THE BRIGHT STAR VVHICH LEADETH wise men to our Lord Iesus Christ OR A familiar and learned exposition on the ten Commandements gathered from the mouth of a faithful Pastor by a gracious young man sometime scholler in Cambridge Ruth 2. 17. Ruth gleaned and carried it home to her mother LAEORE ET CONSTANTIA LONDON Imprinted by Iohn Harison for Thomas Man dwelling in Pater Noster Row at the signe of the Talbot 1603. To the Christian Reader CHristian Reader the good prouidence of God hath vouchsafed thee benefit abroad by the labours of a reuerent faithfull Pastor which he meant only to his owne flocke at home These fruitefull doctrines which in this booke are offered to thee were receiued from his mouth but neither penned nor perused by himselfe nor published with his consent or knowledge for had he been willing that they should be exposed to open view he would haue garnished them with richer attire and yet with modestie according to the Apostles rule 1. Cor. 2. 1. Without affected excellencie of words or carnall wisdome They were collected by a godly ingenious young man whose diligent attention and painefulnes deserne no small commendations yet what hand or memorie can follow so fast the fluent speech of an eloquent Preacher as to set downe all in the same forme and elegancie wherein it is deliuered Moreouer at the printing diuers faultes haue escaped both of Orthographie poynting and method in some places But howsoeuer it is a religious and well seasoned heart will finde and feele herein such comfort and light as that light and slender defects will easilie be passed ouer And let not God be defrauded of his due praise who hath multiplied that food to feast so many which of man was appoynted to feede so few And here is that in some degree verified which 〈◊〉 Sauiour foretold his Disciples Luk. 12. 3◠What ye haue spoken in darkenesse shall be heard in light and that which ye haue spoken in the eare in secret places shall be heard on the houses Well good reader let this and such other wholesome writings kindle thy desire to the preaching of the word that thou maist be more frequent in hearing and iudicious in vnderstanding Beware thou grow not conceited of a sufficiencie to be found in reading good bookes and so begin to distaste the Ministerie they are not ordayned to kill our appetites to the word but to sharpen them And so I commend thee to the Lord who of his mercy graunt thee wisdome with good successe to thy euerlasting happinesse thorough Iesus Christ Thine in the Lord R. C. A necessarie Table referring the Reader to the principall matters contained in this booke A. ABoundance of loue breeds aboundance of patience Fol. 20 Abrahams offering vp of Isaac 33. his curtesie 46 Abusing of Gods titles 49 Abusing of his properties 50 Adams disobedience 3. 98 Adulterie 53. 54. 55 Agnus Dei 38 Ahabs sinne 38 All disorders of the second Table from the fift command 1 All duties contained in the commandements 2 All scripture proceedeth from God 1 Anger 48. 40. B BEginning of wisedome feare of God 20 Behauiour of a christian 54 Benefits by the loue of man and wife 19 Blessing for keeping the Saboth 90 Body abused 57 C CArnall reason 22 Charmes and spells 48 Children of God must not faint 11 Children 41. 2. Christ came to obey the lawes 3 Christ Iesus Lord of the Saboth 64 Christians 54 Commandement first 1 Commandement second 28 Commandement third 43 Commandement fourth 61 Commandement fift 1 Commandement sixt 37 Commandement seuenth 51 Commandement eight 57 Commandement ninth 80 Commandement tenth 97 Comparison betwene the lawes of God and men 2 Commandement broken as well by omission as cōmission 55 Confession of sinne 56 Contentednesse ones estate 73 Compassion 45 Correction for children 6. It must be done with compassion 8. With prayer ibidem Couetousnesse 51. 68. 69. 100 D DAie of judgement 47 Damnable to spend time idely 71 Dauid is perswaded by Abigail 4. his presumptuous sin 7 Death 47 Delight in Gods commandements 25 Deliuerance from Pharaoh 11 Disobedience to God 40 Diuell 47. 86. He is the author of oat 51 Drunkennesse 51 Duties of a child 3 Duties of seruants 11 Duties of husbands and wiues 19. 21. 22 Duties of publike persons 25 Duties of Majestrates and people 29 E ELI his to much loue to his children 13 Eli his pacience 57 Elder persons dutie 33 Enemies of Daniel 84 Enclosers of land 70 Euill conscience 80 Enuie 40. The causes thereof ibid. Enuie murtherer of him selfe 41 Enuie guiltie of murther two waies ibid. Examples of obedience 6 F FAlse swearing 53 False witnesse 89 Faithfulnesse in seruants 13. In husband and wife 21 Fasting 36 Feare of God 19. 50 Flatterie Flatterers 91. 93 Foolishnesse vncharitablenesse the cause of ill suspicion 81 Fruits of the spirit 10 Frugalitie 74 G GEsture offensiue 41 Glorifying of God in words 55 Gods nature 1 God is Iehouah and why 8 Gods benefits generall speciall ibid. God the author of the ten commandements ibid. Gods cursings and blessings 3. His goodnesse 9. His insight into man 14 Gods name taken in vaine 44 Gouernors must see the Saboth kept 8 H HAbakucks feare of God 23 Hearing 36 Herods incest 5 He that breakes one commandement breakes all 6 Hezechias patience 57 Honestie 29 How to employ the Scriptures 49 Humilitie 39 Husbands must dwell with their wiues 22. Edifie them by example 23. By instructions ibid. He must honour her which consisteth in two things 24 I IAcobs trust in God 26. His Obedience 5 Iacobs diligence 6 Iehouah what it signifies 7 Iealouzie what 37 I am thy God what it implies ibid. Idlenes a sinne of Adam 72 Idlenes 65. 75 Idle persons pouerties prisoners ibid. Images forbidden 29 Images are teachers of lyes 33 Idolatrie Idols ibid. 34. Instructions for householders 82 Instructions for seruants 83 Inferior guifts 32 Iobs mildnesse 3. his zeale 15. his pacience 57. his feare 25. his trust 27 Iosephs feare of God 20. His dutie to his father 3 Isaie his feare 21. 25 Iustice 49. It consisteth in getting and restoring 73 K KEeping of the Saboth day holy in what it consisteth 73 Kindes of lyers two 90 Kings 29 Kings chosen by lots 39 Knowledge of God wanting all disobedience groweth 16 L LAzinesse 57 Liberalitie 75 Lies against ones selfe 85 Lying tongues make three mortall wounds 87 Life of man consisteth in the blessing of God 74 Lots 36 Loue. 17. Loue of God 18 Loue to seruants and children 81 Loue of the husband to the wife 19 Loue is armour against jealousie 20 Lusting after other mens goods 57 M MAnasses repentaunce 8 Manna 78 Marriage 57. Maraiage for children 8 Mary Magdalen 78 Meanes to auoid adulterie 54. 55 Meditation on the word 16 Meditation on Gods curses necessarie ibid. Masters 11. 19. 101 Mercie power justice infinite in God 8 Mercie to the needie 48 Ministers dutie 25. they must be good examples 29
that settles not himselfe to keepe them all This must also teach vs when we see that God doth not blesse vs according to his promises to those that feare him then we must examine our selues diligently concerning our obedience to this his law whether we liue not in some sinne or whether some olde sinne lye not in vs which hath neuer bene repented for certainely of all Gods plagues that he layes vpon vs for our neglect of this his law wherefore when he strikes vs we must begin to looke to our obedience So did Iacob in Genesis when his sonnes Simeon and Leuie had committed that cruell fact and he was therefore made odious in the sight of the people of the land then he knowes that there could not be such trouble without if all were well within therefore he begins to search his family and to see how all things went there and then he perceues presently the cause of all these stirres for his house was full of Idolatry his wife had gotten his father in lawes Idols and many of his people fell from the pure worship of God to abhominable superstition then no wonder if ther were such sturres without when ther was such disorder within therfore he purgeth his house of all this filthinesse and buries all these Idolls in the ground that they might neuer hurt him or any of his any more All this serues for the singuler comfort of all Gods children that seeth these be Gods commaundemēts all as well as one therefore they shall haue power also to obey them all as well as one for that God which gaue vs power to obey one can giue vs the like power to obey the rest and that power which any hath to obey one t is not frō him selfe but from the work of God in him And indeed God doth not giue vs these lawes that we should imagine we could obey thē our selues but that seeing our owne wants we might goe to him for help why then should not euery christian hope to be able to yeeld obedience to God in whatsoeuer God commandeth him As God witnesseth this of Dauid that he was a man after Gods owne hart in all things but in the matter of Vriah he neuer sinned presumptuously but then his hart was vpright in all things else and likewise as it is spoken of Zacharie and Elizabeth that they were perfect and vnblameable in all things not that they were quit from all infirmities or had not their faults as well as any other but they were vpright and sincere their hart was true with God and so God can and will giue grace vnto all his to obey euery one of his commaundements with a true and vpright obedience So that no man ought to discharge himselfe Oh for other things I haue some hope I that I shall ouercome them but for this or that sinne I shall neuer get the better of that while I liue Well then for other sinnes you hope you can ouercome them but this is the point then vvhether haue you power to subdue them by any vertue of your owne or else from the vvorking of Gods spirit in you If you say from your selfe then you speake ignorantly and foolishly for flesh cannot kill any sinne this must be the vvork onely of God I but Christ Iesus did giue help to mee against those but for this one thing I doubt vvhy should you doubt Hee that gaue you abilitie to ouerrule your flesh in some things cannot he giue the like in all Yea this very mercy that he gaue you a disposition and power to obey him in one thing is a sure testimony to you that he vvill doe the like for all onely if you aske it you neede not doubt So that this vvhich he saith GOD spake all these words is a merueylous incouragement to the Saincts therefore feeling their vvants in any they may goe to God and saie Lord thou art the author of all these Commandements a like and the keeping of them all pertaines vnto mee as well as to any other but thou knowest O Lord that there is no power in mee to obey the least of them therefore I come now for power from thee to make mee obedient and hence he shall haue power to keepe all as well as any one I am IEHOVAH THese words signifies the essence of God and his absolute perfection in all his attributes It is expounded in the 13. of the Hebr. and 8. ver Christ yesterday and to day and the same for euer And Reuel 1. He that was and is and is to come He that is the selfe same in all his properties It signifies first Gods eternitie in vvhich he differs from all creatures for men and Angels are euerlasting they shall haue no ending but they be not eternall for they had their beginning from God but he hath his being in and of himselfe neither had he any beginning from any other all other things had beginning from him but he frō none he is from himselfe alone Also power and wisdome and mercie and Iustice and such other things which are properties in men and Angels in him they are natures in vs they are weake and imperfect but in him endlesse and perfect As in Exod. 34. Where he tells his name The Lord the Lord strong mercifull gracious c. Men and Angels are strong but this is a qualitie in them in him a nature so men and Angels are kinde but this is deriued from his kindenesse is a qualitie in them but in him a nature in them finite because no creature can haue any infinite thing in himselfe but in God they are infinit So that it signifies that God is eternall and hath his being from himselfe and other creatures haue their being and beginning from him In him power mercie Iustice c. are infinite in others they are finite In him they be natures and therefore vnchangeable in others qualities and therfore mutable The vse of this must be to make vs earnest to seeke his loue and fauour which if wee haue nothing can hurt vs for in him we liue and moue and haue our being Hauing his loue we haue all power all wisdome and all counsell on our side If he be perfect in himselfe and all creatures haue what euer they haue from him what neede we feare he being with vs what all the creatures can doe against vs being that all their power is deriued from him and vsed at his direction Wee see among men if there be one whose estate depends wholly vpon his landlords curtesie he may put him out and begger him when he please how carefull is hee to please him and haue his fauour least through his displeasure hee should be turned out of all So is it with all the men on earth they be all Gods tenants that at will no man holds any thing by lease for an houre our breath is not our owne but his it is at his discretion what shall become of our
drawne as a beare to the stake let him make account that the preacher will bait him trouble his conscience for comfort hee can looke for none Therfore if we would haue a blessing by the sabboth let vs keepe it cherfullie knowing that God loues a cherfull giuer Secondlie one must labour to doe all the duties of the sabboth those that must bee done before the sermon and those that must be done after let no ordinance scape vndone vse meditation on Gods word and works heareing reading praying singing psalmes conference workes of mercie of euerie thing something so farre as we haue abilitie and opportunitie But if we will performe them scambling lie doe this and leaue that vndone either make no preparation before or no application after either no publique or no priuate then it may bee he shall finde some blessings but the fewer of these hee performeth the fewer blessings he shall haue he that doth the work of God by halfes shall and it is just he should find the comfort and benefit of them by halfes Thirdlie as one must doe all the duties and that with delight cherfullie so he must keepe the whole day he must doe all the duties and also spend all the time in these duties hee must continue from the beginning to the ending As in Psal 92. 2. To declare Gods louing kindnesse in the morning and his truth at night So that the sabboth must bee spent both morning night and all the daie in holie duties One must forbeare worldlie businesse yea worldlie thoughts the whole foure and twentie houres for if one giue his thoughts libertie to run after matters of the world in the night he breakes the sabboth in one part sleepe one may lawfullie but his sleepe must bee sweetned with holie exercises and so sanctified vnto him as in it hee must also keepe an holie rest And heere manie faile that out of the Church wil be talking with their neighbours musing with themselues about earthlie businesses affaires thinke they haue made a good hand if they spend the most part of the daie till after the euening exercises in workes of religion and then they make no question to take their recreation or to goe about their businesses if occation bee But hee that commands to keepe it in the church bids vs keepe it in the house as to heare him and speake to him in publique so to speake to him out of our harts in priuate not to giue our selues leaue to thinke the least thought of any worldlie businesse Now then wee if seeme to make conscience of the sabboth and yet doe want that blessing which we doe looke for let vs looke to our selues we shall see that wee are halting in some one of these either wee keepe the sabboth lumpishlie and heauilie that it seemes as a tedious burden vnto vs or else wee doe some one or two duties leaue the rest vndone or else if we doe all the duties to be done we want heere that we obserue not the whole day but keep some part of it from god to our selues accordinglie as any man comes short in any of these duties so hee commeth short of the fruit of the sabboth But if one labour with joy to doe all the duties of the sabboth the whole day hee shall finde in his owne soule that it is in truth a day of blessing and brings more joy and comfort yea and a greater blessing with it then all the weeke besides And so much for this fourth commandement of the sabboth and the reasons of it The summe of the fifth Commaundement is to shew what duties we owe one to another in respect of their and our place The persons in this commandement are eyther with authoritie eyther priuate eyther further from equalitie as parents and children masters and seruants nearer equalitie as husband and wife publike in Church Commonwealth without authoritie in age gifts Exod. 20. 12. Honour thy father and thy mother c. HEtherto the duties of pietie to God out of the first Table haue bin handled Now follow the commandements of the second table concerning the duties of righteousnes to our neighbours This is the first commandement of the second table vpō which al the rest do depend as in the first table the keeping of all the commaundements following did depend on the keeping of the first commandement of the table so heere if this first commandement be well obserued both of gouernours and inferiours there could be no disorder against any other of the commandements following For all disorders in the other commandements of the second Table doe flow from hence that eyther superiours are negligent in performing their dutie of gouerning or else inferiours are proud and stubborne and refuse to obey their superiours The words contayne a commaundement and the reason of it The commaundement in those words Honour thy father and mother The reason in the words following That thy daies may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee Because the benefit of obedience is not so great to the superiours which are obeyed as to him that doth for conscience sake obey them they shall not be gainers so much as himselfe for he shall gaine to himselfe a long and happie life Honour To honour is to reuerence in heart and performe all outward duties Father That is all superiours in what place soeuer set aboue thee Thy father This is the first reason whereby God would moue inferiours to obey because he is thy father In that God makes this his reason why the childe should obey his father because he is his father We gather this doctrine That the chiefe motiue to obedience must be Gods ordinance If God haue made him the instrument of thy life and maintenance and haue set him ouer thee thou must for this cause performe all dutie of honour vnto him So in the Prouerbs Honour thy father that begat thee and thy mother that bare thee as if he had said honour thy parents and bee duetifull vnto them not because they be rich or in great place or for any other respect but this because they bee thy parents bee they father and mother how euer rich or poore thou must be duetifull vnto them So the Apostle speaketh to wiues Wiues obey your owne husbands Vsing this as a reason if they be your husbands If God hath set them ouer you as your head and gouernour you must submitte your selues to them for this cause and in obedience to Gods commaundement howsoeuer they be otherwise froward and foolish if they be yours then you must performe your duetie vnto them So for seruants the poynt is not whether hee bee a poore man or rich a simple man and ignorant or wise and discreete but is he a master hath God made him a gouernour then for the time that one is a seruant he stands in the place of Christ in his family and is to be obeyed as if hee
before their children shall make euen with them and reuenge and quitte there parents wronges to the full by the like fauage dealing with them A second dutie of thankefulnesse is to pray for their parents As in Tim. 2. He commands that prayers be made for all in authoritie And if any must praye for those that be further of in common weale much more for those that are nearer in the familie Therefore this is a fault to bee greatly condemned in many that can see their parents faults and speake of them too much but cannot finde time to fall downe before God and beseech him to heale their nature and helpe them out of their sinnes Many haue liued a longe time with their parents yet cannot say that they sent vp an heartie prayer to heauen for their parents so vnnaturall and vnthankefull be they The vse of all these duties to those whose parents are not aliue is to looke that their sinnes be not aliue after their parents death And therefore to examine themselues whether they haue beene faultie in any of these things and if they do repent for it and desire pardon else they be lyable to two plagues First that their children should take their parents quarrell in hand and requite their wicked dealing in what euer dutie they haue fayled and haue not repented of it And secondly that as honouring parents brings a long and happie life so their dishonouring their parents should make them haue a short life and miserable or if a long life yet full of Gods curses for their vnrepented sonne Therfore let such as be now fatherlesse marke themselues and finding that their children are stubborne against them and vnthankfull and rebellions euerie way as many may see it openly and wofully let call themselues backe and see what kinde of children they were before how they behaued themselues to their parents whether they were not all together faultie in this point If it be so let them confesle that their owne sinnes haue found them out and are turned open let them acknowledge that God is iust and hath giuen the same measure into their bosomes their own euill is fallen vpon their owne heads they digged a pit in their youth and now in their age are fallen into it And thus much of the duties of children Now follow the duties of parents to their children For vnder the dutie of inferiour is comprehended also the dutie of the superiour And as God would haue inferiours to giue honour so he commaunds superiours to carrie themselues in that manner that they may deserue honour And doth bind them as straightly as the inferiours Now the duties of parents to their children are eyther in their tender yeares riper age The parents dutie to the children in their tender yeares and childhood is first to instruct them in religion to season them with the words of pietie or by little and little to drop in the grounds of holinesse into them euen so soone as they are able to speake and beginne to haue the least vse of vnderstanding So Prouerb Teach a childe in the trade of his youth and he will remember it afterwards Where the holy ghost exhorting men to teach their young children meetes with an obiection Alasse might one say teach such little ones what good will that doe we shall but loose our labour for they cannot vnderstand it nor conceiue the meaning of these things The holy ghost answeres Be it that for the time he cannot vnderstand the sense yet teach him the words and tearmes of goodnesse and though while he continues a child perhaps it seeme a fruitlesse thing yet you shall see afterwards it will not be in vaine for the crop of this seede that was soone in the childhood will appeare when he comes to age though for a time it lay hidden then he wil remember these things that to good vse which it seemed he got no good by when he was so young wanting vnderstanding Therefore let him haue the words taught him when he is able to heare and speake words and after when he is of more discretion he will conceiue remember the sense too And this dutie the holy ghost commaunds Ephes 6. 4. Bring them up in instruction and feare of the Lord. And this Timothies mother did put in practise For it is noted of her that she instructed Timothie in the scriptures from a child and that was the cause he was so holy a man she was a nurse to his soule as wel as to his bodie and gaue him milke out of the breasts of the scripture so soone as he had done sucking her owne breasts so that as he waxed strong in naturall strength of naturall life so he waxed strong in the knowledge of the life to come and therefore he grew so excellent a man and so worthy a preacher and member of the Church because his mother fedde his soule as well as his bodie The second dutie of parents to their children in their yonger yeares is to correct them to giue them correction which the holy ghost in the Prouerbs commaunds often and shews the fruit of it Correct him and thou shalt saue his soule chasten him and he will giue thee pleasure In the latter the rod of correction driues away folly this is the onely meanes to make a diuorse betwixt folishnesse and his heart which are so neerely wedded together But in correction these rules must be obserued First let it be seasonable and done in time passe it not ouer to long but begin early enough So Salomon saith Hee that loues him corrects him be time and doth not omit it till it be to late but takes the fittest opportunitie when he may with most ease and fewest stripes doe most good For indeed a small twig and a fewe blowes in time when he is yet a child not hardened in sinne will doe more good then many tods and abundance of stripes afterwards if this seaso be let slip for if the child be not mastred when he is young he will maister his parents when he growes elder Therefore let them not get an head for if they doe they will prooue like an young colt that hath gotten an ill tricke at the first he hath once cast his rider he was marred in the beginning and now you may sooner almost kill him then breake him and bring him in any good order againe Secondly it must be done with great compassion and mercie not in bitternesse to ease ones selfe with the paine of the child which is too barbarous crueltie For in truth commonly there is good cause why the father should be as much grieued or rather more then the child because for the most part he doth but correct his owne sinnes in his sonne for if the childe be curst and froward is it not because he hath seene the parents brawling and contentious if he lye hath not his father giuen him a patterne of dissembling and if he sweare being