impietie for their bloudy tyrannie towards the Lords Prophets for their idolatrous seruice of false Gods And these S. Stephen in his speech intendeth These are they who in the 78. Psal vers 8. are called a stubborne and rebellious generation a generation that set not their heart aright a generation whose spirit was not stedfast with God These are they who S. Iohn the Baptist meaneth Matth. 3.7 where he calleth the Pharisies a Generation of Vipers These are they whom our blessed Sauiour also intendeth Matth. 12.33 23.33 where he stileth the Pharisies as Iohn Baptist did a Generation of Vipers And what is this generation of vipers but as p Comment in Act. 7.51 Lorinus saith pessimorum parentum pessimi filij wicked sonnes of as wicked parents Such were these Fathers in my text of whom it is further said that they walked after Lyes They walked after Lyes To walke in the Scripture phrase is metaphorically taken and hath diuers significations For the vnderstanding of the phrase in my text you may know there is a walking after truth and a walking after Lyes or which is all one there is a walking after God and a walking after Idols We walke after truth or God when from the bottome of our hearts we thinke vpon and do those things which God hath prescribed vnto vs in the word of truth when we liue a godly life in this present world On the other side we walke after lyes or after Idols when we worship that which is not God or when we worship the true God but vpon a false foundation polluting and defiling his sacred worship with the foolish imaginations and inventions of our owne braines Thus did the ancient Iewes walke after Lyes which is here laid vnto their charge Their Lyes cause them to erre after which their Fathers walked Hitherto haue you heard the exposition of the text Giue eare now I beseech you to such lessons as may from hence be taken for our further instruction and the reformation of our liues The first lesson I take from these words Their Lyes caused them to erre their lyes that is their idolatrous and false worship of God hath caused them to erre hath deceiued them The doctrine is When men decline or swerue from the prescript of Gods word they are forthwith enwrapped and involued in deceit and cannot but erre I thus explicate it If we embrace not the truth of God if we despise his holy Lawes if we keepe not his commandements we must of necessitie fall into supine and grosse lyes For so God permitteth Whosoeuer beleeue not the truth but haue pleasure in vnrighteousnes whosoeuer receiue not the loue of the truth that they may be saued to such shall God send strong delusion that they shall beleeue lyes 2. Thess 2.11 Now Almighty God to keepe his elect and beloued ones from such efficacie of errour from such strong delusions how oft doth he admonish them that in no wise they depart from his holy word q Deut. 12.32 Prov 30.6 Reuel 22.18 19. Adde not to my word neither diminish ought from it Deut. 4.2 r Deut. 5.32 28.14 Iosh 23.6 Esai 30.21 Turne not from my word to the right hand or to the left Iosh 1.7 Lay vp my words in your heart and in your soule binde them for a signe vpon your hand let them be as frontlets betweene your eyes Deut. 11.18 What more obvious in holy Scripture then those Mementoes from the Lord Å¿ Deut. 4.1 6. Hearken vnto my statutes and vnto my iudgements keepe them do them Remember t Num. 15.39 my commandements u Deut. 6.17 keep them diligently x Prov. 3.1 lay them vp y Prov. 3.1 in thy heart forget not my law z Prov. 3.1 a Prov. 4.2 forsake it not b Prov. 4. â—0 attend to my words c Prov. 7.1 keepe my words d Prov. 4.20 encline thine eare vnto my sayings And why I pray is the Lord so earnest to haue his statutes his iudgements his commandements his lawes his words his sayings to be kept by vs Is it not because hee well knoweth that if we euer so litle decline or swerue from these or from any one of these we are forthwith inwrapped and involued in deceit and cannot chuse but erre Statutes iudgements commandements lawes words sayings Here are multa verba many words but res vna they all signifie one thing and that is expressable in one word euen the word the wâ—rd of God mentioned in my doctrine from whose prescript if wee decline or swerue wee are forthwith enwrapped and involued in deceit wee cannot chuse but erre A reason hereof I may giue you out of Psal 119.105 where the word of God is compared to a lampe or a light Thy word is a lampe vnto my feete and a light vnto my path You know the vse of a lampe or light It is to direct vs in the darke that we erre not Now what is this world but a place of darknesse Here the naturall man sitteth in darknes Luk. 1.79 he walketh in darknes Psal 82.5 his eyes are blinded with darknes 1. Ioh. 2.11 his vnderstanding is darkned Ephes 4.18 he is subiect to the power of darknesse Coloss 1.13 he hath fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darknes Ephes 5.11 he is euen darknes it selfe Ephes 5.8 How then can he chuse but erre if he haue not this lampe or light of God the word of God to direct him It was not vnvsuall with the Iewes to seeke to them who had e Esai 8.19 familiar spirits and to peeping and muttering wizardâ— To reclaime them from this error the Prophet Esay cap. 8.20 calls them ad legem ad testimonium to the law and to the testimonie that is to the word of God And why doth he so He tells you why in the words following If saith he they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them What can be more plaine Where the word of God is not or directeth not there is no light there is nothing but darknesse nothing but errour You haue enough for the confirmation and illustration of my doctrine which was When men decline or swerue from the prescript of Gods word they are forthwith enwrapped and involued in deceit and cannot but erre Is it so beloued If we leaue the word of God are wee forthwith in errour Let this be a strong motiue to vs to giue more diligence to the word of God then hitherto we haue done Let vs as we are exhorted by S. Peter in his 2. Epist cap. 1. vers 18. Let vs take heed vnto it as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place till the day dawne and the day-starre arise in our hearts Let vs not thinke any time mis-spent that we bestow vpon this word of God either to heare it or to read it or to keepe it Yong men wherewithall will you clense your wayes but by
My propounded doctrine stands good It is a thing very distastfull and vnpleasing vnto God for brethren to be at variance among themselues Now let vs see what vses doe offer themselues to our considerations out of this Doctrine First it may serue for a iust reproofe of these our last and worst daies wherein by experience wee finde true that same m Dr. King B. of London vpon Ionas Lect. 15. paradox in common reason hardly to be proued namely that not friends only or kinsmen but brethren also when they fall to enmity their hatred is greater than that betwixt mortall foes It is come to passe according to Christ his prophecie Matth. 10.36 A mans enemies shall be they of his owne house A mans enemies indeed and his enemies to purpose to worke him most harme shall be they of his owne house May not many now adaies complaine yea cry out with Dauid Psal 55.12 If mine enemy had done me this dishonour I could haue borne it If mine aduersary had exalted himselfe against me I would haue hid my selfe from him but it was thou O man my companion my guide my familiar we tooke sweet counsell together we walked in the house of God as friends Yet hast thou done me this dishonour yea thou hast exalted thy selfe against me Of all the Vials of the wrath of God powred down vpon sinners it is one of the sorest when a man is fed with his own flesh and made drunke with his owne bloud as with sweet wine So the Prophet Esay speaketh Chap. 49.26 The meaning is as a chiefe n B. King Ibid. pillar of our Church expoundeth it when a man taketh pleasure in nothing more than in the ouerthrow and extirpation of his owne seed when he thirsteth not for any bloud but that which is drawne from the sides of his brethren and kinsmen Neuer was there more eager and bitter contention betweene Turke and Christian than now adaies there is betweene Christian and Christian a brother and a brother All we who haue giuen our names to Iesus Christ and vowed him seruice in our baptisme we are all brethren we are fratres vterini brethren from the womb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee haue one father and one mother one father in heauen and one mother the holy Catholike Church militant vpon the earth But it fareth with vs as it did with Simeon and Leui Gen 49.5 We are brethren in euill the instruments of cruelty are in our habitations They in their wrath slew a man and what doe we If our wrath be kindled against our brother we will not sticke Edom-like to pursue him with the sword we will make our sword to be fed with his flesh and drunke with his bloud Thinke not dearely beloued you of the other sex thinke not your selues exempt from this reproofe because in it I haue not made any mention of sisters for vnder the name of brethren I meant you also My speech was vnto Christians and in Christianisme diuersity of sex maketh no difference So saith the Apostle Gal. 3.28 Male and female all are one in Christ To you therefore this reprofe of brethren at variance doth also appertaine If you lay violent hands vpon any your husbands your children or other or if with your tongue which the holy Spirit Psal 57.4 calleth a sharpe sword you are giuen to vex them of your owne house or shall back-bite or slander any know that Edom-like you doe pursue your brother with the sword And take I beseech you my propounded doctrine as belonging vnto you also It is a thing very distastfull and vnpleasing vnto God for brethren to be at variance among themselues A second vse is to worke in vs brotherly kindnesse that vertue whereby euery good Christian embraceth the Church of God and the members thereof with the bowels of loue This brotherly kindnesse S. Peter 2 Epist 1.7 commendeth vnto vs as whereto we ought to giue all diligence Dauid Psal 133.1 stileth it with the sweet name of Vnity Behold how good and comely a thing it is for brethren to liue in vnity And therefore commendeth it by two similitudes in the one shewing the sweetnesse and pleasantnesse of it in the other the fruit and profit which commeth by it First it is like that precious ointment which was powred on the head of the high Priest and ran downe vpon his heard and so to the borders of his garments Behold the sweetnesse and pleasantnesse of vnity That sweet perfume and ointment that holy o le powred out vpon the high Priest and his garment was not only pleasant and delightfull to himselfe but did also yeeld a sweet smelling sauour to all that were about him So is it with vnity It is not onely pleasant to them who doe religiously esteeme and keepe it but to others also which are about them Secondly it is like the dew of Hermon which fell vpon the mountaines of Sion where the Lord appointed the blessing and life foreuermore Behold the fruit and profit which commeth by Vnity The dew and wet that fell downe from heauen vpon H rmon and Sion made those hils and the plaine countries neere them fertill so doth Vnity bring with it great fruit and profit If makes them among whom it is sincerely obserued it makes them through Gods blessing fruitfull and plentifull in good workes towards God and in him and for him towards men and one of them towards another This vnity concord brotherly loue mutuall consent and agreement if it bee vnfeigned hath the promises both of this life and of that to come of peace and quietnesse in this life and of eternall ioyes in the life to come One of the notes by which we may be assured of God his speciall loue and fauour is the loue of our brethren Now that we deceiue not our selues in this loue S. Iohn Epist 1. giues vs three rules to direct vs. 1 Christian brotherly loue must not be for any worldly respects or considerations but principally for and in God We must loue our brethren principally because they are the sons of God and members of Christ This rule he intimateth Chap. 5.1 Euery one that loueth him which begat loueth him also which is begotten of him that is whosoeuer loueth God the Father he loueth also the sons of God his naturall son Christ Iesus and his sons by grace and adoption all Christians 2 Christian brotherly loue must not be outward in shew only but inward in the heart This rule he giueth vs Chap. 3.18 Let vs not loue in word nor in tongue onely but in deed and in truth 3 Christian brotherly loue must be not onely in time of prosperity but when most need is This rule hee giueth vers the 17. Whosoeuer hath this worlds good and seeth his brother hath need and shutteth vp his compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him Let these rules beloued be your direction Loue ye euery one that is called a Christian
non debetis ye ought not to be ignorant of this that the amitie of the world is enmitie with God and that whosoeuer is a friend of the world he is the enemie of God I may adde yea and of the Godly too Hereto agreeth that demaund of S. Paul 2. Cor. 6.14.15 What fellowship hath righteousnesse with vnrighteousnesse What communion hath light with darknesse What concord hath Christ with Belial God is righteous the world is wicked and g 1. John 5.19 lieth altogether in sinne therefore there can be no fellowship betweene God and the world God is h 1. I haâ— 1.5 light he is the i Iam. 1.17 Father of lights in him there is no darkenesse at all The world what is it but k Ephe. 5.8 darknesse what but a receptacle of the vnfruitfull l Vers 11. workes of darkenesse therefore there can bee no communion betweene God and the world Christ is holy altogether holy and immaculate Belial is wicked he is the Prince of wickednesse therefore there can be no concord betweene Christ and Belial Now if there can be no fellowship if no communion betweene God and the world can we looke there should be any fellowship any communion betweene Saints worldlings betweene the godly and the wicked betweene such as loue God and such as loue the wâ—rld If there be no concord betweene Christ and Belial can we expect there should be any concord betweene true Christians and Belialists betweene the followers of Christ and the sonnes of Belial It cannot be expected These whom I call Belialists or the sonnes of Beliall worldlings and the wicked are such as loue the world the other whom I call true Christians or followers of Christ Saints the godly are such as loue God The repugnancie that is betweene the qualities of these two is elegantly deliuered in holy writ The louers of God are m Rom. 8.14 Galat. 5.18 led by the Spirit of God they n Galat. 5.16 walke in the Spirit and bring forth the o Vers 22.23 fruits thereof as loue ioy peace long-suffering gentlenes goodnes faith meekenes temperance and such like but they that loue the world are invested with p Ver. 19.20.21 adulterie fornication vncleannesse lasciuiousnesse Idolatrie witchcraft hatred variance emulations wrath strife seditions heresies envyings murthers drunkennesse revellings and such like What greater repugnancie can there be then this Againe they that loue God are q 2. Tim. 2.22 of pure hearts and of r 1. Tim. 1.5 good consciences they Å¿ Coloss 1.22 present themselues holy vnblameable and vnreproueable in the sight of God they serue the Lord t Johan 4.23 in Spirit and in truth but they that loue the world are of u Psal 14.1 And 53.1 corrupt hearts of x Tit. 1.15 defiled minds and consciences their works are y Psal 14.1 abominable they are z Psal 58.3 deceitfull from the wombe they are altogether a Psal 14.3 become filthy their seruice of God is but a flattering of him for they b Psal 78.36 lye vnto him with their double tongue What greater repugnancie can there be then this Once more They that loue God cast all their c 1. Pet. 5.7 care vpon him they are d Vers 8. sober and vigilant for they know that their aduersarie the Deuill as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom he may deuour but they that loue the world like the foole in the Psalme e Psal 14.1 53.1 10.4 say in their heart there is no God Sobrietie they care not for vigilancie they will none of it f Philip. 3.19 Minding earthly things glutted with the pleasure thereof their sole care is g Rom. 16.18 to serue their owne belly h Philip. 3.19 their God is their belly their glory is their shame their end is damnation What greater repugnancie can there be then this Will it now please you to collect with me the qualities of the wicked the sonnes of Belial worldlings such as loue the world are wholy repugnant and contrary to the qualities of the Godly the followers of Christ Saints such as loue God and therefore there can be no agreement betweene them No better then was betweene Cain and Abel And that you know was bad enough For Cain slew Abel And wherefore slew he him S. Iohn giues you the reason 1. Epist 3.12 Because his owne workes were euill and his brothers righteous Thus farre of the hatred of the wicked against the Godly the true reason of my doctrine which was The wicked are euermore in a readinesse to doe all the disgrace and despite they can not onely to the true Prophets of the Lord and his Ministers but also to the true seruants of God of what vocation estate or condition soeuer they be Let vs now make some vse of that which hath beene hitherto deliuered for the bettering and the amendment of our sinfull liues First the Ministers of Gods word may from hence learne not to take it vnto heart if such as are bound by the Law of God and nature and by all good order to yeeld them due loue and reuerence shall in pride and contempt insult ouer them to disgrace and to despite them They may well remember that it s neither great nor new nor rare thing that they meete with such course entertainement in the world forasmuch as they cannot be ignorant that the world hateth them And what if the world hate them Shall they therefore be altogether dejected They need not For Christ giues them encouragement and comfort Iohn 15.18 If the world hate you yee know that it hated me before it hated you The argument is drawen ab exemplo from Christs owne example The world hateth mee you know it to be so you see it It needes not then to be any disparagement to you if it hate you it hated me before it hated you Cur ergo se membrum supra verticem extollit S. Austine propounds the question Tract 88. in Iohannem Why doth a member extoll it selfe aboue the head Recusas esse in corpore si non vis odium mundi sustinere cum capite thou refusest to be in the bodie if thou wilt not with the head susteine the hatred of the world A second argument of encouragement and comfort to vs against the hatred of the world is drawne from the nature of the world vers 19. If ye were of the world the world would loue his owne but because ye are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you This argument is euident euen to the common sense of men who cannot but know that betweene contraries there is no agreement and betweene men of vnlike qualities no full consent of minds It is then as if Christ had thus said The world loues none but his owne none but those that are addicted deuoted and wholy giuen ouer to it but
of a Lyon slaying the soules of men To a two edged sword vers 3. Flee from sinne as from a two edged sword for all iniquitie is as a two edged sword the wounds whereof cannot be healed But what is a two edged sword what the teeth of a Lyon what the face of a Serpent what the Deuill himselfe to the loue of God Flee from sinne for the loue of God that with thy sinnes thou be not burdensome and grieuous vnto God If we cannot but sinne as the truth is we cannot such is our imperfection yet let vs not increase the measure of our sin by any wicked malice If we cannot stay our selues from going in the paths of sinne yet let vs stay our selues for going on therein Stop we the course of our sinnes as the Lord shall enable vs and let vs not by the fulnesse of their measure pull vengeance from Heauen whether God will or no. A heauie day and houre will it be to you to me to any if the Lord shall once say vnto vs as here he doth to Israel I am pressed vnder you as a Cart is pressed that is full of sheaues Againe stands it thus beloued May our sinnes be burdensome and grieuous vnto God May they presse him as a Cart is pressed that is full of sheaues Make we then here of a second vse euen to admonish such sinners as are obstinate and impenitent They may from hence be remembred that if they be burdensome and grieuous vnto God with their obstinacie and impenitencie God will be burdensome and grieuous vnto them with his plagues Obstinacie impenitencie O let sinnes of such an eleuation be farre from our Coasts If we driue God to call a conuocation of Heauen and Earth as Esa 1.2 Heare O heauens and giue eare O earth I haue nourished and brought vp Children and they haue rebelled against me if we driue him to call on the mountaines the foundations of the earth to heare his controuersie as Micah 6.2 Heare yee O mountaines the Lords controuersie and yee strong foundations of the earth the Lord hath a controuersie with his people and will plead with them if we driue him to his old complaint Hos 4.1 There is no truth nor mercie nor knowledge of God in the land By swearing and lying and killing and stealing and whoring yee breake out and bloud toucheth bloud if we thus and thus force God what shall become of vs in the end Will hee not againe force vs to cry out houle and repent that euer wee thus and thus forced him Yes without all controuersie he will He will poure out x Nahum 16. his furie like fire he will throw downe rockes before him and shall we then be able to stand It s impossible we should vnlesse truly and vnfeinedly renouncing all shew of obstinacy and impenitencie we become dutifull and obedient children to the Lord our God O how desirous how earnest is our sweete Sauiour we should be such How pathetically doth he perswade our and the whole Churches reformation Cant. 6.13 Returne returne O Shulamite returne returne Let our reply be with Saint Austine Domine da quod jubes jube quod vis Lord giue vs abilitie to returne to thee and then command vs to returne or with Ieremie chap. 31.18 Turne thou vs vnto thee ô Lord and we shall be turned thou art the Lord our God Thus haue you my doctrine and the vses thereof My doctrine was Our sinnes are sometimes burdensome and grieuous vnto God My first vse was an incitement to the detestation of sinne in generall My second was a caueat against the foulest of sinnes obstinacie and impenitencie My doctrine branding our sinnes with burdensomenesse and grieuousnesse in respect of God I grounded vpon the complaint which in my text God maketh against Israel I am pressed vnder you as a Cart is pressed that is full of sheaues God is pressed vnder our sinnes therefore our sinnes are burdensome vnto him they are grieuous vnto him But here it may be questioned how God can be said to complaine of our sinnes to be burdened with them to be grieued at them sith in himselfe he hath all pleasure and content He dwelleth in such y 1. Tim. 6.16 light such brightnesse of glory as neuer mortall foote could approach vnto the sight of his face is to vs on earth vnsufferable no mortall eye euer saw him nor can see him he z Esa 57.15 inhabiteth the eternitie is the a Esa 44.6 first and is the last and b Mala. 3.6 changeth not yea hath not so much as a c Iam. 1.17 shadow of change How then is it that he oft complaineth how can he be burdened how grieued Complaints we know are the witnesses of a burdened and grieued soule God here complaineth of pressure that he is pressed vnder Israell as a Cart is pressed that is full of sheaues from whence the collection is that the sinnes of Israel are burdensome and grieuous vnto God But can this be so indeed Can our sinnes be burdensome vnto God Can they be grieuous vnto him or can God complaine that they are such What can be said vnto it Will you that I speake properly without a figure Then thus I say God cannot complaine because he cannot be burdened or grieued Could he be burdened or grieued hee could suffer But he cannot suffer Euery blow of ours though we were as strong and high as the sonnes of Anak light short of him If some could haue reached him it had gone ill with him long ere this But God cannot suffer So true is that axiome of the Schooles No passion can befall the Deitie Aquinas 1. qu. 20. art 1. thus deliuers it Nulla passio est in Deo there is no passion in God and lib. 1. Contra Gentiles cap. 89. In Deo non sunt Passiones affectuum there are no affectiue passions in God By affectiue passions be vnderstandeth the passions of the sensitiue appetite which therefore are not in God because God hath no such appetite as Ferrariensis hath well obserued Well then if these passions of complaining of repenting of grieuing of fainting and the like cannot properly be sayd to be in God how are they so frequently in holy Scripture ascribed vnto him My answere is they are ascribed vnto him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abusiuely by an Anthropopathie It is Athanasius his golden rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Say God complaineth say he repenteth say he grieueth say he fainteth or is wearied all these are spoken of God for our capacities but are to be vnderstood as its fit for God God in holy Scripture speaking of himselfe as if these passions were familiar with him he appeares as transfigured into the likenesse of our nature and in our owne familiar termes speaketh to our shallow vnderstandings As an old man speaking to a child frames his voyce in a childish phrase So God speaking to vs men speakes
with any Nation Vpon this first part of my Text this Commemoration of Gods benefits bestowed vpon Israel I grounded my first obseruation It is this It is an excellent priuilege to bee knowne of God by the knowledge of his approbation to be chosen of him to be his people to be in his loue and fauour to be vnder his care and prouidence The excellency of this priuilege appeareth in this that the Lord here calls Israel to the remembrance of it saying You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth This excellent priuilege the true seruice of the liuing God thorow the free vse of his holy Word and Sacraments wheresoeuer it is found among any people is a sure pledge that the Lord knoweth that people with the knowledge of his approbation that he hath chosen them to be his peculiar people that they are in his loue and fauour and that he careth and prouideth for them How much then Beloued how much are we indebted to the Maiesty and bounty of Almighty God who hath graced vs with so excellent a blessing as is the Ministery of his holy Word His holy Word It is a Iewell than which nothing is more precious to which any thing compared is but drosse by which whatsoeuer is tried will bee found lighter than vanity The true estimate of this Iewell may be had out of the 19. Psalme At the 7. vers it is Perfect nothing may be added to it without marring of it it conuerteth the soule and turneth it from euill to good It is sure you may build vpon the truth of it as well for the promises of mercy as for the threatnings of iudgement It giueth wisdome the wisdome of the spirit euen vnto the simple to the humble and lowly of minde At the eighth verse It is right without any iniustice or corruption It reioyceth the heart with true and sound ioy It is pure pure in all points and giueth light to the eyes the eyes of the minde that we may securely trace the way to Heauen At the ninth verse It is cleane without spot or shew of euill and endureth for euer without alteration or change It is truth without falshood and is righteous all together there is no error in it Is your desire for profit or for pleasure This Iewell yeelds you both At the tenth verse for profit it is compared to Gold for pleasure to Honey For profit it is more to bee desired than gold yea than much fine gold for pleasure it is sweeter than honey or the hony combe Moreouer at the tenth verse It will make you circumspect it will shew you the danger of sinne and will teach you how to auoid it and may encourage you to obedience for as much as in the keeping of it there is great reward Great reward yet through Gods mercy and not of your merit Now dearely beloued is the holy Word of God a Iewell so precious of such an estimate Then giue eare to the exhortation of wisdome Prou. 23.23 Buy it and sell it not Buy it what ere it cost you seeke by all meanes to obtaine it and when you haue gotten it sell it not at any hand depart not from it for any price for any cause But let it according to the exhortation that Saint Paul made to the Colossians Chap. 3.16 Let it dwell in you plenteously in all wisdome It is as one wittily speaketh Gods best friend and the Kings best friend and the Courts best friend and the Cities best friend and the Countries best friend and euery mans best friend Giue it therefore entertainment not as to a forreiner or stranger but as to your familiar as to your best friend let it dwell in you And sith it comes not empty but brings with it as well pleasure as profit as you haue already heard Let it dwell in you plenteously Plenteously Yet in all wisdome Let vs heare it in all wisdome reade it in all wisdome meditate vpon it in all wisdome speake of it in all wisdome and preach it in all wisdome not only in wisdome but in all wisdome that the words of our mouthes and the meditations of our hearts may euer be acceptable in the sight of the Lord our strength and our Redeemer Thus farre of my first obseruation grounded vpon the Commemoration of Gods blessings vpon Israel You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth You only My second obseruation is that this great blâ—ssing of the true seruice of God and the free vse of his holy Word was in the daies before Christ appropriate to the people of the Iewes This appeareth by some of those places before alleaged Deut. 4.7 8. and Psal 147.19 20. for the further illustration of the point that of the 76. Psalme vers 1 2. may well serue In Iudah is God knowne his name is great in Israel in Salem is his tabernacle and his dwelling in Sion In which words the Psalmist giueth vnto the land of Iudah and Israel this prerogatiue aboue the rest of the Nations of the whole earth that there God was knowne and his name was great but especially in Salem that is in Hierusalem and in Mount Sion the place which he desired for his habitation Psal 132.13 There was God knowne his name was great there Elsewhere it was not so It was not so among the Nations For as Barnabas and Paul told the men of Lystra Acts 14.16 in times past God suffered all Nations to walke in their owne waies The way of God they then knew not The then state of the Nations Saint Paul Ephes 2.12 elegantly decyphereth in fiue circumstances Hee bids them remember what they were in time past as that first they were without Christ secondly they were aliens from the common weâ—lth of Israel thirdly they were strangers from the couenants of promise fourthly they were without hope fiftly they were without God in the world Enough is said for the confirmation of my second obseruation which was that in time of old in time past in the daies before Christ his comming in the flesh the true seruice of God and the exercise of his holy word was appropriate to the people of the Iewes to the children of Israel Now the reasons of this appropriation are two One is Gods vndeserued and speciall loue the other is the truth of his promise Both are expressed Deut. 7. At the seuenth verse the false cause is remoued at the eighth the true is put The Lord did not set his loue vpon you nor choose you because ye were more in number than any people for ye were the fewest of all people There the false cause is remoued The true cause is put in the words following But because the Lord loued you and because he would keepe the oath which hee swore vnto your fathers therefore hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen from the hand of Pharaoh King of Aegypt and