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

Therefore above all, then a man had most need to keep peace and league with God when the world hath cast him of, and if God doth chastise him with want, it were a far better course to repent, and entreat God to help him, and turn away his heavy hand, then to add more to his sin, and so cause God, to add more strokes and corrections, to those that he hath already laid upon him. So that whether the thing be little or great, what ever a mans estate be, or who ever he be whom he wrongs, he must always take heed of this ⟨image 168⟩privy stealth, of this prigging and close conveying an other mans goods to himself. Now as this is fault to any, so especially if the person to whom the wrong be done, be more nearer joined and tied in any bonds to us or we to them, contrary to the dealing of a number, that indeed will let their neighbours goods alone for some outward respect, they will not steal from them, but for their parents or masters, there you must give them leave they hope they may borrow law a little, and be some thing bolder with their goods, then with an others. But do they not know what the holy Ghost saith in the proverbs, he that robs his father and mother, and saith it is no sin, is a shameful and a lewd son. For this is so far from lessening the fault, that in truth before God it makes it far more heinous and abominable. For as he that kills his father or his master, doth commit a far greater sin, then if he were a stranger or one further of, so here to, he that robs his father or his master, is in an higher degree a sinner, then if it were a person nothing so near unto him, to whom he did not owe so much duty.

Therefore aboue all, then a man had most neede to keepe peace and league with God when the world hath cast him of, and if God doth chastice him with want, it were a farre better course to repent, and entreat God to helpe him, and turne away his heauie hand, then to adde more to his sinne, and so cause God, to adde more strokes and correctiōs, to those that he hath alreadie laide vpon him. So that whether the thing be little or greate, what euer a mans estate be, or who euer hee be whome he wrongs, he must alwaies take heede of this ⟨image 168⟩priuie stealth, of this prigging and close conueying an other mans goods to himself. Now as this is fault to any, so especially if the person to whome the wrong be done, be more neerer ioyned and tied in any bonds to vs or we to them, contrarie to the dealing of a number, that indeede will let their neighbours goods alone for some outward respect, they will not steale from them, but for their parents or masters, there you must giue them leaue they hope they may borrow law a little, and be some thing bolder with their goods, then with an others. But doe they not know what the holy Ghost saith in the prouerbs, he that robs his father and mother, and saith it is noe sinne, is a shamefull and a lewd sonne. For this is so farre from lessening the fault, that in truth before God it makes it farre more haynous and abominable. For as he that kils his father or his master, doth commit a farre greater sinne, then if hee were a stranger or one further of, so here to, he that robs his father or his master, is in an higher degree a sinner, then if it were a person nothing so neere vnto him, to whome he did not owe so much dutie.