shall be thrown headlong into the bottomless pit of hell. It shall lighten a fire which never shall be quenched: for 3the Lord is a consuming fire which will burn and consume all those which would not walk in his light. It is he that casteth the great flames of fire, and the burning coals out of his mouth when he speaketh, as those of Sodom and Gomorrah have already proved. Then, whosoever he be, that will not hear his fatherly voice, by the which he declareth unto us his will in so loving a sort, he shall be constrained to hear that thundering, roaring, and fiery voice, which maketh the the heaven and earth to ring and tremble, of the which the thunder is but a very little sound, and a very soft expression. T. Seeing it is so, he is a Lord that speaketh very mightily, and is greatly to be feared.
D. ANd for so much as the hart of man is high, proud, and stubburne, and can not humble himself vnder the mighty hande of God, nor acknowledge the power and the Maiesty of him, and his wrath against sin, & how much he is to be feared & redoubted, his wyll was to declare these things by such tokens. For if the sound of the thūder, which is called the voyce of God, be so horryble and fearefull, that
D. IN like sort this cornet & that trumpet, was a sign and a token of that great trumpet which shall sound at the last day, and shall cause the earth to open, and shall 1come even to the ears of the dead, which are rotten in the dust of the same, even from the beginning of the world, and shall call both the quick and the dead to judgement. For even as the people were assembled together in the mount ⟨p. 167⟩Sinai by the trumpet that there did sound in like sort in the latter day, all shall be gathered together by the sound of 2the trumpet of that great God, to be judged according to that law which then he gave: We may see the like of the cornets and trumpets which they used to sound in Israel in the year of Jubilee, and when they should gather the people together to hear the law of God. Then when this last trumpet shall sound, of the which these same have been even as figures, every man shall know of what value the blessings are which he hath promised to those which should obey unto his law, and also the curses with the which he threateneth all the rebels and wicked ones. For after that he had spoken on the height of the mountain out of the middest of the smoke, and that he had given the laws, the determinations, the decrees, and the canons of this great council which he held with his people. He gave also the order and manner of his blessings and curses, and maledictions, which afterward likewise were published in great solemnity and majesty, For he commanded that the one 3part of the twelve tribes of Israel should go up to an hill, to rehearse the blessings: and the other should stand upon an other to rehearse the curses, and that the whole multitude should be in a valley, to subscribe and bind them selves openly and solemnly to the observance of the same, in the which obligation we all are comprehended. T. This is not an obligation which a man may discharge with a sum of money.
D. IN like sort this cornette & that trompet, was a signe and a token of that great trompet which shall sounde at the last day, and shall cause the earth to open, and shall 1