But now let us consider the first commandment, and the declaration of the same. I am the Lord thy God, thou shalt have none other gods but me. This commandment good children, teacheth us how we ought to use our hearts toward God. First that we ought to acknowledge with all our heart, that God made heaven and earth and all things contained therein, and to take him ⟨image 16⟩only to be the true God and to be our God. Secondarily this commandment teacheth us to fear him, as a living God, because he doeth punish the ungodly, and to cleave unto him with a sure faith, because he is true and faithful and doeth not deceive us in any thing, which he hath spoken or promised. Thirdly this commandment teacheth us to love him with all our heart, for of him we receive our life, our breath, our health, and all other gifts both bodily and ghostly. And we have not the least of his gifts by our deserts, but he poureth them all upon us freely, through his infinite goodness and endless mercy. Contrariwise we ought not to receive into our hearts as God any creature either in heaven or in earth, that is to say, we ought to ⟨p. x⟩fear no creature neither in heaven nor in earth so much as God, neither ought we to put such confidence & trust in any thing, neither should we so heartily love any creature as our Lord God omnipotent. For if we attribute to any creature so much fear, trust, love as appertaineth only to him that made all creatures, by and by we make that creature our God▪ and of it we frame to our selves an Idol. The which is a very heinous, an abominable & horrible sin, directly against the first table and the first and chefest commandment of God. Therefore such great offences the true and living Lord God will not leave unpunished, for he himself sayeth: I am the Lord, my title & my name is the Lord, I will not give my glory to another: meaning ⟨image 17⟩thereby that he will not suffer that any other thing should be esteemed as God besides himself, or that we should give godly honour in heart, affection word or deed to any creature, but only to him that was never created, and yet did create all things.
But nowe let vs consyder the first commaundement, and the declaracion of the same. I am the Lorde thy God, thou shalte haue none other goddes but me. This commaundemente good children, teacheth vs howe we ought to vse oure hartes towarde God. Firste that we ought to acknoulege with all our harte, that God made heauen and earthe and all thinges conteyned therin, and to take hym ⟨image 16⟩onely to be the true God and to be our God. Secondarely this commaundement teacheth vs to feare him, as a lyuyng God, because he doeth punyshe the vngodlye, and to cleaue vnto him with a sure faith, because he is true and faithfull and doeth not deceyue vs in any thing, whiche he hath spoken or promysed. Thyrdly this commaundement teacheth vs to loue him with all our heart, for of him we receiue oure lyfe, oure breath, oure health, and all other gyftes both bodyly and goostly. And we haue not the least of his giftes by our desertes, but he poureth them all vpon vs frely, through his infinite goodnes and endles mercy. Contrarywise we ought not to receaue into our hertes as God any creature eyther in heauen or in earth, that is to saye, we oughte to ⟨p. x⟩feare no creature neither in heauē nor in earth so much as God, neyther ought we to put such cōfidē ce & truste in any thynge, neyther should we so hartily loue any creature as our Lorde God omnipotent. For yf we attribute to anye creature so much feare, trust, loue as apperteyneth only to him that made all creatures, by and by we make that creature our God▪ and of it we frame to oure selues an Ydoll. The whiche is a very heynous, an abominable & horrible sinne, directly against the first table and the first and chefest commaundement of God. Therefore suche greate offences the trewe and lyuinge Lorde God will not leaue vnpunished, for he hymselfe sayeth: I am the Lorde, my title & my name is the Lorde, I wyl not gyue my glorye to another: meanyng ⟨image 17⟩therby that he wyll not suffer that any other thinge shoulde be estemed as God besydes hymselfe, or that we shoulde gyue godly honoure in heart, affection woorde or deede to anye creature, but onely to hym that was neuer created, and yet dyd create all thinges.
