A14463:2502
A14463:2502
A Christian instruction, containing the law and the Gospel Also a summary of the principal points of the Christian faith and religion, and of the abuses and errors contrary to the same. Done in certain dialogues in french, by M. Peter Viret, sometime minister of the Word of God at Nymes in Province. Translated by I.S. Seen and allowed according to the Queens Majesties injunctions.A Christian instruction, conteyning the law and the Gospell Also a summarie of the principall poyntes of the Christian fayth and religion, and of the abuses and errors contrary to the same. Done in certayne dialogues in french, by M. Peter Viret, sometime minister of the Word of God at Nymes in Prouince. Translated by I.S. Seene and allowed according to the Queenes Maiesties iniunctions.
London: printed by Henry Bynneman? for Abraham Veale, 1573
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. 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.
D. Bicause that this first benefite is cōmon to all men, & to al creatures according to their nature, in as much as he is creatour of thē all, he addeth vnto it also this title, to make him more amiable and fauourable vnto vs: to ⟨p. 424⟩the end that by that meane he may make his doctrine more acceptable vnto vs, & that he may make vs ye more willing to receyue it as the doctrine of our father,1 who by the same procureth nothing but onely our cōmoditie and saluation. And therefore he doth not onely say God, but thy God: which is a maner of speach, that according to the phrase of the holy Scripture, carieth with it fauour & grace. For first, the name of God, the which Moyses here doth vse, doth signifie in Hebrewe, force, & forces, to declare vnto vs that he hath the power to aide and helpe vs, and that he is not onely God for him selfe, to witte, that he will kéepe in him selfe the good things that in him are, and not to bestow & distribute them: but that his very office is to bestow thē vpō men, to shewe him self gratious & fauourable towardes thē. When he doth ye contrary, being prouoked thereunto by their frowardnesse & wickednesse, he doth by his prophets call that worke,2 a straūge worke. Wherefore when he calleth him selfe the God of any people, he declareth therby that he is not only their God, as he is generally ye God ⟨p. 425⟩of all creatures, as Creatour of them: but yt he is their God, not seuere & rigorous, as a iudge toward euill doers: but curteous, louing, fauourable & merciful, as a good father to his childrē. When then he sayeth, Thy God, he doth then put thē in minde of that which he spake before, that he had chosen this people as his own enheritance, & as a precious Iewell among all the rest.3 And therefore it is not without cause sayd by the Prophete, he hath done so to none other nation. And therefore he sayth by Esaie, And now saith the Lord thus, which hath created thée Iacob, & who hath fashioned thée Israell, feare not, for I haue bought thée,4 I haue named thy name, Thou art mine. When yu shalt passe by water, I will be with thee, & the floudes shall not swallow thée vp: When thou shalt passe through ye fire, thou shalt not be burnt: For I am ye Lord thy God, the holy one of Israell, thy Sauiour, &c.
T. There is a goodly declaration of that which thou hast now spoken, and a very apparent testimony.
T. There is a goodly declaration of that which thou hast now spoken, and a very apparant testimonie.
D. It is even so. For thou seest that after that he calleth him self the God & the maker & fashioner ⟨p. 426⟩of Israel, & the Eternal, he addeth unto it immediately, Thy Saviour, which have redeemed thee.
D. It is euen so. For thou séest that after that he calleth him self the God & the maker & fashioner ⟨p. 426⟩of Israell, & the Eternall, he addeth vnto it immediatly, Thy Sauiour, whiche haue redéemed thée.
T. And why doeth he add yet, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt?
T. ANd why doeth he adde yet, which haue brought thée out of the lande of Egipt?
D. To put them in mind of the great benefit, the which not long before they had received of him, and whereby he had plainly declared unto them, that he was their God,1 and that he esteemed them for his people, in an other sort than he did the Egyptians, wherefore they had good occasion to think that so good a God and so loving a father would not set forth unto them any doctrine, but such as should be greatly for their profit, and that they ought most willingly to receive and embrace the same, as well for the great good will and friendship that God did bear toward them, and had declared unto them, as for the right of Lordship which he had double over them: of their own part, ⟨p. 427⟩because of their creation: on the other, because of the deliverance, which was as a new conquest, by the which he had as it were conquered them a new, delivering them from the subjection of a most cruel tyrant, to make them a well beloved people to him self, and as the first borne of all people. And therefore he doth plainly say, which have brought thee out, 2and none other, by my only power & strength, and not by thine own, nor of any creature else, and to make them yet more willing, as of right they ought, not being content to have made mention of the country of Egypt, but he addeth unto it, from the house of bondage, 3to put them in mind of the great travels wherewith they were oppressed, and to give them to understand that they had been holden as a slave in hard and cruel bondage, living in the bitter and tyrannous subjection of an other, without having any show or fashion of a people, in respect of that which was afterward given them by the law and policy which the Lord gave unto them.
D. To put thē in minde of the great benefite, the which not long before they had receiued of him, and whereby he had plainely declared vnto them, that he was their God,1 and that he esteemed them for his people, in an other sorte than he did the Egiptians, wherefore they had good occasion to thinke that so good a God and so louing a father would not set forth vnto thē any doctrine, but such as should be greatly for their profite, and that they ought most willingly to receyue and embrace the same, as well for the great good will and frendship that God did beare towarde them, and had declared vnto them, as for the right of Lordship which he had double ouer them: of their owne parte,
T. That is worthy to be noted.
D. ON the other side, this remembrance of the going forth of the people out of the land of Egypt, doth comprehend not only the benefits which this nation did at that time receive at the hand of God, when they were brought out of Egypt by his power and virtue: but also all the other works and wonders which he did among them, and by the which he did declare and show him self not only to be the true God, but also to be the guide and governor of this people. And therefore, for so much as he can not be seen nor understood by any bodily sense, it pleased him to give these visible witnesses and testimonies of him self, whereby he may be certainly seen in spirit and faith, and discerned from false Gods: and chiefly in Jesus Christ our Lord, in whom he hath yet more familiarly and plainly showed him self. Wherefore we are assured, that when we direct our selves to this God, which brought the people of ⟨p. 429⟩Israel out of Egypt, which is also the very same which hath showed him self in Christ,1 we do not direct our selves to any Idol, nor yet to a false God, but to the true God, who hath so declared him self by his works. For what people is it that may say of the Gods which they worship, that which we may say in deed of our God, the true God of Israel, and father of our Lord Jesus Christ? And for so much as men be so unkind toward God, and that there is nothing more ready and common among them, than to forget his graces and benefits, as the spirit of God doth oftentimes lay to the charge of this people,2 he gave unto Israel the sacrament of the Paschal Lamb, and unto us that of his supper, to make us mindful.
D. ON the other side, this remēbrance of the going foorth of the people out of the lande of Egypt, doth comprehende not onely the benefites which this nation did at that time receiue at the hād of God, when they were brought out of Egypt by his power and vertue: but also all the other works and wonders which he did among them, and by the which he did declare and shewe him selfe not only to be the true God, but also to be the guid and gouernour of this people. And therefore, for so muche as he can not be séene nor vnderstoode by any bodily sense, it pleased him to giue these visible witnesses and testimonies of him selfe, wherby he may be certenly séene in spirite and fayth, and discerned from false Gods: and chéefly in Iesus Christ our Lord, in whō he hath yet more familiarly and plainly shewed him selfe. Wherefore we are assured, that when we direct our selues to this God, which brought the people of
T. This point that maketh mention of the going forth out of Egypt, is even the most hard of all the Preface. Wherefore I would gladly understand for what cause God did so expressly take to him self this title, and that he did not rather take some other which was more common to all nations,1 seeing that that law should serve unto all.
T. THis poynt that maketh mention of the going foorth out of Egypte, is euen the most harde of all the Preface. Wherfore I would gladly vnderstande for what cause God did so expresly take to him selfe this title, and that he did not rather take some other which was more common to all nations,1 séeing that that lawe should serue vnto all.
D. God might well have taken greater & more redoubted titles, but it pleased him rather to use those that were more favourable and less fearful,1 which do set him forth to us more gracious and merciful, than sharp and rigorous: to the end that he would not make us to flee from him, fearing us with the greatness of his majesty, but rather that he would draw us unto him by the sweetness of his mercy.2 On the other side, he hath also taken the names and titles, according to the time, the places, and people, unto whom he showed him self, and according to the manners and fashions that he used: and because that he would declare him self more familiarly, he did take those titles that were most special, to make him self ⟨p. 431⟩the better known unto us, to the end we should not be overmuch discouraged, if he had left us in an over-large contemplation of him self, without giving any term or end to our spirit, to cause him self to be known to it by some benefit more particular, and more worthy of his loving kindness.3 Before that departure Jacob, because of the promise and alliance the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of out of Egypt, he was oftentimes called made with them: whereas before he was commonly called the maker of heaven and earth. And from the departure out of Egypt, he hath taken this title, even to the coming of Christ, of whom it was said by the Prophets, that he should no more be called, the God which hath brought us out of Egypt, but, the Lord which hath drawn us out from all parts and countries wherein we were dispersed,4 even from the time that he was called God, Father of Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessing and heavenly things in Christ, and hath redeemed and delivered us from all evil: which thing was not done without good ⟨p. 432⟩and just cause. And also we must beside all this consider that which hath been already spoken, to wit, that that commemoration of the delivery out of Egypt, is taken for a remembrance of all the benefits of God toward his people, because that it was the beginning, whereby he did more excellently and more apparently declare what care he had for his people, & doth help them in a more authorised and authentic manner than he did before, and afterward he hath always continued his mercy upon them, and upon all those which by Christ have ben won & joined to this people.
Wherein Moses did use a manner of speech which was very common to him, which was to signify & comprehend the whole by a part thereof.
Wherin Moyses did vse a maner of speach which was very cōmō to him, which was to signifie & cōprehēd ye whole by a part therof.
D. God might well haue taken greater & more redoubted titles, but it pleased him rather to vse those that were more fauourable and lesse fearfull,1 which do set him foorth to vs more gracious and mercyfull, than sharpe and rigorous: to the ende that he would not make vs to flée from him, fearing vs with the greatnesse of his maiestie, but rather that he would drawe vs vnto him by the swéetenesse of his mercy.2 On the other side, he hath also taken the names and titles, according to the tyme, the places, and people, vnto whom he shewed him selfe, and according to the maners and fashiōs that he vsed: and bicause that he would declare him selfe more familiarly, he did take those titles that were moste speciall, to make him selfe ⟨p. 431⟩the better knowen vnto vs, to the ende we should not be ouermuch discouraged, if he had left vs in an ouer-large contemplation of him selfe, without giuing any terme or ende to our spirite, to cause him selfe to be knowne to it by some benefite more particular, and more worthy of his louing kindnesse.3 Before that departure Iacob, bicause of the promise and aliance the God of Abraham, of Isahac, and of out of Egypt, he was oftentimes called made with them: wheras before he was commonly called the maker of heauen and earth. And from the departure out of Egypte, he hath taken this title, euen to the comming of Chryst, of whom it was sayde by the Prophets, that he should no more be called, the God whiche hath brought vs out of Egypt, but, the Lorde which hath drawen vs out from al parts and countreys wherein we were dispersed,4 euen from the time that he was called God, Father of Iesus Christe, who hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessing and heauenly things in Christ, and hath redéemed and deliuered vs from all euill: which thing was not done without good ⟨p. 432⟩and iust cause. And also we muste beside all this consider that which hath bene already spoken, to wit, that that cōmemoration of the deliuery out of Egypt, is taken for a rememberaunce of all the benefites of God towarde his people, bicause that it was the beginning, wherby he did more excellently and more apparantly declare what care he had for hys people, & dothe helpe them in a more authorised and authentike maner than he did before, and afterwarde he hath alwayes continued his mercy vpon them, and vpon all those which by Christ haue ben woon & ioined to this people.