A20559:553
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.
But if that all these means being used, notwithstanding these lusts will not be overcome, but still arise and still overburden the heart and set it on fire with ill desires, and the flesh will not be humbled, then one must seek the remedy of marriage and pray to God to give him an yokefellow; and then one may look that God should hear his requests. For when he hath done his endeavour to beat down his flesh, and yet cannot so tame it, but that he stands in need of an help this ways, then God hath called him to the estate of matrimony, and as he hath given him a calling, so will he give him such an one as shall be a comforter to him, and an helper both in this life and in the life to come. And so much for the inward breach.
But if that all these meanes being vsed, notwithstanding these lusts will not be ouercome, but still arise and still ouerburden the heart and set it on fire with ill desires, and the flesh will not be humbled, then one must seeke the remedie of mariage and pray to God to giue him an yokefellow; and then one may looke that God should heare his requests. For when hee hath done his endeuour to beat downe his flesh, and yet cannot so tame it, but that he stands in neede of an helpe this waies, then God hath called him to the estate of matrimonie, and as hee hath giuen him a calling, so will he giue him such an one as shal bee a comforter to him, and an helper both in this life and in the life to come. And so much for the inwarde breach.
The outward breach of this commandment hath many branches. But the chief are comprehended by the Apostle. Galat. 5. Where he saith, the fruits of the flesh are, adultery, fornication, uncleanness, wantonness. These are the chief outward branches of this commandment. And first for adultery. That is, when the party offending, is either married or contracted, for if he be either joined by marriage or contraction, that commits the act, then it is adultery. This is a very high breach of this commandment. For when they have been either married or contracted, then they break the covenant of God. For when they come together in either of these knots, they do make a covenant not only one with an other, but with God himself, that hath appointed the ordinance, that will faithfully & truly keep their fidelity one to the other, and therefore if they deal unchastly, it is not only unjustly done one to another, but they forfeit their bond to God, even their salvation, and provoke his curse both on their soul and body. And this is a thing peculiar to adulterers, that having come in the sight of God and before men and Angels, to make a covenant, & there