A20559:620
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.
Therefore it is our duty to take a part of those things that God hath given us, and with a thankful and a cheerful heart to enjoy his kindness, and not to make our case worse then we ⟨image 172⟩need, as the foolish Israelites did, that when God in goodness had provided sufficient food for them, that they might have enough, and gone to bed cheerfully after a good and competent supper, they were so fearful and doubtful least they should have had nothing for morning, that they pinched themselves of Gods allowance, and would needs reserve something until the morning. But what came of it, did not God send worms amongst it, so that it stank and was good for nothing? and so it is still, this is a thing perpetual to the end of the world, that he which will be a more niggardly then God would have him, and spares more then God hath laid necessity upon him, the curse of God vvill fall upon the goods thus saved, that it were as good as they had been spent, for they shall corrupt and vanish away to nothing, he that spares thus, shall never have any good by them, that is most sure. And indeed if one do not first show mercy to himself, how is it possible he should show mercy to an other? he that vvill starve and pine himself, when he needs not, no man vvill trust him to feed and relieve his neighbour when he needs, this is most certain he that vvill be cruel to his own flesh can never have any true pity to an other.
Therfore it is our duty to take a part of those things that God hath giuen vs, and with a thankefull and a cheerefull heart to enioy his kindnesse, and not to make our case worse then we ⟨image 172⟩need, as the foolish Israelites did, that when God in goodnesse had prouided sufficient food for them, that they might haue enough, and gone to bed cheerefully after a good and competent supper, they were so fearefull and doubtfull least they should haue had nothing for morning, that they pinched themselues of Gods allowance, and would needs reserue something vntill the morning. But what came of it, did not God send vvormes amongst it, so that it stanke and was good for nothing? and so it is still, this is a thing perpetuall to the end of the world, that he which will be a more niggardly then God would haue him, and spares more then God hath laid necessitie vpon him, the curse of God vvill fall vpon the goods thus saued, that it vvere as good as they had beene spent, for they shall corrupt and vanish away to nothing, he that spares thus, shall neuer haue any good by them, that is most sure. And indeed if one doe not first shew mercie to himselfe, how is it possible hee should shew mercie to an other? he that vvill sterue and pine himselfe, vvhen he needs not, no man vvill trust him to feede and relieue his neighbour vvhen he needs, this is most certaine he that vvill be cruell to his ovvne flesh can neuer haue any true pittie to an other.