A20559:199
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.
what sore travail is that that wearies your body? what earnest study troubles your brain? that you must have so much refreshing, and so much recreating, it must be some very painful labour, that needs so much rest, to make one able to perform it: it is a sore labour indeed, for it is the service of lust and the devil, two hard masters.
what sore trauaile is that that wearies your body? what earnest studie troubles your braine? that you must haue so much refreshing, and so much recreating, it must bee some very painefull labour, that needes so much rest, to make one able to performe it: it is a sore labour indeede, for it is the seruice of lust and the diuell, two hard masters.
But this turning of recreation into a vocation, or a vexation rather, is not allowable by Gods word. How darest thou then be so impudently audacious, as to rob God of his treasure, to maintain thy filthy lust, and defile his holy word, by defending thine unholy practise. So likewise come to a covetous person, touch him a little with a rebuke, for his wringing and oppression, show him that the love of the world is enmity to God, and that covetousness is idolatry, then comes in this place of scripture which must salve all, what hath not God commanded a man to labour in his calling, doth not God say he is worse then an infidel, that provides not for his family, and so all must go under the name of good husbandry, and thrift and providing for his family. But consider thou that standest thus for thy labour, God will have thee labour, but not to serve the devil in thy labour, take pains in thy calling, ⟨image 56⟩but hurt not thy neighbour by it, provide for thy children & lay up, but lay up a treasure in heaven, provide to bring them up in the fear of God, and in some christian vocation, first provide that they may be christians, and then one hath well provided for them, store up merciful works, & then the righteous is merciful and lendeth, & his seed enjoys the blessing. Thus God will have one labour with godliness and provide so for his children as he provides for his own soul. So come to angry and passionate persons, they can have some thing to say for their sin to, and that out of Gods word, when they have broke out into foolish and unadvised passions, tell them this is naught, anger rests in the bosom of fools, and the wrath of man fulfils not the law of God, oh but I pray you doth not S. Paul say, be angry and sin not: It is true hypocrite, but if thou wilt be angry without sin, be angry first with thine own sin, begin at home, & condemn the folly that is in thine own soul, or else thine anger is not holy & spiritual, but devilish fleshly and carnal.