Questions 3–5

In THIS first part concerning the Miserie of man, there are three places handled.

1 Of sinne.
2 Of the creation of man, which maketh to the vnderstanding of the former place concerning sin.
3 Of free will.

¹We know our miserie, and that we haue sinned, out of the Lawe of God, which exacteth and requireth of vs the contrarie to that which is in vs. For we are prone to hate God and our neighbour, which is very sinne it selfe: but the Lawe requireth of vs the loue of God. Nowe the name of miserie stretcheth farther then the name of Sinne. By the name of miserie, we vnderstād, the euil of trespas or offence, that is, al sin: and the euil of punishment, which comprehendeth al the destructions of our reasonable nature, as griefes, torments, calamities. To be short, the euil of punishment comprehendeth al miseries and sinnes that follow after, wherewith sinnes that goe before are punished. So the numbring of the people, committed by Dauid, is both a punishment and a sinne. That our miserie is learned out of the Law, it appeareth sufficiently by this syllogisme or reason, whose² Maior or first proposition the Law it selfe mentioneth: Accursed be euerie one who abideth not in the perfect loue of God and his neighbour. Now this loue of God, Christ calleth the first & greatest commandement. Likewise our conscience addeth the³ Minor or second propositiō: I haue not abiddē in al: of these two propositiōs ariseth the conclusion, which is the approbation or alowing of the sentence of the Lawe: therefore I am accursed. So then out of the Law commeth our knowledge of sinne.

Neuertheles the Maior, or first proposition, is to be declared more at large. First it is said, whosoeuer abideth not in perfect loue, that is, as Christ expoundeth it, hee that loueth not God with al his hart, with al his soule, with al his cogitation, and with al his strength. With al his hart] by which are vnderstood al the affections, inclinations & appetits, or desires. For God wil haue himselfe alone to bee acknowledged the chiefest, and himselfe to be loued aboue al things: and, that men may relie on him, hee wil haue the whole hart to be yeelded vp to himselfe, not part to him, and part to another: and to this is opposed, not to walke before God with a perfect hart. Obiection. If we ought to loue God with al our hart, then ought we not to loue our Parentes. Aunswere. It is lawful for to loue other things also besides God, but nothing aboue God. We ought to loue our Parents, but not chieflie. For we ought to loue al other things for God. It followeth, with al thy soule] by which he comprehendeth that part which is willing to anie thing, or the motions of the will: then therefore hee meaneth, with thy whole will and purpose. Thirdly, with al thy cogitations] by which he vnderstādeth the vnderstanding and mind: so much as we know of God,⁴ so much also doe we loue him; therefore when we shal know him perfectlie, that which is in part shal be abolished. And therefore our loue of God which now is but in part, shall then bee perfect. Lastlie, with al thy strength] in which al inward actions agreeable to the Lawe of God are contained. Secondlie, it is said, In the Loue of God:⁵ as vnto whom, being once manifested and doing good vnto him, man is bound: whereupon the Lord calleth himselfe our God. Now to loue God, is to acknowledge him to bee the chiefest good, and to bee the chiefest good to vs: and so to loue him, that thou wilt rather forgoe all things then thou wilt depart from him, or not bee ioined with him: for that which is best, that thou dost most desire, and dost couet most of al to be ioined with it.

Thirdly it is said, In the loue of thy neighbour.⁶ To loue thy neighbour, is for the loue that thou owest vnto God to wish well and doe well vnto thy neighbour, and to doe all things to him which thou wouldest in aequitie and, according to the Law to be done to thee.

The Loue of God is the summe of the Law,⁷ because it is taken for our whole obedience, as beeing the cause of our obedience. The loue of God is called the first Commaundement, because it is the spring and fountaine of the rest. It is the fountaine of the rest. 1. because it is the efficient and impulsiue cause. 2. because it is the final cause or ende which the rest propose, which is, for to declare our loue towardes God. In like maner it is called the greatest commaundement. 1. because it is the end of al the rest of the cōmaundements, & of our whole obedience▪ for therfore thou oughtest to do well vnto thy neighbour, because thou louest God: & again, that thou maist shew thy obedience to him. 2. because that is the principall woorshippe for which the ceremoniall lawes were ordained, and so is opposed vnto the ceremoniall woorship, which was appointed for this morall lawe.

Obiection. The second commaundement is like vnto the first, therefore the first is not the greatest. Answere. The loue of our neighbour is like vnto the loue of God. 1. Because that commandement of louing our neighbour is opposed vnto the ceremonies. 2. Because the obedience of the first table is the cause of the second. Thirdlie, because the breach of the second table doth as well deserue eternall punishmentes, as the breach of the first. 4. Because it appertaineth to the morall woorship, which is described in the first and second table. 5. It is like, because of the coherence of both, for that neither can be obserued without the other. 6. Because one is autor of both. 7. Because both of thē contain our whole obedience. Hēce now appeareth the answer to this obiectiō. Therefore our neighbour is to bee set aequall with God, and to bee aequally worshipped. For ir hath beene said before, Thou shalt loue God alone with al thy hart. Now the loue of our neighbour is like vnto the loue which wee owe vnto God, in respect of the kind of worship, but vnlike in respect of the degree. And it is also vnlike first in respect of the obiectes, or things loued. For God and man who are to be loued are diuers obiectes. 2. For that the loue of our neighbour riseth from the loue of God: but it falleth not so out of the contrarie. 3. As it was said, it is vnlike in respect of the degree of our loue to God. Obiection. If the loue of God bee the chiefest commaundement, then the loue of God is greater then faith. Answere. Loue is heere taken for our whole obedience which wee owe vnto God: vnder which faith is comprehended, which is the cause of all the rest of our actions. For in that wee are commaunded to loue God, wee are also forbidden to offend him: for no man offendeth him whom he loueth.

⁸ The loue of our neighbour is called the second commaundement. 1. because it containeth the summe of the second table: for if thou loue thy neighbor as thy self, thou wilt not murther him, thou wilt not hurt him. 2. because the loue of our neighbour must rise out of the first table, euen from the loue of God: and so is that also explicated, which is added of Christ: That on these two commaundements hangeth the whole Law & the Prophets, that is, that al the other legall obedience which is cōtained in Moses & the Prophets doth spring from our loue of God and our neighbour. Obiection. In the Prophets also is the promise or doctrine of the Gospell: therefore Christ seemeth not to speake aright in this place. Answere. He speaketh of the doctrine of the Law, not of the promises of the Gospel, which appeareth by the question of the Pharisie demanding, which was the chiefe commaundement, not which was the chiefe promise: and therefore Christ answereth him vnto the purpose. Hitherto reacheth the declaration of the Maior or first proposition concerning the abyding in the perfect loue of God and our neighbour.

Now remaineth the Minor Proposition, which is, But I haue not abidden in al, that is, I haue neither loued god nor my neighbour as I ought: whence the conclusion ariseth: Therefore I am accursed: and so it appeareth that indeed the knowledge of our miserie and of our punishment, which is contained vnder the name of miserie, is drawen out of the Law. That, which also is proued by another argument, The Lawe sheweth our punishment, because it bindeth vs either to yeeld obedience, or to suffer punishment: But no man performeth that obedience: Therefore it bindeth vs to suffer punishment. Furthermore, the Law sheweth that al euils happen vnto vs because of our sins. Againe, it sheweth the iustice of God, the greatnes and heauines of the wrath of God against sinne. Hence ariseth a question, whence sinne commeth, especiallie since that the Lord made man good, and to his owne image. To this question apperteineth the common place concerning sinne, the creation of man, and free wil: which three places we wil discourse of in order.

Footnotes

1. How we come to the knowledge of our miserie and sinne. By the Lawe. ↩

2. That is proued by a syllogisme, Whose maior being set by the Law, Deut. 27.16. Gal. 3.30. Mat. 22.38. ↩

3. And Minor added by our conscience, The conclusion must necessarily follow, as an approbation of the sentence of the Law. Mat. 22.37. The part of the maior explicated. 1 Why In perfect loue, and what that is. ↩

4. 1 Cor. 13.10. ↩

5. 2 Why In the loue of God, and what that is. ↩

6. 3 What is, In the loue of thy neighbor ↩

7. Why the loue of God is the summe of the Law. Why it is called the first commandement. ↩

8. Why the loue of our neighbour is called the second commandement. ↩