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1 THE first table commandeth the duties towards God. The second commaundeth the dueties towardes man: But yet so notwithstanding, as that the first is immediatelie, this mediatelie referred vnto God.
2. The first commaundement, when as it commaundeth vs to holde and repute the onelie true God, and GOD that is mani∣fested in the Church, for our GOD, comprehendeth chieflie the
inward worship of god, which consisteth in the mind, wil, and heart.
3 The chiefe partes or points of this woorshippe are, the true knowledge of god, faith, hope, loue of god, feare of god, humility & lowlinesse in the sight of god, and patience.
4 God may be knowen of reasonable creatures, so far forth as he will manifest himselfe vnto euerie one.
5 The knowledge of god is either simplie and absolutelie per∣fect, whereby god onelie knoweth himselfe, thas is, the Eternal fa∣ther, sonne, and holie ghost know themselues in seueral and each o∣ther mutuallie, and vnderstand wholie and most perfectlie their owne infinite essence, and the manner of each persons existing and beeing. For vnto the perfect knowledge of an infinite thing, none but an infinite vnderstanding can attoine. Or there is a knowledge of god belonging vnto reasonable creatures, whereby Angels and men know indeed the whole and entire nature and Maiestie of god as being most simple, but they knowe it not wholie; that is, they so farre onelie vnderstand it, as he reueileth it vnto them.
6 That knowledge of god which is in creatures, if it be cōpared with that whereby god vnderstandeth and knoweth himselfe, is to bee accounted vnperfect. But if the degrees thereof in it selfe bee considered, it is also either perfect or vnperfect, yet not simplie, but in comparison, that is, in respect of the inferiour and superiour degree. The perfect knowledge of god in creatures is that, whereby Angels and men in the celestial life know god by a most cleare and bright beholding of the minde, so much as sufficeth for the confor∣mitie of the reasonable creature with god. The vnperfect is that, whereby men in this life know god not so much as they could at first by the benefite of their creation, and therefore were notwithstan∣ding bound vnto it still by gods commandement.
7 The vnperfect knowledge of god which men haue in this life is of two sorts: One Christian or Theological; the other Philo∣sophicall. That is receiued from the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles. This, from the principles and generall rules naturallie knowen vnto men, and from the beholding of the woorkes of god in the nature of things.
8 The Christian knowledge of god is also of two sorts: the one spiritual or true, liuelie, effectual, sauing: the other Literal. The spiritual, is that knowledge of god and his will which is kindled by the holie ghost in our mindes according to the woorde and by the word, woorking in the will and heart an inclination and desire more
and more to knowe and doe those things, which god commaundeth so to be done. The Literal, is that knowledge of god, which either hath beene in men from the creation, or is wrought in their mindes of the holie ghost by the word, which hath not accompanieng it an endeuour and desire of framing and conforming themselues vnto the commaundements.
9 Both the spirituall and literall knowledge, are also imme∣diate, or mediate. Immediate, which is wrought by the instinct of the holy Ghost without ordinarie meanes. Mediate, which is wrought of the holy ghost by the voice of heauenly doctrine, heard, read, & meditated.
10 The ordinary meanes to knowe God, & which is prescribed vnto vs by God himselfe, is by the study & meditation of heauenly doctrine. Wherefore we must striue this way vnto the knowledge of God, neither require or looke for from god any extraordinary and immediate illumination, except he of himselfe offer it, and con∣firme it also vnto vs by certaine and euident testimonies.
11 Now albeit so much as god would haue knowen of himselfe vnto vs in this life he hath sufficiently declared in his woorde: yet notwithstanding those natural testimonies of god are not superflu∣ous, because they conuince and reprooue the impiety of the repro∣bate, and confirme the godlinesse of the Elect & chosen, and there∣fore are by God himselfe often commended in Scripture, and are of vs to be considered.
12 But yet concerning them this we must holde and know; that they are true indeede, and agreeing with gods woorde, but not suffi∣cing for the true knowledge of god.
13 Moreouer, although naturall testimonies teach nothing that is false of god, yet men, except the light of gods woorde come thereto, gather and conceiue out of them naught else but false and erronious opinions concerning god: both because these testimonies shew not so much, as is deliuered in the word, and also because euen those thinges which may bee perceiued and vnderstood by naturall iudgement, men notwithstanding, by reason of that blindnesse and corruption which is engendred in them, take and interpret amisse, and diuerslie depraue and corrupt.
14 Wherefore in the first commaundement of the Decalogue the ignorance of those thinges is forbidden and condemned, which god hath proposed vnto the Church, to be knowen of vs concerning him in his woorde and in his woorkes both of our creation and re∣demption.
Likewise all errours are condemned of such as imagin, either that there is no god, as the Epicures; or mo gods, as the Ethniches, Manichees, and those that praie vnto Angels, dead men, and other creatures: and the vanitie of superstitious men which put their trust in other creatures or thinges diuerse from him who hath manifested himselfe in the church, as Iewes, Mahu∣metistes, Sabellius, Samosatenus, Arrius, Pneumato machists, and such like, who acknowledge not god to be the eternall Father with the Sonne and holie ghost coeternall.
Now are wee to speake of the sentence and meaning of the Decalogue in speciall, that is, of the meaning of euery particular commaundement.