A20559:152
The bright star which leadeth wise men to our Lord Jesus Christ, or, A…
The bright star which leadeth wise men to our Lord Jesus Christ, or, A familiar and learned exposition on the ten commandments gathered from the mouth of a faithful pastor by a gracious young man, sometime scholar in Cambridge.The bright star which leadeth wise men to our Lord Jesus Christ, or, A familiar and learned exposition on the ten commandements gathered from the mouth of a faithfull pastor by a gracious young man, sometime scholler in Cambridge.
London: printed by John Harison for Thomas Man, 1603London: printed by Iohn Harison for Thomas Man, 1603
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Sith then the worshipping of images is the worshipping of idols, as it is said in the Psalm afore named. 136. For he that doth Gods work he worships God, and he that doth the devils work he worships the devil? and sith all idols be condemned in gods service, because they have no warrant from God, nor he hath not appointed any signification of them. This serves for the reproving of all those that have bowed down unto them, kissed them, or used any homage unto them. For in Isai, 66. 3. He sets down this as a note of an unregenerate man to bless an idol, one need go no further for the note of a wicked sinner, then if he bless an idol. For by worshipping it, in this commandment, he means not to account it as God, but to think that by any reverence done before the idol, one shall get some help, that this shall be a means of good, to do this, is spiritual whoredom. For so in Isai. 42. 8. He saith, I am the Lord, I will not give my glory to an other. One had better therefore dye the death, then use any bodily gesture of reverence to an idol▪ And this the three Children knew full well in Daniel. For ⟨image 42⟩when the King commanded them on pain of death to fall down, he did not bind their souls but only their bodies, yet they would not; one would think they might have done that, and done it in their harts to God, but they knew that if they had defiled their body with the least bow, it would have drawn Gods curse upon their soul and body; and therefore they durst not do it. Therefore sith this is spiritual whoredom, those that have done it must repent for it, and know that they have infected their souls with a damnable sin, for which if they do not throughly repent, it is said, that when times & occasion shall serve, they will fall to it as freshly as ever before, for then it is not the fear of God that hath repressed it, but the positive law doth a little restrain it, which if it be removed, their lust will break forth as much as ever before; as it was seen by the Israelites, in the wilderness, therefore we must be truly humbled, for it, and labour for assurance of pardon. And though men will say they did it with a good intent & in good meaning, and in love to Christ, yet all these excuses will not serve the turn.
Sith then the worshipping of images is the worshiping of idols, as it is said in the Psalme afore named. 136. For he that doth Gods work he worships God, and he that doth the diuels work he worships the diuell? and sith all idols be condemned in gods seruice, because they haue no warrant from God, nor he hath not appointed any signification of them. This serues for the reprouing of all those that haue bowed downe vnto them, kissed them, or vsed any homage vnto them. For in Isai, 66. 3. He sets downe this as a note of an vnregenerate man to blesse an idoll, one need goe no further for the note of a wicked sinner, then if he blesse an idoll. For by worshipping it, in this commandement, he meanes not to account it as God, but to think that by any reuerence done before the idoll, one shall get some help, that this shall be a meanes of good, to doe this, is spiritual whordome. For so in