A20559:91
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.
Because this is the most spiritual commandment & doth most press upon the hart, and we are most ready in this matter to dissemble with men and with our own harts, therefore God sets a narrower scantling of it, & saith before me. Hence we are taught, that it is not enough for us to behave our selves as that no impiety break forth from us into the face of men, but we must look to our harts and see that none come in Gods sight▪ For a man may be preaching and exhorting others to the love of God, yet if he do this for his own vain glory, not for Gods glory, to get promotion to himself and not salvation unto Gods people, he at that very time sets up an Idol in his hart, for God searcheth the hart, as David saith to Solomon, see that thou serve God with an upright hart, or else for all thine outward obedience, thou shalt do as good as nothing, for God hath a special regard of the hart, and doth as well see and discern the most secret things of the soul, as any man doth the outward actions of the body. So Jeremiah. 17. ver. 10. I the Lord search the hart, God doth not look on the outside only, but on the inside also, shows cannot deceive him.
BEcause this is the most spirituall commandement & doth most presse vpon the hart, and we are most readie in this matter to dissemble with men and with our owne harts, therfore God sets a narrower scantling of it, & saith before mee. Hence wee are taught, that it is not enough for vs to behaue our selues as that no impietie breake forth from vs into the face of men, but we must looke to our harts and see that none come in Gods sight▪ For a man may be preaching and exhorting others to the loue of God, yet if he doe this for his owne vaine glory, not for Gods glory, to get promotion to himselfe and not saluation vnto Gods people, he at that very time sets vp an Idoll in his hart, for God searcheth the hart, as Dauid saith to Salomon, see that thou serue God with an vpright hart, or else for all thine outward obedience, thou shalt doe as good as nothing, for God hath a special regard of the hart, and doth as well see and discerne the most secret things of the soule, as any man doth the outward actions of the bodie. So Ieremie. 17. ver. 10. I the Lord search the hart, God doth not looke on the outside onely, but on the inside also, shewes cannot deceiue him.