vndrestond other meÌ„nis writinges and coÌ„mauÌ„dementes whether they be of God or of man profetable or pernicious lediÌ„g to liffe eternall or to deathe euerlasting They reache what God requirithe in the hart and what in externall coÌ„uersation boothe to God and man what is to be doune in the coÌ„moune wealthe and what in euery priuate cause What is the superioures deutie and what the inferioures What the housbouÌ„des deutie and what the wiefes what the fathers aÌ„d what the sonnes what to be doune to a citicene or landes man and what to a stranger what in the time of peace and what in the tyme of warr So that in these ten preceptes euery man may se what his office is to do without farther trauell or studie â—n ony other sort of othere lerning I purpose therfore by Godes grace as well as I can to open by other places of the scripture the trew sense and meanyng of these ten cmmmaundementes simple and plainely that the vnlernyd may take profe te by the same This order I will obserue Fyrst shew what this word law or coÌ„maundement meanythe Then how the law shuld be vsyd Thyrdely prepare the Readers mynd that he may allwayes rede and hyre these commaundementes withe frute and commodite Forthelye interpretat euery coÌ„maundement seuerally that the Reader may perceaue what god the yeuer of the law requirithe of euery maÌ„ that professithe his name Iustinian lib. 1. pandect tit 1. saithe that the law is a facultie or scieÌ„s of the thing tat is god and right as celsus there definithe Or thus the law is a certaine rule or canon to do well by whiche awght to be knoweÌ„ and kept of all men Cice. de leg saithe that the law is a certaine rule proceding from the mynde of God perswadyng right and forbydding wrong So that the law is a certaine rule a directorie shewing what is godd aÌ„d what is ile what is vertew and what is vyce what profetable and what disprofetable what to be doune and what to be lefft vndoune This declaration of the law generall apperteinithe vnto all the kindes meÌ„bres and particuler lowes made other for the body ether for the soule So that who so euer be ignorant of the law and rules that apertaine vnto the sciens or art that he professithe can neuer com to th end or perfection that his profession requirithe As for example th end of a Christiane man is eternall liefe and his profession is to know and lerne the law and canones that moost plainely and sincerlie ledithe him vnto this end of eternall felicite As the lawe of God whiche is a certaine doctrine shewing what we shuld be what we shuld do and what leaue vndonne requiring perfet obedience towardes God and aduertising vs that God is angre and displeafid withe sinne and will punishe eternally souche as performe not all thinges perfetlie coÌ„teinid in this lawe as ye may rede Mat. 22. Exod. 20. Deu. 6. Those places shew that God requirithe of vs perfect obedience What payne is dewe to the stransgressour ye may rede Deut. 28. Cursid be he that fulfillith not the law and like wisse Mat. 24. Depart from me ye workers of iniquite into eternall fier I declare now good reader what the law is and not how it may be fulfillid that I defer vnto th end of thexposition of the law Howbe it I would thow shuldes most diligentlie marke this diffinicioÌ„ or declaratioÌ„ what godes law is that thou maist kno what differeÌ„s is betwen the law of God and the law of man Mannes lawes only requirithe externall and ciuile obedience Godes lawes boothe externall and internall Now he that is ignoraunt of themeanis is ignorant of th end Benig ignorarunt of the causes must nedes be ignoraunt of theffect Onlie by the law of God the meanes is knowen therfore onlye the law of God if we will com to th end that God would vs to do is diligentlie to be lernyd For like as the phisicion cannot communicat his healthe withe the sick patient or the lyuing man his liese withe the ded body of an other but euery man enyoythe his awne healthe and lyuithe withe his awne liefe so profetithe not him that is vnlernyd the knolege of an other man but euery man must know and lern himselfe the law of God if he wil be sauyd Io. 6. Deut. 4. As he that wil be a phisicioÌ„ must lern the preceptes that teachith phisick A musitioÌ„ the rules of musick the oratour the rules of Rethorick The plowgh maÌ„ the rules of husboundre and so euery person the rules that belong vnto his profession or else he shall neuer profet in his sciens or art nor be accomptid a craustes man that knowith not the principles of his crauffte Nomore before the maiestie of god is he accoÌ„ptid a christiane maÌ„ that perfetlie knowith not the commaundementes of God thowghe he be christenid and braggithe of the Name neuer so mouche And because that no man shuld excuse his ignoraunce and saythe Bible is to loÌ„g and conteynithe so highe misteris and secreates that the laboring man hathe nether sufficient tine nether conuenient vndrestonding to lern the law and commaundementes of God it pleacid his infinite goddenis to collect and gather the contentes and somne of the whole law into so short and coÌ„pendious abridgmeÌ„t that no sciens of the worold hathe his principles or generall rueles concludid with so few wordes ExperieÌ„ce and proue declarith the same The logicion hath no lece then Ten generall rules callyd predicamentes wherin is conteynid thole mater of his art The Rethoricion thre maner and dyuerse kyndes of causes Demonstratiue Iudiciall and deliberatiue Thole body of the law Ciuile these thre principles liue honestlie hurt noman and yeue euery man his Iustinianus libr. 1. Institu The phisition as many principles as be kindes of diseaces The heuenlie God eternall hathe concludyd all the doctrine Celestiall in ten wordes or coÌ„maundementes Exo. 20. Deu. 5. And yet for a farther healpe of our vnapt memorie to retaine the will of god he hathe gatherid the saide ten commaundementes into too Mat. 22. Mar. 12. Loue God with all thy hart and thy neyghbour as thy selfe Deut. 6.26 Leuit. 19. So that euery dull and hard wittid man may soner lern the principles and generall rules of Christes religion theÌ„ of ony other art or sciens if he yeue his diligence ony thing at all for the space of one monethe There be many causes that shuld prouoke man vnto the studye and knolege of this lawe First the profet that Cummith therof whiche is expressid Ioan. 17. This is liffe eternall saith Christ to know the O father and him that thow hast sent Iesus christ Dauid the prophet desirid the knolege of this lawe and so copiouslie expressithe the commodite therâ—f in the moost holie Psalme 118. that nothing of this worold may be comparid to it for it ledithe to eternall lieffe What commodites it bringithe in this
an concupiscens of the worold vnto the meditacions of godd and his workes to the studie of scripture herīg of the word of god to call vpon God withe ardent praier to vse and exercise the Sacramentes of God to conferr and geue according to his abilite almose to the confortyng of the poure Then like wyce God by this commaundement prouidy the for the temporall and Ciuile liefe of man and like wyce for all thynges that be necessarie and expedient for man in this liefe if man and best that is mannes seruant shuld without repose and rest allwaies labour they might neuer indure the trauell of the Erthe God therfore as he that intendithe the conseruation and wealthe of man and the thyng creatyd to mannes vse commaundithe this rest and repose from labour that his creatures maye indure and serue as well there awne necessarie affayrs and busynis as preserue the vthe and offrynge of man and best till it com to a sufficient ayge and conuenient forse to supplie the place and rome of souche as deathe or diseace shall pryuate or disable from the execution and vse of souche trauelles as this carefull liefe shall necessaryly require So saythe Ouid. Quod caret alterna requie durabile non est That is to say the thyng cannot endure that lakythe rest That man and best therfore myght brethe and haue repose this sabbothe was institutyd Not onlye that the body shuld be restoryd vnto strenghte and made able to sustaine the trauelles of the weke to cum but also that the soule and sprit of man whiles the body is at rest myght vpon the Sabbothe lerne and know so the blyssid will of his maker that onlye it leue not from the labour and aduersite of synne but also by Godes grace receaue souche strenghe and forse in the contemplation of Godes moost mercyfull promes that it may be able to sustayne all the trobles of temptacion in the weke that folowithe for as the bodye being allwayes oppressyd withe labour lostythe his strenghe and so peryshythe so doothe the mind of man opprossyd withe the cures and pleasures of this worold loost all here forse lust and desyre that she had to the rest to cum of eternall liefe And so dyethe not onlye the deathe of synne but hastythe what she can to hate and abhor all vertewe allmyghty God therfore not only in his commendementes but also at the fyrst creation of the worold sanctifyed the seuenthe daye Gene. 2. that is to say apoyntyd it to an holy vse or separatyd it from other dayes wherein men trauell in the busynes of this worold So is the meanyng of this Ebrew phrase or maner of speache as ye may rede Iosuah 20. Capi. Sanctificauerunt Kades in Galilea That is to say they sanctified Kades in Galilea it is asmouche to say in Englyshe they chose or apoyntyd the Citie of Kades to be a refuge or sanctuarie for Murtherers to be saufe there till the cause of the murderer might be knowen How be it ye may not thynke that God gaue ony more holynys to the Sabboth then to the other dayes For if ye consyder fryday and Saturne day Saturne day or Sonday in asmouche as they be dayes and the worke of God the one is nomore holye then the other Cod. lib. 3. Tit. 12. de Ferijs but that day is allwayes moost holie in the whyche we most applie and yeue oure selfes vnto holie workes To that end he sanctifyed the Sabboth day not that we shuld yeue oure selfes to ylnis or souche Ethnicall pastyme as is now vsyd among Chrystyane people But being fre that daye from the trauelles of this worold we might consyder the workes and benefites of God withe thankes yeuyng Here the word and law of God honor him and fere hym then to lerne who and where be the poure of Chryste our brothers in necessite that wantythe our healpe The obseruation therfore of the Sabboth doothe extend aswell vnto the faythe we haue in God as vnto the cherite of oure neyghbour And not only that but also vnto the bestes that trauell in oure busynys and be our necessary seruantes The whiche we shuld in no wyce abuse not only for there labours sake but also for the loue of him that hathe commendyd them vnto oure seruice allmightie God Thyrdly the sabboth hyther vnto from the begynnyng of the worold was and is a type and fygure of the eternall and euer lastyng rest that is to com as S. Paule diligently shewythe in the Epistole to the Ebrews cap. 4. so dothe S. Aug. lib. 11. cap. 31. de Ciuit. Souche as beliuyd the promes of God declaryd by Moses were led by losuah the prince in to Palestina and restyd in Chana an souche as hyre the word of God and obeythe it shall be caryd into the celestiall heuens by Iesus Christ and rest in eternall joy Rede diligentlye that chapiter and thow shalt fynd a very necessary doctrine what is the cause that the moost part of men entre not into this eternall rest The contempt of our capitaynes wordes Iesu Christ who would lede vs thether halyd we not backe and lefte not his commaundementes Cōsider the persons rehersyd in this commaundement Thy sonne thy dawghter thy man seruant and thy woman seruant thy best and the stranger within thy dowres those thow must not withe out necessite constrayne to ony seruile worke vpon the sabbothe but se that they exercyse them selfes vpon the sabbothe in hering the word of god and se they frequēt the place of commune prayers and vsethe sacramētes as God commaundithe Ffor those God hathe cōmaundyd vnto thy charge as lōg as they be withe the. not onlye that thow yeue them there wagis that is dew but also se them aright instructyd in the law of God and lyue there after for if they peryshe by thy negligence there blud shall be requirid at thy hand the stranger like wyce within thy port thowghe he be of an other religion thow shuldest assay to wynne him vnto the knolege and rites of thy religiō as thow seyst here commaundyd vnto the Israelitis ād consequentlie vnto vs all for wear bound no lease but rather more then they to the loue of God and oure neighbour and by expresse wordes commaūdid to do the same Mat. 22. Iac. 5. Here let vs all crye out ād say peccauimus we haue offendid and studie to amend for there is here condemnid the Auarice of all men that care not for God nor his law a dele but vsithe vngodly and vncheritable there seruaūtes and bestes as thowghe they were made only of God to serue his auaricious appetis and not rather to serue the necessaris of there Masters and like wice to glorifie god as his word commaundithe like wice in this commaundement is condemnid oure vncheritable behauour to wardes our neighbour and like wice the vngodlie and carnall fere that we haue to teache astranger the knolege of God we yeue him the thynge we owe
or other waâ—es cannot defend his lief and body witâ—e out vsing resistaynce and the oppressoure will not be coÌ„tent nether withe reason nether withe fere wordes nether the maÌ„ oppressyd may in nowyce fynd place to a voyde the fury of this appressour indefendyng his awne liefe if he kill his aduersaries he nomore offendythe goddes lawes nether mannes lawes then thowhe he kyllid awoulfe or mad dogg as Moses killyd the Aegyption or as the godlie magistrate kyllyth pryuÌ„atlye the thyffe or openly defendithe him selfe by warr when he cannot mayntayne or recoure the right of his commune wealthe other wyce Then to vse the extreame remedye of batell he offendithe not So is it to be iudgyd of those that will oppresse by vyoleÌ„ce other that ether offend not ether be redye to offre there causes to the vycars of God the iudges off the erthe if they fynd there awne deathe it is to be iudgyd that it is none other thyng then the iust iudgment of god that the one shuld defend his liefe and the other perishe A great ile is it that those ile men that dar not bryng there cause to be iudgyd before the lawfull Magistrat ar permittyd so licensiouslie to troble the peaceable people of a realme with out punyshement Whiche is against Godes lawes and mannes lawes and thoccation of great murder whiche prouokythe the jre of God against the Magistrates for the sufferaunce of so great and I le I know how men that gouern after Aristotelles politikes will excuse this ile They will say that lawes must be made according to the nature of the people to whom they ar prescribid But Godes lawes saythe man must obey the law and not the law man if they be christians it shall not be a seruitude to liue after the lawes of Christ who shuld gouern cheffelie boothe the superiour and the inferiour And so saythe also Aristot libr. 5. Polit. cap. 9. Non est seruitus uiuere ad formam reipub sed salus I Englyshid this the second verse before it shuld not be difficile to remoue this ile if euery man that shall se the peace broken in a cite had auctorite to sondre the personnes and bynd the peace breakers to apeace by there wordes and he that brake his faythe aÌ„d promes to him that requiryd it to lose his hed in the name of apayne as it is vsyd in some commune wealthes Murder is commyttid like wyce by hand by souche as ar euery mannes men for mony As these ronne agates and launce knyghtes ar that sell boothe bodye and soule to souche as will hyre theÌ„ They care not whether the cause be wroÌ„g or right They shuld nether receaue by the lawe of God nether ony christianeman yeue them ony thyng except the cause be godd if it be euery man is bund to defend it If not noman This cannot be knowen of all men but if the cause be nowght God excusythe noman but estimithe hym a murderer of his awne liefe and the Magistrat that hyrithe him thoccation therof This precept is not vnder stond onlye of externall murder but forbiddythe also the murder of the hart which thowghe it deserue no punishmeÌ„t in the worold yet God accomptythe is worthy of deathe as it is to be sene Gen. 4. where as God accusyd Cain for the murder of his hart before he layde handes on Abell to kill him so doothe saynct Io. 1. Epist 3. say he that hatythe his brother is a murderer Then is there the Murder of the tong worthy deathe before God not only of the bodye but also of the soule The wiche is commyttid by a cursyng slandering and a conuicious tong of a cursyng tong Christ speakyth Math. 5. he that saythe to his brother Raah is gilty of councell the whiche word Raah in Englishe signifyythe I le or affliction Christ meanythe there that he only is not a murderer that by hand killyd his brother but also he that cursythe or desyrithe I le to his neygbour as those do that byd the pestilence the feuer quaterne saynct Antones I le or souche other execrations And shuld be punishyd as heretikes and blasphemers of God as ye may rede Leuit. 20. Gen. 27. Leuit. 19. 1. Cor. 5. 1. Pet. 4. souche ile sayers hathe no part in the kyngdom of God He that callythe his brother folle that is to say contemne him moke him or as men call it now a day lowtyng of a man commyttithe souche murder as is worthy hell fyer and eternall damnation The whiche vyce is reprehendyd Psal 56. and was so abhorryd of the gentilles that many would rather suffer deathe then sustayne the slaunders of a pestilence tong The derision of the simple how great a synne it is and equiualent withe murder we se by the punyshment of Cham who was so cursyd of his father Noah that his posterite suffryd for his offence Maledictus Cham seruui seruorum erit fratribus suis that is to say Cursyd be Cham who shal be vnto his brothers the seruaunt of seruantes Gene. 9. Samson was accomptyd of the Philistians for a folle but he would rather dye then suffre that opprybrye vnreuenchyd Iudic. 16. Dauid was lowtyd of Michol Sauls dowgher but she was made therfore barynne all here liefe 2. Reg. 6. How Dauid reuengyd the contumelie of his Ambassadours contemnyd of the Ammonites rede 1. Reg. cap. 10. and theÌ„ thow shalt perceaue that mocking is none other but murder In the 4. book of the kynges cap. 2. see how the boyes mockyd the preacher of Godes word Elizeus the prophete and how God punyshid the same withe deathe more cruell then the Magistrat punyshyte the murderer Of these places we se what murder is and how many ways it is committyd The occasion therof is ire enuye hatred disdayne indignatioÌ„ and souche like we see also the payne appoyntid by Godes lawes and maÌ„nes lawes lib. 4. inst Cod. lib. 9. But of these places inferre not that it is not lawfull for the Magistrat to punyshe the I le doer by deathe the father to correct his child the master hiâ— seruant or the preachers the vyce of the people these lawes appertayne vnto all priuate persones and not vnto souche as God hathe yeuen iurisdiction ones other of the Magistrates we haue Roman 13. which offend not in punyshing the I le of the fathers correction Ephe. 6. Stephane callyd the Iewes traytors aÌ„d murderes Act. 7 and Paul the Gallathyens folles Gal â— yet offendyd nothing at all against this law thow shalt not kyll but seruyd the place of there vocations as it was commaundyd them by God Angre is no synÌ„e so that the origynall therof and the end whether it extendithe be vertews and procede with cherite Moses was angre and brake the tables of God in his zelous and godlie passioÌ„ He put the idolatres to deathe but the end was to destroy vyce and to maintayne vertewe So was Dauid so was Paule so was Christ but
a set porpose and destenyd malice hate God as Phaâ—ao and Saul Thone gatherid all his men of warr and would fight withe God and his churche rather then obey his commaundement thother would agaynst Godes exprece will and pleasure kill Dauid that God had ordainid to be king These sinnes Christ callithe the sinne against the holy gost Matt. 12. Mar. 3. Lu. 12. sainct Ioan. 1. Ioan. 5. Sinne vnto deathe Sainct Paul Ebre 10. voluntarie or willing sinne We must therfore Iudge by the scripture and belyue all thinges there spoken Know there by the willl of God and sarche not to know the thyng that appertainithe nothing to thine office Remembre how craustie a workmaÌ„ the deuyll is and what practise he hathe vsyd withe other Cherâ—ely and before all thinges he goithe about to take this persuation that Godes word is trew out of mannes hart As he did with Adame Gene. 3. that thowght nothyng lesse then to dy as God saide then thowght he holie to haue printyd his awne ymaige in Adame for the ymaige of god an to bryng hime to an vtter contempt and hatred of God for euer as he had browght him to a diffidence and dout of his word Here let vs all take hede of our selfes that dalye withe the word of God beyng admonyshyd of yle yet amend not We shall fynd at lenghe God to be iust in his word and will punishe withe eternall fyre our contumacie and inobedience whiche fyre shal be no lesse hotte then his word speakythe of So did he withe Saul Perswadyd the miserable wreche that God was so godd that thowghe he offendyd he would not punishe hym as he saide but be pleacyd with a fat sacrifice agayne 1. Reg. 15. This doctryne is therfore necessary to be knowin of all men that God is iust and trew and requirithe of vs fere and obedience as Sainct Iohan saythe he that send me is trew Dauid Psalm 145. spekith thus of his iustice The lord is iust in all his waies And vnderstand that his iustice extendithe to too diuerse endes Th one is that he wold all men to be sauyd Gene. 3.15.17 Matth. 11. Isai 53.1 Timo 2. Ro. 11. The other end to geue euery man according to his actes To optayne the fyrst end of his iustice as many as benot vtterly wyckyd and may be holpe partlye withe thretenynges partely withe promises he alurythe and prouokythe them vnto amendement of liffe The other part of his iustice rewardithe the obedience of the godd and punishith thin obedience and contempt of the I le These too iustice the elders call correctiuam an retributiuam Ionas the Prophete spekythe of the fyrst cap. 2. And Christ Mat. 25. of the second God would all men to be sauyd and therefore prouokithe now be fere menes now be foule that the sinner shuld satisfie his iust aÌ„d rightous pleasure not that the promises of god pertaine vnto souche as will not repent or his thretenynges to him that doothe repent but those meanes he vsithe to saue his poure creature 1. Co. 11. this waies vsithe he to Nurtur vs vntil souche time as his holy sprit worke souche a perfectioÌ„ iÌ„ vs that we will obey him thowghe ther were no paine nor Ioy mencyonatyd of at all therfore looke not only vpoÌ„ the promes of god but also what diligence and obedieÌ„ce he requirithe of the lest thow exclude thy selfe frome the promese There was promisid uÌ„to all those that departid out of Egypt with Moses the land of CanaaÌ„ how be it for disobedieÌ„ce of Godes commaundementes there was but one or too that entryd Of the other part thow seist that the menaces and Horrible thretenynges of God that Niniue the great cite should be destroyd withiÌ„ xl daies nothinge appertainid vnto the Niniuites be cause they did penauÌ„ce and returnid to God In them seyst thow christiane reader the mercy of God and generall promise of saluatioÌ„ performid in Christ for whoys sake only God and man was set a one So that they receauyd the preaching of the Prophete and toke God for there God and God toke them to be his people and for a certainte there of reuokid his sentence that gaue them but xl daies of liefe They likewyce promisyd obedience vnto his holy Lawes and commaundementes as God yeue vs all grace to do That thowghe we be infirme and weacke to all â—ertewes we exclude not oure selfes by contempt or negligence from the grace promisid to all men Thus fare well in Christ 5. Nouembris Anno M. D. XLIX A Declaration of the then commaundementes Caput I. What the lawes is SEing that the leste part of the scripture requirithe iÌ„ the writer boothe iudgment an circuÌ„spection that the interpretacion of one place repung not the text of godes worde in an other place Howe mouche more diligence circumspection fere and loue requirythe the too tableis of the ten commaundementes in the whiche is conteinid theffect and hole somme of all the scripture And what so ouer is sayde or wroten by the Prophetes Christ or the Aposteles it is none other thing but the interpretacion and expositioÌ„ of these ten wordes or ten coÌ„maundementes So that it were no nede at all to require the mind of ony Doctor or expositour to know the will and pleasure of God manifestid vnto the worold in his word would they that hathe leasure to rede the scripture studie therin themselfes Or souche as be appointid to the ministerie of the churche in there sermones declared vnto the vnlernyd what and whiche commaundement the EuaÌ„gelist Prophet or Historie that he prechith declarithe If this were donne then were it no nede to bestowe so manye yers in reding the glose and interpretation of man For let him writ or say what he pleasithe he that vnderstondithe the text shal be allwaies able to iudge whether he writ trew or false and so stablyshe his faithe and knolege vpoÌ„ the word of God and not vpon the interpretacion of maÌ„ conforme all his liffe to this rule and canone of the ten commaundemeÌ„tes and not vnto the decrees of man as God commandithe Deut. 4. These ten wordes hathe ben largely and at lenghe wroten vpon by many great and famous Clerkes So not withstonding as they haue yet lefft sufficient mater vnto there successors where vpon they may exercise bothe there lerning and eloquence as in a thyng moost inscrutable There is no acuite nor excellencie of witt no lernyng no eloquence that can coÌ„prehend or compasse the doctrine and misterie of the lerning that is conteinid in these commaundementes They teache aboundantlie and sufficientlie in few wordes how to know God to folow vertew and to com to eternall lyfe Wherfore it behouythe euery man of God to know as perfetelie these commaundementes as he knowithe his awne name That all his workes wordes and towghtes maie be gouernid according vnto the mind and pleasure of this law like wice be cause we maie by the knolege here of