A20559:154
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.
An other use of this is, that we must labour to get the true and sound knowledge of God, out of his word, and a fervent love of him; for till then a man is in danger to fall to idolatry. But if one see Christ in his word, and know his spiritual properties, then they shall say as the church, in Hosea. 14. What have we to do any more with Idols, we have hard God and seen God. For then we shall see better and more excellent things in him, then can be found in any image: but till this we are not well fenced against idolatry, as in the natural marriage, the wife is sure from adultery if she love her husband, but till then she lies open to adulterers, so betwixt christ and us; then are we ⟨p. 35⟩safe from idols, when we have gotten a fervent love of Christ. Many will boldly say, what bow down to an idol? kneel to a stock or a stone; sure I shall never do it, but as good as you have done it, but what cause or what reason have you to think you shall not? have you seen Christ Jesus described in his word? have you seen him, & received his body & blood in the sacrament? if one have seen his excellent beauty in these means, he shall abhor an idol, as an ugly thing, and if ones soul love Christ and seek after him in these means, he will never fall to this filthiness, but loth and detest it, but else he is in continual danger to fall to spiritual whoredom, what ever he can say now, when the times do not serve. Thus much for the gross and direct breach of this commandment, by making an image to represent god, which is impious, or to help one in his worship which is idolatrous.
An other vse of this is, that we must labour to get the true and sound knowledge of God, out of his word, and a feruent loue of him; for till then a man is in daunger to fall to idolatry. But if one see Christ in his word, and know his spirituall properties, then they shall say as the church, in Hosea. 14. What haue we to doe any more with Idoles, we haue hard God and seene God. For then we shall see better and more excellent things in him, then can be found in any image: but till this we are not well fenced against idolatrie, as in the naturall mariage, the wife is sure from adultrie if she loue her husband, but till then she lies open to adulterers, so betwixt christ and vs; then are we ⟨p. 35⟩