The firste parte of the Christian instruction, and generall so[m]me of the doctrine, conteyned in the holy Scriptures wherein the principall pointes of the religion are familiarly handled by dialogues, very necessary to be read of all Christians. Translated into Englishe, by Iohn Shute, accordyng to the late copy set forth, by th'author Maister Peter Viret. 1565. Ouersene and perused, accordyng to the order appointed, by the Queenes maiesties iniunctions.

¶ Of the Councell that vvas holden in the Mounte Syon, and of the conference of the same vvyth that vvhyche vvas holden in the Mounte Synay: and of Moyses, and of Iesus Christe, and of the Ministery of the lavve, and of the Gospell.

[unspec 16] T. THys is a goodlye Councell, and of greate autho∣ritie: but thou saydst that there was yet an o∣ther in the lande of Chanaan and of Iudea, and in e∣speciall in the Mounte of Syon by the verye Sonne of GOD. I woulde bee verye gladde that thou wouldest declare vnto mee also what that was. D. That Coun∣cell dothe euen so muche excell the other, as Iesus Christ * 1.1 dothe excell Moyses, and the Master of the house, the ser∣uaunte. For thoughe that GOD hym selfe dyd speake in proper person in bothe, yet notwithstandyng he hathe

shewed hym selfe this seconde tyme in a sorte muche more authentique and more excellent, more amiable and agre∣able to the weakenesse of mans nature: then euer he dyd synce the beginnyng of the worlde. For when he shewed himselfe in the mounte Synay, the people dyd not see his * 1.2 face nor shape, nor dyd see or heare anye thing, but suche as were horrible and fearefull. It was not lawfull for them to doo so muche as to come to the mountaine, or to touche the vttermoste parte thereof, wyth out daunger of deathe, and to bee stoned or striken thorowe wyth ar∣rowes, were it man or beaste. Therefore, the people be∣ynge greatlye amased and afrayde, desired Moyses to be * 1.3 as a meane betwene GOD and them, and to declare vn∣to them hys wyll and pleasure as hys Embassadour, to that ende that they moughte heare no more that voyce of GOD so horrible and fearefull: for they thought that they coulde not heare it agayne, but that they shoulde all dye, and dyd muche maruell that euer they coulde heare it with oute deathe. Wherefore GOD knowyng the weakenesse of hys people, dyd promise them to sende them a Prophet, euen oute of the middest of their brethern, lyke vnto Moy∣ses, into whose mouthe he woulde put his worde, and by * 1.4 the same he woulde cause them to heare his voyce. This Prophete, accordyng to the testimonye of Sain••t Peter, is Iesus Christe oure Lorde, of whome the Father hym∣selfe dyd saye: This is my welbeloued sonne in whome I * 1.5 haue set my whole delighte, heare hym. And for that cause the Apostle saythe writyng to the Hebrewes, that God hath * 1.6 in tyme passed oftentymes, and in sundrye sortes spoken to our Fathers by the Prophetes, but in these latter dayes he hath spoken to vs by hys own Sonne, and making com∣parison of thys manifestation whiche was made by oure Sauioure Iesus Christe, wyth that of the mounte of Sy∣nay. Truely (sayth he) you are not come to the mountayn whiche moughte bee touched, nor to burnyng fyre, nor yet * 1.7

to darkenesse and myste, and vnto tempest, neyther vnto the sounde of a trompette and to the voyce of wordes: the whiche those whiche dyd heare it, refused that the commu∣nication should be addressed to thē any more: for they could not endure that which was commaunded. If a beast touch the mountayne, he shall bee stoned or elles stricken thorow wyth a darte. And so terrible was the sighte that appeared, that Moyses sayde, I feare and quake: but you are come to the mounte Syon, and to the Citie of the lyuyng God, the heauenly Ierusalem, and to the companye of manye thou∣sandes of Aungels, and to the congregation of the firste borne, which are written in the heauens, and to God which is iudge of all: and to the spirites of iust and perfecte men, and to Iesus Christ the mediatoure of the newe Testamēt, and to the sprinckled bloude of whiche declareth better things, then the bloud of Abell. See y^t you despyse not him that speaketh: for if they escaped not, whiche despysed hym that spake on earth, much lesse shall we escape yf we turne away from hym that speaketh from heauen, whose voyce then shooke the earth. T. It semeth to me that these wordes conteyne a goodly conference of the Ministery of the lawe and of the Gospell, and I haue a great desyre to heare it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  He••. iii
• * 1.2

  Deut. 4. Exod. xi•• Hebr. ii
• * 1.3

  Exod. xx Eeu. xxviii
• * 1.4

  Deut. xviii
• * 1.5

  Actes. iii. Math. 3. 1••
• * 1.6

  Heb. i
• * 1.7

  Heb. xi••