bée painfull in that state of life that God hath appointed vs to liue in thereby to maintaine our selues and our families and enable our selues to doe good also to other and also by labour to banish the idle life the bane of al goodnesse and root of all wickednes Q. Hitherto wee are taught that neither in any religious respect wee must repose our trust in any but God only neither in any proud perswasion of our heart must we hope for help in any worldly meanes how hopefull so euer they seeme vnto vs neither yet must our loue bee so to any thing vpon earth but that our chief delight may be in the worship and obedience of our good God But as wee haue heard how many waies we are in danger of breaking this Commandement so would I faine vnderstand what it requireth of vs that wee may do it A. Euen the contrary to the things that it forbiddeth For as it forbiddeth all trust in any thing but in God only so doth it require of vs that in him wee should repose all our confidence in all our wants dangers or any distresse as also the Prophet Dauid aduiseth Psal 37.3 verse 7. Trust thou in the Lord saith Dauid Waite patiently vpon the Lord and hope in him So did Dauid when hee encountred Goliah that Champion of the Philistims He trusted not in the armour that Saul caused them to buckle about him but cast it away and told the proud braging Philistim that hee came with sword speare and shield but I saith he come vnto thee in the name of the Lord of Hosts 1. Sam. 17.45 the God of the Host of Israel whom thou hast railed vpon Now this confident assurance cannot flow from any other fountaine then from a setled perswasion in our heart that God is our God that is in power able in mercy willing to make vs all helpe Here-out I say doth spring this resting vpon him for helpe in all distresse And this our confidence and acknowledging God to be our God moueth vs to inuocate and call vpon God in praier either to giue vs good things which we want or to keepe vs from euill that wee heare Thus was Dauid mooued to consult whether he should lift vp his eies vnto the mountaines and then as if he corrected himselfe for that foolish thought hee asketh frō whence his help should come if hee should thinke to lurke in those hills of the land of Canaan then setting downe his resolution Psa 121.1.2 Mine helpe saith he is from the Lord which made Heauen and earth Hence commeth that boldnesse that the Apostle speaketh of to goe boldly vnto the Throne of grace that we may receiue mercy Heb. 4.16 and to finde grace to helpe in time of need Q. I see then that because we must trust in God only if we will obey this first Commandement we must onely pray vnto him and not to any Angel or Saint For how can they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued Rom. 10.14 saith Saint Paul And if praier be to be made only to them in whom wee may trust then fie vpon the Church of Rome that so abuseth the simplicitie of their followers that they make thē beleeue it is great deuotion and a holy worship to pray vnto Saints and Angels in whom yet they may not trust or beleeue For our Creed teacheth vs that we must beleeue in none but in God the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost A. You say well But you must know that the Church Romish loueth not to bee tied within such straight limits as are the Scriptures or that rule of faith which we call the Créed For in all these they can finde no warrant as their Portuesse or Breuiarie teacheth to pray vnto Michael the Archangel to come to help Gods people or as their Masse-booke instructeth to cal vpon the said Michael thus Defende nos in praelio vt non pereamus in tremendo iudicio Defend vs in the battell that we perish not in the terrible iudgment Ascribing therby vnto the Arch-angel Gods office For saluation belongeth to the Lord as all the Scriptures testifie And yet these blasphemies are in their reformed editions of their Portues and Masse-booke approued by Pius the fift and commanded by him to be published Q. I haue also read that they pray vnto Gabriel to destroy their enemies to Raphael to heale their sicknesses to take away their diseases and to wash away their faults And that they teach men to pray to their peculiar Angel if any one bee so appointed to be a gardian to any man to saue him to come downe and gouerne him to cleanse his mind from sinne to attend daily vpon him and keepe him from falling What can they aske of God more then in these prayers they sue to obtaine of the Angels A. The Popish blasphemies whereby they most impiously transgresse against the first Commandement are grosse and infinite as when they ascribe to the blessed Virgin Marie that she is the fountaine of mercie of health and grace consolation and pardon of pietie and gladnes of life and forgiuenesse She most happy Virgin drew saluation pardon life and forgiuenesse from another Fountaine not dreaming of such Fountaines of spirituall graces to be found in her as they most impiously ascribe vnto her And as blasphemous is that their suit Through the Virgin his Mother our Lord grant to vs saluation and peace Euen the Popish Church following in that point the patterne of the purer times conclude commonly their Praiers with this clause through Iesus Christ our Lord. But in this Prayer Christ must bee gracious to vs through his Mother or for her sake Christ I say who for our sakes was made man humbled himselfe to the death euen that shamefull death of the Crosse that Hee might make atonement betwéene his Father and vs must now if we beléeue such teachers and follow such guides not saue vs according to Gods determinate purpose and mercy before all ages and according to his own grace and mercy who came to saue sinners and dissolue the works of Sathan but for his Mothers sake must he saue vs. O horrible popish blasphemy And yet all these horrible impieties are in their booke of the Office of the blessed Virgine printed Ano. 1604. Set forth as they tel vs according to their reformed Latine A deformed reformation it may well bee called that publisheth such idolatrus things so manifestly against the first Commandement to the great offence of the simple and ignorant Q. All popish prayer-bookes are stuffed with such abominations asking of their Saints whereof some may iustly bee doubted of whether they were such or not the things that none but God only can giue I thinke that such offend grieuously also against this Commandement as ascribe vnto their supposed saints the praise and glory of such good things as they receiue from God A. It is true and God reprooueth his people for that
A GVIDE vnto Godlinesse OR A Plaine and familiar Explanation of the ten Commandements by Questions and Answeres Fittest for the instruction of the simple and ignorant people By Francis Bunny one of the Prebendaries of the Cathedrall Church of Durham Deut. 6.7 8. Thou shalt rehearse these Commandements continually vnto thy children and shalt talke of them when thou tarriest in thine house as thou walkest by the way and when thou lyest downe and when thou risest vp And thou shalt bind them for a signe vpon thine hand and they shal be as frontlets between thine eyes LONDON Printed by G. P. for RALPH ROVNTHWAITE 1617. To the right Worshipfull Sir George Selby and Sir Nicholas Tempest Knights my assured good friends Grace and peace from God the Father through Iesus Christ and the true comfort of the holy Ghost be multiplied RIght Worshipfull hauing trauelled now a long time in my ministery as your selues can witnesse I yet finding no great comfort of all my labours may perchance bee deceiued as was Eliah and with all my heart I wish it were so who in his time complained that none truly religious were left 1. King 19.10 when God had reserued many I will not therfore resolue with my selfe as did Ieremy not to speake any more in the name of God Ier. 20.9 or to forbeare to preach but rather hope that hee who hath set me to worke though the seede of my husbandry lye hid for a time and is not seen to sprout yet will in the end giue a gracious blessing and a plentifull haruest And for such good successe of these my labours I wil alwaies pray most heartily to the Master of the haruest the only giuer of all good things For as Samuel said 1. Sam. 12.23 God forbid I should sin against the Lord and cease praying for you but I will shew you the good and right way so shall my indeuour be I trust alwaies by Gods assistance that the light of truth may shine in the hearts of you and of all my Parishioners and guide euery of you in all your actions Being therefore very desirous to see some fruite of all my labours I resolued with my selfe that the readiest way to plant the true knowledge of God is to instruct the youthes in the grounds and Principles of Religion assuring my selfe that such as once find a sweetnesse in that knowledge will hunger and thirst more and more for further vnderstanding I therefore expounded the tenne Commandements indeuoring therin to be plaine for the instruction of the simple and ignorant For children such as my people are in vnderstanding and God of his goodnes make them in deed his obedient and dutifull children must be fed with milk of easie doctrine not beeing as yet able to digest strong meates or vnderstand hard points of deeper knowledge And much to that effect that I taught out of the Pulpit my pen also hath set downe that words vvhich may easily be forgotten though they bee attentiuely heard being again presented to the eye as another remembrancer of that which was sayd may make a deepe impression in the heart and so be more remembred and better regarded These my small labours though not worthy to be presented to your Worships yet the matter being such as no Christian may be ignorant of and I intending the same especially for the people ouer whō God hath placed me am bold to publish the same in your names earnestly desiring most heartily beseeching God that as in worldly reputatiō you are the most eminent of my Parish so you your families may be vnto all about you godly patterns of true Christian zeale and all holy obedience O that the light of true godlinesse might so shine from you and your houses that thereby others your neighbors may be prouoked and incouraged with all alacrity to prayse God for the truth of his glorious Gospell and in singlenesse of heart to serue him And that in this true Christian zeale and for wardnesse you may be furderers of Gods glory and of his truth Imitate I most heartily intreat you the couragious example of that man of God good Ioshuah who to drawe on others to the seruice of the true God thus professed I and my house will serue the Lord. Iosh 24 15. Which that you may say and doe feruently and vnfainedly the Lord in mercy for his Christs sake worke it in your hearts and in the hearts of all them that call vpon the name of the Lord. So be it Your Worships in Christ Francis Bunny An Exposition of the Commandements Question HOw many Commandements are there Answ Ten. Q. How are these tenne Commandement diuided A. Into two Tables Q. What do the Commandements of the first Table teach vs A. Only to rest vpon God Mat. 23.38 and to worship him and therefore our Sauiour Christ calleth this first Table of the Commandements the first Commandement and the great Commandement Q. And what learne wee of the second Table of the Commandements A. The loue of our neighbour and this second Table is called by Christ Mat. 22.40 the second Commandement Q. But seeing that there are ten commandements in these two Tables how doth our Sauiour Christ call them but two Commandements A. Because they are all referred to two points the loue of God and of our neighbour Q. There are in the first Table foure Commandements what learne wee in euery of them A. The first requireth our inward and hearty affection towards one God and that we rest and rely vpon him only The second and third Commandements teach how in outward manner wee are to worship and shew our loue to God The fourth commandeth the Sabbath as the meane whereby wee are to bee instructed and the better enabled to Gods seruice Q. And what is the effect of the sixe Commandements of the second Table A. Generally they teach vs our duty toward our neighbours But if particularly wee consider of the chiefe drift of euery precept the fift Commandement which is the first of the second Table instructeth how inferiors should behaue themselues toward their superiors withall superiors are put in minde of their duty and place what manner of men they ought to be The rest of the Commandements are more generally teaching all of all sorts or estates of life to haue a care of their neighbours life in the sixt Commandement of their chastity and pure or vndefiled conuersation in the seuenth of their goods and possessions in the eighth and of their reputation and credite or fame in the ninth Commandement and of all maintenance of truth And in the tenth Commandement wée are taught that it is not enough to performe these duties to our neighbours in our outward actions only but also that we must not cherish in our hearts so much as a hidden lust or desire that may be any way hurtfull to our neighbour but on the contrary must bend all our indeuour to do
due And this loue is a true and sincere affection truely setled in the heart of the Parent without any outward respects and therefore when God will expresse his loue towards any he saith he will bee his Father As hee spoke to Dauid concerning Salomon 2. Sam. 7.14 I will be his Father and hee shall be my son The Apostle to testifie his kind affection and great care hee had ouer the Thessalonians 1. Thes 2.11 Psal 103.13 saith Hee exhorteth them as a Father his children the Prophet Dauid saith As a Father hath compassion of his children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him And God himselfe assuring his people of his Fatherly loue telleth them that his kindnesse to them shall be more certaine Es 49.15 then the mothers to the sonne of her wombe Q. This duty is of all men euen of such as know not God so performed to children that they who are wanting therein are condemned as most vnnaturall A. It is true yet would it bee more sincerely performed if men would from the heart acknowledge that their children are a gift of God as Iacob said to Esau Gen. 33.5 They are the children whom God of his grace hath giuen thy seruant And Ioseph to his father Gen. 48.9 They are the childrē that God hath giuen me Psal 127.3 Behold saith Dauid Children are the inheritance of the Lord and the fruit of the wombe his reward If this were considered as it ought fathers would not set so little by so precious a gift from the Lord as children are suffering them to run on in all lewdnesse but would in a Christian and true fatherly care séeke to prepare their children to the Lords seruice in some holy calling and not to liue in idlenesse Q. What other duty owe Parents to their children all their life long A. To offer vp to God the sacrifice of prayer for them This office they must performe alwaies in their childhood in their riper age yea so long as they liue They must bee of that mind concerning their children that Samuel was of concerning the Israelites God forbid saith he that I should sin against the Lord 1. Sam. 12 23. cease praying for you When Iaacob was to part from his father and to goe to his Vnkle Bethuel Gen. 28.3 his father Isaac dismissed him with prayer Dauid made earnest prayer for his sonne Salomon 1. Chron. 29.19 But how great was Iobs care for his children they went banqueting from house to house one with another Iob 1.5 Iob fearing that in their feasting they might offend God soght daily to pacifie God and to intreat him for them Q. I see Parents as they are of their children to be honoured so must they haue a continuall care of their children euen from their child-hood for their maintenance for their instruction for their Christian conuersation wherein I feare Parents are as much to be blamed for neglect of their duty as children for not giuing thē their due honor But let vs now heare somewhat of the duties of Gouernours A. Gouernours and all superiours if they knowe how to behaue themselues as Parents ouer their children will soone learne what dueties they must perform as superiors to their inferiors For the very title of fathers and mothers whereby here they are noted teacheth them that they must vse the talent of authority which God hath giuen them with a tender affection to the good of them who are placed vnder them And loue if it bée such as the Apostle teacheth it should be out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and faith vnfained 1. Tim. 1.5 will make men to study and labour by all meanes they can to bee profitable in their place and calling to others especially to such as their duety bindeth them to respect and care for Q. I see then that fatherly loue must be in the hearts of Magistrates or els how great so euer their authority is such as are vnder them shall not feele any good or comfort by their gouernment But what duties doth God who hath set them ouer other require of them towards such as are committed to their charge A. Their first and chiefe care must be to maintaine the truth of the Gospell by all meanes they can and to take diligent héed that lawes made to that end may duely bee executed O how carefull was good King Dauid for the building of Gods house And when it was told him that not he but his sonne Salomon should build it hée made yet great preparation for that worke and earnestly incouraged hée his sonne to build Gods house and the Princes to further that building When Dauid was dead and Salomon established in the kingdom one of the first works that he did was the building of Gods house 2. Chron. 29.3 2. Chr. 29.5.2 2. King 18.4 Yea Hezechiah in the first month of his reigne began with reformation of things amisse about Gods house and most zealously abolished Idolatry To this end also is the zeale of Iosiah much cōmended in scriptures By all which we learn that Princes not only may but must haue a great care to set forth true Religion and God requireth this duety of them that their subiects by them should bee brought to the loue of the truth and detestation of sinne and all Idolatrie Great was the forwardnesse of Asa herein and of his people who made a couenant to seeke the Lord God of their Fathers 2. Chr. 15.12 13. with all their heart and with all their soule And whosoeuer would not seeke the Lord God of Israel should bee slaine whether he were small or great man or woman And for the binding themselues the more straitly to kéepe this statute Lawe They sware vnto the Lord with a loud voice with shouting and with Trumpets and with Cornets Verse 14. This care also of Nehemiah and other Gouernours among the people Neh. 10.29 after they were fréeed from their captiuity in Babylon doth notably appeare how they boūd themselues by Oath cursing themselues if they did transgresse to reforme disorders among them and to be obedient to Gods Lawe A second care must Magistrates haue for the good and quiet gouernment of the people which that they may performe they must alwaies follow those rules which Moses from God giueth to the people of Israel Peruert not iudgement Deu. 16.19 accept no persons take no bribes for bribes blind the eyes of the wise and peruert the words of the Iust And else where Ye shall not do vniustly in iudgement Leuit. 19.15 Thou shalt not fauor the person of the poore nor honour the person of the mighty thou shalt iudge thy neighbour iustly And to bee short in all their gouernment they must haue a tender affection and fatherly care that their people vnder them may liue a peaceable and quiet life in all godlinesse and honesty 1. Tim. 2.2 Q.
I say vnto you Mat. 5.22 whosoeuer is angry with his brother vnaduisedly that is without cause or immoderately vpon small cause shall bee culpable of iudgement And Saint Iohn saith 1. Ioh. 3.15 Whosoeuer hateth his brother is a murtherer Enuy is another bad affection of the heart that wisheth often sometime also practiseth the death of them whose good successe they grieue at as wee see in Cain who killed Habel his brother Gen. 4.5 because God better accepted of Habels sacrifice then of his This enuious heart is a murdering heart and was in the brethren of Ioseph so cruell that they had a purpose to kill him Gen. 37. had not Ruben first and after Iudah perswaded them otherwise And out of these or some one of them groweth a third kind of murdering hearts namely a purpose to execute their malice and mischiefe such as was in those aboue fortie men that had conspired to kill Paul which they could not effect Acts 23. yet murtherers they were because they in heart intended murder And in this sort no doubt many of our Romish-Catholicks who knew in generall that mischiefe was intended on the 5. of Nouember when that most inhumane and sauage purpose that euer was thought vpon should haue been executed and wished in their hearts it might take effect are cruell monstrous murderers And so are many other who since haue been as bloudy-minded nay when are not Papists in these our daies plotting some or other bloudy designes against this State As for murthering with the tongue Mat. 5.22 Christ telleth vs Whosoeuer shal say Foole is worthy to be punished with hell fire teaching thereby that if with vnséemely words we execute the anger that in heart wee haue conceiued we are guilty of breaking this Law Thou shalt not kill Q. But concerning the goods of our neighbour you say this prohibition may be broken A. It is true yet not because hee that robbeth or taketh from a man his riches taketh away his life also but because bringing him to want things necessarie hee maketh his life bitter and vnpleasant in which respect the sonne of Sirach saith Eccle. 34.23 Hee that taketh away his neighbours liuing slayeth him Théeues therefore robbing and stealing are breakers of this Commandement Vsurers that by their biting gaine vndoo them for the most part with whom they deale Other by tedious suites and continual trouble weary poore men out of their liuings and all oppressours Who beat the people to pieces and grind the faces of the poore as Esay speaketh chap. 3.15 that oppresse the poore and destroy the needy as Amos 4.1 chargeth them all such are guilty of breach of this precept Thou shalt not kill Another sort of transgressours of this Law may wéepe and houle as Saint Iames saith and why Iam. 5.4 Behold saith hee the hire of the labourers which haue reaped your fields which is of you kept backe by fraud crieth and the cries of them which haue reaped are entred into the eares of the Lord of hostes God gaue vnto his people a straight charge Leuit. 19.12 The labourers hire shall not remaine with thee all night Deut. 24.14 15. Thou shalt not oppresse thy hired seruant which is poore and needy thou shalt giue him his hire for the day neither shall the Sunne go downe vpon it for he is poore and therwith hee sustaineth his life lest hee crie against thee to the Lord and it bee sin vnto thee The transgression of this Law in this respect is too common Poore men when they haue wrought wasted their strength in working cannot get many times their hire at the wéekes end for their sustenance Yea poore men many times are forced to take it vp in farre worse penniworths then they might haue in the market for ready money A sin euery whit as crying a sin as not paying the reapers hire in due time and a plaine breach of this commandement Take heede then you that haue the labours of many poore men not onely of that woe denounced by Ieremie Iere. 22.13 Woe to him that vseth his neighbour without wages and giueth him nothing for his worke but also of not giuing them their hire in due time to supply their needfull wants take héed I say that not any vnder you keepe backe any thing from them by fraud which S. Iames chargeth them of his time with To be short all kind of cruell dealing is here vtterly forbidden Q. You told vs of three sorts of murder with the hand with the heart and with the tongue Of this last kind of killing I pray you speak somewhat A. First vile and reprochfull spéeches either to a mans face or behind his backe And therefore our Sauiour Christ saith Mat. 5.22 Whosoeuer saith to his brother Racha shall be worthy to be punished by a Councell and whosoeuer shall say Foole shall be worthy to be punished with hel fire by which words his meaning is to teach vs that this commandement Thou shalt not kill is broken by the least signification of our anger vttered by word of mouth but that conuicious and reproachfull termes are a grieuous transgression of this Commandement Q. Are there any other kind of words by which we may be thought to kill A. Yes as by reproachfull so also by slanderous words Pro. 22.1 for if a good name is to be chosen aboue great riches as Salomon telleth vs and is better then a good oyntment Eccle. 7.3 as elsewhere he teacheth vs then must the slaundering tongue be a murthering tongue in that it taketh away a mans reputation which is as it were the life of a mans name as well as the hand that taketh away a mans goods should be iudged a murdering hand which is before proued Q. But without danger of breach of Gods law a man may reproue sin and lewd life in another A. Yes and so did Eliah very plainely when hee said to Achab a wicked King of Israel who charged him with troubling Israel 1. King 18.18 I haue not troubled Israel but thou and thy fathers house in that you haue forsaken the commandements of the Lord and thou hast followed Baalim And the Prophet Esay calleth the Princes of Iudah Princes of Sodome Esay 1.10 and that people who iudged themselues a very holy and religious people the people of Gomorrah Yea it is the duty of Pastors and Ministers now as in times past it was of the Prophets to tell Gods people of their sins Leuit. 19.17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart but thou shalt plainely rebuke thy neighbour and suffer him not to sinne as also S. Paul willeth Gal. 6.1 But there is great difference betweene slaundering or reproaching which is heere condemned and this Christian reprehension much commended to vs by Christ and his Apostles First in the roote for that springeth from the bad affection of a cankred heart Secondly in the