The bright star which leadeth wise men to our Lord Jesus Christ, or, A…

Many can make long discourses, of the kindness of such a friend, and spend an hour together, what this and that good man hath done for him, but for God that gives life and breath and all things, and that gives power to our friends to do us good, and kindness to put that power in practise, who doth almost speak of all his goodness, of all his power that he continually doth show & practise towards us▪ to move himself and others the more earnestly to glorify his name. Likewise thirdly we are here commanded, to speak of Gods works, with reverence & thanks giving, whether the works of mercy or of justice. And thus the children of Israel with there leader Moses after that wonderful deliverance at the red sea, did fall to praising and magnifying God, and to confess his excellent greatness and majesty, and set out the same to all posterities. And as one must magnify God for all his works, so especially for those that go most beyond the reach, and seem most contrary to carnal reason: and thus Paul having disputed of ⟨p. 57⟩election and reprobation, such works as carnal men and fleshly wit most snuffs at, and would willingly snarl and speak most vildly of it, if it durst for fear of men; he being a man of Gods, speaks most reverently, and with wonderful awe of the greatness of God. Rom. 11. 33. O the deepness of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his Judgements, and his ways past finding out, and then who hath known the mind of the Lord. j. who can tell why God chooseth one to life, and refuseth an other to death, why he will have one saved and an other condemned, who can assign the cause of these hidden things. And in the next verse having before spoken off, ordaining one to shame, and an other to glory; he shuts up & closes all with this holy & reverent conclusion, wondering at his greatness, of him, (saith he,) and to him, & for him are all things, to him be glory for ever, Amen. q. d. he made all things at the first himself, he sustains and preserves all things by his own power, still; therefore it is most just and equal, that he should dispose and order all things according as seems best to him, for his own glory.

Manie can make long discourses, of the kindnesse of such a friend, and spend an houre together, what this and that good man hath done for him, but for God that giues life and breath and all thinges, and that giues power to our friends to doe vs good, and kindnesse to put that power in practise, who doth almost speake of all his goodnesse, of all his power that hee continually doth shew & practise towards vs to moue himselfe and others the more earnestlie to glorifie his name. Likewise thirdlie we are here commanded, to speake of Gods workes, with reuerence & thanks giuing, wether the workes of mercie or of iustice. And thus the children of Israell with there leader Moyses after that wonderfull deliuerance at the red sea, did fall to praising and magnifieng God, and to confesse his excellent greatnesse and magestie, and set out the same to all posterities. And as one must magnifie God for all his workes, so especially for those that goe most beyond the reach, and seeme most contrary to carnall reason: and thus Paul hauing disputed of