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…

An example to the like purpose, upon the commandment given of the obedience due to Princes, and upon the commandment given against murder.

An example to the like purpose, vpon the commaundement giuen of the obedience due to Princes, and vpon the commaundement giuen against murder.

T. WE also may in mine opinion, say the like of Princes & Lords.

T. WE also may in mine opiniō, say the like of Princes & Lords.

D. S. Peter & S. John do teach us by their example what we ought to think therein: For did they transgress the commandment which commandeth to yield obedience unto Princes & Magistrates,¹ when they did contemn the forbidding of the council of Jerusalem, which was contrary to the commandment of God: and did answer them, that it was better to obey God than man?

D. S. Peter & S. Iohn doe teach vs by their example what we ought to thinke therein: For did they transgresse the commaūdement which cōmaundeth to yelde obedience vnto Princes & Magistrates,¹ when they did contemne the forbidding of the counsell of Ierusalem, which was contrary to the commaundement of God: and did answere them, that it was better to obey God than man?

1. 1Acts. 3.4.5.Actes. 3.4.5.

T. No, but did much better fulfil it than if they had otherwise done, and did truly declare it.

T. No, but did much better fulfill it than if they had otherwise done, and did truly declare it.

D. ¹Phinehas in like sort was greatly con mended by God, for the whore & the whore master which he did slay, and was not rebuked as a murderer, for so much as he did it not of hatred, nor of any bloody affection, but only for the duty and obedience which he ought to God, who had been greatly dishonoured, if that such a ⟨p. 519⟩villainy had not been punished & revenged by him with such a zeal. Thou mayest then know by all these examples, how that the work which may seem unto men to have some show of wickedness, and to be contrary to the commandments of God, is not at all wicked in the sight of God, nor in the judgment of those which take the law of God in his true meaning, & do know how to rule the second Table by the first, but is pleasant & agreeable to his will.

D. ¹Phinees in like sorte was greatly cō mēded by God, for the whore & the whore master which he did slea, and was not rebuked as a murderer, for so much as he did it not of hatred, nor of any blouddie affection, but onely for the dutie and obedience whiche he ought to God, who had bene greatly dishonored, if that suche a ⟨p. 519⟩villany had not bene punished & reuenged by him with such a zeale. Thou maist thē know by al these examples, how that the worke whiche may seeme vnto men to haue some shew of wickednesse, and to be contrary to the cōmaundements of God, is not at all wicked in ye sight of God, nor in the iudgmēt of those which take ye law of God in his true meaning, & doe know how to rule the secōd Table by the first, but is pleasant & agreable to his will.

1. 1Numbr. 25.

Of the hidden sins that are in the conscience and wicked vvil of man and how that concupiscence is a sin worthy of damnation in the sight of God, and how greatly it doth displease him, and for what cause.

Of the hidden sinnes that are in the conscience and vvicked vvil of man and hovv that concupiscence is a sinne vvorthy of damnation in the sight of God, and hovv greatly it doth displease him, and for vvhat cause.

T. IT seemeth to me that this matter of works hath been sufficiently, fully, and familiarly entreated of: wherefore let us proceed to the rest.

T. IT séemeth to me that this matter of workes hath bene sufficiently, fully, and familiarly entreated of: wherefore let vs procéede to the rest.

D. If that which hath been said of works be well understood, the rest shall be easy enough unto us: for we may by the very same mean, judge of the will, & of the affections, ⟨p. 520⟩according to which God doth judge of the work. If then thou be stirred up to evil, by any wicked affection, & thy will doth consent and agree thereunto, in such sort that there wanteth nothing but the only mean to execute it: Behold the wickedness is already accomplished before God, thou knowest by that which hath been already spoken, how God will judge. If on the contrary; there be any resistance in thee, & that thy spirit & thy will in no case will agree to that concupiscence which continually doth procure thee, but do resist and repulse it as far from them as they may, it is certain that the iniquity is not so great: albeit that such a concupiscence, what resistance soever there be, can not be without sin, by reason of the corrupted and wicked spring from whence it proceedeth. For that is a sure testimony, that there is much poison and corruption there, where such fruit doth bud forth: although that it find hinderances which will not permit and suffer their buds and fruits to come to their ripeness. Now such a corruption can not be but very displeasant to God, considering ⟨p. 521⟩that it doth proceed from his adversary, and that it is contrary to his holy majesty: as we see it proved and evident in little children: yea even in those which are not only not in age to put any evil act in execution, but also have not discretion to judge neither of good nor evil,¹ we see how death hath power over them, and taketh them out of the world: which he could not do except that there were sin in them. For seeing that sin did beget death, and that it is a fruit of his curse, it is a thing certain, that there where sin doth not reign, death also can have no power, as S. Paul doth very well conclude.

D. If that which hath bene sayd of workes be well vnderstoode, the reste shalbe easie inough vnto vs: for wee may by the very same meane, iudge of the wil, & of the affectiōs, ⟨p. 520⟩according to which God doth iudge of the worke. If then thou be stirred vp to euill, by any wicked affection, & thy will doth consent and agrée therevnto, in such sorte that there wanteth nothing but the onely meane to execute it: Behold the wickednesse is already accōplished before God, thou knowest by that which hath bene already spoken, how God will iudge. If on the contrary; there be any resistance in thee, & that thy spirite & thy wil in no case will agrée to that cōcupiscence which cō tinually doth procure thee, but dee resist and repulse it as farre from them as they may, it is certaine that the iniquitie is not so great: albeit that such a concupiscēce, what resistance soeuer there be, can not be without sinne, by reason of the corrupted and wicked spring frō whence it procéedeth. For that is a sure testimonie, that there is much poison and corruption there, where such fruite doth budde forth: although that it finde hinderances which will not permitte and suffer their buddes and fruites to come to their ripenesse. Now such a corruption can not be but very displeasant to God, considering

How that by reason of that concupiscence we are justly worthy of death and damnation, even from our mothers womb.

Hovv that by reason of that concupiscence vvee are iustly vvorthy of death and damnation, euen from our mothers vvombe.

T. What sin is that then in little children, that doth so displease God, that it doth not make them only subject to bodily death, but also to eternal death, and maketh them the children of ⟨p. 522⟩wrath and of the curse, even before they have the use of reason: to know & discern either good or evil.

T. WHat sinne is that then in little children, that doth so displease God, that it doth not make thē only subiect to bodily death, but also to eternall death, and maketh them the children of ⟨p. 522⟩wrath and of the curse, euen before they haue the vse of reason: to know & discerne either good or euill.

D. It is that natural corruption whereof David speaketh, saying:¹ I was conceived in sin, & my mother did bear me in sin: now if we would have the meaning of the words of David expressed according to the signification that they have in the Hebrew, we must then say: And my mother hath warmed me in sin, or with sin, whereby he giveth to understand that he hath been begotten, conceived, and nourished, in his mothers womb, with the sin, even as if he & sin were brothers, twins, begotten, conceived & nourished together in the womb of one very mother: it is then easy to understand how natural sin is now to man, being in this corrupted nature, whereunto he is fallen by mean of his transgression: for that which David speaketh of himself, doth appertain to the whole race of man. Wherefore that conception whereof he speaketh in this passage, is common to us all. Then even so as a little Serpent doth offend us, not only as soon as he is brought or hatched, ⟨p. 523⟩but being in his egg, or in the belly of his dame: even so do we in deed displease God from our very mothers womb. And what is the cause that this little serpent doth so much offend us? by means of the venomous nature that is in him. For all be it that he have not yet showed it, yet notwithstanding it is still abiding in him, and doth not let to show it, but only because it wanteth the mean: but it shall be sufficiently showed in his time.

D. It is that naturall corruptiō whereof Dauid speaketh, saying:¹ I was conceyued in sinne, & my mother did beare me in sinne: nowe if wée would haue the meaning of the words of Dauid expressed according to the signification that they haue in the Hebrew, we must thē say: And my mother hath warmed me in sinne, or with sinne, whereby he giueth to vnderstād that he hath bene begotten, conceiued, and nourished, in his mothers wombe, with the sinne, euen as if he & sinne were brothers, twinnes, begotten, conceyued & nourished togither in the wombe of one very mother: it is then easie to vnderstand how natural sinne is now to man, being in this corrupted nature, wherevnto he is fallen by meane of his transgression: for that whiche Dauid speaketh of himselfe, doth appertaine to the whole race of man. Wherefore that conception whereof he speaketh in this passage, is common to vs all. Then euen so as a litle Serpent doth offend vs, not only as sone as he is brought or hatched,

T. Is it the like of man?

D. There is no doubt of it, for experience doth so plainly declare it: for sith the time that our first father was poisoned with the venom of the old serpent, he could beget no children but such like as he him self was, and little serpents of the same nature that he was, and infected with the same venom, the which albeit that it doth abide hidden for a certain time in us, doth not let for all that to show it self forthwith at the first occasion that it may find. This is the first spring, the first foundation, and the first cause, as much as doth pertain to man, of all the sins that he may commit. Now if that wicked spring, ⟨p. 524⟩how secret or covert soever it be, doth so much displease God, that it hath already deserved eternal damnation, before that it hath so much as once budded forth: how much more shall it displease him with his buds, his branches, and the whole tree and his fruit?

D. There is no doubt of it, for experience doth so plainly declare it: for sith the time that our first father was poysoned with the venime of the olde serpent, he coulde beget no children but suche like as he him selfe was, and little serpēts of the same nature that he was, and infected with the same venime, the which albeit that it doth abyde hidden for a certen time in vs, doth not let for all that to shewe it selfe foorthwith at the first occasion that it may finde. This is the first spring, the first foundation, and the first cause, as muche as doth pertayne to man, of all the sinnes that he may cōmit. Nowe if that wicked spring, ⟨p. 524⟩how secret or couert soeuer it be, dothe so muche displease God, that it hath already deserued eternall damnation, before that it hath so muche as once budded foorthe: howe muche more shall it displease him with his buddes, his braunches, and the whole trée and his fruit?