A Christian instruction, conteyning the law and the Gospell. Also a summarie of the principall poyntes of the Christian fayth and religion, and of the abuses and errors contrary to the same. Done in certayne dialogues in french, by M. Peter Viret, sometime minister of the Word of God at Nymes in Prouince. Translated by I.S. Seene and allowed according to the Queenes Maiesties iniunctions.

Hovv that it is not sufficient to do out∣vvardly the vvorks vvhich God com∣maundeth, if that they be not done to the intent and to the very same pur∣pose for the vvhich God doth commaund them, & hovv greatly hypocrisie dis∣pleaseth God.

D.

ON the other parte,* 1.1 when thou do∣est the worke which god comman∣deth, thou must take good héede to what ende thou doest it, and with what minde. For if thou do it more for thine own glo∣ry and profite, & for thine owne behoofe, than thou doest for the honoure of God, and for the loue thou bearest to him, or to thy neyghboure for his sake: thou makest of a good worke an euill worke, and doest greatly offend him thorough thy hypocri∣sie, abusing his name, & making a maske of his lawe, to serue thée and thy wicked affections. And therefore such a worke is no more a worke of the spirite of God: for so muche as it is not done in truth, but in lies. For al hypocrisie is lyes, for somuch as it is nothing else but falshod, fayning,

and dissimulation, whiche hath an other shewe outwardly, than the troth of the thing hath inwardly. Now al lyes procéed from the deuill. The worke then which is done in lyes, is of the deuill, and not of God. Wherefore it cannot muche better please God, than doth the troth which the deuill speaketh to couer his lies with, and to transfigure himselfe into an Angell of light: and that all the works do that euer he doth, howe faire a shewe so euer they haue, although God do make them serue to his glory. For his intente is alwayes wicked, forsomuch as he neuer doth thing but for himselfe, and hath regard neyther to the honour of God nor to the profite of any creature, wherfore he is neuer more perilous, than when he hath the greatest shew of well doing, for then it is that hée doth most dishonor god, and doth greatest hurt to men, bycause he is more couered and disguised, & more harde to be knowne and to be taken vpō the sudden: wherfore those whiche call this deuill that is so dis∣guised, a white deuill, are not voyd of rea∣son. Therefore the false Prophets are ne∣uer

more dangerous, than whē they haue the greatest shewe of holynesse, & do most counterfaite the true seruauntes of God: the like is of al hypocrites. The good work whiche he semeth to doe,* 1.2 is often tymes worse than thogh it were set forth plain∣ly suche as it is. It is the very cause why Christe did condemne the almes, prayers and fastings of the Scribes and Phari∣sies, and all their other works, forsomuch as they did them only to be séene of men.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Note this counsell thorough out.
• * 1.2

  Math. 23.•• Luke. 10.