A20559:663
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.
For if there can be no good use seen in speaking of it, certainly there is much sin in speaking of it. And for raising of an ill and false report against ones neighbour, it appears what a fault it is in that God hath appointed and decreed in his law, that those which do slander an other shall themselves undergo the punishment which such a fault had deserved, and such a person have suffered if the thing had been true, as he that wrongfully accuseth an other of theft, he himself should be dealt withal, as with a thief, and he that reports that another hath committed adultery, if it be proved false, himself must feel the smart that an adulterer should. This the righteous God hath ordained, for what can be more just, then that he which digs a pit for his neighbour without a cause, should himself fall into the pit, and he that seeks to take away his neighbours fame and life by a lye, should loose his own credit and life for a lye. And this though the Magistrate neglect his duty, God will not neglect, but as he made the law so he will see it put in execution, (for he is not unjust) unless one first punish himself by true repentance.
For if there can be no good vse seene in speaking of it, certainely there is much sin in speaking of it. And for raysing of an ill and false report against ones neighbour, it appeares what a fault it is in that God hath appointed and decreed in his law, that those which doe slaunder an other shall themselues vndergoe the punishment which such a fault had deserued, and such a person haue suffered if the thing had beene true, as he that wrongefully accuseth an other of theft, he himselfe should be dealt withall, as with a theefe, and he that reports that another hath committed adulterie, if it be proued false, himselfe must feele the smart that an adulterer should. This the righteous God hath ordained, for what can be more iust, then that he which digs a pit for his neighbour without a cause, should himselfe fall into the pit, and he that seekes to take away his neighbours fame and life by a lye, should loose his owne credit and life for a lye. And this though the Magistrate neglect his dutie, God will not neglect, but as he made the law so he will see it put in execution, (for he is not vniust) vnlesse one first punish himselfe by true repentance.