A20559:597
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 first, of that which is done with some colour of law and semblable show of equity and right. This is as bad & damnable a sin as the other that is done more openly, for in other matters art and skill always amends a thing, and makes it better, only it makes sin far worse, and therefore the devil is the most abominable sinner of all, because he is the ⟨image 165⟩most subtle and artificial sinner of all. This kind of deceiving one under colour of law, and under show of equal bargaining and covenant, to deal craftily & against conscience, is horrible theft before God. And this is forbidden. 1. Thess. 6. That no man defraud or oppress an other, for God is an avenger of all such things. The Apostle condemns this circumventing and politic fetching over ones brother in unequal matches. I but says some man, may not I make the most of mine own, and seek my best advantage? if he be hurt it is not my fault but his, he should have had more wit. Well this will not be a good answer to God saith the Apostle, he will tell you, that you should have had more love, he is an avenger of all these things, and will plague those that will gripe and pinch their neighbours thus, far otherwise then themselves would be dealt withal in the like case. So James. 5. 4. he bids such howl and weep, for the cry of those labourers whose hire they had kept back by fraud, is come into the ears of God. Else they might have said, what reason have you to threaten us thus, or they to cry against us, or to hold themselves discontented, what wrong have we done them? we require no more than our bargain & our covenant, we agreed for all that we ask, and what injury is that? saith the Apostle it may be so, but your agreement was deceitful, you kept it back by fraud, you made a cozening and crafty bargain, you plaid upon your neighbours simplicity, and abused his plainness, you saw more then he did, and knew the inconvenience better then he could, you wrapped him by craft, you feared him by great words, that he durst not yield, or you got him in by fair promises, he looked to be better used, and to have some recompense in an other thing.
And first, of that which is done with some colour of lawe and semblable shew of equitie and right. This is as bad & damnable a sinne as the other that is done more openly, for in other matters art and skill alwaies amends a thing, and makes it better, onely it makes sinne farre worse, and therefore the diuell is the most abhominable sinner of all, because he is the