A20559:313
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.
Here he shows that if a stranger come within our jurisdiction that are christians, though we cannot command ⟨p. 84⟩him to come to the exercises of religion, yet the magistrate must not suffer him to do any servile work to pollute the sabbath, for by the gates here the Lord means authority and jurisdiction, because in former time the place of judgement and where authority was exercised was in the gates. Hence then in that the magistrate must look to foreigners, this general doctrine may be gathered, that it is our duty being christians, not only to keep the sabbath our selves, and to look to those that are belonging to us, but so far as we can even to strangers, or to any other. And this is that which is commended in Nehemiah, that when the men of Sidon that knew not God, nor cared not for the sabbath, came with wares to Jerusalem on the sabbath, he shut the gates against them, and told them, that if they did so any more, he would lay hands upon them.
HEere hee shewes that if a stranger come within our iurisdiction that are christians, though we cannot command ⟨p. 84⟩him to come to the exercises of religion, yet the magistrate must not suffer him to doe any seruile worke to pollute the sabboth, for by the gates heere the Lord meanes authoritie and jurisdiction, because in former time the place of judgement and where authoritie was exercised was in the gates. Hence then in that the magistrate must looke to forreyners, this generall doctrine may bee gathered, that it is our dutie being christians, not onely to keepe the sabboth our selues, and to looke to those that are belonging to vs, but so farre as we can euen to strangers, or to any other. And this is that which is commended in Nehemiah, that when the men of Sidon that knew not God, nor cared not for the sabboth, came with wares to Ierusalem on the sabboth, hee shut the gates against them, and tolde them, that if they did so any more, hee would laie hands vpon them.
And there is great reason why one should be careful of those of other congregations, and of other places, for if we have the true love of God in us, it will grieve us to the hart to see gods name dishonoured, and his laws broken of any one whosoever, and therefore so much as in him lies, he stop all such practises who ever they be that do them. Also every man is bound to love his enemy, yea his enemies beast, and if he see his enemies beast under his burden, he must help him up, if one must help a mans ox or ass, if he be burdened, much more his soul, that is burdened with the sin that will kill it, if it be not taken off. No man is so savage that if he see a blind man running into a well, wherein he may be drowned, will say let him go I care not, he is none of my family, nor of my friends, though he be not, mercy is to be showed to all, and nature in such a case will teach one to run and call to him, and hinder him by what means he can. So for the soul much more, if we see a person who is in truth blinded through ignorance, and knows not the danger, about to cast himself into the pit of hell, mercy will move him that hath any true mercy, to seek to reclaim him.