A20559:304
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.
This serves for the reproof of those men which bear this mind toward their servants, that so their own work be performed, they care not how Gods work is neglected, let their servants be careful to do their business on the six days, & let them be as careless as they list of Gods, on the seventh day, let them spend it even how they will, they have free liberty from the masters. This shows men to be lovers of themselves more then lovers of God, and proves that they love filthy lucre and gain of the world, more then the glory of God, for if Gods glory were but as deer to them as their money, they would be as impatient at his dishonour by their servants ⟨p. 82⟩negligence, as at losses that come to themselves by their servants negligence. Oh but they say they be rude youths and will break out from us, we cannot keep them in. Be not these deep dissemblers? is not this gross hypocrisy, can you not keep them in? Who keeps them in on the six days, can you make them tarry at home then, can you set them to their business, and not suffer them to be gadding, yet that is for six days space, this is but for one, that labour which then they do is far more toilsome to the body, & can you make them will they nill they, spend six whole days in more painful & tedious work, & can you not constrain them to keep at home and do more easy works in respect of bodily labour, and that but for one whole day? this is miserable shifting, & plain halting, these excuses will not hold before God, he will show you that you had made as much account of serving his honour and glory, and obeying his commandment, as you do of serving your own filthy covetous lust, and obeying the devil, if his name had been as deer to you as gain, you might with as much ease, cause your servants to spend the seventh day, in his service to his glory, as six before it in your own service to your profit. But what is the cause that youth is so rude, is it not because they have learnt it of age? Why, be inferiors so profane, but because they follow the pattern and tread in the steps of their superiors?
This serues for the reproofe of those men which beare this minde toward their seruants, that so their owne worke be performed, they care not how Gods worke is neglected, let their seruants bee carefull to doe their businesse on the sixe daies, & let them bee as carelesse as they list of Gods, on the seauenth day, let them spend it euen how they will, they haue free libertie from the masters. This shewes men to bee louers of themselues more then louers of God, and proues that they loue filthie lucre and gaine of the world, more then the glorie of God, for if Gods glorie were but as deere to them as their monie, they would bee as impatient at his dishonour by their seruants