[235] The marginal notes on this and the following Chapters, (with the
exception of the Scripture references,) are not contained in
Lekprevik's edition 1561: they are copied from the edition of the
Confession, printed at London by R. Hall, 1561, small 8vo.
[Sidenote: Exod. 20. Deut. 4.]
[Sidenote: The Law.]
[Sidenote: The workes of the First Table.]
[Sidenote: Ephes. 6.]
[Sidenote: The workes of the Second Table.]
[Sidenote: Ezek. 22. Jere. 22. Esai 50. 1 Thes. 4. Luc. 2.]
[Sidenote: Things contrari to the Firste and Second Table.]
[Sidenote: Rom. 13. Ezek. 22.]
[Sidenote: Esai. 29. Matt. 15.]
We confesse and acknawledge, that God hes gevin to man his holy law,
in whiche not onlie ar forbiddin all sick workis whiche displease and
offend his Godlye Majestie; but also ar commanded all sick as please
him, and as he hath promised to rewarde. And these workis be of two
sortis; the one ar done to the honour of God, the other to the proffit
of our nychtbouris; and baith have the reveilled will of God for thair
assurance. To have one God, to wirschepe and honour him; to call upoun
him in all our trubles; to reverence his holy name; to hear his word;
to beleve the same; to communicat with his holy sacraments;--ar the
workis of the First Table. To honour father, mother, princes,
reullaris, and superiour poweris; to love thame; to supporte thame,
yea, to obey thair charges (not repugnyng to the commandiment of God);
to save the lyves of innocents; to represse tyranny; to defend the
oppressed; to keep our bodyes cleane and holy; to lyve in sobrietie
and temperance; to deall justlie with all men, boyth in word and in
deed; and, finallie, to represse all appetite of our nychtbouris
hurte;--ar the good workis of the Second Table, whiche ar most
pleasing and acceptable unto God, as those workis that are commanded
by him self. The contrarie whairof is syn most odiouse, whiche always
displeasses him, and provokes him to anger,--as, nott to call upoun
him allone when we have nead; not till hear his word with reverence;
to contempne and despyse it; to have or to wyrschipe idolles; to
mainteane and defend idolatrie; lychtlie to esteame the reverent name
of God; to prophane, abuse, or contempne the sacramentis of Christ
Jesus; to disobey or resist any that God hes placed in authoritie,
(while thei pas not ower the boundis of thair office); to murther, or
to consent thairto, to bear hattrent, or to suffer innocent blood to
be schedd geve we may ganestand[236] it; and, finallie, the
transgressing of any other commandiment in the First or Secound Table,
we confesse and affirme to be syn, by the which Goddis hote
displeasour is kendilled[237] against the proude and unthankfull
world. So that Good workis we affirme to be these onlie that ar done
in faith, [and] at Goddis commandiment, who in his law hes expressed
what be the thingis that please him: And Evill workis, we affirme,
nott onlie those that ar expressedlie done against Goddis
commandiment, but those also that, in materis of religioun and
wirschipping of God, have no [uther] assurance butt the inventioun and
opinioun of man, whiche God frome the begynning hes ever rejected; as
by the prophete Esaias, and by our maister Christ Jesus, we ar taught
in these wordis--"In vane do they wirschepe me, teiching the doctrine
being preceptis of men."[238]
[236] In the old printed copies, "withstand."
[237] In the old printed copies, "Goddis hait and displesoure is
kendlit."
[238] In the old printed copies, "the doctrines the preccptes of men."