know themselues and holdeth that for a dishonouring of his name whereof they make no reckoning will both charge them and punish them too vnlesse speedily they repent for their grieuous transgressiō Q. You told vs in the beginning that the fourth Commandement if it bee well obserued is a very good meane to instruct vs how wee may performe these duties vnto God and to furder vs in doing the same A. It it most true for it commandeth the sanctifying of the Sabbath that is vpon that day the occupying of our selues about such holy exercises as might rauish our hearts with a consideration of Gods goodnesse towards vs and his wisedome in all his works Q. This Commandement as it is repeated by Moses in the fift of Deuteronomy is this Keep the Sabbath day to sanctifie it as the Lord thy God commanded thee and so forth from the beginning of the 12. verse to the end of the 15. wherein I obserue some things that seem not to belong vnto the first table of the Commandements wherof as yet we speake A. That is truely obserued And for your better vnderstanding of this commaundement you must remember that first the commandement it selfe is giuen in these words Keepe the Sabbath day Then is the chiefe and principall end why it should bee kept mentioned Afterwards the commandement it selfe is explained namely what God requireth of vs or what hee meaneth by these words Keepe the Sabbath In it thou shalt do no maner of worke thou thy son c. And by this occasion is shewed a second end of giuing this Commandement That thy man seruant and thy mayd seruant may rest as well as thou Fourthly diuers reasons are scattered here there in these words some inducing to obedience in respect of the principall end which is the sanctifying of the Sabbath others in regard of the second end of this day of rest for the Sabboth day in the true signification of the word and the day of rest is al one namely that seruants might haue a day of rest as well as their masters Q. That I may particularly bee instructed in this Commandement I pray you first to teach mee the precept it selfe what is thereby meant Thou shalt keepe the day of rest Are all workes forbidden in these words A. The Prophet Moses is informed from God himselfe concerning this point Leuit. 23 8 The seuenth day is a holy conuocation in it thou shalt doe no seruile worke Q. But what are those seruile workes A. The works of euery mans seuerall vocation wherein he is to bestow his labour either for the good of the common-wealth wherein hee liueth or the maintenance of his owne estate and of his family Which workes because they are especially wrought in respect of this present life that here wee liue in comparison of those that aime at the euerlasting life are worthily called seruise because that curse of God belongeth to these our bodily labours In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eate bread Gen. 3.19 vntill thou returne to earth And seruile also they may be called because for the most part they are not wrought with such sincerity respect to Gods glory as they ought but sauor somewhat of our corruption and are too much inthralled to either our gréedy desire to inrich our selues by painful trauel or ambitiously seeking prayse of men or are otherwise sowred with some such leauen and so serue in some part at the least our polluted and naughty affections Q. But being commanded to keep the day of rest we are not forbidden all kind of workes A. No. For there are workes of Religion such as were circumcising the children which if the eight day wherein by Gods Law they were to be circumcised fel vpon the Sabbath was to bee performed without transgression of this Law Ioh. 7.22 as our Sauiour Christ affirmeth And the killing of the Sacrifices vpon the Sabbath day must be done Mat. 12.5 So the paines or labor in comming to Church vpon the Sabbath day is a labour not only lawful but commanded and necessarily required of all Christians as a duety that they must performe Some other are workes of necessity as if an Oxe be fallen into a pit vpon the Sabbath day it is no breach of this Commandement to pull it forth Luke 14.5 But here we must deale wisely and sincerely For if any businesse may without great danger bee put off vntill another time then this is not a work néedfull to be done that day so that euery occasion cannot make a worke of necessitie but only danger of great hurt or losse There are also works of charitie whereof Christ giueth this example Luk. 13.15 Doth not euery one of you loose an Asse or Oxe from the stall and lead him to the water on the Sabbath day Such workes are the visiting of the sicke comforting of them that are in heauinesse and such like works Q. Among the workes of charity many reckon this that they make drinkings gather great companies together vpon the Sabbath day to benefit som poore man as their pretence is may not this be truly accounted among the works of charitie that this day may be performed A. No. For when a worke that seemeth to proceed from a charitable affection toward man is crossed by some commandement of the first table all which belong to the immediate honor of God thou must rather shew thy loue to God then to man And indeed they who will not choose other daies wherein they may performe duties of loue towards their neighbour then that which God appointeth for to honour him in doe plainly shew they loue their owne profit better then either God or their neighbor because they take such time only to do good to their neighbour as God challengeth to be honoured in being loth to leese the work of a day appointed for labour Q. Is there then great necessity in consecrating the Sabbath day to a day of rest A. Very great as may appeare by the charge that is giuen For the word Kéep the Sabbath the word I say vsed in the Hebrew requireth oft a great and diligent care in kéeping that which is there commanded as Deutero 8.11 24.8 1. Kings 2.3 2. Kings 11.5 In all which places and many such like the selfe same word is vsed that here Moses hath to shewe the watchfull care wee should haue to kéepe this day of rest Yea God himselfe in giuing this commandement Exod. 20 giueth it with a memento Remember that thou keepe holy the Sabbath day Remember not onely when it commeth to keepe this day of rest from bodily labour but thinke of it before hand As a wise builder wil prouide his stuffe néedful for his building that when the work is in hand nothing bee wanting Or a discreet Captaine purposing to fight with his enemy will muster his Souldiers appoint his Captaines and Officers furnish them with armour weapons and victuall and all
things needfull that when hee goeth to encounter his aduersary there be no want euen so God would haue vs to consider all the weeke before what we haue to doe on the Sabbath day that wee might so dispose of our sixe dayes of work that the seuenth might bee wholly bestowed without any let vpon Gods seruice Q. This Commandement requireth not onely the rest of the masters or chiefe of families but of seruants too that they should not be appointed to any labour that day And therefore they who send their seruants vpon errands vpon such daies which is a sin wherein too many offend transgresse this Commandement They likewise who appoint thē that are vnder them so they worke not their wonted worke to doe other businesse either at home or abroad and thinke they breake not the Sabbath are much deceiued A. It is so Yea God hath such care that seruants shuld also rest that day that hee would the cattell should rest lest by any meanes the seruants if the cattel rested not should be constrained to work And that this commandement might more religiously be obserued euē the stranger though hee were not tyed to such lawes as Gods people were yet being then among Gods people might not worke that day lest his example might bee hurtfull or offensiue to other Q. I see then that there must bee rest from our ordinary labour vpon the Sabbath day But is it enough that wee rest from worke is that a sufficient sanctifying that day A. No for the end why we should rest from bodily worke is that wee might be wholy occupied in Sanctifying it and apply our selues to heauenly meditations Q. Then to bee idle is not the rest that is heere commanded much lesse to bestow that day or any part of the Sabbath in excessiue drinking feasting or gaming A. You say truely for the rest from bodily labour is to this end onely that the mind of men being occupied in spirituall and heauenly meditations they might more assuredly inioy that sweet rest and quietnesse of conscience which is that Peace that the world cannot giue Ioh. 14.27 as our blessed Sauiour telleth vs in such sort as he giueth it Q. I pray you then teach vs how wee may sanctifie this day of rest in such sort as that wee may find this heauenly rest A. Wée must vnderstand that this Commandement as it was giuen vnto all that God brought out of the house of bondage euen to Moses and Aaron aswell as to the people so is it generall now and belongeth vnto all states of life to all callings to Men and Women and euery body in his place must seeke to further this worke The Magistrate and the Minister the Pastor and the People the Master and the Seruant must indeauour to helpe forward as the Prophet Zephanie speaketh Chap. 3.9 with one shoulder this sanctifying the day of rest Q. Hath the ciuill Magistrate any thing required at his hands in this sanctifying of the Sabbath but that for his owne selfe and his household hee be carefull to resort to the holy exercises of that day A. Yes he is also bound euen by this Commandement in respect that the talent of gouernment is committed to him from God first to haue a care that good lawes be made against the prophanation of the Sabbath secondly to take order that such Laws be duely executed and punishment inflicted against offenders as Law commandeth Heereof wee haue in Nehemiah a godly patterne for Magistrates who séeing the Sabbath day when the people of the Iewes were returned from the captiuitie of Babylon wickedly prophaned by treading Wine-presses selling Grapes and such like labours earnestly reproued them for it yea and the Magistrates too with these words Nehe. 13.15.17 What euil thing is this that ye do and breake the Sabbath day And the night before the Sabbath he caused the gates of Ierusalem to be shut and set his seruants to watch the gates that none should open the same but they should be kept shut vntill after the Sabbath day so that he kept the Marchants which by their bearing of burthens prophaned the Sabbath day without the walles all night once or twice But seeing them somewhat obstinate and loth to be restrained he also threatned them that if they came any more in such sort to offer such prophanation on the Sabbath day hee would force them by violence to depart By which Story that is left vnto vs as a commendable fact for all Magistrates to imitate wee see how carefull and how earnest Magistrates should bee to shew themselues as the LORD hath appointed them Conseruatours of his Sabbath Q. As for Ministers of the word we know that their vocation is holy and should especially bee directed to the true sanctifying the day of rest A. It is most true that wee haue a holy calling which that wee also should walke in holily it were to bee wished But as this Commandement was giuen to Aaron as well as to Moses or the people so no doubt wee must haue great regard to the sanctifying the Sabbath day and go before other therein our selues I meane and our housholds that by our example other may the rather be moued to this holy rest And besides those duties that God requireth of vs in regard of our generall calling to Christianity wee haue a speciall calling vnto the Ministerie whereby we must striue to the vttermost of our power to call our people to the sanctifying the Sabbath day to teach them how the day is to bee sanctifyed to exhort such as are slack to reproue such as obstinately offend therein and by all extremity that we can to compell men to the sanctifying thereof And wee must do this as God hath inabled vs sincerely and seeking only the glory of GOD not our owne praise or moued by any other corrupt affection if we will truly and effectually teach our people to sanctifie the Lords Sabbath For how much the more zealously and from a sanctified heart the word is deliuered the more powerfully no doubt will it worke a godly reformation Q. Magistrates and Ministers I see must vse their talents of authority and gifts to sanctifie the Sabbath and themselues by their example also must moue other thereto haue not any other charge to helpe forward herein A. All Parents and heads of housholds must further this duty likewise to haue a great care that their children and seruants prophane not the day that God commandeth to bee kept holy Yea one neighbour ought to stir vp another as Gods people did Come Esay 2.3 let vs go vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iaacob and hee will teach vs his waies and wee will walke in his paths Come let vs go to the Church let vs reuerently heare his word let vs not spend the day in drinking wantonnesse or idlenesse that God bids vs bestow in holinesse yea and seruants and children should frame themselues willingly
this one day to holy and spirituall exercises Q. Are we so tied in the sixe daies to labour in our calling that we may not in them resort to places where Gods word is preached and taught A. No For the knowledge and seruice of God must chiefly be sought for of vs Mar. 6.33 First seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse saith our Sauiour Christ Wée sée GOD himselfe who gaue this charge to the Israelites commanded also his holy seruice to be performed of them somtime on the sixe daies as namely it may appeare Leuit. 23. and Numb 2. but most plainely in the story of Ester the fourteenth and fifteenth daies of the Moneth Adar with feasting and ioy were kept by Mordecai his commandement no doubt Ester 9.22 their ioy and reioicing was seasoned with thanksgiuing to God for their deliuerance from so imminent danger and is left vnto vs as a patterne to follow in like case and is also obserued of vs on the 5. of Nouember in giuing thankes to our most gracious God who saued vs from the most vnnaturall Gunpowder-Treason And they who in sincerity of heart seeke after the knowledge seruice of God at such times will also the more diligently early or late follow the works of their calling to supply their wants and such faithfull care of seruing GOD shall not want a blessing from God Q. But may a pretence of following such holy exercises be any excuse to such as will perchance bestow a little time that way and then the rest of the day they imploy in idlenesse A. It seemeth there were some such whereof the Apostle admonisheth Timothy 1. Tim. 5.13 and they were young widdowes but Saint Paul liked not of their doings and would not in any wise that such should be tolerated among Christians Q. But what thinke you of these words Sixe dayes shalt thou labour They seeme to be a Commandement and to require the labour of sixe daies euery man in his calling A. They are vnto the godly a toleration or permission to follow their vocation and to worke for the maintenance of themselues and their families But they haue also the force of a commandement to the condemnation of the vngodly that spend their life in loitering and idlenesse and may worke in them a sting of conscience when they shall remember that God saith Sixe dayes shalt thou labour and their own heart telleth them they haue not wrought but loitered For séeing God hath after mans fall set this downe as a Decrée that may not be altered vnlesse we spend our time in some religious exercise as before I sayd In the sweat of thy face thou shalt eat thy bread Gen. 3.19 good and godly is the exhortation that the Apostle maketh to the Thessalonians to worke with their hands as hee also before had commanded them 1. Thes 4.11 that nothing bee lacking to them Verse 12. And iust cause hee hath to giue that heauy charge which hee afterwards giueth vnto them 2. The. 3.10 If there were any that would not worke that he should not eat So hateful is the idle life to God and good men and so vnséemely for any Christian Q The Commandement of God if there were no other thing to moue GODS people to obedience in this thing ought to be sufficient but much the rather seeing God hath dealt with them so fauourably as to haue consideration of their wants that they might haue time to supply them A. There is yet a third reason to moue them then and vs also now to sanctifie the Sabbath in these words But the seuenth day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God For God challengeth this day as his due and not to be spent but as he appointeth that is in holinesse and sanctification Q. But the seuenth day which is here commanded is not that which now we call the Sabbath day so that it seemeth wee transgresse this Commandement howsoeuer we keepe our Sabbath A. Indéede the day here commanded as that also wherein God rested was the seuenth day of the wéeke and the day that we keepe and indeuour to sanctifie is the first day of the wéek For that seuenth day being ceremoniall and so by the comming of Christ abolished for he was the end and fulfilling of all the ceremoniall Lawe needefull it was that the chiefe and most substanciall end of that ceremonie should bee still retained that is that one day should bee wholly consecrated to Gods seruice And this day which we now solemnize being the first day of the wéeke was vpon good ground thought to be fittest because as God rested the seuenth day from his worke of creation and therefore that day was then thought most conuenient to bee vnto his people a day of rest So Christ rising againe from his worke of redemption vpon the first day of the wéeke the Apostles being directed by the Spirit of God vpon this first day of the wéeke had their holy assemblies as is most plaine Ioh. 20.19.26 Acts 23.7 and in other places and of the worke that Christ wrought in rising againe it is called The Lords day Reu. 1.10 And by this is there as it was fit a difference put betwéene the Sabbath of the Iewes and that which we kéepe Q. Almost in the very beginning of handling this fourth Commandement you sayd that there was a principall end why wee should keepe this day of rest which I think is this that you haue spokē of already the sanctifying it Declare then if there be any other end of keeping the Sabbath though not of such importance as this is A. Moses a true expositor of Gods meaning expresseth it in these words That thy man-seruant and thy mayd may rest as thou dost Deu. 5.14 Not giuing therein liberty to any seruants to rest from bodily labour and spend their time in idlenesse but their rest must be such as their masters rest ought to be a rest from seruile work that they may the more carefully and seriously bend themselues wholly to the sanctifying of that day I am not therefore of that minde that this part of this commandement belongeth to the second table as some thinke but rather that Moses expounding those former words Thou shalt do no work therein c. giueth them to vnderstand that the rest which in these words God commandeth them to giue their seruants must be to that very end that themselues also must rest that is to sanctifie that day And to the end they might more willingly giue this time of holy rest vnto their seruants hee putteth them in minde of their seruitude in Egypt Deut. 5.15 wherein they liued in such thraldome that they could not haue liberty to serue the Lord from which if they acknowledged truly as they ought confessed Gods great goodnesse in that he deliuered them then must they also thinke that their seruants must not alway bee tyed to their worke but that they as
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
them good Q. For a short view of the meaning of all the Commandements let this suffice But to returne to the first Commandement why is it as also many of the rest are deliuered negatiuely or forbidding that which is euill rather then cōmanding that which wee ought to do and the thing that is good A. Partly to giue vs to vnderstand that holy obedience cannot be performed vnlesse we first cleanse our harts from that which is euil as God by his Prophet aduiseth Esa 1.16.17 1. Pet. 3.11 Cease to doe euill learne to doe well and out of him S. Peter teacheth Eschew euill and doe good Insomuch as when God spoke to Iacob and willed him to goe to Bethel Gen. 35.1 Dwell there sayth God to him and make there an altar vnto GOD. Then said Iacob vnto his houshold and to all that were with him Put away the strange gods that are amongst you and cleanse your selues Ver. 2. Partly also God deliuereth the most of his cōmandements forbidding that which he would haue his seruants to auoide because he knoweth and he would also haue vs to consider earnestly with our selues that we are too ready prone naturally to sin and therefore that our first care should bee to deny our selues and our naturall inclinations that wee may more feruently follow after that which he willeth Q. Doth then this first Commandement require of vs any more then to take heed that we haue not any strange gods A. Yes verily For in that it forbiddeth any other it teacheth vs that hee and hée only ought to be acknowledged to be our God Therefore in the lawe such precepts are very common Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and shalt serue him Againe Deut. 6.13 Deut. 10.20 Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God thou shalt serue him and thou shalt cleaue vnto him Yea hee in his preface vnto his tenne Commandements doth challenge vnto himselfe that honour I am the Lord thy God Neither doth so speake this only to the Israelites who were his only knowne people at that time but euen vnto all vs who professe that wee are Gods children or seruants Q. You say then that this first commandement not onely forbiddeth all strange gods but also commandeth vs to cleaue vnto the true God A. It is so Q. But how shal we come to a more perfect vnderstanding of this first Commandement that we know how to keep and obey the same A. If we truly consider how many waies we may transgresse and carefully take heed to shun them and then remember what God requireth of vs that wée serue and worship him and set our selues to the vttermost of our power to doe them Q. Shew me then how many waies this first precept may be broken A. To speake of euery particular sin whereby this commandement may be broken it is hard but I shall deliuer certain general transgressions vnto the which all the rest may easily bée referred and by which wee may truly examine our selues and accuse our selues of disobeying Q. Is not the grosse Idolatry of the Gentiles a manifest breach of this Commandement A. Yes verily And God doth often complaine of his people for that they delighted in their abominations Deut. 32.21 Ier. 2.5 and elsewhere very often Q. But the Angels are excellent creatures alwaies waiting to do Gods will may we not seeke vnto them for helpe A. Wee may not For the Scriptures teach vs in many places that they are but ministring spirits and seruants vnder God for our good and therfore neither are willing of themselues to do any thing but when God sendeth them nor able by their owne strength or power to helpe vs. Q. Yet we see in Gods booke that good men sometimes haue offered to worship them As Manoah the father of Samson as may be gathered by the 13. Chap. 16. Verse of the booke of Iudges So likewise Apo. 19 10. 22.8 A. So it is But Manaoh knew not that it was an Angel as it is there testified but thought belike that God himselfe did speak to him we may also iudge the like of S. Iohn And therfore as that Angell commanded Manoah that if he would offer a burnt sacrifice hee should offer it to the Lord so S. Iohn is commanded by the Angell not to worship him because he is but his fellow seruant but worship must be done vnto God Q. Some haue worshipped the host of heauen and had affiance in those glorious creatures as the Egyptians who called the Sunne Osyris and the Moone Isis and worshipped them And also before them as Plato writeth the Grecians accounted the Sunne the Moone the Starres the earth also and the heauen for gods as Theodoret reporteth in his third booke of the healing the affections of the Grecians A. It is most true but not they only who had lesse meanes to know the true God But euen Gods people who were acquainted with Gods Law and were often reproued by Gods messengers sent vnto them for that purpose that they might know and detest that abomination euen they I say are accused not only by the Prophet Amos but also Amos. 5.26 by the first Martyr S. Steuen Although God gaue an expresse commandement vnto them Act. 7.43 Deut. 17.3.5 That if any haue gone and serued other gods and worshipped them as the Sun or the Moone or any of the hoast of heauen they should be stoned to death Q. It seemeth the excellency of these creatures who are very glorious in mens eies first alured the Gentiles to this folly and Gods people were deceiued by their example whilst they more regarded the dooings of men which are many times deceitfull then the expresse Commandement of God which alwaies pointeth to the right way A. That must needs be granted Therefore wée must hereby take héed that wee alwaies haue a carefull eye vnto Gods Law that we may frame all our actions both toward God and toward man by the right rule of the infallible word Otherwise we may easily transgresse this Commandement as these haue done in following after strange gods bowing before Angels and worshipping the host of heauen which were made for our vse and comfort and not that wee should serue them Q. Wee haue heard how many wayes such as haue professed themselues to be Gods seruants haue broken this first Commaundement vnder a perswasion though false of seruing God But may not the same also be transgressed by hauing too much confidence in things that cannot helpe A. Yes and that two waies Either in hauing too confident assurance in other worldly meanes that we can procure besides our selues or in trusting too much in our selues and our owne meanes Q. What meane you by them that seeke helpe by other worldly meanes then themselues A. All such as trust in mens strength or fauour for which sinne Gods people are very often bitterly reproued by Gods true Prophets for they so relyed sometime vpon the Aegyptians sometime vpon the
heere a peculiar promise belonging to such as honor their Parents A. That disobedient children may know that they who performe not the duty of honour to them who vnder God are authors and gouernors of their life may looke for no promise of long life but rather may feare the shortning of their daies as a punishment due to their disobedience Q. But how is long life promised as a blessing Wee see it is full of miseries wants feares cares and troubles in so much that death is many times rather desired then long life 1. Kings 19 4. Eliah sitting vnder the Iuniper tree desired that hee might dye and sayd It is now enough O Lord take my soule for I am no better then my Fathers A. Long life is not of it selfe a blessing because many times wicked men liue long 1. King 13.11 as the Prophet that deceiued the man of God that came from Iudah 1. Macha 6.16 is said to be old Antiochus liued 149. yeeres but the sinner Esay 65.20 though hee be a hundred yeeres olde shall be accursed Yet because God promiseth long life often as a blessing no doubt it is so vnto his seruants but then he so seasoneth the bitternes of this life with the sweet comfort of his fauour that not onely their dayes are prolonged but also as here Moses saith it goeth well with them wherby it commeth to passe that such doe feele to their vnspeakeable consolation the performance of this promise With length of dayes will I satisfie him I will shew him my saluation Psal 91.16 Q. But how can it be sayd the Lord their God gaue them that Land seeing Ioshua and the Israelites fought many battels Iosh 12.24 so that before they could inioy the land they smote one and thirty Kings A. First when they went to take possession of that Land of promise God made the waters of Iordan miraculously to giue place Iosh 3.17 so as they went ouer dry-shod Iericho the first Cittie that Ioshua did assault had the walles thereof battered with no other engines Iosh 6.16 then the sound of seauen Trumpets made of Rams hornes and the shout of the Israelites When the fiue Kings of the Amorites were discomforted did not God shew that he fought for them the Amorites were put to flight and many were killed in the flight GOD also cast hailestones from heauen vpon them so that moe were slaine so then by the sword And the it might yet more plainly appeare that the Lord tooke their part Ioshu 10. at the Prayer of Ioshua the Sun stood still that they might haue time enough to pursue their enemies And the Israelites being scarce well settled in that promised land of Canaan the Amalekites and Madianites and all they of the East in number like Grass-hoppers gathered together against them Gideon the Captaine of the hoast of Israel onely with three hundred men deuided into three bands set vpon this great multitude in thrée seuerall places euery man hauing a Trumpet and a Pitcher wherein was a Lampe The Israelites sounding their Trumpets and breaking their pitchers holding their Trumpets in their right hands and their Lamps in their left cryed The sword of the Lord and of Gideon and stood in their places so the Lord set euery mans sword vpon his neighbour and vpon all the host So all the host fled Vpon good ground therefore said the Prophet Psal 44.3 They inherited not the Land by their own sword neither did their owne arme saue them but thy right hand O Lord and thine arme and the light of thy countenance because thou didst fauor them Yea God himselfe euen in Ioshua his daies sold his people Iosh 24.12 Not by thy sword or by thy bow didst thou conquer the land of Canaan So that although the people sometime fought yet GOD so miraculously subdued their enemies vnto them that it must needs be confessed that GOD gaue them that Land Q. Now let vs heare somewhat of the sixt Commandement Thou shalt not kill A. The words themselues are a prohibition but out of them we must also gather a Commandement Q. But why are the three first Commandements and this and the rest that follow deliuered negatiuely or prohibiting the thing that is euill rather then commanding that which is good A. Because through the corruption that is in vs wee are so prone and inclining to euill that wee must first learne to eschew euill before wee can apply our selues to doe good we must after the counsell that our Sauiour Christ giueth Mat. 12.33 first make the tree good because Mat. 7.18 an euill tree cannot bring forth good fruit Therefore our Lord God herein teacheth vs where our reformation must begin wee must purge out the olde leauen of sinne that wee may be a new lumpe 1. Cor. 5.7 and for this cause are we forbidden to do that which is sinne that by little and little vnaccustoming our selues from our own waies we may grow and go on forward in newnesse of life Q. But what is forbidden in this Commandement A. First all killing with hand heart or tongue and the things that tend to the hurt of any mans person then also the bereauing him or spoyling of his goods or possessiōs Thirdly the Omission of such duties as tend to the safety or good of other men Q. I desire to heare of these points more particularly and first of killing with the hand A. The killing with the hand is diuersly sometime it is done bluntly without any care to cloake it as Cain killed Habel Ioab Abner and Amasa sometime craftily as Dauid killed Vriah For though he thought the matter was wittily contriued 2. Sam. 11. so as no body could charge him with it yet Nathan the man of GOD told him Thou hast killed Vriah the Hittite with the sword 2. Sam. 12.9 thou hast slaine him with the sword of the children of Ammon Sometime men murder vnder shew of iustice so was Naboth put to death for his Vineyard A fast was proclaimed Naboth accused of blasphemy the accusation prooued and he stoned who could say Achab had any hand in this Yet was the Prophet Eliah sent from God to examine him vpon this interrogatory 1. Kings 21 19. Hast thou killed and also gotten possession A lesson needfull to be learned of many Polititians in these daies who care not by secret practices to take out of the way any that may hinder their proud attempts Yet euen the greatest of them must one day stand giue account of their doings before that iust Iudge to whom no such thing is secret because his Eyes behold their very thoughts and their very intents and all the meanes which they vsed are knowne to him Q. But how may murder be committed with the heart only death not insuing A. Our Sauiour Christ in expounding this very Commandement and reprouing the interpretations of the Scribes and Pharises thereof saith But