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 true knowledge and manifestation of God, and to what end the titles serve which are given to him to guide and lead us to the same.

Of the true knovvledge and manifestatiō of God, and to vvhat ende the titles serue vvhich are giuen to him to guyde and leade vs to the same.

T. Declare this to me more plainly.

T. DEclare this to me more plainly.

D. Thou must know that it is not sufficient for a man to have a certain general conceit or imagination, or opinion and knowledge of God in his understanding, ⟨p. 433⟩but it is meet that he do know him to be such a one as he hath declared him self by his word, & chiefly in Jesus christ his son: or else he shall wander in the vanity of his imaginations, & shall be with out God. For seeing that God can not be known nor comprehended in his divine essence, nor in his majesty, if we will have such knowledge as is necessary to our salvation, it is requisite that we go and seek him, & behold him there where it hath pleased him to declare and reveal him self unto us, and that by those means which he hath given us. For if we do otherwise, we do then forge him to be such a one as the vanity of our understanding may imagine him and from thence it shall come to pass, that in the stead of him we shall make unto our selves strange gods, which shall be no gods, but thinking to serve God, we shall serve the devil. Wherefore it is not enough that we believe that there are gods, but that there is one only god. And yet for all that this is not enough so to do, but that also we do believe that this god, which is the only true god, is maker of heaven & of earth, ⟨p. 434⟩and of all creatures visible and invisible: which thing all those that do believe that there are Gods, do not believe at all. Moreover, for so much as man is fallen through sin, and that he hath need to be restored, it behoveth us to know also how that same God which hath created us, is also the very same God that hath restored & saved us, and by what mean he hath done the same, to the end that we should acknowledge him to be our only maker and leader, father, saviour, and redeemer, and none else: and that we should acknowledge in him the benefit of our creation, which signifieth also his providence, and our restoring and redemption. It is then the very cause why he hath chosen to him self a certain people, unto whom he would declare him self in the shape of man, in his son Jesus Christ, to open his knowledge throughout all the world.

D. Thou must know that it is not sufficient for a man to haue a certen generall conceite or imagination, or opinion and knowledge of God in his vnderstanding, ⟨p. 433⟩but it is méete that he do know him to be such a one as he hath declared him selfe by his word, & chéefly in Iesus christ his sonne: or else he shall wander in the vanitie of his imaginations, & shal be wt out God. For séeing that God can not be knowen nor comprehended in his diuine essence, nor in his maiestie, if we will haue such knowledge as is necessarie to our saluation, it is requisite that we goe and séeke him, & behold him there where it hath pleased him to declare and reueale him selfe vnto vs, and that by those meanes which he hath giuen vs. For if we do otherwyse, we do then forge him to be suche a one as the vanitie of our vnderstanding may imagine him and from thence it shall come to passe, that in the steade of him we shall make vnto oure selues straunge gods, which shall be no gods, but thinking to serue God, we shall serue ye diuell. Wherfore it is not inough that we beléeue that there are gods, but that there is one only god. And yet for al that this is not inough so to do, but yt also we do beleue yt this god, which is the only true god, is maker of heauē & of earth, ⟨p. 434⟩and of all creatures visible and inuisible: which thing all those that do beléeue that there are Goddes, do not beléeue at all. Moreouer, for so muche as man is fallen through sinne, and that he hath néede to be restored, it behoueth vs to know also how that same God which hath created vs, is also the very same God that hath restored & saued vs, and by what meane he hath done the same, to the ende that we shoulde acknowledge him to be our onely maker and leader, father, sauiour, and redéemer, and none else: and that we should acknowledge in him the benefite of our creation, which signifieth also his prouidence, and our restoring and redēption. It is then the very cause why he hath chosen to him selfe a certen people, vnto whom he would declare him selfe in the shape of man, in his sonne Iesus Christe, to open his knowledge throughout all the worlde.

Wherefore whosoever doth know the God of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob, and the God which hath brought the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt, he knoweth God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and is a ⟨p. 435⟩true Israelite,¹ & the very son of Abraham the father of all believers, put in and joined to the true people of God.

Wherfore whosoeuer doth know the God of Abraham, of Isahac and of Iacob, and the God which hath brought the people of Israell out of the lande of Egypt, he knoweth God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christe, and is a ⟨p. 435⟩true Israelite,¹ & the very sonne of Abraham the father of all beleuers, put in and ioyned to the true people of God.

1. 1Rom. 4.

How the deliverance of the people of Israel out of Egypt, was a shadow and figure of the deliverance which is made by christ Jesus, and how the Christian people are comprehended in the people of Israel, and their deliverance also in the deliverance of that people.

How the deliueraunce of the people of Israel out of Egipt, was a shadow and figure of the deliuerance which is made by christ Iesus, and howe the Christian people are comprehended in the people of Israel, and their deliueraunce also in the deliueraunce of that people.

T. BY this mean the Christians shall then be one people with the people of Israel.

T. BY this meane the Christians shall then be one people with the people of Israell.

D. There is no doubt thereof, for seeing that people was chosen of God to be as the keeper and treasurer of his word & of his promises, to the end that by that same mean they should come even to us, and be fulfilled in us, & that it was the shadow & figure of true things which were brought unto us by Jesus Christ, there is no doubt but that we are comprehended in the same. And seeing that this deliverance from the tyranny of Egypt was a figure of this other and great deliverance which we have through ⟨p. 436⟩Jesus Christ our Lord: there can be no mention made of the first, but that we ought to have the second in remembrance, and to give us to understand, that if the people of Israel had great occasion to embrace the law which was given to them by God, and to endeavour them to obey him according to the same, for the causes heretofore alleged: for one occasion that they had so to do, we have a thousand, for so much as GOD hath showed himself by this deliverance, which he hath wrought for us by his Son Jesus Christ our God, much more favourable without comparison, than ever he did show himself to the Israelites. For albeit that both they and we have but one Christ Jesus, and one very mean of salvation through him, yet for all that, this salvation hath been much more plainly declared unto us, and much more excellently without shadows and figures, and much more familiarly and in far greater power of the spirit of GOD than ever it was to them. Wherefore seeing the spiritual Israelites, and the true Christians are but ⟨p. 437⟩one people, we must know that that which hath regard and pertaineth unto the one, hath regard and doth pertain to the other, in that which doth concern the true spiritual service of GOD, the which God requireth, as well of the one as of the other.

D. There is no doubt therof, for séeing that people was chosen of God to bée as the keeper and treasurer of hys worde & of his promisses, to the ende that by that same meane they shold come euē to vs, and be fulfilled in vs, & that it was the shadow & figure of true things which were brought vnto vs by Iesus Christ, there is no doubt but that wée are comprehended in the same. And séeyng that this delyueraunce from the tyranny of Egypte was a figure of thys other and great deliuerāce which wée haue through ⟨p. 436⟩

Of the order and mean that God did keep in giving of his law, and of the great doctrine contained therein: and what agreement it hath with the form of prayer which was given by Jesus Christ.

Of the order and meane that God dyd kepe in gyuing of his law, and of the great doctrine contained therein: and what agrement it hath with the forme of prayer which was gyuen by Iesus Christ.

T. I Am well satisfied in this point, and of all that which is contained in this preface. Wherefore let us now come to the declaration of the commandments given in the law.

T. I Am wel satisfied in thys poynt, and of all that which is conteyned in this preface. Wherefore let vs nowe come to the declaration of the commaundementes gyuen in the lawe.

D. Before we do proceed any further, it shall be well done that we do consider what manner and order GOD did use in giving of these commandments, for he hath done nothing without good and just cause, the which being known, shall greatly help us toward the understanding ⟨p. 438⟩of the matters that we have to entreat.

D. Before wée doe procéede anye further, it shall be well done that wée doe consyder what manner and order GOD dyd vse in giuing of these commaundementes, for he hath done nothyng wythoute good and iust cause, the which being knowen, shal greatly helpe vs toward ye vnderstāding ⟨p. 438⟩of the matters that wée haue to entreate.

T. I would gladly understand it.

T. I would gladly vnderstand it.

D. God hath in this done in manner the very like, in giving of this law by his servant Moses, that he did by his son Jesus Christ, when he gave unto us the form and order of prayer.

D. God hath in thys done in manner the verye lyke, in giuyng of thys lawe by his seruaunte Moyses, that hée dyd by his sonne Iesus Christ, when he gaue vnto vs the forme and order of prayer.

T. How so?