A Bright Star which Leadeth Wise Men to our Lord Jesus Christ, Title page – Table of contents
THE BRIGHT STAR VVHICHWHICH 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 hauehave 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 hauehave 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 hauehave ſpoken in darkeneſſe ſhall be heard in light, and that which ye hauehave 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 louelove 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 louelove 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 louelove 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
LoueLove. 17. LoueLove of God. 18
LoueLove to ſeruants and children. 81
LoueLove of the husband to the wife. 19
LoueLove 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
MercieMercy, power, juſtice infinite in God. 8
MercieMercy to the needie. 48
Miniſters dutie. 25. they muſt be good examples. 29
Moſes and Aron. 88
Moſes patience. 12 his ſtaffe and the power thereof. 88
Mothers dutie to her children. 8
Murther either ſecret or open. 43
N
NAture of man. 20
Nature of the Storke. 5
Nabuchadnezzar. 88. 89. 32.
Neighbours. 97. they muſt be loued as our ſelues. 44.
Nehemiah commended. 84
Night of the ſabboth to bee ſpent holilie 72
Note of the feare of God is feare of his word. 23
O
OAth. 36. 51. Oath lawfull. 57
Obedience 17
Obedience to God muſt come from the hart. 5
Obedience of children. 3
Obedience of the wife. 22
Offence in words. 41
P
PAtience. 11
Papiſts care little for the ſabboth. 6
Papiſts ſuperſtitions. 35
Parents. 40. 2
Parents dutie to their children. 7
Paule his feare. 20
Perfit louelove caſteth out feare. 19
Periurie. 53
Peoples dutie. 25
Peace a branch of meekenes. 44
Praier. 36. 67. 74.
Praier for Parents. 6
Preparation to the firſt commandement. 1
Pride. 50
Puniſhments for breaking the ſabboth. 71. 78
R
REading the word. 36
Receiuing of the ſacrament. ibid.
Reaſon of the ſecond commandement. 37
Remembrance of the ſabboth day. 70
Reaſons why to obey the ſabboth. 74
Reuerence of children. 3
Repentance. 67. 88
Rewards for keeping the ſabboth. 72
Riches improfitable. 59
Rules to bee obſerued in correction of ſeruants. 17
S
SAboth day why conſecrated. 90
Saboth day. 61. 62. Inſtituted in Paradice. 63. Firſt the day of reſt. 65. Now the Lords day and why. ibid.
Sacraments. 17. 82
Salomons dutie to his mother. 3
Seruants. 55. 11. Their ſeruice of God. 13
Seruants more to bee regarded then goods. 100
Sinne. 98
Speach. 46
Spells. 48
Spirit of God the ſpirit of truth. 90
Subjects dutie. 29
Superiors in gifts. 32
Suretiſhip. 67
Suſpition. 94
Superſtition the hatred of God. 39
Strange Gods. 13
Strange apparell. 57
Swearing. 51. ſwearing wickedly 52
T
THe law deliuered. 1
The tables broken. 2
The workes of the Trinitie. 2
Thankfulneſſe of children. 3. it conſiſts in two things. 5
The feare of the three children in the furnace. 24
The braſen Serpent. 33
The Cherubines. ibid.
Theft. 71. 72
Temperance in meat and drinke. 53
To auoid idolatry is to auoid Idols. 31
To honour what. 1
Truſt in God. 26
Truth. 96
V
VAine ſwearing. 52
Vaine iangling. 46
Vineyard of God. ibid.
Viſitation of the ſicke a priuate worke of the ſabboth. 73
Vnreuerent ſpeeches of Gods workes. 51
Vncleaneneſſe two fold. 56
Vowes when to be vſed. 36
Vſe of Gods words. 47
W
WAntonneſſe. 57
What God hates hating the world. 78
What it is to feare God. 20
What to bee done on the ſabboth day. 71
Wee muſt louelove God. 16
We muſt not bee diſcouraged wanting meanes. 71
Why children ſhould firſt feare their mother. 3
Wherein children muſt obey their parents. 4
Wicked impietie to make an image of Chriſt. 32
Worſhipping of Images. 34
Word of God. 47
Wonders in Aegipt. 88
Worldly croſſes. 11
Z
ZAcharies vprightnes. 7
Ziphi…. 84
FINIS.