A20559:682
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.
This serves to confute those that when as they be in truth sound Christians, and many infallible works of true Christianity have appeared, and do now appear in them, yet if the devil either do himself or else move some wicked, some filthy sinner to ⟨p. 94⟩roar in their ears that they be hypocrites, and that they have no truth in them, do all in dissembling, and to be seen of men; straight way they are ready to join hands with Satan, and use their own strength against their own soul, and will seek out reasons to confirm the devils false and slanderous blasphemies, but in truth to weaken their own faith, and bring much needless trouble, and many gripes upon their soul, that if they had withstood these lies, they might have escaped. Nay (say ye) surely it is as they say, wretch that I am, God hath met with me now, they should not have had power to say so, had it not been so, I am false all that I have done is in vain, it was but glossing and dissembling.
This serues to confute those that whē as they be in truth soūd Christians, and many infallible works of true Christianitie haue appeared, and doe now appeare in them, yet if the diuell eyther doe himselfe or else moue some wicked, some filthie sinner to ⟨p. 94⟩roare in their eares that they be hypocrites, and that they haue no truth in them, do all in dissembling, and to be seene of men; streight way they are readie to ioyne hands with Satan, and vse their owne strength against their owne soule, and will seeke out reasons to confirme the diuels false and slaunderous blasphemies, but in truth to weaken their owne faith, and bring much needlesse trouble, and many gripes vpon their soule, that if they had withstood these lies, they might haue escaped. Nay (say ye) surely it is as they say, wretch that I am, God hath met with me now, they should not haue had power to say so, had it not been so, I am false all that I haue done is in vaine, it was but glosing and dissembling.
And why so? Is not the devil a liar, and will you so easily give him credit, and that at the first? But this is not well, for as one should not yield to the unjust and false praises of another, so neither must he condemn himself, upon so slender a ground as the devils or devilish mens words: nay one must not so easily rob God of his praise, and himself of his comfort. And as the former persons, were so easily seduced in matter of their commendation, because they seldom or never look over their sins, so these are so quickly put in doubt of their uprightness, because they do not use to mark what good works they do, and to consider what graces God hath bestowed upon them. For if one would not be always looking into their infirmities, and searching into their infirmities, but sometimes lift up their eyes to the mercies of God, to that strength which he hath given them against sin, and power to do some good things, and make as diligent a rehearsal of Gods benefits, as of their afflictions and miseries, they would not be so easily driven from their hope, and put out of comfort. The devils slanders would not daunt them so much, but they would take faster hold of Gods mercy. Thus much, for the breach of this commandment.