Fifty Godly and Learned Sermons (The Decades)

The second use and an other office of the law is to teach them, that are ¹justified in faith by Christ, what to follow and what to eschew, and how the godly and faithful sort should worship God. For the law of God doth comprehend a most absolute doctrine both of faith in GOD, and also of all good works. For in the first use of the law I declared how the Moral and Ceremonial law doth teach us faith in God, and Christ his son, and how it bringeth man to the knowledge of himself, that he may understand how that in himself, that is, in the nature of man there is no good thing nor any life, but that all the gifts of life, of virtues and salvation are of God the father, the only wellspring of all goodness, through Christ his son our saviour. In this second argument of the end, the use, or office of the law of GOD, we must acknowledge all the forms of virtues, and the treasure of all goodness to be set forth unto us in the law of the Lord: and that the Apostle applieth the precepts of the law to exhortation and consolation. The first of the two tables of the Moral law doth teach us what we owe to God, and how he will be worshipped of us. The second table frameth the offices of life, and teacheth us how to behave our selves toward our neighbour. The Ceremonies also do belong to religion. And the Judicials teach the government of an house or a common weal, so that by them we may live honestly among our selves and holily to Godwards. Therefore the law doth teach all justice, temperance, fortitude, and wisdom, and in structeth a Godly man in every good work, wherein it is necessary that an holy worshipper of God should be instructed. Wherefore so often as the holy Prophets of God would set up again and restore the worship of God and true religion, that was decayed, so often as they would cry out upon and rebuke the faults and errors of men, and lastly when they would teach them to do those good works, which are good works in deed, they led them always unto the law, and cited all their testimonies out of the law.

The second vse and an other office of the lawe is to teache them, that are ¹iustified in faith by Christ, what to followe and what to eschue, and how the godly and faithful sort should worship God. For the lawe of God doth comprehend a most absolute doctrine both of faith in GOD, and also of all good woorks. For in the first vse of the lawe I declared how the Morall and Ceremoniall lawe doth teache vs faith in God, and Christ his sonne, and howe it bringeth man to the knowledge of himselfe, that he may vnderstand how that in himselfe, that is, in the nature of man there is no good thing nor any life, but that all the gifts of life, of vertues and saluation are of God the father, the onely wellspring of all goodnesse, through Christ his sonne our sauiour. In this second argument of the ende, the vse, or office of the lawe of GOD, we must acknowledge all the formes of vertues, and the treasure of all goodnesse to be set foorth vnto vs in the lawe of the Lord: and that the Apostle applieth the precepts of the law to exhortation and consolation. The first of the two tables of the Morall lawe doth teache vs what wee owe to God, and how hee will be worshipped of vs. The second table frameth the offices of life, and teacheth vs howe to behaue our selues toward our neighbour. The Ceremonies also doe beelonge to religion. And the Iudicialls teach the gouernement of an house or a common weale, so that by them wee may liue honestly amonge our selues and holilie to Godwards. Therefore the lawe doth teach all iustice, temperance, fortitude, and wisedome, and in structeth a Godly man in euery good woorke, wherin it is necessarie that an holy woorshipper of God should be instructed. Wherfore so often as the holy Prophets of God would set vpp againe and restore the worship of God and true religion, that was decayed, so often as they would crie out vppon and rebuke the faultes and errours of men, and lastly whē they would teach them to doe those good woorkes, which are good woorks in déed, they led them alwayes vnto the lawe, and cited all their testimonies out of the lawe.