A20559:271
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 use of this is to reprove those that think if they abstain from work of their calling, that they take no pains in outward toiling about affairs of this world, then they keep the sabbath very well, and if no man can accuse them of going to plough or cart or such works, then they think they have not broken the fourth commandment. But idleness is a sin of Adam, naught every day, as we said before, but much more naught upon that day that should be spent in Gods exercises: But much more wicked are they, that be evil occupied, in dancing and dallying, in swilling and brawling, and so make it the devils day instead of Gods, and do more dishonour to God, and hurt to their own souls, then any day in the week else. Many also are to be reproved that will come to the church, & for the time of the day will be content to hear the word and do such exercises, but at even when darkness comes, then comes the works of darkness, and when they be in their bed, then they be plodding and casting about for worldly affairs, and their heads be as busy, & as full of earthly matters, as any night in the week else. But we are to know that the sabbath contains four and twenty hours, as well as any other day, and therefore the night must be spent in an holy rest to, else one shall hurt himself more and displease God more by these vain thoughts in the night, then he could please God and benefit himself by keeping himself in good company and good actions in the day; and therefore they want the blessing because they perform not all the duty, and that which they did was in hypocrisy, because they do not care to remember that which they heard, nor examine with what hart and with what profit they have performed the duties of the day; not but that a man may have sleep, but his sleep is to be seasoned with the sweetness of the former exercises, & ⟨p. 73⟩his dreams have some taste of religion, more then at other times, and when they wake their thoughts & meditations must be carried after holy things, because Gods eyes are as fast fixed on them in their bed, as in the church, and he sees and knows their thoughts in the dark, as well as their behaviour and carriage in the midst of the congregation.
The vse of this is to reproue those that thinke if they abstaine from worke of their calling, that they take no paines in outward toyling about affaires of this world, then they keepe the sabboth verie well, and if no man can accuse them of going to plow or cart or such workes, then they thinke they haue not broken the fourth commandement. But idlenesse is a sin of Adam, naught euerie day, as we said before, but much more naught vpon that day that should bee spent in Gods exercises: But much more wicked are they, that bee euill occupied, in dauncing and dallying, in swilling and brawling, and so make it the diuels day insteede of Gods, and doe more dishonour to God, and hurt to their owne soules, then any day in the weeke else. Many also are to bee reprooued that will come to the church, & for the time of the day will bee content to heare the word and doe such exercises, but at euen when darkenesse comes, then comes the works of darkenesse, and when they be in their bed, then they bee plodding and casting about for worldly affaires, and their heads be as busie, & as full of earthly matters, as any night in the weeke else. But wee are to know that the sabboth containes foure and twentie houres, as well as any other day, and therefore the night must bee spent in an holy rest to, else one shall hurt himselfe more and displease God more by these vaine thoughts in the night, then he could please God and benefit himselfe by keeping himselfe in good companie and good actions in the day; and therefore they want the blessing because they performe not all the dutie, and that which they did was in hipocrisie, because they doe not care to remember that which they heard, nor examine with what hart and with what profit they haue performed the duties of the day; not but that a man may haue sleepe, but his sleepe is to bee seasoned with the sweetnesse of the former exercises, &