A PITHIE SHORT AND METHODICALL opening of the Ten Commandements BY Master William Whately Preacher of the word of God at Banburie in Oxford-shire LONDON Printed by IOHN HAVILAND for Thomas Pauier and Leonard Greene. 1622. To the Reader HEre is for thee Christian friend Gods sacred and pure Law perspicuously and orderly vnfolded the extent of those glorious beams more now then euer enlarged though we haue many that haue done excellently For in this short and pithie Treatise if thou pleasest seriously to be acquainted with it as also make an holy vse of it there will issue three blessed benefits of speciall and weighty importance First hereby thou maist more clearely know thy selfe and discouer thy cold faintnesse thy leane and idle seruices and crooked disposition and that snakie brood of sinne that lurketh in thy euer-vitious nature for it is the Lawes office to detect sin as a looking glasse to bewray spots and as the Sunne to discouer euen little motes Whence is it men see not their misled liues but because they are vndisciplin'd in the Lords walkes Can there be a worke of greater consequence then a large opening of these holy rules which although the full splendor thereof is reserued for the glory aboue yet open thine eyes to the blessed brightnesse which shines out of this Treatise to discouer thy darke ignorance thy infidelitie and stubborne pride how rich thou art in follie how poore in grace and how conscience hitherto hath beene sealed with a cursed brand here wee may be sad spectators of our froward waywardnesse our wandring and groueling thoughts our barren memories our raging discontented passions and dull edg'd leaden affections yea the disorder of the whole man turning face to Satan and backe to God Secondly it lends powerfull aide in the seruices and worships of God This will bring thee with a hunger-bitten soule and heauy heart to behold the Lords shining face in the preaching of the word and bends thy will to it with absolute yeelding This is a notable touch-stone to try thy selfe to the heart root when thou art to receiue that sacramentall meat and will furnish thee with much store and varietie for prayer Wouldst thou confesse against thy selfe behold here a large field Or wouldst begge graces of God see here a sampler here is matter for meditation for Christian parlees this will enable thee to catechize and instruct thy familie and enlightens thy vnderstanding in reading the Scriptures and for dayes of humiliation times of pretious worth with Gods people this worke thorowly lookt into shall cause thee to fall out with thy selfe and shall send thee with penitent eyes to bewaile thy wretched estate and powre out thy soule into the bosome of Christ and will put such marrow and strength into thee that humbly and hotly thou maist wrastle with God Lastly this shall direct all thy paths and wisely conduct thee through this thornie life it will cause thee thinke well speake well and liue well and furnisheth thee with knowledge faith in God humble deiectednesse spirituall wisdome a well tuned conscience a stooping will heauenly thoughts a right fraught memorie and ranks in order thy loue feare ioy confidence and all the rest of those subordinate faculties of the soule bending them to pursue what is good and stand stifly armed against euery euill And as for being vnspotted of the world and to liue vnblameably wronging neither thy selfe nor any man in soule bodie estate name or place take this booke for thy counsellor Feast thine eyes then with a subiect necessarily vsefull and so exactly compiled that it cannot but winne esteeme with euery knowing man and gratious heart For I must tell thee diuers friends of exquisite iudgement hearing that this worke was in my hand did earnestly sollicite me to turne it to common good Amongst the rest a learned worthy vnderstanding Diuine Master R. Bolton hauing perused it commended it vnto mee in these termes Me thinkes in short and little roome it opens represents the marrow and mysteries of that adored depth the banks and bottome whereof no wit of man shall euer be able fully to fathom and comprehend while the world lasts with more cleare exact and compendious dexteritie then I haue discouered in others though they haue also done excellently And he perswaded with the Author and since also with me to let it passe abroad more publikely Let then the more then ordinarie parts of the workman and of such as haue commended it as also the great paines of our pen-man who hath told me he had a long haruest for this handfull of corne together with the pretiousnes of the subiect and the goodly meeds thou maist gaine by it let these perswade thee to read it and that vnpartially In the meane time my prayer and hearty desire is that thou maist right plentifully prosper by it and so I rest From Blaston 4. of Septemb. Thine in the Lord Iesus RICHARD LEE A PITHIE SHORT AND METHODICAL OPENING OF THE TEN COMMANDEMENTS THE Law of God consisting of ten distinct commandements is a perfect platforme of our obedience acquainting vs with our dutie to God either 1. Immediatly 2. Mediatly 1. Immediatly in regard of himselfe both 1. Principall in the first commandement 2. Lesse principall both 1. For the sorts and kinds of seruice which are two 1. Solemne worship in the second commandement 2. Common worship in the third commandement 2. For the dedicating of a set and solemne time viz. one day in seuen to holy and religious exercises in the fourth commandement 2. Our dutie to God mediatly in regard of our neighbour 1. Seuerally 2. Ioyntly 1. Seuerally in regard of 1. Speciall duties to some in the fift commandement 2. Common duties to all for their 1. Persons 2. Things 1. Persons in regard of their 1. Safetie in the sixt commandement 2. Chastitie in the seuenth commanment 2. Things pertaining to their persons either 1. Goods in the eight commandement 2. Good name in the ninth commandement 2. Now follow those mediatly which are in regard of our neighbour or iointly for all these so far as respecteth the dispositions and first motions of the soule in the tenth commandement The first Commandement is Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me or before me IT inioyneth the principall worship of God that is the making of him our God by yeelding vnto him all such respect as appertaineth to him in regard of his being our Creator and the first fountaine of all being This is a totall and generall subiection of the whole man in all the powers of it vnto him called in Scripture a being holy as God is holy Of this commandement we consider 1. The affirmatiue part that is to say the speciall duties it requireth of vs. 2. The negatiue part that is what euils it forbiddeth and condemneth in vs. The duties required herein are of two sorts 1. Duties of dependance whereby we make him the chiefe and principall obiect of all the powers of
our whole man so farre as they are capable of him 2. Duties of conformitie whereby we order all our powers towards other things in that manner and measure that he doth require and so become subiect to that authority power and command that he hath ouer vs as a creator who because he made all things must needs haue right to appoint how all things should bee ordered vsed and disposed Duties of dependance are of two sorts 1. In the principall faculties called reasonable because they are all perfected and doe performe their seuerall operations by discourse The reasonable faculties which may be exercised vpon God as their obiect are two viz. the Vnderstanding and Will 1. Vnderstanding which is the power of acquainting our selues with the natures beings properties and differences by the acts of apprehending discerning applying and in generall discoursing In this facultie are required three cardinall and principall vertues 1. Perfect knowledge of God 2. Faith 3. Humilitie 1. Perfect knowledge of God which is a conceiuing and apprehending of him to be such an one as he hath reuealed himselfe in his word and workes and that according to the meanes age and capacity of euery man for measure and degree fully 2. The second cardinall and principall virtue is faith which is double 1. Faith to God 2. Faith in God 1. Faith to God which is an assenting to the truth of all that he shall declare vnto vs vpon his bare and sole autority beleeuing because he speaketh without any further reason ground or proofe 2. Faith in God which is an applying of his loue and fauour vnto euery mans selfe according to the tenour of that couenant that he doth please to make with vs. The former is called beleeuing God the latter beleeuing in God 3. The third cardinall or principall virtue is Humilitie which is a right discerning of the infinite distance and difference that is betwixt him and vs acknowledging his vnspeakable excellencies aboue vs and our most vild basenes in cōparison of him The second reasonable faculty is the Will which is the power that the soule hath to moue it selfe to or from any thing by setling this conclusion in it selfe I will haue or not haue doe or not doe such a thing or that such a thing bee or not bee The duty of which is to be caried and moued towards God with the strongest of all its inclinations and motions willing his being and glory aboue all things because that is in it selfe and simply the best of all things and his fauour and grace to vs aboue all other things because it is to vs the best of all things Hitherto of the duties of dependance in the principall faculties will and vnderstanding Now follow those in the lesse principall faculties 2. Lesse principall faculties such as may be perfected and performe their seuerall operations without discourse and therefore are all excepting one common to vs with the bruit creatures These are of two sorts 1. Inward 2. Outward 1. The lesse principall faculties inward are also two 1. The senses 2. The affections The senses called inward are two 1. Imagination 2. Memorie 1. Imagination or the thinking power which receiuing the obiects from the senses doth order moue and dispose them according to its owne liking and the duty of this is to be thinking of God continually more plentifully largely constantly then of all other things For though he be not subiect to sense yet from things subiect to sense wee are bound to forme in our selues thoughts of his excellencies according to our abilitie of conceiuing viz. of his power goodnesse mercie wisdome c. So as the minde of man should more abundantly busie it selfe in such conceits and thoughts of God then of any other thing in the world yea of all other things laid together 2. The second sense called inward is Memory which is a power of making that thing present to the soule which is absent from the senses And the duty of mans soule so much as concernes this facultie is a perpetuall and continuall remembring of God that is a representing of him to it selfe as present though to the senses hee doe not appeare and that so as we remember nothing so firmely nor so often as him 2. Lesse principall faculties inward are called affections which are powers of the soule in the reasonable creature subordinate to the will whereby the soule worketh it selfe to the seeking and obtaining of good and shunning and auoiding of euill Now of these affections there are 4. which may and must be set vpon God and that with all their strength and with the fulnesse of their working and farre more then vpon any or all other things 1. The first affection is Loue whereby the soule is moued and inclined to be one with any good thing and because God is the best thing euen goodnesse it selfe therefore should the soule bee most frequently and earnestly filled with such motions and inclinations towards him 2. The second affection is Feare whereby the soule is moued from euill with a kinde of shrinking and fainting declining from it when it is comming Now because God considered as angry and displeased is to the creature the greatest euill of misery that can be conceiued of therefore ought it decline his anger and displeasure with the most frequent and earnest motions aboue all other euill things not daring so much as once to make any offer of incurring his displeasure yea shunning and abhorring it more then all other miseries of punishment that may be possibly suffered Now this composition of Loue and Feare is called reuerence 3. The third affection is Ioy whereby the soule doth receiue comfort and content in a good thing and is moued to embrace and enioy the same And because God is the chiefe good therefore ought the soule to be moued with more vehement and often motions of gladnesse for his excellent glory and happinesse in himselfe then for any other thing and more for his loue fauour and good will then for any other thing besides his glory 4. The fourth affection is Confidence whereby the soule is moued to rest and stay it selfe vpon any thing for the obtaining the good it willeth And because God is of infinite power and all power is his neither hath any creature any abilitie to doe any thing without him therefore must the soule rest it selfe wholly and only vpon him according to the truth of his promise for the attaining of all good things both spirituall and temporall 2. The lesse principall facultie outward is alone the facultie of speaking the Conduit of the imagination and the Interpreter of the vnderstanding For no outward facultie except only this of speech can be in any sort exercised vpon God as its obiect but this may and its dutie is to be continually exercised as any occasion is offered in speaking good of God A man is bound to talke much more of God and his excellencies to the setting forth of his glory
then of any other thing yea then of all things besides both because hee is most fully replenished with all excellencies and also because the affection of loue which cannot but rule the tongue ought to be most ardent towards him Hitherto of duties of dependance Now follow the duties of conformitie these also are to be found in all the powers of man 1. In the chiefe faculties called reasonable which are three 1. The vnderstanding 2. Conscience 3 The Will 1. The vnderstanding whereof the chiefe graces are three 1. Perfect knowledge 2. Perfect faith 3. Spirituall prudence 1. Perfect knowledge of the reuealed will of God according to the measure of age gifts and meanes that euery man enioyeth so that the minde must apply it selfe more to the searching out of his reuealed will then of any other things And the matter of this knowledge is the truths reuealed of God concerning our duty in precepts and prohibitions and the reward of doing our duty in promises or of not doing it in threats in vnderstanding of which the minde must busie it selfe more then in all other knowledge after the knowledge of God himselfe 2. The second chiefe grace of the vnderstanding is Perfect faith to and in the promises and threats of God vnder which is also contained faith in his prouidence the gouerning of all things and that for the good of his being one of the things that he hath vndertaken whereby we doe stedfastly and fully assent vnto them and apply them each vnto himselfe according to their nature and as there is cause and vse 3. The third chiefe grace of the vnderstanding is Spirituall prudence or wisdome which is the grace whereby we are able to order our selues and all our actions aright for the attaining of the true ends of our being according to the reuealed will of God It is a readines nimblenes of minde to make continuall vse of diuine truths reuealed to vs. A fruit of the feare of God which is deriued from the knowledge of him It hath two parts First consideration whereby the minde doth seriously ponder and consider of the truths knowne Secondly heedfulnesse warinesse or obseruation whereby it attendeth to all its owne actions and all other necessary occasions for its spirituall good 2. The second chiefe facultie called reasonable is Conscience or a knowing with God which is a power of the soule whereby it is inabled to discerne of its own estate and actions in regard of Gods liking or disliking the same A power to iudge whether God approue and fauour me or mine actions yea or no that is conscience of which we must consider two things 1. The acts it is to performe 2. The rule which it must follow in performing these acts 1. The acts it is to performe are twofold 1. In regard of our actions 2. In regard of our estate 1. The acts it is to performe in regard of our actions are threefold 1. Good 2. Bad. 3. Indifferent 1. Good acts are twofold 1. Before the doing to call vpon vs and admonish vs to doe them 2. After the doing to beare witnesse to them and approue them as well done 2. Bad acts twofold 1. Before the doing to curbe restraine and bridle vs from the doing inwardly telling vs that wee should not doe them 2. After the doing to checke vs and reproue vs and vrge vs to confesse and humble our selues to God for the same 3. Indifferent acts to leaue them to our wills as indifferent and to grant vs liberty of doing or not doing them as occasion shall serue 2. The acts performs in regard of our estate to speake peace vnto vs to excuse vs to pronounce vs fauoured loued of God 2. The second thing is the rule which it must follow in performing these acts that is the reuealed will of God both for the matter and manner and measure of working and not the will of any creature whatsoeuer 3. The third chiefe faculty called reasonable is the Will the vertue of which is flexiblenesse to the will of God and that in regard of 1. Things by vs to bee done and auoided that is obedience which is a full purpose to doe all that God requireth and leaue all that hee forbiddeth for his sake 2. Things receiued or to be receiued from him immediatly or mediatly whether the things we receiue be 1. Good or 2. Euill 1. Good and comfortable and this is thankfulnesse a firme purpose to require and acknowledge his loue by growing so much more constant in louing and seruing him 2. Euill and miserable and this is Patience being a full purpose with all quietnesse and without any reluctation of will though the senses and appetite cannot but feele a repugnancie to sustaine any euill that he will inflict vpon vs. Hitherto the graces of conformitie in the superiour faculties vnderstanding conscience and will Now follow those that are in the 2. Inferiour and lesse principall faculties and they are either 1. Inward or 2. Outward 1. Inward which are three 1. The senses called inward 2. The affections 3. The appetite 1. The senses inward which are two 1. Imagination 2. Memorie 1. Imagination which is bound in regard of 1. The obiect of its working 2. The measure of its working 1. The obiect of its working twofold 1. To stirre vp readily and nimbly all manner of good thoughts concerning good things and to be stedfast and stable in pursuing the same 2. To keepe out and reiect all manner of euill thoughts that they arise not out of the soule and to repell them immediatly being from without suggested 2. The measure of the working of the imagination to be more abundant and ready and stable in thinking of things heauenly spirituall and diuine then of things earthly and temporall and momentanie here below 2. The second sense called inward is the memorie the graces of which are in regard 1. Of the obiect of its working 2. Of the measure of its working 1. The obiect of its working consists in two things 1. To retaine stedfastly and readily to recall all good things as Gods commandements promises threats benefits corrections c. for good at the instant of making vse of them 2. To blot out and extinguish at least to keepe backe and not to recall any euill thing that may infect the soule or any good thing vnseasonably to the hindrance of its dutie 2. The measure of the working of the memorie to serue the soule more readily in things spirituall and for spirituall purposes then for earthly and temporall 2. The second lesse inward principall facultie are the affections which are in all or at least in chiefe not to stand vpon a more accurate diuision of them seuen paire 1. Paire 1. Loue which is as before 2. Hatred which is an affection of dislike and auersenesse from any thing counted euill 2. Paire 1. Feare which is as before 2. Courage an affection of resisting imminent euill danger not shrinking at it but rising vp
against it 3. Paire 1. Ioy which is as before 2. Sorrow whereby the soule feeles the hurt of any euill present 4. Paire 1. Hope which is a passion of waiting expecting and looking for a good thing to come 2. Despaire which is a passion quite contrary 5. Paire 1. Anger a passion of punishing any thing that doth bring euill or hinder good from vs. 2. Kindnesse a passion of vsing well him that procureth good or hindreth euill from vs. 6. Paire 1. Shame a kinde of irking dislike within and against our selues because of some euill or vndecent thing committed by vs. 2. Boldnesse a kinde of contentfull and resolute liking of our selues within our selues because of the absence of things vndecent and presence of the contrarie 7. Paire 1. Reuerence a dutifull respect to all other in whom we see good things 2. Contempt a base and carelesse disposition towards one for the euill things we see in him Now the vertues of the affections are twofold 1. For their obiect 2. For their measure of working 1. For their obiect that is twofold 1. Those vertues that tend to good and are moued by good be moued and wrought vpon only by things that are indeed good 2. Those vertues that are moued by or against euill be wrought vpon alone by that which is euill indeed 2. For their measure of working that they be exercised vpon is twofold 1. Vpon spirituall or Good Euill things more or lesse 2. Vpon temporall good things as they are more or lesse good that is to say helpfull to vs in the seruing of God and assurance of his fauour And accordingly must the particular dutie of euery affection be described which for breuities sake I surcease to doe 3. The third lesse principall and inward facultie is appetite which is a power of being inclined to such things as content the bodily senses and of being auerse and backward from things that displease them This is bound to two duties 1. Dutie to be moued alone towards lawfull contents and delights euen such as God doth allow and warrant vs to enioy 2. To be moderately carried euen to those lawfull contents as from the contratie euen in such measure as that the motions of our will to things of a better and higher nature be not interrupted or hindered thereby So much of the inward faculties Senses Affections Appetite Now follow the outward inferiour and lesse principall faculties which are also three 1. Speech which must be speaking 1. Only and constantly of good things 2. More readily and plentifully of spirituall then temporall goods 2. The second outward inferiour and lesse principall facultie is the fiue senses which we must exercise two waies 1. Alone vpon good obiects and lawfull such as may not prouoke vs vnto sin but rather to good deeds and desires 2. More nimbly for spirituall then for naturall purposes 3. The third outward inferiour and lesse principall facultie is the locomotiue facultie which must be vsed alone for good and lawfull actions and must be with more life constancie and vnwearisomnesse exercised in workes that tend to spirituall good then to the naturall So much of the affirmatiue part the negatiue followes containing a description of the things condemned in this commandement The sinnes against this precept are of two sorts 1. Of Omission 2. Or Commission 1. Sinnes of omission are by the want and absence of the forenamed graces which are twofold 1. Totall when one is vtterly destitute of them not hauing them at all 2. Partiall when one is defectiue in either of them and that two waies 1. For matter extensiuely 2. For measure and degree intensiuelie 2 Sinnes of Commission when a man makes the deuill and himselfe his owne God as Satan is called the god and Prince of this world and some men are said to make their bellie their god This is done two waies 1. By erecting fained and counterfeit Deities as the Gentiles are said to worship deuils when they made gods of Iupiter Iuno Pallas Apollo Mars Venus c. And the Iewes in offering their sonnes to Molech are charged to haue offered them vnto deuils 2. By being vnholy as Satan is vnholie possessed with corruptions contrarie to the forenamed graces according to the will of Satan and for our owne carnall content These vices are of two sorts 1. In respect of dependancie whereby our depending on God is denied and a kinde of selfe-dependance challenged in that we carrie our selues as if we were our owne which in very deed we are not 2. The second sort of vices are in respect of conformitie whereby our subiection to Gods authoritie and will is denied and we carrie ourselues as if we were to be not at his but at our owne disposing Sinnes against our dependance on God are to be found in all the faculties of our whole man 1. In the chiefe and principall faculties 2. In the lesse principall and inferiour faculties 1. In the chiefe and principall faculties viz. 1. In the vnderstanding 2. In the will 1. In the vnderstanding contrarie 1. To knowledge 2. To faith 1. To knowledge there are faults 1. In defect 2. In excesse 1. In defect two waies 1. By a carelesse neglect of the knowledge of God when one sets not his minde on worke to know him 2. In blindnesse darknesse and vncapablenesse of true knowledge though he hath vsed all meanes which hath two degrees 1. Naturall common to all 2. Aduentitious proper to those that by resisting the meanes winke with their eies refusing and scorning to know 2. The second fault of knowledge in excesse which is called curiositie and seemes to be double viz. 1. A busie prying into the secrets of Gods natures and workes 2. A turning of our search after him into meere disputes and idle speculations 2. Now followes the second thing which the vnderstanding is contrarie to viz. faith in two respects 1. In defect 2. In excesse 1. In defect two waies 1. The first is called Atheisme 2. Mis-beleefe of God 1. Atheisme is the vice of denying God which is twofold 1. Secret 2. Open. 1. Secret and in the bud when a man is out of the faintnesse of his consent to the truth ouer-ruled with this vice though he forme not such a proposition in his minde 2. Open and expresse when a man maintaineth that conceit that there is no such God as there is expressely in his minde 2. The second defect in faith is misbeleefe of God whereby a man conceiueth falsely of Gods nature or attributes conceiuing him to be other then he hath shewed himselfe as Anthropomorphotes c. 2. The second thing wherein vnderstanding is contrarie to faith is in excesse by misapplying of Gods mercie or presumption whereby a man beareth himselfe so ouer-bold of Gods goodnesse as that he robbeth him of the glorie of his iustice 3. The third fault in the vndestanding against our dependance vpon God contrarie to humilitie is pride being a lifting vp our selues aboue and