A20559:227
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.
But for want of knowledge and faith in this point, we want the fruit of it, whereas a christian swearing for conscience sake, and in obedience to Gods commandment may lay upon an oath among his best services, and accounts, and treasure it up as a precious jewel that shall bring an excellent reward with it; for God will not forget those that sanctify his name, and one cannot do that more then in an holy and reverent swearing by it. Now that one may swear lawfully, these rules must be observed, both for
But for want of knowledge and faith in this point, we want the fruit of it, wheras a christian swearing for conscience sake, and in obedience to Gods commandement may lay vpon an oath among his best seruices, and accounts, and treasure it vp as a precious jewell that shall bring an excellent reward with it; for God wil not forget those that sanctifie his name, and one cannot doe that more then in an holy and reuerent swearing by it. Now that one may sweare lawfully, these rules must be obserued, both for
the persons & either thing making or taking.
For the person making, this must be known & observed, that he must be a christian, for no unregenerate man can swear lawfully. And therefore S. Paul swearing saith, I call God to witness, why but so may an unregenerate man, and his oath be worth nothing, therefore he ads, whom I serve in my spirit, showing that he that will comfortably take the name of god in his mouth to swear, must sanctify him in his hart, and serve him in his spirit, or else he doth take the name of God in vain, he doth not glorify him at all, for an ill tree saith Christ, cannot bring forth good fruit, and though others may have good by that which he shall do, yet it can bring no good or comfort to himself; nay it is an ill work in him, as the preaching of Judas, and casting out devils, and other works which he through christs commission was able to do, were wicked things in him, and so far from doing good to him, and yielding him any comfort in time of his afflicted conscience, that they rather were torments, and as hell fire in his bosom to vex and terrify him, that had made so fair a show, when in trueth he had so soul an hart. So if an unregenerate man take an oath, though it be most true, yet he sins and dishonours God