A20559:537
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.
Secondly, it must be done liberally, without grudging and murmuring, as 2. Cor. 9. God loves a cheerful giver, it must not be wrested out of one, but must come willingly and freely, or else the thanks is lost. So Proverbs. 3. 27. Withhold not the goods from the owner thereof. &e. He makes the Christian neighbour that is in necessity an owner, one that hath good right and title to our goods according to our ability, for God hath given it to them, and it is their due, therefore he saith, withhold it not but give it readily, put him not back, but let him see that thou art glad to do him good, and that it is a delight to thy soul to help him in his need. So Christ saith that the poor widows half farthing was more in Gods account the all them large offerings of the richer men, for they did it most of them ambitiously, and some Pharisees meritoriously to bind God unto them, and make him beholding unto them; but she did not look to credit, for it was rather a discredit, that when all the rest came with their great sums, she comes me with a mite among the rest, but she was not ashamed of that, neither did she think to merit any thing of God, but desiring to please God, she gave that she had though it was but a little, very freely, and therefore God accounted it a very free gift. Therefore we must look that our gifts be freewill offerings, and come voluntary, and then they are likely to be accepted.
Secondly, it must be done liberally, without grudging and murmuring, as 2. Cor. 9. God loues a cheerefull giuer, it must not be wrested out of one, but must come willingly and freely, or else the thanks is lost. So Prouerbs. 3. 27. Withhold not the goods from the owner thereof. &e. He makes the Christian neighbour that is in necessitie an owner, one that hath good right and title to our goods according to our abilitie, for God hath giuen it to them, and it is their due, therefore he saith, withhold it not but giue it readily, put him not backe, but let him see that thou art glad to doe him good, and that it is a delight to thy soule to helpe him in his need. So Christ saith that the poore widdowes halfe farthing was more in Gods account the all thē large offerings of the richer men, for they did it most of them ambitiously, and some Pharises meritoriously to binde God vnto them, and make him beholding vnto them; but she did not looke to credit, for it was rather a discredit, that when all the rest came with their great summes, she comes me with a mite among the rest, but she was not ashamed of that, neither did she thinke to merit any thing of God, but desiring to please God, she gaue that she had though it was but a little, verie freely, and therfore God accounted it a very free gift. Therefore we must looke that our gifts be freewill offerings, and come voluntarie, and then they are likely to be accepted.