A20559:228
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 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 ⟨image 66⟩in thus swearing, because whatsoever is not of faith is sin, now he hath no faith, nor never looks to Gods commandment or glory in his oath; therefore the man must be good, sanctified by Gods spirit, and by faith, able to look to the commandment & promise, being truly converted unto God. Therefore whosoever hath taken an oath before his calling, how ever in it self lawful, yet he must be humbled for the doing of it, because it was a sin in him, being void of faith, & wanting a good conscience, and all true reverence of the majesty, for these things can never be wrought, but by the work of Gods spirit, converting and regenerating, therefore in time of ones unregeneracy, he took Gods name in his mouth, when there was no fear of him in his hart, and to the impure all things are impure. This must be observed in the maker.
FOr the person making, this must be knowne & obserued, that he must bee a christian, for no vnregenerate man can sweare lawfullie. And therfore S. Paul swearing saith, I call God to witnesse, why but so may an vnregenerate man, and his oath be worth nothing, therfore hee ads, whome I serue in my spirit, shewing that he that will comfortablie take the name of god in his mouth to sweare, must sanctifie him in his hart, and serue him in his spirit, or else hee doth take the name of God in vaine, he doth not glorisie him at all, for an ill tree saith Christ, cannot bring forth good fruit, and though others may haue good by that which he shall doe, yet it can bring no good or comfort to himselfe; nay it is an ill work in him, as the preaching of Iudas, and casting out diuells, and other works which he through christs commission was able to doe, were wicked things in him, and so farre from doing good to him, and yelding him any comfort in time of his afflicted conscience, that they rather were torments, and as hell fire in his bosome to vex and terrifie him, that had made so faire a shew, when in trueth he had so soule an hart. So if an vnregenerate man take an oath, though it be most true, yet he sinnes and dishonours God