I. Of the Law and Obedience

Master. Forasmuch as our obedience whereof we have first to speak, is to be tried by the rule of the law of God, it is necessary that we first search out the whole substance and nature of the law, which being found and known, it cannot be unknown, what and of what sort our obedience ought to be. Therefore, begin to tell what thou thinkest of the law.

Scholar. I think that the law of God is the full and in all points perfect rule of the righteousness that is required of man, which commandeth those things that are to be done, and forbiddeth the contraries. In this law God hath restrained all things to his own will and judgment, so as no godliness toward him, nor dutifulness toward men can be allowed of him, but that only which doth in all things agree with the straitness of this rule. Vainly, therefore, do mortal men invent to themselves forms of godliness and duty after their own fancy; for God hath set forth to us his law, written in two tables, as a most sure rule both of our worshipping of God, and of our duties to men, and therewith also hath declared that there is nothing on earth more pleasant and acceptable to him than our obedience.

Master. Whereof treateth the first table?

Scholar. It treateth of our godliness toward God, and containeth the first four commandments of the law.

Master. Whereof treateth the second?

Scholar. Of the duties of mutual charity or love among men, which containeth six commandments. And so, in a sum, ten commandments make up the whole law, for which cause the law is called the Ten Commandments.

Master. Rehearse me the first commandment of the first table.

Scholar. God spake thus: "Hear, O Israel: I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have none other gods before me."

Master. Why doth God first speak somewhat of himself and of his benefit?

Scholar. He had principally care that the estimation of the laws ordained by him should not be shortly abated by contempt: and therefore that they might have the greater authority, he useth this, as it were, an entry, "I am the Lord thy God." In which words he teacheth that he is our Maker, Lord, and Saviour, and the Author of all good. And so, with good right by his dignity of a law-maker, he challengeth to himself the authority of commanding, and by his goodness he procureth favour to his law, and by them both together, burdeneth us with necessity to obey it, unless we will be both rebels against him that is most mighty, and unthankful toward him that is most bountiful.

Master. But whereas he speaketh of Israel by name, and maketh expressly mention of breaking the yoke of the bondage of Egypt, doth not this belong only to the people of Israel?

Scholar. God, indeed, rescued the Israelites by his servant Moses from bodily bondage; but he hath delivered all them that be his, by his Son Jesus Christ, from the spiritual thraldom of sin, and the tyranny of the devil, wherein else they had lain pressed and oppressed. This kind of deliverance pertaineth indifferently to all men which put their trust in God their deliverer, and do to their power obey his laws; which if they do not, he doth by this rehearsal of his most great benefit pronounce that they shall be guilty of most great unthankfulness. For let every man imagine the devil, that hellish Pharaoh, ready to oppress him, and how sin is that most foul mire wherein he most filthily walloweth; let him set before the eyes of his mind, hell, the most wretched Egyptian bondage, and then shall he easily perceive that this freedom, whereof I speak, is the thing that he ought principally to desire, as the thing of most great importance to him, whereof yet he shall be most unworthy, unless he honour the Author of his deliverance with all service and obedience.

Master. Say on.

Scholar. After that he hath thus stablished the authority of his law, now followeth the commandment, "Thou shalt have none other gods before me."

Master. Tell me what this meaneth.

Scholar. This commandment condemneth and forbiddeth idolatry, which God throughly hateth.

Master. What is idolatry, or to have strange gods?

Scholar. It is in the place of the one only true God, which hath openly and manifestly shewed and disclosed himself unto us in the holy scriptures, to set other persons or things, and of them to frame and make to ourselves as it were certain gods, to worship them as gods, and to set and repose our trust in them. For God commandeth us to acknowledge him alone for our only God, that is, that of those things that wholly belong to his majesty, and which we owe to him alone, we transfer not any part, be it never so little, to any other, but that to him alone and entirely we give his whole honour and service, whereof to yield any whit to any other, were a most heinous offence.

Master. What be the things that we properly owe to God alone, wherein thou sayest that his proper and peculiar worshipping consisteth?

Scholar. Innumerable are the things that we owe to God; but they all may be well reduced to four chief points.

Master. Which be they?

Scholar. That we give unto his majesty the sovereign honour, and to his goodness the greatest love and affiance; that we flee to him, and crave his help; that with thankfulness we yield, as due to him, ourselves and all that we have. These things are to be given, as to none other, so to him alone, if we desire to have him alone our God, and to be his peculiar people.

Master. What mean those last words, "before me," or "in my sight"?

Scholar. That we cannot once so much as tend to revolting from God, but that God is witness of it; for there is nothing so close nor so secret that can be hid from him. Moreover, he thereby declareth that he requireth not only the honour of open confession, but also inward and sincere godliness of heart, for that he is the understander and judge of secret thoughts.

Master. Well then, let this be enough said of the first commandment. Now let us go on to the second.

Scholar. "Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven image, nor the likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, nor in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down to them, nor worship them; for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, and visit the sins of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, and shew mercy unto thousands in them that love me, and keep my commandments."

Master. What is the meaning of these words?

Scholar. As in the first commandment he commandeth that himself alone be honoured and worshipped, so in this commandment he restraineth us from all superstition, and from all wrongful and bodily inventions, forasmuch as the worshipping of him ought to be spiritual and pure; and chiefly he frayeth us from the most gross fault of outward idolatry.

Master. It may seem then that this law wholly condemneth the arts of painting and portraiture, so that it is not lawful to have any images made at all.

Scholar. Not so. But he first forbiddeth us to make any images, to express or counterfeit God or to worship him withal; and secondly he chargeth us not to worship the images themselves.

Master. Why is it not lawful to express God with a bodily and visible form?

Scholar. Because there can be no likeness or agreeing between God, which is a Spirit eternal, unmeasurable, infinite, incomprehensible, severed from all mortal composition—and a frail, bodily, silly, spiritless, and vain shape. Therefore they do most injuriously abate the majesty of the most good and most great God, when they go about in such sort to make resemblance of him.

Master. Have not they then said well, which affirm that images are unlearned men's books?

Scholar. I know not what manner of books they be; but surely, concerning God, they can teach us nothing but errors.

Master. What manner of worshipping is that which is here condemned?

Scholar. When we, intending to pray, do turn ourselves to portraitures or images; when we do fall down and kneel before them with uncovering our heads, or with other signs shewing any honour unto them, as if God were represented unto us by them; briefly, we are in this law forbidden, that we neither seek nor worship God in images, or, which is all one, that we worship not the images themselves in honour of God, nor in any wise by idolatry or superstition abuse them with injury to his majesty. Otherwise the lawful use of making portraitures and of painting is not forbidden.

Master. By this that thou tellest me, it may easily be gathered, that it is very perilous to set any images or pictures in churches, which are properly appointed for the only worshipping of God.

Scholar. That that is true we have had already too much experience, by the decay in a manner of whole religion.

Master. Yet there remaineth a certain, as it were, addition or appendant of this law.

Scholar. "For I," saith he, "I the Lord your God am a jealous God, and visit the sins of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me."

Master. To what end, or wherefore, were these things spoken?

Scholar. These serve to this end, to stablish and confirm this law, by adding as it were a certain special decree. For in naming himself our Lord and our God, he doth by two reasons, that is, in respect of his authority and of his bountifulness, urge us to obey him in all things. And by this word "jealousy," he declareth that he can abide no partner or equal.

Master. What is the reason of this jealousy that thou speakest of?

Scholar. A most just reason. For since that to us, which have nothing deserved, only of his own infinite goodness, he hath given himself; by most good right it is that he will have us, to be wholly, altogether, and entirely his own. For this is that bond, as it were, of a holy marriage, wherein to God, the faithful husband, our souls, as chaste spouses, are coupled; whose chastity standeth in this, to be dedicated to God alone, and to cleave wholly to him, like as on the other side our souls are said to be defiled with adultery, when they swerve from God to idolatry or superstition. And how much more heartily the husband loveth his wife, and the chaster he is himself, so much is he more grievously displeased with his wife when she breaketh her faith.

Master. Go on.

Scholar. Now to the intent to shew more vehemently how he hateth idolatry, and with greater fear to restrain us from offending therein, he threateneth that he will take vengeance not only of them that shall so offend, but also of their children and posterity.

Master. But how doth this agree with the righteousness of God, that any one should be punished for another's offence?

Scholar. The very state of mankind doth sufficiently assoil this question. For by nature we are all subject to damnation, in which state, if God do leave us, we have no cause to complain of him. And as toward the godly he sheweth his love and mercy, in defending and cherishing their posterity with giving them their preservation which he owed them not; so toward the ungodly he executeth his vengeance in withholding that his goodness from their children, and yet in the meantime, he doeth them no wrong, in that he giveth them not the grace which he oweth them not, but as he found them, so leaveth them to their own disposition and nature.

Master. Go forward to the rest.

Scholar. That he should not seem to enforce us with only threatenings, now followeth the other part, wherein God, with gentle and liberal promising, entreatateth and allureth us to obey him. For he promiseth that he will shew most great mercifulness both toward all themselves that love him and obey his commandments, and also toward their posterity.

Master. By what reason dost thou think this to be righteous?

Scholar. Some reason it is because of the godly education wherein godly parents do so instruct their children, that they commonly use to succeed them as their heirs in the true fear and love of God; also nature itself draweth us to a good will toward our friend's children. But the surest reason is, that God so promiseth, which neither can swerve from righteousness, nor at any time break his promise.

Master. But it appeareth that this is not continually certain, and ever falleth so. For sometime godly parents beget ungodly children, and such as go out of kind from their parents' goodness whom God, notwithstanding this promise, hath grievously punished.

Scholar. This indeed cannot be denied. For as God, when he will, sheweth himself merciful to the children of the wicked, so is he by no such necessity bounden to the children of the godly, but that he is at liberty to reject such of them as he will. But therein he always useth such moderation, that the truth of his promise ever remaineth stedfast.

Master. Where afore we speaking of revenging, he nameth but three or four generations at the most; why doth he here, in speaking of mercy, contain a thousand?

Scholar. To shew that he is much more inclined to mercifulness and to liberality, than he is to severity; like as also in another place he professeth that he is very slow to wrath, and most ready to forgive.

Master. By all this that thou hast said, I see thou understandest that God made special provision that the worshipping of him, which ought to be spiritual and most pure, should not be defiled with any gross idolatry or superstition.

Scholar. Yea, he most earnestly provideth for it. For he hath, not only plainly and largely reckoning by all forms of images, decreed it in a manner in the first part of his law, as a thing that principally concerneth his majesty, but also hath confirmed this law with terrible threatenings to the offender, and on the other side offering most great rewards to the observer of it. So that it may well seem more than wonderful that this commandment either was not understood, as being obscure, or not espied, as lying hid in the multitude; or not regarded, as light or of small charge: yea, that it hath lien as it were wholly neglected of all men, as if it had been no commandment, with no threatenings, no promises, adjoined unto it.

Master. It is true as thou sayest. But now rehearse me the third commandment.

Scholar. "Thou shalt not take the name of thy Lord God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain."

Master. Tell me what is it to take the name of God in vain.

Scholar. To abuse it either with forswearing, or with swearing rashly, unadvisedly, and without necessity, or with once naming it without a weighty cause. For since the majesty of God's name is most holy, we ought by all means to beware that we seem not either to despise it ourselves, or to give other any occasion to despise it; yea and so to see that we never once utter the name of God without most great reverence, that it may ever appear honourable and glorious both to ourselves, and to all other. For it is not lawful once to think, much less to speak, of God and of his works, otherwise than to his honour. Briefly, whosoever useth the name of God otherwise than for most weighty causes, and for most holy matters, abuseth it.

Master. What thinkest thou then of them that blaspheme God, and of sorcerers, and such other kinds of ungodly men?

Scholar. If they do great injury to God, which use his name only of a certain lewd custom, and intemperate readiness of speech, much more do they make themselves guilty of a most heinous and outrageous offence, which abuse the name of God in bannings, in cursings, in enchantments, in forespeakings, or in any other manner of superstition.

Master. Is there any lawful using of the name of God in swearing?

Scholar. Yea, forsooth. When an oath is taken for a just cause, either to affirm a truth, specially if the magistrate require or command it, or for any other matter of great importance, wherein we are either to maintain unviolate the honour of God, or to preserve mutual agreement and charity among men.

Master. May we therefore lawfully, whensoever we say truth, use an oath with it?

Scholar. I have already said, that this is not lawful; for so the estimation and reverence of the name of God should be abated, and should become of no price, and contemned as common. But when in a weighty matter the truth should otherwise not be believed, we may lawfully confirm it with an oath.

Master. What followeth next?

Scholar. "For the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain."

Master. Since God doth in other places pronounce that he will punish generally all the breakers of his law, why doth he here particularly threaten them that abuse his name?

Scholar. His meaning was to shew how highly he esteemeth the glory of his name, to the end that seeing punishment ready for us, we should so much the more heedfully beware of profanely abusing it.

Master. Dost thou think it lawful to swear by the names of saints, or by the names of other men or creatures?

Scholar. No. For since a lawful oath is nothing else but the swearer's religious affirming that he calleth and useth God, the knower and judge of all things, for witness that he sweareth a true oath, and that he calleth upon and wisheth the same God to be the punisher and avenger of his lying and offence if he swear falsely; it were a most heinous sin to part or communicate among other persons or creatures this honour of God's wisdom and majesty, which is his own proper and peculiar honour.

Master. Now remaineth the fourth commandment, which is the last commandment of the first table.

Scholar. "Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath-day. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all that thou hast to do. But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. In it thou shalt do no manner of work: thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, thy man-servant, and thy maid-servant; thy cattle, and the stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day. Wherefore the Lord blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it."

Master. What meaneth this word "Sabbath"?

Scholar. Sabbath, by interpretation, signifieth rest. That day, for that it is appointed only for the worshipping God, the godly must lay aside all worldly business, that they may the more diligently attend to religion and godliness.

Master. Why hath God set herein before us an example of himself for us to follow?

Scholar. Because notable and noble examples do more throughly stir up and sharpen men's minds. For servants do willingly follow their master, and children their parent. And nothing is more to be desired of men than to frame themselves to the example and imitation of God.

Master. Sayest thou then that we must every seventh day abstain from all labour?

Scholar. This commandment hath a double consideration. For insomuch as it containeth a ceremony, and requireth only outward rest, it belonged peculiarly to the Jews, and hath not the force of a continuing and eternal law. But now, by the coming of Christ, as the other shadows of Jewish ceremonies are abrogated, so is this law also in this behalf abridged.

Master. What then, beside the ceremony, is there remaining, whereunto we are still perpetually bound?

Scholar. This law was ordained for these causes; first to stablish and maintain an ecclesiastical discipline, and a certain order of the Christian commonweal; secondly, to provide for the state of servants, that it be made tolerable; thirdly, to express a certain form and figure of the spiritual rest.

Master. What is that ecclesiastical discipline that thou speakest of?

Scholar. That the people assemble together to hear the doctrine of Christ, to yield confession of their faith, to make openly public prayers to God, to celebrate and retain the memory of God's works and benefits, and to use the mysteries that he hath left us.

Master. Shall it be enough to have done these every seventh day?

Scholar. These things indeed every man privately ought to record and think upon every day; but for our negligence and weakness' sake, one certain special day is, by public order, appointed for this matter.

Master. Why was there in this commandment provision made for relieving of servants?

Scholar. It was reason that they which be under other men's power should have some time to rest from labour. For else their state should be too grievous and too hard to bear. And surely meet it was that servants should, together with us, sometimes serve him that is the common master of them and us; yea, and father too, since he hath, by Christ, adopted them to himself as well as us. It is also profitable for the masters themselves that servants should sometimes rest between their workings, that, after respiting their work awhile, they may return more fresh and lusty to it again.

Master. Now remaineth for thee to tell of the spiritual rest.

Scholar. That is, when, resting from worldly business and from our own works and studies, and as it were having a certain holy vacation, we yield ourselves wholly to God's governance, that he may do his works in us; and when (as the scripture termeth it) we crucify our flesh, we bridle the froward desires and motions of our heart, restraining our own nature, that we may obey the will of God. For so shall we most aptly reduce and bring the figure and image of eternal rest to the very thing and truth itself.

Master. May we then cast away this care on the other days?

Scholar. No; for when we have once begun, we must go forward to the end, throughout the whole race of our life. And the number of seven, forasmuch as in the scripture it signifieth perfection, putteth us in remembrance that we ought with all our force and endeavour, continually to labour and travail toward perfection: and yet therewithal is it shewed us, that so long as we live in this world, we are far from the perfection and full attaining of this spiritual rest, and that here is given us but a certain taste of that rest which we shall enjoy, perfectly, fully, and most blessedly in the kingdom of God.

Master. Hitherto thou hast well rehearsed me the laws of the first table, wherein the true worshipping of God, which is the fountain of all good things, is briefly comprehended. Now, therefore, I would have thee tell me what be the duties of our charity and love towards men, which duties do spring and are drawn out of the same fountain, and which are contained in the second table.

Scholar. The second table beginneth thus: "Honour thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee."

Master. What is meant in this place by this word "honour"?

Scholar. The honour of parents containeth love, fear, and reverence, and consisteth as in the proper work and duty of it, in obeying them, in saving, helping, and defending them, and also finding and relieving them if ever they be in need.

Master. Doth the law extend only to parents by nature?

Scholar. Although the very words seem to express no more; yet we must understand that all those to whom any authority is given, as magistrates, ministers of the church, schoolmasters; finally, all they that have any ornament, either of reverent age, or of wit, wisdom, or learning, worship, or wealthy state, or otherwise be our superiors, are contained under the name of fathers; because the authority both of them and of fathers come out of one fountain.

Master. Out of what fountain?

Scholar. The holy decree of the laws of God, by which they are become worshipful and honourable, as well as natural parents. For from thence they all, whether they be parents, princes, magistrates, or other superiors, whatsoever they be, have all their power and authority; because by these it has pleased God to rule and govern the world.

Master. What is meant by this, that he calleth magistrates, and other superiors, by the name of parents?

Scholar. To teach us that they are given us of God, both for our own and public benefit, and also by example of that authority, which of all other is naturally least grudged at, to train and inure the mind of man, which of itself is puffed with pride, and loth to be under other's commandment, to the duty and obedience towards magistrates. For by the name of parents, we are charged not only to yield and obey to magistrates, but also to honour and love them. And likewise, on the other part, superiors are taught so to govern their inferiors, as a just parent useth to rule over good children.

Master. What meaneth that promise which is added to the commandment?

Scholar. That they shall enjoy long life, and shall long continue in sure and stedfast possession of wealth, that give just and due honour to their parents and magistrates.

Master. But this promise seemeth to belong peculiarly to such Jews as be kind to their parents.

Scholar. It is no doubt, that which is by name spoken of the land of Canaan, pertaineth only to the Jews. But forasmuch as God is Lord of the whole world, what place soever he giveth us to dwell in, the same he promiseth and assureth us in this law that we shall keep still in our possession.

Master. But why doth God reckon for a benefit long-continued age in such a miserable and wicked life?

Scholar. Because when he relieveth the miseries and calamities of them that be his, or preserveth them in so many perils that beset them round about, and calleth them back from vices and sins, he sheweth to them a fatherly mind and good-will, as to his children.

Master. Doth it follow, on the contrary side, that God hateth them whose life is taken away quickly, or before their ordinary race of years is expired, or that be distressed with miseries and adversities of this world?

Scholar. Nothing less; but rather the dearlier that any man is beloved of God, he is commonly the more burdened with adversities, or is wont the sooner to remove out of this life, as he were delivered and let by God out of prison.

Master. Doth not this in the mean time seem to abate the truth and credit of God's promise?

Scholar. No. For when God doth promise us worldly good things, he always addeth this exception, either expressly uttered or secretly implied; that is, that the same be not unprofitable or hurtful to our souls. For it were against order and reason, if chief regard should not be had of the soul, that we may so either attain or lack worldly commodities as we may with blessedness enjoy eternal life for ever.

Master. What shall we then say of them that be disobedient to parents or magistrates, or do misuse them, yea, or kill them?

Scholar. Commonly all such do either continue a most vile and miserable life, or lose it shamefully, being taken out of it with untimely and cruel death, or infamous execution. And not only in this life, but also in the world to come, they shall for ever suffer the everlasting punishment of their ungodliness. For if we be forbidden by the commandment of God, as here next followeth, to hurt any men, be they never so much estranged from us, yea, even our adversaries and deadly enemies, much more to kill them; surely it is easy to perceive how much we ought to forbear and beware of all doing of any injury to our parents, of whom we receive our life, inheritance, liberty, and country. And since it is notably well said by the wise men in old time, that natural duty may be broken with a look, and that it is a most heinous wickedness once to offend his parents with word or speech; what punishment can be found sharp enough for him that shall offer death to his parent, for whom himself ought to have been content to die by the law of God and man, if need so required?

Master. But it is much more heinous for a man to offend or kill the parent of his country than his own parent.

Scholar. Yea, surely. For if it be for every private man a heinous offence to offend his private parents, and parricide to kill them; what shall we say of them that have conspired and borne wicked armour against the commonweal, against their country, the most ancient, sacred, and common mother of us all, which ought to be dearer unto us than ourselves, and for whom no honest man will stick to die to do it good, and against the prince, the father of the country itself, and parent of the commonweal; yea, and to imagine the overthrow, death, and destruction of them whom it is high-treason once to forsake or shrink from? So outrageous a thing can in no wise be expressed with fit name.

Master. Now rehearse the sixth commandment.

Scholar. "Thou shalt not kill."

Master. Shall we sufficiently fulfil this law if we keep our hands clean from slaughter and blood?

Scholar. God made his law not only for outward works, but also and chiefly for the affections of the heart. For anger and hatred, and every desire to hurt, is, before God, adjudged manslaughter. Therefore these also God by this law forbiddeth us.

Master. Shall we then fully satisfy the law if we hate no man?

Scholar. God in condemning hatred requireth love towards all men, even our enemies, yea, so far as to wish health, safety, and all good things to them that wish us evil, and do bear us a hateful and cruel mind, and as much as in us lieth, to do them good.

Master. What is the seventh commandment?

Scholar. "Thou shalt not commit adultery."

Master. What dost thou think to be contained therein?

Scholar. By this commandment is forbidden all kind of filthy and wandering lust; and all uncleanness that riseth of such lust, as fondness in handling, unchasteness of speech, and all wantonness of countenance and gesture, all outward show of unchastity whatsoever it be. And not only filthiness of words and uncleanness of doings is forbidden by God, but also forasmuch as both our bodies and our souls are the temples of the Holy Ghost, that honesty may be kept undefiled in them both, shamefacedness and chastity is commanded, that neither our bodies be defiled with uncleanness of lust, nor our minds with unhonest thoughts or desires, but be always preserved chaste and pure.

Master. Go on to the rest.

Scholar. The eighth commandment is, "Thou shalt not steal." By which commandment are condemned not only those thefts which are punished by men's laws, but also all frauds and deceivings. But none doth offend more heinously against this law, than they that are wont by means of trust to beguile them toward whom they pretend friendship. For they that break faith labour to overthrow the common succour of all men. We are therefore commanded that we deceive no man; that we undermine no man; that we suffer not ourselves to be allured with advantage or gain of buying or selling, to do any wrong; that in trading of buying or selling we seek not wealth unjustly, nor make our profit by untrue and uneven measures and weights, nor increase our riches with sale of slight and deceitful ware.

Master. Thinkest thou there is any more to be said of this commandment?

Scholar. Yea, forsooth; for not only outward thefts and frauds are forbidden, and we are commanded to use bargaining without guile and deceits, and to do all things else without subtle undermining; but also we are charged to be altogether so minded, that though we were sure to escape unpunished and unespied, yet we would of ourselves forbear from wrong. For that which is wrong before man to do, is evil before God to have will to do. Therefore all counsels and devices, and especially the very desire to make our gain of other's loss, is forbidden by this law. Finally, we are by this law commanded to endeavour all the ways we may that every man may most speedily come to his own, and safely keep that which he possesseth.

Master. What is the ninth commandment?

Scholar. "Thou shalt bear no false witness against thy neighbour."

Master. What is the meaning of this commandment?

Scholar. That we break not our oath or faith. And in this law we are forbidden, not only open and manifest perjuries, but also wholly all lying, slanders, backbitings, and evil speakings, whereby our neighbour may take loss or harm, or lose his good name and estimation. For one example containeth a general doctrine. Yea, and we ought neither ourselves, at any time, to speak any false or untrue thing, nor with our words, writing, silence, presence, or secret assent in holding our peace, once allow the same in other. But we ought always to be lovers and followers of simple truth, ever to rest upon truth, to bring forth all things diligently into the light of truth, as place, time, or necessity shall require; finally, ever readily to take upon us the defence of truth, and by all means to maintain and uphold it.

Master. For satisfying of this law, is it not enough to bridle our tongue and pen?

Scholar. By the same reason that I have before said, when he forbiddeth evil speaking, he therewith also forbiddeth sinister suspicions and wrongful misdeemings. For this law-maker hath ever chief respect to the affections of the heart. This law, therefore, forbiddeth us to be inclined so much as to think evil of our neighbours, much less to defame them. Yea, it commandeth us to be of such gentle sincerity and indifference toward them, as to endeavour, so far as truth may suffer, to think well of them, and to our uttermost power to preserve their estimation untouched.

Master. What is the reason why the Lord in his law doth term the corrupt affections of the heart by the names of the most heinous offences? For he comprehendeth wrath and hatred under the name of manslaughter; all wantonness and unclean thoughts under the name of adultery, and unjust coveting under the name of theft.

Scholar. Lest we (as the nature of man is) should wink at the ungodly affections of the heart, as things of small weight, therefore the Lord setteth them out by their true names, according as he measureth them by the rule of his own righteousness. For our Saviour, the best interpreter of his Father's meaning, doth so expound the same: "Whoso," saith he, "is angry with his brother, he is a manslayer; whoso lusteth after a woman, he hath committed adultery."

Master. But whereas only vices and sins are forbidden in these commandments, why dost thou, in expounding them, say that the contrary virtues are also commanded therein? For thou sayest that, in forbidding of adultery, chastity is enjoined; and in forbidding manslaughter and theft, most entire good-will and liberality is commanded. And so of the rest.

Scholar. Because the same our Saviour doth so expound it, which setteth the sum of the law not in abstaining only from injury and evil doing, but in love and charity; like as the kingly prophet had also before taught, saying, "Depart from evil, and do good."

Master. Now remaineth the last commandment.

Scholar. "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his servant, nor his maid, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is his."

Master. Seeing that, as thou hast oft said already, the whole law is spiritual, and ordained not only to restrain outward evil doings, but also to bridle the inward affections of the heart; what is there herein commanded more than was before omitted?

Scholar. God hath before forbidden evil doings and corrupt affections of the mind; but now he requireth of us a most precise pureness, that we suffer not any desire, be it never so light, nor any thought, be it never so small, in any wise swerving from right, once to creep into our heart.

Master. How then? Dost thou say that unadvised and sudden desires, and short thoughts that come upon the very godly, are sins, although they strive against such, rather than yield to them?

Scholar. Surely it is plain that all corrupt thoughts, although our consent be not added to them, do proceed of our corrupted nature. And it is no doubt that sudden desires that tempt the hearts of men, although they prevail not so far as to win a stedfast assent of mind and allowance, are in this commandment condemned by God as sins. For it is meet that even in our very hearts and minds should shine before God their most perfect pureness and cleanness. For no innocency and righteousness but the most perfect can please him, whereof he hath also set before us this his law a most perfect rule.

Master. Hitherto thou hast shortly and plainly opened the law of the ten commandments: but cannot all these things that thou hast severally and particularly declared, be in few words gathered as it were into one sum?

Scholar. Why not? seeing that Christ, our heavenly schoolmaster, hath comprised the whole pith and substance of the law in a sum and short abridgment, in this manner, saying, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. And this is the greatest commandment in the law. And the second is like unto this,---Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. For in these two commandments are contained the whole law and the prophets."

Master. What manner of love of God dost thou take to be here required?

Scholar. Such as is meet for God; that is, that we acknowledge him, both for our most mighty Lord, and our most loving Father, and most merciful Saviour. Wherefore, to this love is to be adjoined both reverence to his majesty, and obedience to his will, and affiance in his goodness.

Master. What is meant by all the heart, all the soul, all the strength?

Scholar. Such fervency and such unfeignedness of love, that there be no room for any thoughts, for any desires, for any meanings or doings, that disagree with the love of God. Dear (as one saith) are our parents, dear are our children, our kinsfolks, our friends, and dearer yet is our country; but all the dear loves of them all, entire zeal toward God, and the most perfect love of him, not only containeth, but also much and far surmounteth, for whom what good man will stick to die? For every godly man loveth God not only more dearly than all his, but also more dearly than himself.

Master. Now what sayest thou of the love of our neighbour?

Scholar. Christ's will was, that there should be most strait bonds of love among his Christians. And as we be by nature most inclined to the love of ourselves, so can there not be devised a plainer nor shorter, nor more pithy, nor more indifferent rule of brotherly love than that which the Lord hath gathered out of our own nature and set before us; that is, that every man should bear to his neighbour the same good-will that he beareth to himself. Whereof it followeth that we should not do anything to our neighbour, nor say nor think anything of him which we would not have others to do to ourselves, or to say or think of ourselves. Within the compass of which only law, which is indeed as it were the soul of all other laws, if we could be holden, surely there were no need of so many bars of laws as men do daily devise, to hold men in from doing wrong one to another, and to maintain civil society, and all well near in vain, if among men this one law be not regarded.

Master. How far extendeth the name of neighbour?

Scholar. The name of neighbour containeth not only those that be of our kin and alliance, or friends, or such as be knit to us in any civil bond of love, but also those whom we know not, yea, and our enemies.

Master. Why, what have those to do with us?

Scholar. Surely they are knit to us with the same bond wherewith God hath coupled together all mankind; which bond his will is to have inviolable and stedfast, and therefore it cannot be taken away by any man's frowardness, hatred, or malice. For though any man hate us, yet that notwithstanding, he remaineth still our neighbour, and so must alway be accounted, because the same order by which this fellowship and conjoining among men is knit together ought alway to remain stedfast and inviolable. And hereby it may be easily perceived why the holy scripture hath appointed charity or love to be one of the principal parts of religion.

Master. But what meaneth that addition in the end, that therein are contained the whole law and the prophets?

Scholar. Because in very deed the sum of them all belongeth thereunto. For all the warnings, commandments, exhortations, promises, and threatenings, which the law itself and the prophets and apostles do everywhere use, are directed to nothing else, but to the end of this law, as it were to a mark. And all things in the holy scriptures are so applied to charity, that they seem as it were to lead us by the hand unto it.

Master. Now I would have thee to tell me what law that is, that thou speakest of—whether is it the same that we call the law of nature, or some other besides it?

Scholar. I remember, master, that I have long ago learned this of you, that is, that the law, as the highest reason, was by God grafted in the nature of man, while man's nature was yet sound and uncorrupted, being created after the image of God; and so this law is indeed, and is called, the law of nature. But since the nature of man became stained with sin, although the minds of wise men have been in some sort lightened with the brightness of this natural light, yet in the most part of men this light is so put out, that scarce any sparkles thereof are to be seen; and in many men's minds is deeply grafted a sharp hatred of God and men, against the ordinances of God and his commandments written in this law, which command most hearty love to God and men. And hereof cometh so great ungodliness toward God, and so deadly cruelty toward men.

Master. How cometh it to pass that God would have these commandments written in tables?

Scholar. I will tell you. The image of God in man is, since the fall of Adam, by original sin and by evil custom, so darkened, and natural judgment so corrupted, that man doth not sufficiently understand what difference is between honest and dishonest, right and wrong. Merciful God therefore, minding to renew the same image in us, hath by his law, written in tables, set forth the rule of perfect righteousness, and that so lively and fully, that God requireth no more of us but to follow the same rule. For he accepteth none other sacrifice but obedience, and therefore he hateth all, whatsoever it be, that we admit in religion, or in the case of worshipping God without the warrant of his prescribed ordinance.

Master. But where, in this law, there are no commandments set out of every man's private vocation, how can this be a perfect rule of life?

Scholar. Though here be no commandments expressly set out concerning the duties of every several man, yet forasmuch as the law commandeth to give to every man his own, it doth in a sum comprise all the parts and duties of every man privately in his degree and trade of life. And in these tables the Lord hath briefly and summarily comprehended all those things which in the scriptures are eachwhere most largely set out concerning the several commandments and duties of every several man.

Master. Seeing then the law doth shew a perfect manner of worshipping God aright, ought we not to live wholly according to the rule thereof?

Scholar. Yea, and so much that God promiseth life to them that live according to the rule of the law, and, on the other side, threateneth death to them that break his law, as is aforesaid. And for this cause, in my division, I have named obedience as one of the principal parts of religion.

Master. Dost thou then think them to be justified that do in all things obey the law of God?

Scholar. Yea, surely, if any were able to perform it, they should be justified by the law; but we are all of such weakness, that no man in all points fulfilleth his duty. For though we put case, that there be one found that performeth the law in some point, yet shall he not thereby be justified before God; for he pronounceth them all to be accursed and abominable that do not fulfil all things that are contained in the law.

Master. Dost thou then determine that no mortal man is justified before God by the law?

Scholar. No man. For the scriptures do also pronounce the same.

Master. Why then did God make such a law as requireth a perfection above our ability?

Scholar. In making the law, God respected not so much what we were able to perform, which by our own fault are very weak, as what was meet for his own righteousness. And forasmuch as none but the highest righteousness could please God, it behoved that the rule of life which he set out should be throughly perfect. Moreover, the law requireth nothing of us but that we are bound to perform. But since we are far from due obeying the law, men can have no sufficient or lawful excuse to defend themselves before God; and so the law accuseth all men for guilty, yea, and condemneth them before the judgment-seat of God: and that is the cause why Paul calleth the law the ministry of death and damnation.

Master. Doth then the law set all men in this most remediless estate?

Scholar. The unbelieving and the ungodly the law doth both set and leave in such case as I have spoken, who, as they are not able to fulfil the least jot of the law, so have they no affiance at all in God through Christ. But among the godly the law hath other uses.

Master. What uses?

Scholar. First, the law, in requiring so precise perfectness of life, doth shew to the godly as it were a mark for them to level at, and a goal to run unto, that, daily profiting, they may with earnest endeavour travel toward the highest uprightness. This purpose and desire the godly, by the guiding of God, do conceive. But principally they take heed, so much as they are able to do and attain to, that it may not be said that there is any notorious fault in them. Secondly, whereas the law requireth things far above man's power, and where they find themselves too weak for so great a burden, the law doth raise them up to crave strength at the Lord's hand. Moreover, when the law doth continually accuse them, it striketh their heart with a wholesome sorrow, and driveth them to the repentance that I spake of, and to beg and obtain pardon of God through Christ, and therewithal restraineth them, that they trust not upon their own innocency, nor presume to be proud in the sight of God, and is always to them as a bridle to withhold them in the fear of God. Finally, when beholding by the law, as it were in a glass, the spots and uncleanness of their souls, they learn thereby that they are not able to attain perfect righteousness by their works: by this mean they are trained to humility, and so the law prepareth them and sendeth them to seek righteousness in Christ.

Master. Then, as far as I perceive, thou sayest that the law is as it were a certain schoolmaster to Christ, to lead us the right way to Christ, by knowing of ourselves, and by repentance and faith.

Scholar. Yea, forsooth.