Why the lawe was wrytten in tables. / None made righteous by y• …awe. / Ceremonies of the law. / Sinnes for giuen by Christes death only
The Law as a Mirror
The Master explains that the law was written on tablets and given to one people so that, seeing our sin as in a mirror, we would long for Christ, who restores God's image in us.
Master. Why did God will that it be written out on tablets, and that it should be privately appointed to one people alone?1 Student. I'll explain. Original sin and evil habits darkened the image of God in humanity from the beginning and so corrupted our natural judgment that we don't clearly understand the difference between honor and dishonor, right and wrong. Therefore, to restore that image in us, the generous God first worked through the law written on tablets so that we could know ourselves and, as if looking in a mirror, see the filth and stains of our soul and the stubborn hardness of a corrupted heart. In this way, recognizing our sin, realizing the weakness of our flesh, and seeing God's wrath fearfully aimed at us because of sin, we would yearn even more fervently for our Savior, Christ Jesus. By his death and the precious sprinkling of his blood, he has cleansed and washed away our sins and appeased the wrath of the almighty Father; through the holy breath of his Spirit, he creates new hearts within us and renews our minds in the image and likeness of their Creator, in true righteousness and holiness.
No Righteousness by the Law
The Master shows that neither the law's righteousness nor its sacrifices can save us, because no one can fulfill the law due to our inward corruption.
Neither the righteousness required by the law nor any of the sacrifices commanded by Moses could accomplish this. And it's clear that no one is made righteous by the law—not only because the righteous live by faith, but also because no mortal person can fulfill everything commanded by the law written on both tablets. For we have obstacles within us that fight against the law: the weakness of the flesh, rebellious appetite, and desire naturally born within us.
Christ's Sacrifice Alone Forgives
The ceremonies of the law were only shadows of Christ's true sacrifice, through which alone all sins are pardoned by God's mercy.
As for sacrifices, cleansings, washings, and the other ceremonies of the law, they were only shadows, likenesses, images, and figures of the true and everlasting sacrifice of Jesus Christ offered on the cross. Through the benefit of that sacrifice alone, all the sins of every believer, even from the beginning of the world, are pardoned solely by God's mercy and not by any merit of our own.
Read the original English
Master. What is the cause, that god willed it to be written out in tables: and that i… should be priuatli appointed to one people alone?
Scholer. I wyll shewe you▪ By oryginal synn… and euel custome, the image of God in mā, was so, at the begynning darkened: & the iudgemēt of nature, so corrupted: that man him selfe doth no… snfficiently vnderstād, wha… difference is betwene ho… stye and dyshonestye, rygh… and wrong. The bountyfull God thearefore myndynge to renewe that image in vs: fyrst wrought this by y• law wrytten in tables, that wee myght knowe our selues, & therin, as it were in a glasse, behold the fylthe and spots of oure soule, and stubborne hardnes of a corrupted hert: that by thys meane yet, acknowledgynge our synne: & perceiuing the weakenes of our fleshe: and the wrathe of God fear…ely bent agaynste vs for synne: we myghte the …ore feruently long for oure …ior Christ Iesus: which …y hys deathe and precious …prynklynge of hys bloude, hath clensed and washed away our sinnes: pacified the wrath of the almyghtye father: by the holye breathe of hys Spirite createth newe hartes in vs: and reneweth our mindes after the image and lykenesse of theyr Creator, in true ryghteousnes, & holynes. Whych thyng neither the iustyce of the lawe, nor any sacrifices of Moses were able to performe. And that no man is made ryghteous bi the law, it is euidēt: not onelye thereby, that the ryghteous lyueth by fayth: but also hereby that no mortal man is able to fulfyll all that the law of both the tables commaundeth. For we haue hindraūces that striue agaynste the lawe: as the weakenes of the fleshe: frowarde appetite, and lust naturally engēdred. As for sacrifice, cleansynges, washinges, and other ceremonies of the lawe: they were but shadoes, lykenesses, images and figures of the trew and euerlastyng sacrifice of Iesus Christ, done vppon the crosse. By the benefit wherof alone all the synnes of all beleuers, euen from the begynnynge of the worlde▪ ar …ardoned, by the onlye mercye of God, and by no desert of ours,
Notes
- 1 ↩Damaged source reading 'i…' rendered as 'it' (the law), matching the chapter topic and the Scholar's following answer about the law written on tables.
John Ponet's Short Catechisme (1553) companion
Rule yourself daily, not just on retreat
Chosen Portion turns the mirror into a daily practice — a short reading and examining question each morning before you lead anyone.
Chosen Portion makes the mirror daily: the ruler-formation questions this collection preserves become a two-minute morning examination in the app.
- A daily formation reading drawn from centuries of counsel to those in authority
- One pointed examination question a day — two minutes, before the meetings start
- Track your practice over weeks and watch the examined life become a habit