The bright star which leadeth wise men to our Lord Jesus Christ, or, A…

and this is a common thing among fantastical fellows, that desire to be thought witty and conceited, that if any place of scripture serve their turn, to gird or quip one another or such like purpose, they had rather god should loose his glory, and gods word the grace and authority of it, then that they will loose their jest; & thus that which God appointed to edify their souls in godliness, they pervert to stir up themselves and others to foolish and wicked, and profane laughter. So thirdly the word of God is abused in a most gross and notorious manner, when one brings it in the defence of any sin or error, or heresy, which is to presume to wrest Gods weapons out of his hands, as it were, and beat him with his own sword. This is a greater abuse of the sacred word of God, and more hurtful and mischievous, then either swearing or forswearing. Thus the devil did most damnably profane Gods name and word, when he misused that, to make Christ go out of his way, that was written to encourage all Gods children in their ways, thus setting as it were an ill-favoured shape upon Gods word, that it may seem to agree with his devilish temptations; so let wicked & voluptuous livers that spend all their time and labour in pursuing vain and fond sports and games, and such foolish and fleshly delights, as makes them no whit more serviceable to God or the common weal, nor do any good to their own ⟨p. 48⟩souls or bodies, or any mans else; let such men I say, be reproved and told that this kind of living is not allowable, it will not hold out before god, man was made to bring glory to god, and do good in this world, not to bring pleasure to his flesh, and live idly in the world, and therefore they must repent and amend, you shall have an excuse straight, Gods word must be brought as a defence, they do not break Gods commandment, without warrant out of the scripture, if you will believe them; what say they, would you have a man live without delight? do you not allow recreation? why the scripture doth afford a man recreation, and then a number of places must be brought in, for recreation, to maintain their voluptuousness. But vain man, doth not the scripture command a vocation, and the recreation as an help to further in it; now if one may ask you that stand so much for recreation, what is your occupation?

and this is a common thing among fantasticall fellowes, that desire to be thought wittie and conceited, that if any place of scripture serue their turne, to gird or quip one another or such like purpose, they had rather god should loose his glory, and gods word the grace and authoritie of it, then that they will loose their jest; & thus that which God appointed to edifie their soules in godlinesse, they peruert to stirre vp themselues and others to foolish and wicked, and prophane laughter. So thirdly the word of God is abusd in a most grose and notorious manner, when one brings it in the defence of any sinne or error, or heresie, which is to presume to wrest Gods weapons out of his hands, as it were, and beat him with his owne sword. This is a greater abuse of the sacred word of God, and more hurtfull and mischieuous, then either swearing or forswearing. Thus the diuell did most damnably prophane Gods name and word, when he misused that, to make Christ goe out of his way, that was written to encourage all Gods children in their waies, thus setting as it were an ill-fauoured shape vpon Gods word, that it may seeme to agree with his diuellish temptations; so let wicked & voluptuous liuers that spend all their time and labour in pursuing vaine and fond sports and games, and such foolish and fleshly delights, as makes them no whit more seruiceable to God or the common weale, nor doe any good to their owne