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

These men are among their companions and mates termed good fellows, and esteemed as the only liberal and kind hearted men in the world, but God calls them thieves, and infidel thieves, yea worse then infidel thieves, that have so much cast of civill honesty and humanity, as that they have no regard to their family. Also in apparel, if one will set out himself to far and spend more in decking his carcass, then he can well spare, and lay all he can get upon his back: this man takes his own purse from himself and casts himself into such arrearages, and runs into such debts and danger and brings such a weight of misery upon his one back, as that a thief could not do him half the harm by cutting of his purse or taking it from him, then this prodigal humour of his doth, that he cannot be content with such garments as beseems his place & calling and ability, but must behang himself with such costly coats. This brings penury and want where God sends none, therefore such a man can give no good account of his stewardship but must be content to come in the row of thieves. Also in gaming, for a gamester is a thief whether he loose or win. He that loves pastime shall be a poor man, he beggars himself when God requires no such matter at his hands, but would have him husband his own so thriftily that he might live comfortably of that portion which God gives him; what need he then put that to the fall of the lot which God hath already put out of doubt, and so to convey his goods to an other by an ⟨p. 66⟩unlawful means? Oh, but he is a gainer sometimes, then is a thief, for he should not covet that which is an other mans money or wealth. Who hath appointed such kind of traffic or exchange where the one party must receive no competent and answerable recompense for his goods? God hath appointed no such manner of getting, and he that doth get by this means God hath branded it with a curse, and no word of God, no man of God, or servant of God will give any allowance or profess any blessing upon this kind of gain, so that having no warrant for getting no comfort, in using no promise of blessing in the possessing of such goods, how can he free himself from unlawful getting and though a more common and received yet a wicked and condemned theft?

These men are among their companions and mates termed good fellowes, and esteemd as the only liberall and kinde hearted men in the world, but God cals them theeues, and infidell theeues, yea worse then infidell theeues, that haue so much cast of ciuill honestie and humanitie, as that they haue no regard to their family. Also in apparell, if one will set out himselfe to farre and spend more in decking his carcase, then hee can well spare, and lay all he can get vpon his backe: this man takes his owne purse from himselfe and casts himselfe into such arearages, and runnes into such debts and danger and brings such a weight of miserie vpon his one backe, as that a theefe could not doe him halfe the harme by cutting of his purse or taking it from him, then this prodigall humor of his doth, that he cannot be content with such garments as beseemes his place & calling and abilitie, but must behang himselfe with such costly coates. This brings penury and want where God sends none, therefore such a man can giue no good account of his stewardshippe but must be content to come in the rowe of theeues. Also in gamning, for a gamester is a theefe whether he loose or winne. He that loues pastime shalbe a poore man, he beggers himselfe when God requires no such matter at his hands, but would haue him husband his own so thriftily that he might liue comfortably of that portion which God giues him; what neede he then put that to the fall of the lott which God hath alreadie put out of doubt, and so to conuay his goods to an other by an