A20559:340
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 then of this is, first for the terrifying of all sabbath breakers, for if the keeping of a sabbath, be the way to blessing, as the truth of God hath said it, then on the contrary side the contempt and neglect of it, leads to all curses and wretchedness; For God hath showed that this will kindle a fire upon their houses; but they hope to quench it? no, they shall not, it cannot be quenched, one may as well quench hell fire as the fire of Gods curse, in this life, if they continue still in this sin. And in truth experience shows it, that there is a wild fire most continually set upon such mens goods that they come to naught, and if they get money, yet they put it in a broken bag, the canker of Gods vengeance eats all up, and they come to need and want, where shall one find one in twenty ⟨p. 91⟩that be common sabbath breakers, as carriers, and such like, but they come to misery, or if they do thrive in the world and hoard up outward riches, the curse of God seises more violently on their souls, and this is the greatest plague of all, for now it shows that God hath no purpose to do them good, for those whom he loves he corrects, and this is the sorest misery that can be for a sinner to thrive in his sin, this hardens his hart, and makes him run with full course to hell, as no such men is seen, they be the most wicked and disordered persons that can be, they profit nothing by reading Gods word, hearing worketh not in them, they have no affection in prayer, but even as dead stones; no spiritual thing can work upon them for their good, but every wicked and worldly thing, hath strength and power enough to work on them, for their greater hurt. So that in truth, God shows how he likes of their course, and this should terrify them from this so dangerous and miserable a course of living.
The vse then of this is, first for the terrifying of all sabboth breakers, for if the keeping of a sabboth, be the way to blessing, as the truth of God hath sayd it, then on the contrary side the contempt and neglect of it, leades to all curses and wretchednesse; For God hath shewed that this will kindle a fire vpon their houses; but they hope to quench it? no, they shall not, it cannot be quenched, one may as well quench hell fire as the fire of Gods curse, in this life, if they continue still in this sinne. And in truth experience shewes it, that there is a wild fire most continually set vpon such mens goods that they come to naught, and if they get mony, yet they put it in a broken bag, the canker of Gods vengeance eates all vp, and they come to neede and want, where shall one finde one in twentie