A20559:596
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.
These therefore that be such miserable bondslaves to lucre and covetousness, as that they be as much at the command of gain, both for their body & their sleep and every thing, as the saints of God be unto Christ Jesus, let them repent of there thievery, and not brag of their honesty, & say they will defy him that will call them thieves, for then they must defy God, for he will tell them they be thieves that will not thankfully use his benefits, but pinch and starve themselves. We would think that it were an ill member in the body that would not be content that any other member should have any thing, but would be scraping all to it self, and nothing was well which was not bestowed upon it. For the body hath several parts, and every one hath his proper use that is fittest for it self, and so in the mamilie, the husband and wife have both their duties, and there is a place for servants to, and those that one for covetousness will wear himself, and spend himself, and spend his strength and spirits, that all must go through his hand, and nothing can be well, unless it be of his own doing; this misdeeming of others, and overcharging of himself is a damnable sin, and unless he repent for it, God will proceed against him at the day of judgement, as against as base a thief as any under heaven. Thus much for theft in ones own goods. Now for theft of an other mans goods.
These therfore that be such miserable bondslaues to lucre and couetousnes, as that they be as much at the command of gaine, both for their bodie & their sleepe and euerie thing, as the saints of God be vnto Christ Iesus, let them repent of there theeuerie, and not bragge of their honestie, & say they will desie him that will call them theeues, for then they must desie God, for he will tell them they be theeues that will not thankefully vse his benefits, but pinch and sterue themselues. We would thinke that it were an ill member in the bodie that would not be content that any other member should haue any thing, but would be scraping all to it selfe, and nothing was well which was not bestowed vpon it. For the bodie hath seuerall parts, and euery one hath his proper vse that is fittest for it selfe, and so in the mamilie, the husband and wife haue both their duities, and there is a place for seruants to, and those that one for couetousnesse will weare himselfe, and spend himselfe, and spend his strength and spirits, that all must goe through his hand, and nothing can be well, vnlesse it be of his owne doing; this misdeeming of others, and ouercharging of himselfe is a damnable sinne, and vnlesse he repent for it, God will proceed against him at the day of iudgement, as against as base a theefe as any vnder heauen. Thus much for theft in ones owne goods. Now for theft of an other mans goods.