A20559:355
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 confute those wretched and miserable children that take occasion to be undutiful, because their parents be poor and low, and in disgrace and small account among men. But be they so? then the child ought so much the more to honour them, or else he adds affliction to affliction. Therefore so far should he be from contemning his parents, because they be low and afflicted, as that he should reverence them, and honour them the more, that he may be a comfort and relief unto them in their trouble.
The vse of this is to consute those wretched and miserable children that take occasion to be vndutifull, because their parents be poore and low, and in disgrace and small account among men. But be they so? then the childe ought so much the more to honour them, or else he addes afflication to afflication. Therefore so farre should he be from contemning his parents, because they be low and afflicted, as that he should reuerence them, and honour them the more, that he may be a comfort and reliefe vnto them in their trouble.
For, for the child to honour his parents, when all the world honours them, and hath them in account, and to be dutiful then when they can either reward him if he be dutiful, or punish him for his undutifulness; is no trial of his honesty and obedience to God: For then it may be he doth it ether upon constraint, because he dare do no otherwise, or of a base mind, because he loves and gapes after his fathers wealth, more then for conscience to Gods commandment. But then the obedience is most sound and acceptable to God, when there be fewest worldly means to provoke one unto it. So for the wife or servant to say, O had I an husband or master of such great account, of such gifts and wisdom that could promote and reward me; then I could frame to obedience. Nay, for he that is not faithful in the least will not be faithful in the most. And God accounts not of that obedience, or reverence which proceeds not from conscience of his commandment, but from hope of some outward reward.
For, for the child to honour his parents, when all the world honours them, and hath them in account, and to be dutifull then when they can eyther reward him if he be dutifull, or punish him for his vndutifulnesse; is no triall of his honestie and obedience to God: For then it may be he doth it ether vpon constraint, because he dare do no otherwise, or of a base minde, because he loues and gapes after his fathers wealth, more then for conscience to Gods commaundement. But then the obedience is most sound and acceptable to God, when there be fewest worldly meanes to prouoke one vnto it. So for the wife or seruant to say, O had I an husband or master of such great account, of such gifts and wisedome that could promote and reward me; then I could frame to obedience. Nay, for he that is not faithfull in the least will not be faithfull in the most. And God accounts not of that obediēnce, or reuerence which proceeds not frō conscience of his commandement, but from hope of some outward reward.