A14463:2578
A14463:2578
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. Yea as well as of the faith. Wherefore we may well here say with Saint James: show me thy heart and thy faith, by thy works, for as the faith that is without works is not a ⟨p. 464⟩true faith, but only a vain and feigned faith, and dead, and a false show of faith, having nothing of true faith saving only the name without the effect: no more doth the heart live to God, nor is dedicated unto him, that doth not declare himself by good works. For the fire, how little soever it be, cannot be without light & without heat, and at the least without some little smoke, for this cause, in the manner of Gods judgement, which is set forth to us by our Lord Jesus Christ, there is in manner no mention made, but only of works by the which every man is judged forsomuch as they shall bear witness of the heart and faith of every man. Likewise when the Prophets exhort men to true repentance, they do ever praise works, and namely such as do concern our neighbour, forasmuch as hypocrisy may least be therein cloaked, and that man doth declare by that which he doth concerning the commandments of the second table, and toward his neighbour, what heart he beareth toward God, and in what reverence he hath the commandments ⟨p. 465⟩of the first table, for it is an easy matter for a man to boast himself to have a sound and perfect heart toward God, and to make a show by the observation of the outward ceremonies, but when he must in deed lay hand to the work, which is to say, to the true charity, which is the end and fulfilling of the law,1 and to the works of the same, which are the chief that god requireth:2 then is the hypocrisy of the hart seen. For that very cause S. John saith, that man which hath the goods of this world, & shall see his brother in need & shall shut up the bowels of his compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of god in him? And again, if any say, I love God, & yet doth hate his brother, the the same is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how may he love god whom he hath not seen? And we have this commandment of him that he which loveth god do love also his brother. S.
D. Yea as well as of the faithe. Wherefore we may well here saye with Saincte Iames: shewe me thy harte and thy faith, by thy workes, for as the faith that is without works is not a ⟨p. 464⟩true faith, but onely a vayne and fayned faith, and dead, and a false shewe of faith, hauing nothing of true faith sauing only the name without the effect: no more doth the harte liue to God, nor is dedicated vnto him, that doth not declare himselfe by good works. For the fire, how litle soeuer it be, cannot be without light & without heate, and at the least without some litle smoke, for this cause, in the manner of Gods iudgement, which is set foorth to vs by our Lord Iesus Christ, there is in manner no mention made, but onely of works by the which euery man is iudged forsomuch as they shall beare witnesse of the harte and faith of euery man. Likewise when the Prophets exhorte men to true repentaunce, they doe euer prayse works, and namely suche as do concerne our neyghboure, forsomuche as hipocrisie may least be therein cloked, and that mā doth declare by that whiche he doth concerning the commaundements of the second table, and toward his neyghboure, what harte he beareth toward God, and in what reuerence he hath the commandements
John doth declare plainly by these words, that a man may in no wise better know of what affection the hart of man is toward god, than by the which he showeth toward his neighbour & brother, which is the child of god & beareth his image ⟨p. 466⟩as he doth, and that there is not a mean more meet to discover the hypocrisy and dissimulation of mans heart, than it. For a man may by the good will that is borne to the father, judge what good will there is borne to the son. And therefore, the Prophets do often times use these arguments, to vanquish the wicked hypocrites: and also our Lord Jesus Christ, in that form of judgement, whereof we have already spoken, declareth that he esteemeth all that to be done to himself, that hath bin don to his, be it good, or be it evil. And by this manner of proceeding, he doth right well declare that whereof we have already spoken, for when he doth rebuke and reprove the hypocrites & the reprobates,1 that he hath bin forsaken and evil handled by them, they answer forthwith, and ask when that was done, as though they did not know of it: Wherein they do plainly declare that they would have the name to bear a great good will to Jesus Christ, and to do their duty toward him: but he doth vanquish them of the contrary, by the tokens which they have showed ⟨p. 467⟩toward his poor members, in whose person he complaineth to have been forsaken and evil handled: as he doth complain that he was persecuted by Saul,2 in the persecution which he used against the Christians.
Iohn doth declare plainly by these words, that a mā may in no wise better know of what affectiō the hart of mā is toward god, thā by ye which he sheweth toward his neybor & brother, which is ye child of god & bereth his image ⟨p. 466⟩as he doth, and that there is not a meane more méete to discouer the hypocrisie and dissimulation of mans harte, than it. For a man may by the good will that is borne to the father, iudge what good will there is borne to the sonne. And therefore, the Prophets do often times vse these arguments, to vanquish the wicked hipocrits: and also our Lorde Iesus Christe, in that forme of iudgemente, whereof we haue alredy spoken, declareth that he estéemeth all that to be done to himselfe, that hathe bin don to his, be it good, or be it euill. And by this maner of procéeding, he doth right well declare that whereof we haue alredy spoken, for when he doth rebuke and reproue the hypocrites & the reprobates,
T. I Think also that this be one of the principal causes why God doth set forth rather the work than any other thing in that law, to the end that we should not be deceived under the cloak of our heart.
T. I Thinke also that this be one of the principall causes why God doth set foorth rather the worke than any other thing in that lawe, to the ende that we should not be deceiued vnder the cloke of our heart.
D. The matter is plain. For as the heart can not be boasted of to be good, except the mouth confess it, and that he do declare by works the faith and charity whereof he will so glory, it can not be excused, but that it is wicked and by consequent displeaseth God, when he doth a wicked work that is forbidden ⟨p. 468⟩by God, for either he doth it through ignorance, or else of a certain knowledge: if he do it through ignorance, it is an assured sign that the heart of his own nature is wicked: For if it were not wicked, it could not bear such fruit by any means, nor also could it by by any means ignorant of the will of God, for the ignorance is a witness of the darkness which sin hath engendered in the understanding of man, and of the contempt of god, and what negligence there is in man in searching to know the will of God, as it hath been already more largely touched in an other place. If he have done it of knowledge, what can he allege? May he allege that he was enforced to do it, and that he did it by compulsion? But by what compulsion? If this reason were sufficient to excuse the sin of man, there should be no sin but should seem worthy of excuse: for so much as it seemeth that there is none but it is committed by constraint, considering that man is so corrupted by the means of sin, and so made subject to the devil through the same, that of his nature he can do nothing but sin. Wherefore saint Paul ⟨p. 469⟩doth say,1 that he can not do the good which he would do, but he doth the evil which he would not do, because he is a sinner, and slave to sin, and sold under the same, which doth engender in his members a law, repugnant to the law of god. For the like also sayeth our Lord Jesus Christ, he that sinneth,2 is servant to sin.
D. The matter is playne. For as the heart can not be boasted of to bée good, excepte the mouth confesse it, and that he do declare by works the faith and charitie whereof he will so glory, it can not be execused, but that it is wicked and by consequent displeaseth God, when he doth a wicked worke that is forbidden ⟨p. 468⟩
T. BY this account sin should then be no sin, for it should not then be voluntary. And it is commonly said, that every sin is voluntary, or otherwise it seemeth that it should deserve no punishment.
T. BY this accompte sinne shoulde then be no sinne, for it should not then be voluntarie. And it is commonly saide, that euery sinne is voluntary, or otherwyse it séemeth that it shoulde deserue no punishmente.
D. There are many things to be considered in this matter. The first is, that it behoveth to put difference between necessity and constraint. For by wanting this distinction, many do very filthily err in the matter of free will, and of predestination, and in the consideration of the nature of sin. For to speak properly, ⟨p. 470⟩we may say that we do all sin of necessity and not by constraint.
D. There are many thinges to be considered in this matter. The first is, that it behoueth to put difference betwéene necessitie and constraint. For by wanting this distinction, many doe very filthily erre in the matter of frée will, and of predestination, and in the consideration of the nature of sin. For to speke properly, ⟨p. 470⟩we may say that we do all sinne of necessitie and not by constraynt.
T. What difference puttest thou then between necessity and constraint? for they seem to me to be both one.
T. What difference puttest thou then betwene necessitie and constraynt? for they séeme to me to be both one.
D. Yea, but there is notwithstanding great difference, but it is requisite for the better understanding of it, that we do first well consider in what meaning and in what signification these words ought to be taken. First of all, this word of necessity, is commonly for want of some thing whereof we have need, in such sort that we do oftentimes take it for lack, poverty and misery, but we do not properly take it in that sense, when we do speak of the necessity whereby man is brought to sin by mean of the natural corruption that is in him: but so far forth as we may say that he sinneth by necessity, that is to say through default and lack of goodness, justice, innocency, holiness, and other virtues and gifts and graces of God, whereof he hath ben spoiled through sin, unto whom he was made subject.
D. Yea, but there is notwithstanding great difference, but it is requisite for the better vnderstanding of it, that we doe firste well consider in what meaning and in what signification these words ought to be taken. First of al, this worde of necessitie, is commonly for want of some thing whereof we haue néede, in such sort that we do oftentimes take it for lacke, pouertie and miserie, but we do not properly take it in that sense, when we do speake of the necessitie whereby man is brought to sinne by meane of the naturall corruption that is in him: but so farre foorth as we may say that he sinneth by necessity, that is to say through defaulte and lacke of goodnesse, iustice, innocencie, holinesse, and other vertues and giftes and graces of God, wherof he hath ben spoyled through sin, vnto whom he was made subiect.
T. In what signification dost thou then take this word in this matter?
T. In what signification doste thou then take this worde in this matter?
D. I do take ⟨p. 471⟩it for a necessary consequent which followeth of causes that are joined together with their effects, which can not be others, but such as are agreeable to the nature of the causes and things which are so joined together, and do depend the one of the other.
D. I do take ⟨p. 471⟩it for a necessarie consequent which followeth of causes that are ioyned togither with their effectes, which can not be others, but such as are agreable to the nature of the causes and things which are so ioyned togither, and do depend the one of the other.
T. Give me an example of this that thou speakest of.
T. Giue me an example of this that thou speakest of.