A14462:51
A14462:51
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. For so much as men will not be brought to that pass, to yield that obedience unto God which they owe §5unto him, but will go to the law with him, it must needs come to pass that they search out some shift and some starting holes and excuses to give some show to their cause. Wherefore if we shall give them place, they will never be unfurnished of shifts. But it is great folly for them to plead their cause with God, for he must be the judge, and not they: wherefore they may well assure them selves that all their reasons and excuses shall be of no great value before him, when they shall be weighed in the balances of his justice and judgements. But because that men have been always accustomed to flatter them selves, and that they do so delight in their errors, that it is a hard matter to bring them to acknowledge them selves to be so foul and filthy, as they are: I am well contented that we do examine their fair discourses, and their goodly allegations. T. I would be very glad thereof.
D. FOr so muche as men wil not be brought to that passe, to yelde that obedience vnto God whiche they owe §5vnto him, but will go to the lawe with hym, it must nedes come to passe that they searche out some shifte and some starting holes and excuses to giue some shew to their cause. Wherefore if we shall gyue them place, they will neuer be vnfurnished of shiftes. But it is greate follie for them to pleade their cause with God, for he must be the iudge, and not they: wherefore they may well assure them selues that all their reasons and excuses shalbe of no greate value before hym, when they shalbe wayed in the ballances of hys iustice and iudgementes. But bycause that men haue bene alwayes accustomed to flatter them selues, and that they do so dilighte in their errours, that it is a hard matter to bryng them to acknowledge them selues to be so foule and filthie, as they are: I am well contented that we do examine their fayre discourses, and their goodly allegations. T. I would be very glad therof.
D. Let us now see, what foundation that hath, whereof you have now spoken. There is no error, sect, heresy, false doctrine, nor wickedness so great, but that it may easily be defended, if such reasons mought be allowed, For a Jew, a Turk, and a Pagan, may well allege as much. T. I confess the same. D. If then these Christians (as they name them) were Jews, Turks, or Pagans borne, they would so continue, because they were so borne & also their predecessors before them. T. There is no doubt of it. D. These kind of men have none other reason to main tayne their order and manner of life, but only wilfulness & obstinacy, by the which they do right well declare that they have not well considered what the Lord saith by his Prophet Ezekiel: Walk not in the ways of your fathers, nor be 1you filed with their Idols, for I am the Lord your God: you shall walk in my commandments, & see that you swerve ⟨p. 7⟩neither to the right hand, ne yet to the left hand. It is also written, you shall not do as those ye are gone before you, neither file 2you your selves as they have done. Take heed that you do not according to the custom of the land of Egypt, in the which you have dwelled: Nor yet after the custom of the land of Canaan. So ye you walk not in their statutes: but see ye you observe my ordinances, & that you give good heed to my commandments: to the end that you may walk in them. Let us consider also how the spirit of God, did blame & reprove the ancient 3Samaritans: These people did not hearken at all, but did live according to their ancient custom. These people then feared the Lord: but yet they served their Idols notwithstanding. They follow their ancient custom even to this very day. They do not fear the Lord, nor keep yt ceremonies & yt judgements, & the law, & the commandment that the Lord gave to the son of Jacob, which is surnamed Israel. If our predecessors have walked in the ways of the Lord, we may justly allege them: for God hath commanded us to follow such personages: not for their own worthiness, for they are but men as we are, & not Gods: but because that they have followed in the way of the Lord, which saith that it is he, that is the Lord our God, not our fathers.
For he is the most ancient father that we have, which only is the father of verity & truth, as the devil is the father of lies, who is in deed a very ancient father, but not so ancient as is God the father of all truth.
For he is ye most aūciēt father yt we haue, which onely is ye father of veritie & truth, as the deuill is the father of lyes, who is in dede a very aūcient father, but not so auncient as is God the father of all truth.
T. What sayest thou of the arguments taken of the multitude? D. If it were lawful to allege the multitude of men, the fools and wicked should always have the better: for they are alway the greatest number. Wherefore we are forbidden in law, to follow the multitude, for to do evil. And our saviour Jesus Christ hath willed us to pass through the strait way, for it is yt way that leadeth to eternal life: & contrarily forbiddeth us to follow the large, through the which many pass, for that way leadeth to destruction.1
T. WHat sayest thou of the argumentes taken of the multitude? D. If it were lawefull to alledge the multitude of mē, the fooles and wicked should alwayes haue the better: for they are alwaye the greatest nomber. Wherfore we are forbidden in law, to folowe the multitude, for to do euill. And our sauiour Iesus Christ hath willed vs to passe thorow the straite way, for it is yt waye that leadeth to eternall life: & cōtraryly forbiddeth vs to folow ye large, thorow the which many passe, for that way leadeth to destruction.1
T. What sayest thou of those that allege long time & auncientie? D. There is no greater reason in the alleging of time & auncienti, then in the alleging of the multitude. For what is more ancient in this world, then lying, rebellion, and disobedience, manslaughter, violence, extortion, whoredom, Idolatry, villainy, and all kind of wickedness and abomination, for they have had their being even immediately after the beginning of the world, as soon as men were borne into the world. T. These things have begun at the least even from the time, that the devil hath been in the world, which is as ancient as any man that ever was: for he is the ancientest of all creatures, and the father of all the evil that ever was, is, or shall be in the world, and it is by him, that it is entertained, increased, and maintained.
T. WHat sayest thou of those that alledge long time & auncientie? D. Ther is no greater reason in the alledging of time & auncienti, then in the alledging of the multitude. For what is more auncient in this world, then lying, rebellion, and disobedience, manslaughter, violence, extorcion, whoredome, Idolatrie, villeny, and all kinde of wickednesse and abhomination, for they haue had their beyng euen immediatly after the beginning of the world, as soone as men were borne into the world. T. These thinges haue begon at the least euen from the tyme, that the deuil hath bene in the world, whiche is as ancient as any man that euer was: for he is the auncientest of al creatures, and the father of al the euill that euer was, is, or shalbe in the worlde, and it is by him, that it is entertained, encreased, and maintained.
D. IN deed it is very well said of thee, for our Saviour Jesus Christ doth call him not only a liar, but also the father 1of lies. For albeit that God did create him an Angel, and in the same truth that is in God: yet he could not so continue, but did fall from truth into lies, which is the original of all other evils, even as truth is the fountain of 2all goodness. He is also called a manslayer and a murderer from the beginning. And because that Cain did by and by follow him, S. John sayeth that he is the son of the devil, 3and that he slew his brother because he was of the wicked. And in the same place he saith also: he that sinneth is of the devil: for the devil sinneth even from the beginning. In the which Saint John hath followed the manner of speaking of his master Jesus Christ: who called the Jews, children 4of the devil: for that they were liars and murderers of the servants of God, and of him which was and is the very ⟨p. 9⟩son of God, which thing proceeded of the very hatred that they had against the truth, which was preached unto them by Jesus Christ and his Disciples.
D. IN dede it is very well sayd of thee, for our Sauiour Iesus Christ doth call him not onely a lyar, but also the father 1of lyes. For albeit that God did creat hym an Angell, and in ye same truth that is in God: yet he could not so continue, but did falle from truth into lyes, whiche is the originall of all other euils, euen as truth is the fountaine of 2all goodnes. He is also called a mansleyar and a murderer from the begynning. And bycause that Cain did by and by folow him, S. Iohn sayeth that he is the sonne of the deuill, 3and that he slew his brother bycause he was of the wicked. And in the same place he saith also: he that sinneth is of the deuil: for the deuil sinneth euen from the begynning. In the whiche Saint Iohn hath folowed the maner of speakyng of his master Iesus Christe: who called the Iewes, childrē
T. IT followeth then by this account, that such as follow and do the work of the devil, are the devils sons & successors. D. The matter is plain, wherefore thou mayest easily perceive by this what predecessors such kind of men may allege, that will follow any other order of life, then that which hath ben taught us by God: & what cause they have to glory of auncientie and of old worlds. Let them them allege the devil for their most ancient father, and with his lies fight against the eternal truth of God: let the manslayers and murderers allege Cain, and the Sodomites, those whose name they bear. All these kinds of men and all other wicked ones have fathers very ancient, they do follow one doctrine and one sort of life, which is very ancient: but truth, virtue, holiness, innocency, & God which is there father, are yet more ancient, for the devil, sin, and lies, of the which he is author, have had their beginning, and reign, and therefore they shall once have an end. But God is eternal, without beginning and without end, and so is his truth, whereof he is father, and of all virtues else. And therefore God doth not only not support heresies, errors, superstitions and Idolatries, because of their auncientie: but contrarily he threateneth the Idolaters and wicked ones, that the longer that they have continued in sin and followed the same, the greater vengeance he will send upon them. Wherefore it is spoken by the Prophet Isaiah: Behold 1it is written before me, I will no longer hold my peace, but will yield and throw into their bosoms, your iniquities, with the iniquities of your fathers also, saith the Lord, ⟨p. 10⟩and immediately after: whereby I will yield again unto them in their bosom the measure of their first work. The Lord speaketh this upon good occasion, for if the father have ben wicked, and the son is yet more wicked, the iniquity of the father doth not amend that of the son, and make it virtue and not vice. T. No, but doth increase it much more, for the more of our predecessors that have ben rebels against God, so much the greater is our fault. D.
T. IT foloweth then by this accoumpt, that such as folow and do the worke of the deuill, ar ye deuils sonnes & successours. D. The matter is playne, wherfore thou mayest easely perceyue by this what predecessours such kynd of mē may alledge, that will folow any other order of lyfe, then yt whiche hath ben taught vs by God: & what cause they haue to glory of auncientie and of old worldes. Let them thē alledge the deuill for their most auncient father, and with his lyes fight against the eternal truth of God: let the mansleaers and murderers alledge Cain, and the Sodomites, those whose name they beare. All these kyndes of mē and al other wicked ones haue fathers very auncient, they do folow one doctrine and one sorte of lyfe, whiche is very auncient: but truth, vertue, holynes, innocencie, & God which is there father, are yet more auncient, for the deuil, sinne, and lyes, of the whiche he is author, haue had their begynnynge, and raigne, and therfore they shall once haue an ende. But God is eternall, without begynning and without end, and so is his truth, whereof he is father, and of all vertues els. And therfore God doth not onely not supporte heresies, errours, superstitions and Idolatries, bycause of their auncientie: but contrarylye he threateneth the Idolaters and wicked ones, that the longer that they haue continued in sinne and folowed the same, the greater vengeaunce he will send vppon them. Wherfore it is spoken by the Prophet Esay: Behold
It seemeth unto me, that those which allege their predecessors & auncientie, to maintain thereby their errors and abuse, do even like as doth a traitor, which would excuse and purge him self to ward his prince, whom he hath offended, through his treasons, that should allege in his defence that his predecessors have alway been traitors, & lived in the like infidelity towards their princes, as he hath done towards his. Thinkest thou not y• this excuse were very lawful & mete to appease the prince? T. Even so mete that it mought occasion him to cut clean from the earth so wicked a race, to the end they should never be any more heard of. D. It is even so.
It semeth vnto me, that those which alledge their predecessors & aūcientie, to maintaine therby their errors and abuse, do euen like as doth a traitor, whiche would excuse and purge him selfe to ward his prince, whom he hath offēded, through his treasons, that should alledge in his defence that his predecessours haue alway bene traitours, & liued in ye like infidelitie towardes their prīces, as he hath done towardes his. Thinckest thou not y• this excuse wer very lawful & mete to appease the prince? T. Euē so mete that it mought occasiō him to cut cleane frō the earth so wicked a race, to the ende they should neuer be any more heard of. D. It is euen so.