A20559:540
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.
And the first of these is Pride; for so much pride as there is in any, so much matter is there of the branch of this commandment, for so the holy ghost saith, that only from pride contention comes, and he that is proud, is always ready to stir up strife, for he will do wrong to any, but he will suffer wrong of none. So secondly, he so spends and ruinates his estate by serving his proud lust, that he hath nothing to bestow in works of mercy, by setting up himself too high, he brings his estate so low, that he cannot afford to do any good, he is always in want & need, still shifting, and cast behind hand, because he is too lavish in spending in needless things to serve himself.
And the first of these is Pride; for so much pride as there is in any, so much matter is there of the brāch of this cōmandement, for so the holy ghost saith, that onely from pride contention comes, and he that is proud, is alwaies readie to stirre vp strife, for he will doe wrong to any, but he will suffer wrong of none. So secondly, he so spends and ruinates his estate by seruing his proud lust, that he hath nothing to bestow in works of mercy, by setting vp himselfe too high, he brings his estate so low, that he cannot afford to doe any good, he is alwaies in want & need, still shifting, and cast behinde hand, because he is too lauish in spending in needlesse things to serue himselfe.
As the Sodomites though they lived in the most rich and plentiful country under the sun, and that which was fruitful of all increase, yet they could show no work of mercy, no good that they could do, why? because they were proud, and thought all too little that went to themselves, and for their own delight, & therefore can spare nothing to supply another's need. So it is seen that many poor men, yet are able to do more good, have more to lay out upon mercy, then many other that have rich revenues, and why? because these with their revenues have an other thing, that is pride, which drinks them dry, so that they may truly say they have nothing to give, they are ⟨p. 51⟩driven to wants and necessities that they can never get before hand, they have it not, and how should they give it? But why have they it not? whose is the fault? It is therefore because they have fed the wasting humour of pride, and that eats up all which they should bestow on Gods poor Saints. Therefore who ever would keep this commandment let him strive against pride for that will make him unable to do good, and make him dry to minister matter for every contention.