Thomas Becon, catechetist, Chaplain to Cranmer. A portal and window to the theology of Thomas Cranmer and Thomas Becon. The photo to the right is Canterbury Cathedral. Imagine Becon as catechetist, teacher and fellow Churchman...teaching at Canterbury? This should be taught in every Anglican Church.
We cover pages 58-62 at the URL below.
http://books.google.com/books?id=-8t6T7EhnXoC&pg=PA60&dq=thomas+becon+catechism&output=text#c_top
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THE THIRD PART OF THE CATECHISM.
OF THE LAW.
Father. Now followeth the third part of the Catechism, which thou saidst, as I remember, is the law.
Son. Truth it is.
Father. Of what law speakest thou?
Son. Not of man's, but of God's law.
Father. What is this law of God?
Son. It is a doctrine containing the certain and unchangeable will of God, teaching what things are holy and pleasant to God, and contrariwise what things are ungodly and displeasant unto him ; again, commanding what we ought to do, and forbidding what we ought to leave undone.
Father. Give me examples of this thing.
Son. Among the precepts which God will have to be done of us, these are comprehended: " Thou shalt love the Lord thy with all thy heart, with all thy mind, and with all thy strengths." Again: " Remember that thou keep holy the sabbath-day." The contrary commandments, speak of such as forbid us those things which we ought not to do, are these and such like: " Thou shalt have no strange gods in my sight." " Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain." "Thou shalt not steal," &c.
Father. To whom did God give his law ?
Son. He first of all gave it generally to all men, writing it in their hearts, whereby every man did know when he did well or otherwise, his conscience either commending or condemning him for his act: afterward the Lord our God gave it to the people of Israel, when he was determined to erect and stablish a new commonweal among the Israelites; that by this means they might know the certain and express will of God, and frame their lives according to the same.
Father. By whom did God deliver his law to the people of Israel ?
Son. By his servant Moses.
Father. Where?
Son. In the mount Sinai. Exod.xix.
Father. At what time ?
Son. The third month after that the people of Israel were delivered out of Egypt; in the year 430 after the promise made to Abraham concerning that blessed seed; and after the flood in the year 797; and from the beginning of the world, in the year 2454.
Father. After what manner was this law of God given?
Son. With great glory, written with the finger of God in two tables of stone. For when this law of God should be given and published to the people of Israel, God himself, that mighty Lord, came down into the mount Sinai with fire; and there was heard great thundering and much lightning seen in the air. And there was a thick cloud upon the mount, and a noise of a trumpet exceeding mighty, insomuch that the people which were in the tents were wonderful afraid; for the smoke of the mount went up as the smoke of a furnace; so that the whole mount was exceeding terrible, and the noise of the trumpet was wonderful mighty.
Father. To what end did God give his law to the people of Israel?
Son. Not only to the Israelites in times past gave God his law, (I speak not of the ceremonial or judicial, but of the moral law;) but to us also, and to so many as profess godliness, is that law given, and we owe now no less obedience to it, than heretofore the Jews did; so that we also, which are called Christians, ought diligently to do whatsoever is there commanded, and leave undone whatsoever is there forbidden.
Father. I grant. But my question is, to what end, or for what purpose God gave this law?
Son. First, that it should be unto us a certain, sure, and undoubted doctrine, opening and declaring the everlasting and unchangeable will of God, whereof we may learn both how to frame our life according to the good pleasure of God, and also what works we ought to do, wherewith we may please God, and serve him according to his holy will; lest we, following our own foolish fancies, corrupt judgments, blind zeals, and fleshly good intents, should attempt and do those things which are displeasant and unacceptable to the Lord our God; seeing it is written: " Ye shall not do every man what seemeth him good in his own eyes." Again: " That I command thee, do thou only to the Lord: neither put thou any thing thereto, nor take ought therefrom." Item: " Ye shall put nothing to the word which I command you, neither do ought therefrom, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, which I command you." The holy apostle also saith: " We are the workmanship of God, created in Christ Jesu unto good works, which God hath prepared that we should walk in them." And for this cause hath the law of God divers names in the holy scriptures, which tend unto this end. The prophet Esay and the psalmograph also call the law of God "a witness", because it testifieth, sheweth, and declareth unto us the good will and pleasure of God. Esay writeth thus: " If any man want light, let him look upon the law and witness," &c. David saith: " The witness of the Lord is true, and giveth wisdom even unto babes."
Moreover, David, Salomon, and our Saviour Christ calleth the law of God "a light." For as the light doth shew to him that walketh in darkness the way perfectly, and how he may safely walk, and without jeopardy; so likewise the law of God sheweth a christian man how he ought to direct his ways, and to walk according to the will of God, neither declining on the right hand nor on the left. And as "he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth," yea, for want of light he goeth out of his way, stumbleth, falleth, hurteth himself, and many times casteth himself into great danger; so, in like manner, he that walketh in the blind darkness and dark blindness of carnal reason, not having the light of God's law, whereunto he may direct his footsteps, falleth into most filthy errors and heresies, embraceth idolatry and superstition in the stead of the true worshipping of God, and, forsaking the alone true God, honoureth idols and false gods: as we may see in the kingdom of the pope, where, for lack of the light of God's word, who is able to express, what false religion, What superstition, what idolatry, what hypocrisy, what heresy, what monstrous sects, what errors, what wicked opinions, what kinds of all abominations do reign? Contrariwise, where the light of God's word reigneth, there is an whole sea of good and godly things; but where the darkness of men's traditions bear rule, there is a world of all evils. Without this light of God's law we utterly know not how we ought to direct our pathways according to the will of God. Look what the "pillar of fire" was to the children of Israel, when they passed through the Red sea, in the night time; the very same unto us, which are tossed with the troublous waves of this world, is the law and word of God. The psalmograph saith: " Thy word, O Lord, is a lantern to my feet, and a light to my pathways." Salomon also saith: " The commandment is a lantern, and the law a light." David once again saith: " The commandment of the Lord is bright, and giveth light to the eyes." Hither pertaineth the saying of our Saviour Christ: "This is condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men have loved darkness more than light." St Peter also saith: " We have a sure word of prophecy; and ye do well that ye take heed thereunto, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawneth, and the day-star arise in your hearts."
Furthermore, St James compareth the law of God to a glass. For as in a glass we see what is fair or foul in our face, so likewise when we look in the law of God, we easily see and perceive what is well or evil in our doings; so that through the benefit of this glass, I mean the law of God, we are provoked to amend those things that are amiss, which otherwise should remain and continue in us unto our damnation.
Secondly, forasmuch as man of himself is nothing else than a very lump of pride, and soon forgetteth his vileness, nakedness, corrupt and sinful nature, boasting himself even before God to be somewhat, when he is nothing else than mere vanity, and worthy of praise, when he is most worthy of everlasting damnation; as we may see in the parable or history of the proud Pharisee and sinful publican, and in divers other of the holy scripture; God, willing to paint, shew, and set forth man to himself, as it were in his native colours, gave unto him his law, that by the consideration thereof he might learn to know himself, his misery, weakness, impiety, sin, and his unableness to fulfil the law of God, seeing the law is spiritual, and we are carnal; as Rom. vii. St Paul testifieth: " By the law," saith he, " cometh the knowledge of sin." Again: Bom. m. " I know not sin, but by the law. For I had not known concupiscence or lust (to Rom. vii. be sin), except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet, or lust. But sin took an occasion by the means of the commandment, and wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For verily without the law sin was dead. I once lived without law: but when the commandment came, sin revived; and I was dead. And the very same commandment, which was ordained unto life, was found to be unto me an occasion of death. For sin took occasion by the means of the commandment, and so deceived me, and by the self commandment slew me. Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, just, and good. Was that then which is good made death unto me ? God forbid! Nay, it was sin, that it might appear, how that sin, by the means of that which is good, had wrought death in me; that sin, by the means of the commandment, might be out of measure sinful. For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am carnal, sold under sin, because I allow not that which I do. For what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If I do now that which I would not, I grant to the law that it is good. So then now it is not I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is to say, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing," &c.
This end of the law is necessary to be known. For without this knowledge, we esteem of ourselves, of our strengths, of our free will, might, and power, more than becometh us: yea, we think ourselves through our own good works and merits worthy of the favour of God, remission of sins, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and everlasting life, when we be least of all worthy of those things. But the law uttereth and sheweth us unto ourselves, and maketh evident, plain, and open before our eyes, our own wickedness, misery, and wretchedness; as we may see in Adam, Heva, Cain, David, Saul, Mary Magdalene, Peter, &c. Yea, the law accuseth, condemneth, killeth, and castetb us down headlong into hell-fire, with all our works and merits, because we do not fulfil the law with such purity of heart, as the law doth require, according to this saying of our Saviour Christ: " Did not Moses give you a law, and yet none of John vii. you keepeth the law ?" Hereto belongeth the saying of St Peter: " Why tempt ye God, that ye would put a yoke on the disciples' necks, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?" Neither differeth the saying of Moses from this purpose: " Cursed be every one that abideth not in all things which are written in the book of Deut. xxvii. the law, and fulfilleth them." In consideration whereof the law is called " the killing Rom. w. letter," " the ministry of death and damnation," " the power of sin," &c. 2 cor. Hi.
Thirdly, God hath given us his law unto this end, that, after we have perfectly learned of the law our corruption, our wicked nature, our impiety, our pronity unto sin, our slackness unto all goodness, and finally, our feebleness, yea, our nothing in fulfilling the holy, good, and righteous law of God, (lest we, beholding our damnation for not satisfying the will of God, should despair, and be made by this means inheritors of hell-fire,) it should be unto us a schoolmaster to point and lead us unto Christ, which is " the end and perfect fulfilling of the law, to make righteous so many as believe on him;" that we, apprehending and laying hand through strong faith on his . perfection and fulfilling of the law, might be counted righteous before God, and so become heirs of everlasting glory. For by this means, namely, through faith in Christ, we obtain that of God, which cannot be obtained of the law through works, that is to say, the favour of God, remission of sins, quietness of conscience, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and in fine, everlasting life, as these scriptures following do abundantly testify.
Our Saviour Christ saith: " Think not that I am come to break the law or the prophets. No, I am not come to break, but to fulfil." All things written in the law or in the prophets Christ hath unto the uttermost fulfilled, not for himself, but for us, that his fulfilling should be recounted our fulfilling, if we believe on him. This witnesseth St Paul, saying: " Christ is the perfect fulfilling of the law, to justify every Rom. x. one that belicveth on him." Again: " Christ hath delivered us from the curse of the Oai. Hi. law, while he was made accursed for our sake: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on the tree." Item: " The law was our schoolmaster to drive us unto Christ, that we might be made righteous by faith. But after that faith is come, now are we no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the sons of God by thefaith which is in Christ Jesus." Also in another place: " The law made nothing perfect, but was an introduction of a better hope; by which hope we draw nigh unto God." Once again he saith: " When the time was full come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, and made bond unto the law, to redeem them which were under the law; that we through election might receive the inheritance that belongeth unto the natural sons." Hereto appertaineth part of St Paul's sermon, which blessed Luke reciteth in his chronicle of the apostles" acts: "Be it known unto you, ye men and brethren, that through this man (Christ) is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins, and that by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses."
Fourthly, God ordained his law, that it should bo a bit or a bridle to restrain the evil and disobedient persons from their evil and disobedience, and by this means at the least compel them to walk in an order, and do that which is good and rightcons, if not for the love of God, yet for the fear of punishment, as the poet saith:
" Oderunt peccare boni virtutis amore ;
Oderunt peccare mali formiiline poena;"
Of this use or end of the law speaketh St Paul, saying: " We know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; understanding this, how that tho law is not given unto a righteous man, but unto the unrighteous and disobedient, to the ungodly and to sinners," &c. Again: " Rulers are not to be feared for good works, but for evil. Wilt thou be without fear of the power ? Do well then; and so shalt thou be praised of the same: for he is the minister of God for thy wealth. But if thou do evil, then fear; for he beareth not the sword for nought, but is the minister of God to take vengeance on them that do evil."
These are the principal and chief causes, which I have now rehearsed, wherefore God hath given us his law, as I have learned of the holy scriptures.
Father. How many commandments doth this law of God contain?
Son. Ten: whereof four appertain unto God, teaching what our duty is toward the Lord our God, how we ought to serve, honour, and worship him; again, how we ought to call upon, praise, and glorify his holy name, and behave ourself in all things that concern the glorious majesty of God. The other six teach us what our duty is toward our neighbour, and how we ought to behave ourselves toward him, both in thought, word, and deed.
And for this cause God gave this his law written in two tables of stone: the one containing, as ye have heard, our duty toward God; the other, toward our neighbour.
Father. Rehearse the first commandment.
Son. " I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, ment. even out of the house of bondage: Thou shalt have no strange gods in my sight."
Father. Wherefore doth God use so solemn and noble preface in the beginning of his commandments? Why calleth he himself " the Lord" ?
Son. The Lord is a name of great majesty and wonderful high excellency, which name is properly due unto our God alone, as he saith by the prophet: " I am the Lord: this is my name. I will give my glory to none other, nor my honour to graven images." And he calleth himself by this name, " the Lord," to declare and set forth unto us his might, power, and authority, which he of right hath to command all creatures, of whom he alone is the creator, that by this means we may diligently address ourselves unto the perfect accomplishment of his holy and blessed will.
Father. Why doth he call himself " our God"?
Son. In calling himself "our God," he giveth us to understand, that he alone is and will be our high goodness, comfort, help, defence, health, treasure, abundance of all good things, horn of plenty, and bottomless fountain, out of the which we may abundantly draw whatsoever is necessary either for the soul or for the body, both in this world and in the world to come; as he said to Abraham: "I am the Almighty God (or as some read, El Shadai, that is, a God mighty in power, abundant in riches, sufficient to reward plentifully, and lacking of nothing) : walk before me, and be without spot. I will make my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee, throughout their posterities, that it may be an everlasting covenant; so that I will be the God of thee, and of thy seed after thee." Again : Fear not: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward."
Father. For what cause is mention made here of the deliverance out of Egypt, seeing that we are called Christians, not Jews, but who were delivered out of Egypt, that of Egypt, the house of bondage, even from the tyranny of that most wicked king, Pharao ?
Son. Their corporal deliverance was a figure of our spiritual deliverance, manumission, and freedom. For as the Israelites were delivered from the captivity of the cruel Egyptians by the out-stretched arm and mighty hand of that most mighty God; even so likewise are we, which are of the household of faith, delivered and made free from the power of the devil, and from the bondage of the world, and from the yoke of sin, death, and damnation, by the passion and death of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; yea, and that of God's mere mercy and undeserved liberality, which hath chosen us a peculiar and several people unto himself, and given us the liberty of his most dear sons and the fellowship of everlasting life. In the preface therefore of his law, God maketh mention of the Israelites' deliverance out of Egypt to this end, that we thereby should be put in remembrance of our deliverance out of the spiritual Egypt, that is to say, the tyranny of Satan and hell-fire, and by this means be provoked the more earnestly to embrace the law of God, and to frame our lives according to the same.
Father. What doth God require of us in this first commandment, " Thou shalt have no strange gods in my sight" ?
Son. First, in that we are forbidden to have any strange gods in his sight, he signifieth plainly unto us, that he is the one and alone true God, and that there is none other God but he alone, neither in heaven, nor in earth, nor under the earth.
Father. How provest thou that by the holy scripture ?
Son. Moses saith : " Take heed, and imprint it well in your heart, that the Lord is God, both above in heaven, and beneath upon the earth, and that there is none other God." Again : " The Lord is God, and there is none other God but he only." Item: " Hear, 0 Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord only." God himself saith : " See now that I, I am, and there is none other God but I." Again: " Hear, 0 my people, for I assure thee, O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me, there shall be no strange god in thee, neither shall thou worship any other God. I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt." By the prophet Esay he saith also: " I am, I am the Lord, and there is none other Saviour. I am the Lord, and besides me there is none other God. Consider, that I am he, before whom there was never any God, neither shall there be any after me. I am only the Lord." Again : " I am the Lord, and besides me there is no God." Hereto agreeth the saying of St Paul: " We know that there is none other God but one. For although there be that are called gods (as there be gods many, and lords many), yet have we but one God, even that Father, of whom are all things, and we in him, and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him."
Father. Of this matter we heard abundantly afore in the declaration of the articles of the christian faith. Go forth to express the will of God concerning the first commandment, as thou begannest.
Son. Secondly, as I am commanded hero to believe, confess, and grant, that there is but one only true and everlasting God, so likewise is it required of me that I put my faith, hope, trust, and confidence in no creature either in heaven or in earth, but in this one God alone; looking for all good things at his hand, be they worldly or heavenly; and thanking him for all the benefits that I receive, whether they appertain unto the body or unto the soul, with this confession, that whatsoever I have, being good and godly, I have it altogether of his mere mercy and undeserved liberality. For, as St Paul saith: " What hast thou, that thou hast not received ? If thou hast received it, why dost thou glory as though thou hadst not received it ?" St James also saith: " Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights."
Father. How provest thou that thy whole faith, trust, and confidence ought to depend on this God alone ?
Son. Salomon saith: " Have thy faith, or put thy trust and confidence, in the Lord with all thy heart, and lean not to thine own wisdom." The prophet Jeremy pronounceth that man "accursed, which trusteth in man, maketh flesh his strength, and suffereth his heart to depart from the Lord." But he calleth that man " blessed, which setteth his faith and putteth his confidence in the Lord," depending wholly on him, and looking for all good things at his hand. St Paul also saith : " Without faith it is not possible to please God. For he that cometh unto God must believe that God is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek him." To be short, our Saviour Christ saith : " Have your faith and confidence in God."
Father. Requireth God in this commandment nothing else but faith in him ?
Son. Not only faith, but also love, which issueth and proceedeth out of faith, as fruit out of the tree, yea, and that " from a pure heart, and a good conscience, and a faith unfeigned," as St Paul saith, doth God require in this commandment.
Father. Declare that by the scriptures.
Son. Moses saith: " Hear, 0 Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord only. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy might." In the gospel we read that a certain scribe demanded of Christ: " Which is the chiefest commandment of all ?" To whom he answered on this manner: " Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one God; and 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 the scribe said unto him, Master, verily thou hast said right. For there is but one God, and there is none other besides him. And to love him with all thy heart, with all thy mind, with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, is more than burnt-offerings and sacrifices."
Father. What requireth God in this commandment besides faith and love ?
Son. Fear: yea, and that not servile or thrall, but childish and reverent. For God is to be believed as God, loved as a father, feared as a Lord.
Father. Let me hear that proved by the scriptures.
Son. Moses saith: " Now, Israel, what requireth the Lord thy God of thee, but that thou fear the Lord thy God; and that thou walk in all his ways, and love him, and serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul; and that thou keep the commandments of the Lord and his ordinances, which I command thee this day, that thou mayest prosper ?" Salomon also saith: " Fear the Lord, and depart from evil: so shall thy navel be whole, and thy bones strong." God himself saith by the prophet: " A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master. If I now be a father, where is my honour ? if I be the Lord, where is my fear ?"
Father. Requireth God in this precept any other thing, besides faith, love, and fear ?
Son. Yea.
Father. What is that?
Son. Honour and service.
Father. Where is that proved?
Son. Moses saith: "Thou shalt honour the Lord thy God, and serve him alone."
Father. What is the true honour and service of God ?
Son. To honour and serve him according to his word, and to do those works, not which carnal reason and blind zeal fancieth, but which God himself commandeth. Of this honour and service speaketh the Lord Christ in the gospel on this manner: " The true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father will have such to worship him. God is a spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth." Zachary the priest also saith: " God hath delivered us from the power of our enemies, that we should serve him in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life."
Father. May we not also honour and serve other, as angels, saints, or images, as we do God ?
Son. God forbid ! God himself saith by the prophet: " I am the Lord: this is my name. I will give my glory to none other, nor mine honour to graven images." We read in the holy scriptures, that when Cornelius the centurion, esteeming more of Peter than he ought to judge of a man, "fell down before Peter, and worshipped him, Peter took him up again, and said, Arise; for I am a man also." The people of Lystra, for a miracle which was wrought among them, called Paul and Barnabas gods, and wotild have worshipped them as gods. "But Paid rent his clothes, and cried out, saying, Ye men, why do ye these things? "We are mortal men also like unto you, and preach unto you the gospel, that ye should turn from these vain things unto the living God, which made heaven and earth," St John also fell down before the angel to worship him; but the angel forbad him, saying: " Look, that thou do it not. I am the fellow-servant of thee and of thy brethren, which have the testimony of Jesu. Worship God." All the angels, saints, and blessed spirits cry with one voice : " Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to thy name give the glory, for thy mercy and truth's sake." They all with one accord cast their crowns before the throne of God's majesty, praising and honouring him both day and night, worlds without end, and saying: " Thou art worthy, O Lord our God, to take the glory, honour, and power; for thou hast made all things, and by thy will they are and were created." How grievously did the prophet Helias rebuke the Israelites, which worshipped both God and Baal! Were not these his words, "How long will ye halt on both sides? If the Lord be God, follow him : if Baal be he, follow him" ? He told us moreover of one Serenus, bishop of Massilia*, which did not only take away images out of the churches throughout all his diocese, but he also brake them on pieces, and burnt them. He brought forth also unto us certain laws and decrees of most noble and virtuous emperors*; again, certain councils6, in the which it was decreed and enacted, that all images should be taken out of the churches and burnt openly; and that from henceforth no man should presume to make an image either of Christ or of any saint, nor cause it to be painted on the walls of the church where christian men come together for to pray. He alleged unto us the sentence of the great and ancient clerk Lactantius, which saith, that " God cannot be truly worshipped in that place where an image is"." Again : " If your saints (saith he), if the holy mother of Christ be in heaven, why do ye not lift up your eyes unto heaven? Why do ye rather look unto walls and unto stocks, than unto that place where ye believe that they are ? What mean the temples, the tabernacles, yea, and (to be short) what mean those images' V In fine, he said, that the use of images came from the heathen unto us, and alleged Eusebiua* with certain other for his authors; and that therefore they ought by no means to be placed in the temples, chapelsj, oratories, or houses of the Christians.
Father. God then in this his first commandment requireth of us faith, love, fear, and honour.
Son. Yea, verily, and that from the very bottom of the heart only and alone, as he saith by Salomon: " O son, give me thy heart." For as " God is a spirit," so will he be worshipped in spirit and truth. And the law of God requireth not only of us outward honest and godly works, but also the pure affects and uncorrupt motions of the mind, with a perfect consent to the law of God concerning the full and due accomplishment of the same. Such as honour and worship God otherwise, God rejecteth and casteth them away by his prophet, saying: " This people draweth nigh unto me, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. Verily, they worship me in vain."
Father. Hitherto have we heard, what we ought to do concerning the accomplishment of this first commandment. Declare now also what we are forbidden here to do, that we fall not into the transgression and breaking of this commandment, and so displease the Lord our God.
Son. We are forbidden to believe, love, fear, and honour those whom the gentiles and heathen have heretofore through ignorance reputed and taken for gods, when indeed they are nothing but idols, yea devils, as the psalmograph saith : " The gods of the heathen are devils: it is the Lord that made the heavens." We are forbidden also to use the art of magic, witchcraft, sorcery, charms, incantations, conjurations, &c.; to set our affiance and trust in any creature; to glory in ourselves, blood, kindred, wisdom, strength, riches, beauty, cunning, learning, eloquence, &c.; to seek health either of body or soul, as the giver thereof, at any creature in heaven or in earth, but only at the mighty hand of God, from whom alone "cometh every good and perfect gift;" again, to receive or set forth any doctrine that fighteth with the word of God; in fine, to do any thing whereby the glory of God may be obscured, or his holy religion evil reported.
Father. In forbidding us to have strange gods, why doth God use these words, " in my sight" ?
Son. There is nothing hidden from the face of God, which " searcheth the hearts and reins;" to whose eyes also " all things are open and naked:" therefore doth God require of us in this precept not only an outward reverence of the body, but also the inward honour of the mind, yea, and that a pure and faithful mind, utterly estranged from all idolatry, superstition, hypocrisy, &c.
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