A Christian instruction, containing the law and the Gospel Also a summary of the…A Christian instruction, conteyning the law and the Gospell Also a summarie of the…

Of the presence of God in general, which is common to all men and creatures, and of his special presence towards his servants.

Of the presence of God in general, which is common to all men and creatures, and of his speciall presence towardes his seruantes.

1. 1Genes. 18.

Of the voice of God which was heard by men, and of his law given by the Angels.

Of the voice of God vvhich vvas heard by men, and of his lavve giuen by the Angels.

T. And what sayest thou concerning the other points?

T. ANd what sayest thou concernyng the other pointes?

D. Albeit that God have no body as concerning his divine essence or being, nor voice like unto the voice of man, so is it (notwithstanding) an easy matter for him, to whom nothing is impossible, to make him self a voice, and to take such form and likeness as pleaseth him, to cause him to be heard and known,¹ so far forth as is meet for the salvation of man, & the infirmity of man may endure. And also there is no inconvenient, to say that the law which God gave, was given by Angels, for so much as God was served by their ⟨p. 420⟩ministry in the giving of it, and that his majesty was not there showed, but being accompanied with his Angels,² which are always prepared & ready to serve him, wherefore both the one and the other is true, to wit, that God himself did speak & give his law, and that it was given by the ministry of his Angels.

D. Albeit that God haue no body as concernyng his diuine essence or beyng, nor voice like vnto the voyce of man, so is it (notwithstanding) an easie matter for him, to whome nothing is impossible, to make him selfe a voyce, and to take such forme and likenesse as pleaseth him, to cause him to be heard and knowen,¹ so farre sorth as is méete for the saluation of man, & the infirmitie of mā may endure. And also there is no inconuenient, to say that the lawe which God gaue, was giuen by Angels, for so much as God was serued by their ⟨p. 420⟩ministerie in the giuing of it, and that his maiestie was not there shewed, but being accompanied with his Angels,² which are alwaies prepared & ready to serue him, wherefore both the one and the other is true, to wéet, that God himself did speake & giue his lawe, and that it was giuen by the ministerie of his Angels.

1. 1

Of the preface of God in his Law, and of the titles which he giveth to himself in the same: and of the point that is chiefly required in that Law.

Of the preface of God in his Lavve, and of the titles vvhich he giueth to himself in the same: and of the poynt that is chiefly required in that Lavve.

T. Before that God did take in hand to give his commandments, he doth first use a Preface, which seemeth to belong only to the children or people of Israel, as though he gave his law but to them only: the which notwithstanding (even as it hath been said heretofore) doth no less belong to us than to that people. Wherefore I would gladly understand the meaning of it, and the causes and reasons for the which God did so set it forth, & wherein it belongeth to us.

T. BEfore that God did take in hand to giue his cōmaundements, he doth first vse a Preface, whiche semeth to belong onely to the children or people of Israel, as though he gaue his lawe but to them onely: the whiche notwithstanding (euen as it hath bene sayde heretofore) doth no lesse belōg to vs than to that people. Wherfore I would gladly vnderstād the meaning of it, and the causes and reasons for the which God did so set it forth, & wherein it belongeth to vs.

D. You do ⟨p. 421⟩know well that when Kings & Princes make any Laws, and do cause any statutes or ordinances to be published in their name, they do accustom to put some preface to it, containing their name, and the titles whereby they declare what their Majesty, Lordship, & power is.¹ Seeing then that God, which is the chief King & Prince of all creatures, would publish his Law, was it not then meet that he should declare that he was the Lawmaker, and what was his majesty & power. And therefore did he say,² I am the lord thy God which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. Then is it requisite before all other things, to know in this law who is the true God, and by what means he may be known and discerned and separated from false Gods, & that this knowledge go before all the commandments following. For who shall call upon God, who shall fear him, who shall love him, who shall put his trust in him, if that first he do not know him? and not in such sort as the heathen do, who although they had a certain opinion ⟨p. 422⟩that there was a God upon whom it behoved them to call, to fear, to love, and to honour: yet for all that they did not know who he was, nor where to find him. And for so much as we can not see him, nor discern him with eyes, nor with any other corporal sense, yet notwithstanding we must behold him, embrace him, and speak unto him from the heart and from the spirit.

D. You doe ⟨p. 421⟩know well that when Kinges & Princes make any Lawes, and doe cause any statutes or ordinaunces to be published in their name, they doe accustome to put some preface to it, cōtayning their name, and the titles wherby they declare what their Maiestie, Lordship, & power is.¹ Seing then that God, whiche is the chiefe King & Prince of al creatures, would publishe his Lawe, was it not then méete that he shoulde declare that he was the Lawmaker, and what was his maiestie & power. And therefore did he say,

Of the name Eternal which is Jehovah in Hebrew, given to God.

Of the name Eternal vvhich is Jehoua in Hebrevve, giuen to God.

T. Wherefore doth he first call him self the Eternal?

T. WHerefore dothe he first call him selfe the Eternal?

D. He doth declare in the Hebrew tongue, in the which Moses hath written these things,¹ by the word of Jehovah the which we do so translate, what is his being & his nature, & that he is the Creator of all creatures,² the first & the last, without beginning and without end, and hath his being of none other but of him self: & of him all things have their being,³ & are come from him, and do return into him. It is he by whom we live, move, & are. Then may he lawfully say, I am, the which none else may justly say. Wherefore, seeing that he ⟨p. 423⟩is our Creator,⁴ & so by consequent our guide & governor, & that we have of him our soul, body, and goods: is it not meet that we do acknowledge him to be our King, Prince & Lord, & render to him the homage of soul, of body & goods, & of all things else that we have received of him, to yield unto him perfect obedience? For this cause the holy Scripture putteth us in mind oftentimes of these things, & giveth to God the title of maker of heaven and earth. Wherefore it must needs be gram ted that none other be our God but only he unto whom this name and title belongeth, which is that Eternal essence that can do all things, and is the beginning, the conservation, & the end of all things.

D. He dothe declare in the Hebrewe tongue, in the which Moyses hath writtē these things,¹ by the woorde of Iehoua the which we do so translate, what is his beyng & his nature, & that he is the Creatour of al creatures,² the first & the last, without beginning and without end, and hath his being of none other but of him self: & of him all things haue their beyng,³ & are come from him, and doe returne into him. It is he by whom we liue, moue, & are. Thē may he lawfully say, I am, the whiche none els may iustly say. Wherefore, seyng that he

In what sort God is generally called the God of all men, and chiefly the God of his chosen people.

In vvhat sorte God is generally called the God of all men, and chiefely the God of his chosen people.

T. Wherefore doth he also say beside that, Thy God?¹

T. WHerefore doth he also say beside that, Thy God?¹

1. 1Apoc 10. Jonah. 1. Ezech. 18.Apoc 10. Ionas. 1. Ezech. 18.

D. Because that this first benefit is common to all men, & to all creatures according to their nature, in as much as he is creator of them all, he addeth unto it also this title, to make him more amiable and favourable unto us: to ⟨p. 424⟩the end that by that mean he may make his doctrine more acceptable unto us, & that he may make us the more willing to receive it as the doctrine of our father,¹ who by the same procureth nothing but only our commodity and salvation. And therefore he doth not only say God, but thy God: which is a manner of speech, that according to the phrase of the holy Scripture, carieth with it favour & grace. For first, the name of God, the which Moses here doth use, doth signify in Hebrew, force, & forces, to declare unto us that he hath the power to aide and help us, and that he is not only God for him self, to wit, that he will keep in him self the good things that in him are, and not to bestow & distribute them: but that his very office is to bestow them upon men, to show him self gracious & favourable towards them. When he doth the contrary, being provoked thereunto by their frowardness & wickedness, he doth by his prophets call that work,² a strange work. Wherefore when he calleth him self the God of any people, he declareth thereby that he is not only their God, as he is generally the God ⟨p. 425⟩of all creatures, as Creator of them: but that he is their God, not severe & rigorous, as a judge toward evil doers: but courteous, loving, favourable & merciful, as a good father to his children. When then he sayeth, Thy God, he doth then put them in mind of that which he spake before, that he had chosen this people as his own inheritance, & as a precious Jewell among all the rest.³ And therefore it is not without cause said by the Prophet, he hath done so to none other nation. And therefore he saith by Isaiah, And now saith the Lord thus, which hath created thee Jacob, & who hath fashioned thee Israel, fear not, for I have bought thee,⁴ I have named thy name, Thou art mine. When thou shalt pass by water, I will be with thee, & the floods shall not swallow thee up: When thou shalt pass through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt: For I am the Lord thy God, the holy one of Israel, thy Saviour, &c.