A20559:550
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 use of this is to condemn those, that when they hear Gods curse against the breakers of this commandment concerning adultery, that think if they have not broken forth into the outward action, they are free and out of gunshot, it pertains not unto them. But let them know that if they have an ill heart, though men cannot charge them with the evil act, yet God can charge them with the evil thought, and that they are liable to Gods curse as well as those that offend outwardly. Indeed there be degrees, and the increase of sin brings an increase of judgement, and grosser sins shall have more grievous plagues, but the least thought is sufficient to condemn them. And those that will not humble themselves, nor care not for inward motions will if occasion be offered, easily be drawn to the outward practise. For if lust have conceived it, brings forth sin, and he that will not refrain it, in the conception, shall not be able to hinder it in the birth; therefore he that would not have sin borne, must not let lust conceive but labour earnestly to kill it in the womb as it were; for howsoever thought be free in respect of the sight and law of men, yet it is not free from Gods, nor from his law, which was not only given only to reform and rule the outward manners, but the soul also and the affections.
The vse of this is to condemne those, that when they heare Gods curse against the breakers of this commandement concerning adulterie, that thinke if they haue not broken forth into the outward action, they are free and out of gunshot, it pertaines not vnto them. But let them know that if they haue an ill heart, though men cannot charge them with the euill act, yet God can charge them with the euill thought, and that they are lyable to Gods curse as well as those that offend outwardly. Indeede there be degrees, and the increase of sinne bringes an increase of iudgement, and grosser sinnes shall haue more greeuous plagues, but the least thought is sufficient to condemne them. And those that will not humble themselues, nor care not for inward motions will if occasion be offered, easily be drawne to the outward practise. For if lust haue conceiued it, bringes forth sinne, and he that will not refraine it, in the conception, shall not be able to hinder it in the birth; therfore he that would not haue sin borne, must not let lust cōceiue but labour earnestly to kill it in the wombe as it were; for howsoeuer thought be free in respect of the sight and law of men, yet it is not free from Gods, nor from his law, which was not only giuen only to reforme and rule the outward manners, but the soule also and the affections.