A20559:323
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.
Secondly, if one make God his example he shall grow better and better, because still he shall come short of the mark he aims at, & never be able to attain to the perfection which is in his example, so that still he shall have a proportion to go on and to grow. If one set man for his copy, either he may write as well as his copy, or at least he may imagine that he doth & then he stands at a stay, and thinks he hath done well, he may cease now, but this example is not subject to such conceit, no man either can or will dream that he can be as good as God, so that here is still occasion of mending and increasing. Thirdly, he that follows the example of men, hath great means of pride, and to be puffed up, for comparing himself with men, he is not put in mind of his faults, but rather thinks this & this I have done, and in most things I am equal to the best, and so is in great danger to grow conceited of himself, ⟨image 94⟩but now he leaving men, looks unto God, and casts his eyes first on God, and then on himself, he sees so much imperfection in himself, and such infinite righteousness and goodness in God, as that upon this comparison, he grows more humble and holy, and to know himself more, so that though he grow better every day then other, yet he thinks worse of himself every day then other, and hath a greater insight into his own corruption, by how much, he gets more strength against his corruption. In these regards therefore, and for these reasons, it is most safe and profitable, to make Gods example a line for himself, and to follow his president, so near as he can in all things.
Secondly, if one make God his example hee shall grow better and better, because still he shall come short of the mark he aymes at, & neuer be able to attaine to the perfection which is in his example, so that still he shall haue a proportion to goe on and to grow. If one set man for his coppie, either he may write as well as his coppie, or at least he may imagine that he doth & then he stands at a stay, and thinks he hath done well, he may cease now, but this example is not subiect to such conceit, no man either can or will dreame that he can be as good as God, so that heere is still occasion of mending and encreasing. Thirdly, he that followes the example of men, hath great meanes of pride, and to be puft vp, for comparing himselfe with men, he is not put in minde of his faults, but rather thinks this & this I haue done, and in most things I am equall to the best, and so is in great daunger to grow conceited of himselfe,