A20559:390
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.
Therefore if servants reverence their masters, they must not give them froward speeches, but even outwardly show their inward account, and the more base their masters be in the world, the greater reward shall they have from God, and they show the more truth and grace to be in their hearts. For to reverence a rich man, that will not bear contempt, but will take him down and crush him; this the veriest hypocrite may do, even for his own peace. But here is sincerity, here is truth of heart and uprightness, if when the master is poor and mean and of no reckoning in the world, then the servant can reckon him worthy of honour, and serve him with reverence and give him his authority and full allowance in all good carriage, how ever others do debase and contemn him.
Therefore if seruants reuerence their maisters, they must not giue them frowarde speaches, but euen outwardly shewe their inward account, and the more base their maisters bee in the world, the greater reward shall they haue from God, and they shew the more truth and grace to be in their hearts. For to reuerence a rich man, that will not beare contempt, but will take him downe and crush him; this the veriest hipocrite may doe, euen for his owne peace. But here is sinceritie, here is truth of heart and vprightnesse, if when the master is poore and meane and of no reckoning in the world, then the seruant can reckon him worthie of honour, and serue him with reuerence and giue him his authoritie and full allowance in all good carriage, how euer others doe debase and contemne him.
A second thing outward, wherein inferiors and servants must show their reverence to their masters, is in having a care of their name, & not blazing outward their infirmities. For this is a fault of many servants, that being hired to do faithful service, they come as spies into the house, and to spy out infirmities in the family, and if they can but spy a fault and weakness in their governors, then out it must to the disgracing and defaming of the Master, and to bring an evil report upon him; ⟨image 111⟩this proves, that there is not that due account and estimation, for it proceeds from a disloyal & irreverend heart, when one cares not to speak ill of his governors. But as reverence must breed a good and lowly gesture and good words to the master, so it must also bring forth good speeches of the master, and a concealment so much as may be of his wants. And having these fruits, it is proved to be true and upright and not counterfeit and not dissembling.