A14463:2564
A14463:2564
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. ON the other part,1 when thou doest the work which god commandeth, thou must take good heed to what end thou doest it, and with what mind. For if thou do it more for thine own glory and profit, & for thine own behoof, than thou doest for the honour of God, and for the love thou bearest to him, or to thy neighbour for his sake: thou makest of a good work an evil work, and doest greatly offend him thorough thy hypocrisy, abusing his name, & making a mask of his law, to serve thee and thy wicked affections. And therefore such a work is no more a work of the spirit of God: for so much as it is not done in truth, but in lies. For all hypocrisy is lies, for so much as it is nothing else but falsehood, feigning, ⟨p. 456⟩and dissimulation, which hath an other show outwardly, than the troth of the thing hath inwardly. Now all lies proceed from the devil. The work then which is done in lies, is of the devil, and not of God. Wherefore it cannot much better please God, than doth the troth which the devil speaketh to cover his lies with, and to transfigure himself into an Angel of light: and that all the works do that ever he doth, how fair a show so ever they have, although God do make them serve to his glory. For his intent is always wicked, forsomuch as he never doth thing but for himself, and hath regard neither to the honour of God nor to the profit of any creature, wherefore he is never more perilous, than when he hath the greatest show of well doing, for then it is that he doth most dishonour god, and doth greatest hurt to men, because he is more covered and disguised, & more hard to be known and to be taken upon the sudden: wherefore those which call this devil that is so disguised, a white devil, are not void of reason. Therefore the false Prophets are never ⟨p. 457⟩more dangerous, than when they have the greatest show of holiness, & do most counterfeit the true servants of God: the like is of all hypocrites. The good work which he seemeth to do,2 is often times worse than though it were set forth plainly such as it is. It is the very cause why Christ did condemn the alms, prayers and fastings of the Scribes and Pharisees, and all their other works, forsomuch as they did them only to be seen of men.
D. ON the other parte,1 when thou doest the worke which god commandeth, thou must take good héede to what ende thou doest it, and with what minde. For if thou do it more for thine own glory and profite, & for thine owne behoofe, than thou doest for the honoure of God, and for the loue thou bearest to him, or to thy neyghboure for his sake: thou makest of a good worke an euill worke, and doest greatly offend him thorough thy hypocrisie, abusing his name, & making a maske of his lawe, to serue thée and thy wicked affections. And therefore such a worke is no more a worke of the spirite of God: for so muche as it is not done in truth, but in lies. For al hypocrisie is lyes, for somuch as it is nothing else but falshod, fayning, ⟨p. 456⟩and dissimulation, whiche hath an other shewe outwardly, than the troth of the thing hath inwardly. Now al lyes procéed from the deuill. The worke then which is done in lyes, is of the deuill, and not of God. Wherefore it cannot muche better please God, than doth the troth which the deuill speaketh to couer his lies with, and to transfigure himselfe into an Angell of light: and that all the works do that euer he doth, howe faire a shewe so euer they haue, although God do make them serue to his glory. For his intente is alwayes wicked, forsomuch as he neuer doth thing but for himselfe, and hath regard neyther to the honour of God nor to the profite of any creature, wherfore he is neuer more perilous, than when he hath the greatest shew of well doing, for then it is that hée doth most dishonor god, and doth greatest hurt to men, bycause he is more couered and disguised, & more harde to be knowne and to be taken vpō the sudden: wherfore those whiche call this deuill that is so disguised, a white deuill, are not voyd of reason. Therefore the false Prophets are neuer ⟨p. 457⟩more dangerous, than whē they haue the greatest shewe of holynesse, & do most counterfaite the true seruauntes of God: the like is of al hypocrites. The good work whiche he semeth to doe,2 is often tymes worse than thogh it were set forth plainly suche as it is. It is the very cause why Christe did condemne the almes, prayers and fastings of the Scribes and Pharisies, and all their other works, forsomuch as they did them only to be séene of men.
T. IF the matter be such that the work it self which God commandeth can not please him, if it do not proceed from such a heart as he requireth, but doth rather displease him, it followeth then, that if a man have not such an heart, he doth not only leese his time in doing of such a work, but he doth also purchase to ⟨p. 458⟩himself a more greater judgement.
T. IF the matter be such that the worke it selfe which God commaundeth cā not please him, if it do not procéede from such a harte as he requireth, but doth rather displease him, it followeth then, that if a man haue not such an harte, he dothe not onely léese his time in doing of suche a worke, but he doth also purchace to ⟨p. 458⟩himselfe a more greater iudgemente.
D. There are also two points to be considered in this matter: if that the man that doth this work, doth it thoroughly of a very malice and to such end as the Devil doth his, to wit, to dishonour God, and to deceive men, and to hurt his neighbour, it were much better that he did nothing at all, for his work can do but hurt, and more to himself than to any other: if he do it not in deed for so evil a purpose, but only to have some worldly honour or profit, the work is then yet somewhat more profitable in sundry sorts, as well to himself as to others, according to the circumstances of the same, than if it had not bin done at all, or else if he had done those works which God hath forbidden. For first of all, those that see such a work, are edified, insomuch as they see it to be good of his own nature, and do think, that it proceedeth from such an heart as it showeth for outwardly: on the other side, if it be a work whereby thy neighbour receiveth any comfort or help in his person, it is then so much the more profitable. ⟨p. 459⟩Wherefore, albeit that the work be not such as God requireth: yet forsomuch as it serveth somewhat to the glory of God, and to the edification of our neighbour, God is so good that he will not suffer it to be unrecompensed.
D. There are also two pointes to be considered in this matter: if that the man that doth this worke, doth it thoroughly of a very malice and to suche ende as the Deuil doth his, to witte, to dishonor God, and to deceiue mē, and to hurte his neyghbor, it were much better that he did nothing at all, for his worke can do but hurte, and more to himselfe than to any other: if hée do it not in déede for so euil a purpose, but onely to haue some worldlye honoure or profite, the worke is then yet somewhat more profitable in sundry sortes, as well to himselfe as to others, according to the circumstaunces of the same, than if it had not bin done at all, or else if he had done those works whiche God hath forbidden. For first of al, those that sée such a worke, are edified, in somuch as they sée it to bée good of his owne nature, and doe thinke, that it procéedeth from such an harte as it sheweth for outwardly: on the other side, if it be a worke whereby thy neyghboure receyueth any comforte or helpe in hys person, it is then so muche the more profitable. ⟨p. 459⟩Wherefore, albeit that the worke be not such as God requireth: yet forsomuch as it serueth somewhat to the glory of God, and to the edification of our neyboure, God is so good that he will not suffer it to be vnrecompenced.
T. What recompense will he then give him?
T. What recompence will he then giue him?
D. That which the worker requireth: he desireth glory among men, and his particular commodity, which things he doth often times receive for his hire, which extend no further than his life: for he hath no further regard at all.1
D. That whiche the worker requireth: he desireth glory among men, and his particular cō moditie, which things he doth often times receiue for his hire, which extend no further than his life: for he hathe no further regard at all.1
T. By this account then thou wouldest conclude that it were better yet that a man should assist the word of god and his Church, and also the poor, and that he should do such like works, although that his heart were not throughly such as it ought to be, rather than to do nothing at all, or to the contrary, so that he do it not in any wise to the intent to dishonour God, and of a determinate purpose, or else rather to hurt his neighbour, than to profit him.
T. By this accoumpte then thou wouldest conclude that it were better yet that a man should assist the worde of god and his Church, and also the poore, and that he should do such like works, although that his harte were not throughly such as it ought to be, rather thā to do nothing at all, or to the contrary, so that he do it not in any wise to the intente to dishonor God, and of a determinate purpose, or else rather to hurte his neyghbor, than to profite him.
D. It is true, for we have in the holy Scriptures many examples, which declare that God hath often ⟨p. 460⟩times in this world done great good to many that have not had such hearts as they ought to have had, because that their works did serve somewhat to his glory, and to the relief of his people.
D. It is true, for we haue in the holy Scriptures many examples, whiche declare that God hath often ⟨p. 460⟩times in this worlde done greate good to many that haue not had suche hartes as they ought to haue had, bycause that their workes did serue somewhat to his glory, and to the reléefe of his people.
T. Seeing that the work which seemeth to be good, cannot please God, but so far forth as the hart from whence they do proceed doth please him, and that the heart doth make the work to be accepted or refused at his hand:1 I do first ask thee, if GOD can content him self without the work with the heart alone? The other is, if the work which of him self is evil, may please him, or else may be suffered by him, when he that doth it, doth it not for any evil purpose, but doth it of force against his heart, or else because ⟨p. 461⟩he thinketh it not to be evil? The third, to know in deed if GOD do condemn the wicked thought, although it be not put in execution, and whether it do as much displease him as if the effect were joined with it.
T. SEing that the worke which séemeth to be good, cannot please God, but so farre foorth as the hart from whence they do procéede doth please him, and that the harte doth make the worke to be accepted or refused at his hande:1 I do firste aske thée, if GOD can contente him selfe without the worke with the harte alone? The other is, if the worke which of him selfe is euill, may please him, or else may be suffered by him, when he that doth it, doth it not for any euill purpose, but doth it of force against his harte, or else bicause ⟨p. 461⟩he thinketh it not to be euill? The thirde, to know in déede if GOD do condemne the wicked thoughte, although it be not put in execution, and whether it doe as muche displease him as if the effect were ioyned with it.
D. As touching the first, it is sure that if God have the heart of man, he hath the whole, therefore it cannot be but that the heart doth offer and present unto him the work that he requireth of him, wherefore the work may not be separated from the heart, no more than the fruit from the tree:1 for even so as the good tree never faileth, to bring forth his fruit in his due time and season, so doth the good heart at all times and in all seasons that GOD requireth it, if he do it not, the cause is for that he wanteth mean to do it, and also power, or else that he hath not a will to do it, if he have a will, and have no power and means to do it, that will being good, God doth accept, and esteemeth it as well as if the fact were done. The like doth he also, if the will be wicked, ⟨p. 462⟩albeit that it have not the power to put his wicked thought in execution. Wherefore the wicked work doth not only displease God, but also the wicked will and affection, in sort that if it do proceed so far that it is not long of her that she doth not execute her evil purpose, and that there is nothing doth hinder it, but want of power, there is no doubt but that God accounteth the wickedness done. For that cause our Lord Jesus Christ, and Saint John following his doctrine,2 doth compare to a murderer him that hateth his brother, and esteemeth him an adulterer that beholdeth an other mans wife, coveting her. We must understand the like of all other vices, according to the interpretation that our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and after him his Apostles, gave us of the law of God: but if the hart had the mean & the power to do that which was commanded him to do, and hath not only left it undone, but hath also not employed him self by all means possible to use those occasions whereby he mought do them, it is a certain testimony and an ⟨p. 463⟩assured sign that it is not good, and that there is no good will in it: for if it were good, & that the will were such as it ought to be, it should not be more desirous of any thing, than to yield unto God that obedience, honour and service, which is due unto him, and that he requireth of him, wherefore God cannot be pleased with such an hart, for it is feigned and untrue.