The bright star which leadeth wise men to our Lord Jesus Christ, or, A…

The first is an amiable and loving behaviour of ones self towards others, for as a sour look, & an austere contemptuous gesture breaks this commandment, in that it alienates mens hearts from us, and is a preparative to hatred; so it is a fruit of love and a part of keeping this commandment, that one should by all good and gentle carriage of himself show his love and willingness to do good so near as he can to all. And this is a thing noted in Abraham as a matter of commendations and a testimony of his humble and loving heart, that where he came he was very courteous to all men, even infidels, men of a false religion, and did carry himself, in all good sort unto them who ever. As when he had to do with the Hittites. First, he bows himself in all courteous sort, and then his words were gentle and nothing savouring of a proud commanding, but with all mild and kind persuasions and entreaty, and then when they wild him to bury the dead in any of their sepulchres, gives them hearty thanks and with the like courtesy and good speeches as a fore, propounds his request. And this gentle dealing did so win the hearts of these heathen people, and made him so well account and esteemed amongst them, as they say to him thou art a prince of God amongst us, and would deny him nothing. And so when he met the Angels, which he took for no other but for common travellers, he saluted them, bowing his body in all dutiful sort and gave them good terms and called them Lords and entreated them to eat a morsel with him. And by this affability and kind usage of himself he did not only get favour and good account among those with whom he lived; but hath gotten credit till this day and shall to the worlds end, that being a man of such worth and good desert▪ so well graced, and of such place and wealth, all this did not make him sour, careless or disdainful, but he showed him kind and amiable even to the meanest. For indeed proud looks haughty looks and a scornful and a disdainful ⟨p. 47⟩eye that is such a thing as God abhors, he doth abhor an haughty eye and arrogant looks. As he saith in the Proverbs.

The first is an amiable and louing behauiour of ones selfe towards others, for as a sowre looke, & an auster contēptuous gesture breakes this commandement, in that it alienates mens hearts from vs, and is a preparatiue to hatred; so it is a fruite of loue and a part of keeping this commandemēt, that one should by all good and gentle cariage of himselfe shew his loue and willingnesse to doe good so neere as he can to all. And this is a thing noted in Abraham as a matter of commendations and a testimonie of his humble and louing heart, that where he came he was verie curteous to all men, euen infidels, men of a false religion, and did carrie himselfe, in all good sort vnto them who euer. As when he had to doe with the Hittits. First, he bowes himselfe in all curteous sort, and then his words were gentle and nothing sauouring of a proud commanding, but with all milde and kind perswasions and intreatie, and then when they wilde him to burie the deade in any of their sepulchres, giues them heartie thankes and with the like curtesie and good speeches as a fore, propounds his request. And this gentle dealing did so winne the hearts of these heathen people, and made him so well account and esteemed amongst them, as they say to him thou art a prince of God amongs vs, and would denie him nothing. And so when he met the Angels, which he tooke for no other but for comon trauailers, he saluted them, bowing his bodie in all dutifull sort and gaue them good tearmes and called them Lords and intreated them to eate a morsell with him. And by this affability and kinde vsage of himselfe he did not only get fauour and good account amonge those with whome he liued; but hath gotten credit till this day and shall to the worlds ende, that being a man of such worth and good desert so well graced, and of such place and wealth, all this did not make him sowre, carelesse or disdainfull, but hee shewed him kinde and amiable euen to the meanest. For indeede proud lookes hawtie lookes and a scornefull and a disdainfull