A20559:205
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.
Thirdly, Gods name is taken in vain, by abusing his properties, and by abusive speaking of them; as of his power, his wisdom, mercy, patience, goodness, and such like, which are abused when we speak of them carnally and carelessly, or contemptuously. As in the 2. Kings. 7. When the prince, on whose arm the king leaned, heard the Prophet say that corn should be so cheap, so suddenly after that extreme dearth, he said though God should make windows in heaven, that could not be so. Now to speak so basely of Gods power, and so contemptuously as though his strength were to be measured by mans strength, and God could not tell how to bring it to pass, because he could not tell how, nor saw no means; for there he alludes to Noah's flood, q. d. if God should rain corn as fast as he rained water then, it could not be so, but it could be and was so, and he saw it so, but had no good by it, for he was pressed to death of the throng, as a just reward of this his contemptuous speech, & unbelief of gods power. So likewise his providence and wisdom is abused, when one frets, and speaks grudgingly against Gods work, under the name of fortune and chance, oh what ill luck was that, what ill-favoured fortune; for either one must say that things come to pass by chance, hap as hap may, without any disposing of Gods, & so he chargeth God to be too careless a governor, that lets all things run at random without counsel and advice, when he had made a world, to let it go at peradventures, and at random, or if we say that God governs all things, & rules in the world, and appoints what things & how they shall come to pass, then he chafes and murmureth against Gods government, under the name of fortune, & speaking ill of luck, speaks ill of Gods wisdom, a property of his.
Thirdly, Gods name is taken in vaine, by abusing his properties, and by abusiue speaking of them; as of his power, his wisedome, mercie, patience, goodnesse, and such like, which are abusd when we speake of them carnally and carelesly, or contemptuouslie. As in the 2. Kings. 7. When the prince, on whose arme the king leaned, heard the Prophet say that corne should bee so cheape, so suddainly after that extreame dearth, he said though God should make windowes in heauen, that could not bee so. Now to speake so basely of Gods power, and so contemptuously as though his strength were to bee measured by mans strength, and God could not tell how to bring it to passe, because hee could not tell how, nor saw no meanes; for there hee aludes to Noahs floud, q. d. if God should raine corne as fast as hee rayned water then, it could not bee so, but it could bee and was so, and hee saw it so, but had no good by it, for he was prest to death of the throng, as a just reward of this his contemptuous speach, & vnbeleefe of gods power. So likewise his prouidence and wisedome is abused, when one frets, and speakes grudgingly against Gods worke, vnder the name of fortune and chance, oh what ill lucke was that, what ill-fauoured fortune; for either one must say that things come to passe by chance, hap as hap may, without any disposing of Gods, & so hee chargeth God to bee too carelesse a gouernour, that lets all things runne at randome without counsell and aduice, when hee had made a world, to let it goe at peraduentures, and at randome, or if wee say that God gouernes all things, & rules in the world, and appoints what things & how they shal come to passe, then he chafes and murmureth against Gods gouernment, vnder the name of fortune, & speaking ill of luck, speaks ill of Gods wisedome, a propertie of his.