A20559:356
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.
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.
Therefore it is our duty not so much to trouble our selves in enquiring what heads other have, as to labour to make best of ⟨image 102⟩our own. For this in the natural body we see, that if one have an head full of infirmities, and subject to diseases, he will not therefore knock it against the walls, and contemn it: but he thinks; this is my head that God hath given me, and therefore I must not make it worse by ill usage, but strive to make it better by all means I can. O but say they, other children have better parents that be more careful of them. But let such turn back a little, and look to themselves, and examine their own stuff; other, you say have better parents; true. But look to your self a little, and think on the other side, have not other parents also better children, more dutiful and obedient, and more virtuous every way then you be? Put these two together now, and then the mouth will soon be stopped. So the wife; other husbands are more kind and loving, and be better to their wives.