A20559:231
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.
For the Lord will not hold him guiltless that takes his name in vain.
For the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that takes his name in vaine.
Here God from the greatness of the peril, goes about to terrify men from the sin: now where he saith, I will not hold him guiltless, something more is expressed, then is understood, for the meaning is, that God will account him as guilty, and execute a sharp and severe punishment upon him. So that this we may observe as a plain doctrine out of this doctrine, that he which sins against this commandment, unless he do soundly repent, shall feel Gods hand heavy upon him, God will never put it up, but will be throughly revenged upon him for it. Of all sins this seems most safe in the eyes of men, a greater penalty is laid upon him that ⟨p. 60⟩robs a man of his goods, then upon him that robs God of his glory, and one may with more ease carry out a blasphemous & furious oath, yea many of them, & wicked scoffing & mocking of his word & works, then any slanderous reproach or taunting term against his neighbour, that is but dust and ashes like himself. Therefore sith men let it slip so easily, God will take the more notice of it, and punish it more sharply: for indeed men are more careful far of their own vainglory, then of Gods glory, and therefore if God should refer it to mens assizes, it is sure, little order would be taken for it; yea commonly it is seen that those which should reform and correct others, in this point have themselves most need to be reformed and corrected, & the greatest rulers that should most repress blasphemy, of all others practise it most; for if they be never so little crossed, how do they seek to ease themselves, but by violent and outrageous swearing. Therefore if God should put over the punishment of it, to their discretion, like enough a very slight penalty should serve the turn: and men also could not inflict a sufficient punishment, answerable to the fault, for damnation is the due punishment, as in