A20559:155
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.
The second breach of this is superstition, when one doth not go to stocks & stones, but useth those ways and inventions in worshipping God, which are not commanded of God in his word, but be the appointment of men, for Mat. 15. 9. Christ saith that they worship him in vain, teaching for doctrines mens precepts. If it have no further beginning then mans brain, God will give no blessing to it, yea he sends a curse upon it, for cursed is he that ads any thing to Gods book, God will add so much to his plagues. And the reason is, because he makes himself wiser or better then God. For if God be perfectly wise, then he knew best what worship would please him, and if he be perfectly good, then he would reveal unto us, what ever he knew fit for us to practise. Again it is a great injury offered to God, when we will let his deadly enemies, have the ordering and appointing of his service, rather then himself. A king would think it a great indignity, that his servants would not serve him after his direction, but some base fellow that were a professed enemy should set down, what meats he must have, and in what manner he must be served, and all his attendance and provision: but much more absurd and injurious it is, that we will let flesh and blood ⟨image 43⟩bear the sway in his worship, for these do join with the devil, and are enmity to God. And if we will have this preeminence in our house, and that our servants must do that which we bid them, not what they themselves think good, for he is a good servant that doth his masters will, not his own, then why should not we think it right, that god must be lord in his house, and we must do his service after his appointment and not our own.
The second breach of this is superstition, when one doth not goe to stockes & stones, but vseth those waies and inuentions in worshipping God, which are not commaunded of God in his word, but bee the appointment of men, for Mat. 15. 9. Christ saith that they worship him in vaine, teaching for doctrines mens precepts. If it haue no further beginning then mans braine, God will giue no blessing to it, yea hee sends a curse vpon it, for cursed is hee that ads any thing to Gods booke, God will add so much to his plagues. And the reason is, because he makes himselfe wiser or better then God. For if God be perfectly wise, then he knew best what worship would please him, and if hee be perfectly good, then he would reueale vnto vs, what euer hee knew fit for vs to practise. Againe it is a great iniurie offred to God, when we will let his deadly enimies, haue the ordering and appointing of his seruice, rather then himselfe. A king would thinke it a great indignitie, that his seruants would not serue him after his direction, but some base fellow that were a professed enemie should set downe, what meats he must haue, and in what manner hee must be serued, and all his attendance and prouision: but much more absurd and injurious it is, that we will let flesh and bloud