A Guide Unto Godliness, Title page – Dedication
A GVIDE vntounto 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 vntounto 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 vponupon 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. 20.9or 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 giuegive 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 eueryevery 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 vvhichwhich 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 vntounto 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 vponupon the name of the Lord. So be it.
Your Worſhips in Chriſt, Francis Bunny.