A20559:473
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 duty of the elder persons is to give a good example. For a grey head is a glory if it be found in the way of grace if they be godly and holy, and show a grave, wise, and grave conversation; then either younger persons shall give them their due reverence, or if they do not, the sin lies upon their own heads, and they be blameless. So Titus. 2. 2. The elder must be sober, honest, discreet, sound in the faith, in love, and patience, as their body decays, so their souls must increase in all gravity and soberness; and for their unsound limbs and weak, they must get a strong and sound faith, that by the long continuance of time, and often use of the means of salvation, they must get great soundness and power of faith, which may work abundantly in them by the fruits of love which always accompanies true faith; and this love will make them patient, not forward, not pettish, not easy to be offended, but full of long suffering, to be an example to others of meekness.
The dutie of the elder persons is to giue a good example. For a grey head is a glorie if it be found in the way of grace if they be godly and holy, and shew a graue, wise, and graue conuersation; then eyther younger persons shall giue them their due reuerence, or if they doe not, the sinne lyes vpon their owne heads, and they be blamelesse. So Titus. 2. 2. The elder must be sober, honest, discreet, sound in the faith, in loue, and patience, as their bodie decayes, so their soules must encrease in all grauitie and sobernesse; and for their vnsound limmes and weake, they must get a strong and sound fayth, that by the long continuance of time, and often vse of the meanes of saluation, they must get great soundnesse and power of faith, which may worke aboundantly in them by the fruits of loue which alwaies accompanies true faith; and this loue will make them patient, not forward, not pettish, not easie to be offended, but full of long suffering, to be an example to others of meeknesse.
But contrary it is in those, whose sins of their youth have stained them so deeply, and so filled their bodies, as there is no grace to be seen in their old age. Their words are altogether vain, and light, foolish, nothing savouring of grace, so that no man can in reverence, either crave advise from them or be silent to hear such foolish and unsavoury talk, as customably comes from them, and their conversation full of testiness and unadvised wrath, and blotted with miserable and abject covetousness and greediness, that they are always smelling earthward, and pursuing the world swiftly, when they can scarce go up and down in the world. No grace no wisdom, nor any virtue beautifieth their grey hairs, these want, and that justly their honour, because they have the first steppe old age, but they want the upshot and perfection to