M.  How cometh it to pass that God would have these commandments written in tables?

      S.  I will tell you.  ^gThe image of God in man is, since the fall of Adam, by original sin and by evil custom, so darkened, and natural judgment so corrupted, that man doth not sufficiently understand what difference is between honest and dishonest, right and wrong.  Merciful God therefore, minding to renew the same image in us, hath by his law, written in tables, set forth the rule of ^hperfect righteousness, and that so lively and fully, that God requireth no more of us but to follow the same rule.  For he accepteth none other sacrifice but ⁱobedience, and therefore he hateth all, whatsoever it be, that we admit in religion, or in the case of worshipping God without the warrant of his prescribed ordinance.

      M. But where, in this law, there are no commandments set out of every man’s private vocation, how can this be a perfect rule of life?

      S.  Though here be no commandments expressly set out concerning the duties of every several man, yet forasmuch as the law commandeth to ^kgive to every man his own, it doth in a sum comprise all the parts and duties of every man privately in his degree and trade of life.  And in these tables the Lord hath briefly and summarily comprehended all those things which in the scriptures are eachwhere most largely set out concerning the several commandments and duties of every several man.

      M.  Seeing then the law doth shew a perfect manner of worshipping God aright, ought we not to live wholly according to the rule thereof?

      S.  Yea, and so much that God ^lpromiseth life to them that live according to the rule of the law, and, on the other side, ^mthreateneth death to them that break his law, as is aforesaid.  And for this cause, in my division, I have named obedience as one of the principal parts of religion.

      M.  Dost thou then think them to be justified that do in all things obey the law of God?

      S.  Yea, surely, if any were able to perform it, they should be justified by the law; but we ⁿare all of such weakness, that no man in all points fulfilleth his duty.  For though we put case, that there be one found that performeth the law in some point, yet shall he not thereby be justified before God; for he pronounceth them all to be ^oaccursed and abominable that do not fulfil all things that are contained in the law.

Margin Notes:  ^gLuke 1:79.  1 Cor. 2:14.  Eph. 4:17-18. 
^hPs. 19:8 & 119:1.  Baruc. 4:1. 
ⁱ1 Sam. 15:22. Hos. 6:6.  Mark 12:33. 
^kExod. 20:12,15, et toto capite. 
^lDeut. 8:1 & 30:15.  Matt. 19:17.  John 12:50. 
^mDeut. 11:28 & 30:17.  Rom. 1:18 & 6:23. 
ⁿGen. 6:5 & 8:11.  Prov. 20:9.  Rom. 7:14-15.  Gal. 2:16.  
^oGal 3:10.  James 2:10.