A20559:676
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.
It is broken also when one receives lies concerning himself. whether in flattery, or accusing. For receiving and embracing the fawning flattery of others. This was Herod's fault. Act. 12. The foolish people, hearing his eloquent oration, and seeing his pomp and glory, would needs make a God of him, and they give him an applause, the voice of God and not of man: now he sits down by it, and was very well content it should be so spoken. It was a base & abject thing for them to go so far in flattering, & it was as great a madness in him to take it to himself, and be glad of it. They played the fools too much in giving such a false and blasphemous applause, and he plaid the fool far more in receiving it. So for Felix the governor, comes Tertullus, and because he would curry favour with him, and have him serve his turn, he reckons up virtues good store, ⟨p. 92⟩and will set him up high enough; saith he: Seeing that we have obtained great quietness through thee, and that many worthy things are done unto this nation through thy providence we acknowledge it most noble Felix with all thanks. And thus he sets in commending him in the beginning to win him to serve his own turn. This was a servile and contemptible thing for him to lie thus openly, for it was well known, and he was not ignorant, that Felix was a most cruel, unjust, and filthy person. Now Felix sits by, is guilty in his conscience, that he had been a very wolf, and a tyrant, and an ungodly person, knows all this is false therefore, yet the foolish man swallows all, and was very willing to hear a long catalogue of false praises. In this doing now he sinned grievously. Therefore a man must be content with that praise which Gods word and his own works do give, and neither seek for nor receive any more. That which Solomon saith of a virtuous woman, every man must observe of himself, Let her works praise her, saith Solomon. Proverbs. 31. 31. So must every man be content with that praise that he deserveth, & not so much look what other men speak, as what himself hath done.
It is broken also when one receiues lies concerning himselfe. whether in flatterie, or accusing. For receiuing and embracing the fawning flatterie of others. This was Herods fault. Act. 12