him who readeth or heareth them Motives truely he is unworthy to have any more spoken to him but before I can hope to perswade men I must begin with God who onely can perswade the heart O thou great Captain of the host of Israel who hast the key of David that openeth and none can shut and shutteth and none can open be graciously pleased to exercise thy great power and infinite mercy in working upon the hearts both of the writer and reader of this treatise to answer this thy call that of wild olives by nature we may be graffed into Jesus Christ and may become trees of righteousness the planting of the Lord that thou mayst be glorified in us and by us and we with thee Alas Lord what can a weak mans words availe where the word of the â—â—ving God is rejected The arguments â—re full of power but the hearts of the â—hildren of men are full of obstinacy â—nless thou raisest the dead and creaâ—est clean hearts no good can be done â—end therefore thine irresistible Spirit â—o convince and convert us give new â—yes and new eares and renew a right â—pirit within us then shall we heare â—nd see and run to joyne ourselves who have formerly beene sons of the â—â—ranger to the Lord and to thy people â—hou who gatherest the out casts of Isâ—ael remember thy promise to gather â—thers to thee besides those that are alâ—eady gathered Save us O Lord our â—od and gather us from among the â—eathen to give thanks unto thy holy â—ame and to triumph in thy praise Isa 56.7 8. â—sal 106.47 Now if after prayer to God teares â—ould move you whose good is here â—â—tended they should not be wanting beseech you by the teares and preciâ—s blood of Iesus Christ to grant me is desire not for any thing from you 〈◊〉 my self but for the salvation of your own soules that you lay these things deeply to heart Is it nothing to you to have lived so long without Christ being aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenants of promise having no hope and without God in the world Eph. 2.12 Dare you continue in this estate sincâ— you know not how little time you havâ— to live before you goe hence and be nâ— more seen Is not God a portion wortâ— having is not his love worth imbracing feare you not the torments oâ— Hell doe you not value the joyes anâ— glory of Heaven Return a candid anâ— sober Answer to these Questions whicâ— God himselfe and not I propounâ— unto you Say in good earnest to him Lord enable us and we will becomâ— true Israelites and then I assure you 〈◊〉 his name and in the word of trutâ— God will be your God and the Goâ— of your seed he will love you freeâ— unto the end the second death shaâ— have no power over you feare not is your Fathers good pleasure to giâ— you the Kingdome Luke 12.32 whâ— shall I say of the blessed spirit of gracâ— he stands at the door of your hearts and knocks if you will hear his voyce and open the door he will come into you and sup with you and you with him Revel 3.20 And judge righteous judgment whether is it better to walk in that double Aegyptian darknesse of errors and manners or to be children of light 1 Thess 5.5 whether is it more eligible to be dead in trespasses and sin or to heare the voyce of the Son of God and live the life of grace here and the life of glory hereafter John 5.25 Whether is it safer to be the friends of God or his cursed enimes to have fellowship with God or devils yea to be Gods sons and daughters or children of the devill for you must needs be either of the former or the latter sort of these I call Heaven and Earth to record this day that I have set before you life and death blessing and cursing therefore choose life that you and your seed may live Deut. 30.19 Thus shall you be free indeed free from all evill and free to all good spiritual and eternal for Jerusalem which is above is free which is the mother of all true believers Gal. 4.26 what vast summs of money doe some forego to purchase freedome in some great City as the chiefe Captain did to be made free in Rome Acts. 22.28 But all the money in the world will not purchase any freedome in this City the spiritual Jerusalem you must either be born in Sion or you can never be free here againe men may confer political freedome as king Saul promised to make his house free in Israel who should kill Goliath 1 Sam. 17.25 but none can confer this spiritual freedome but the Son the great King of Heaven John 8.36 Lastly if the Queen of Sheba pronounced Solomons men happy and twice happy for standing continually in his presence and hearing his wisedome 2 Chron. 9.7 how much more happy is it for us to draw nigh to God Psalm 73.28 Herein the children of Israel surmount all people in the world besides for they onely are neere to him Psalm 148.14 and as dear as the Apples of his own Eye Zachary 2.8 And as they are neer and dear to him so is he nigh to them to hear them when they call Psalm 145.18 and to save them in all times of their distresse Psalm 85.9 Israel of old gloried in this priviledge Deut. 4.7 what Nation is there so great that hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is to us in all things which we call upon him for and were it now impossible for us to have him as neere to us as he was to them our case were miserable but blessed be God as he hath commanded us to draw nigh to him so he hath promised to draw nigh to us also Jam. 4.8 But of all others shall we be most miserable if we would not obey this his Command of drawing nigh to him that he may fulfill his promise and draw nigh to us for they that say to him now depart from us shall heare him say to them at the last day Depart from me ye accursed into everlasting fire Sect. 12 For the Lords sake therefore remove all impediments that hinder you from becomming Israelites indeed Impediments What these lets and remoraes are I shal briefly lay down O! that you could as soon overcome them These impediments are either external or within your selves 1 Their smal number The 1. externall Let is the paucity or fewnesse of their number But doe not you know that ordinary stones are more rife than orient Pearls and is not a precious stone the more valueable and excellent by how much the more rare it is These are the Lords Jewels whereas all other are but like lumber in the house Mal. 3.17 They shall be mine saith the Lord of Hostes who best knoweth the true value of the children of men in that day when I make up my Jewels and
faithfull assertion promise for it who is able to performe and for their greater security they shall find it upon record Psal 37.16 A little that the righteous hath is better then the riches of many wicked Where a little is opposed to great riches and one mans modicum is opposed to many mens great revenues Againe Psal 112.1 2 3. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord that delighteth greatly in his commandements his seed shall be mighty upon earth the generation of the upright shall be blessed wealth and riches shall be in his house you see then I speak not any thing tending to your losse in disswading you from * Tim. 3.3 filthy lucre for a mans life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth Luk. 12.15 An heathen fitly illustrateth this by a similitude thus * Horat Sern l. 1. Satyr 1 A cleare fountain being a mans own will yeeld better water and sufficient for his use with more safety then a deep muddy river can do 6. I have a word to school-masters who have a fairer upportunity of enlarging the kingdome of Jesus Christ and the common-wealth of Israel if they be carefull to improve it to the best advantage than many I had also said any others for that end be pleased to study well this subject and take out this lesson and commend it to your schollers that they may also learne it throughly without which all humane learning will but increase their guilt and then will not you make marchandize of the precious time of the youth committed to your trust either through sloath or for sinister advantage and then shall they grow in wisdome and grace and favour with God and men to the great joy of their Parents and your no less honour 7. Let all that glory in the title and say they are Jewes Israelites or Christians and are not but doe lye as Iohn the divine speaketh Revelations 3.9 much more strive to attaine to the reality than vainely affect the * Ne nomen eis ad ignominiam â—it Cypr ad Cornel. Papam bare name which unless they be Israelites and Christians indeed will rise up in judgement against them And let all who are named Nathanael resemble this pattern in my Text and be put in mind of it as oft as they write or read their own names or hear others to call them thereby for for that end may we well conceive godly parents use so to call their children and then shall all these read their names registred in the Lambs book of life and they shall never be blotted out of it 8. Let the word of God prevaile with all martiall men and command them who in time of war use to command others by the sword to account it their highest honour to be able to derive their spiritual pedigree from Jacob sirnamed Israel from his prevailing first with God and afterwards with men and there see that you begin be sure to prevaile with God by prayers and then shall you be more then Conquerers over devils and evil men then will you not dare to do violence to any innocent person nor to accuse any falsely but you will be a defence under God to the godly and quiet in the Land and the Lord your God will be a strong and sure defence unto you you shall goe on and prosper against all the Enemies of God and his Church wherof you are lively members five of you shall chase an hundred and an hundred of you put ten thousand to flight and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword Levit. 26.8 for they are more with you then can be against you 2. Chron. 32.7 9. This greatly concerneth parents and Masters to traine up their Children and Servants in this holy profession and to be exemplary therein to them then will your Children be dutifull to you their Parents and acknowledge you to have been instrumentall to them under God of a double birth both of a naturall generation and of supernaturall regeneration Then will your servants account you their Masters worthy of all honour and be no more unprofitable but with Onesimus after his conversion * Ambros in Philem. Tam secularibus quà m divinis obsequiis profitable unto you Phil. 11. Then shall Parents and Children Masters and Servants be blessed of God and prosper Sect. 16 Vse 5th Use 5. So I come to the last use of consolation to all those Of consolation who though with much difficulty breaking through all impediments obstructing them in the way can peruse and find in themselves the forementioned Characters blessed are they that ever they were borne not of blood nor of the wil of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Iohn 1.13 For 1. all they may truly challenge to themselves the Title of Israelites indeed which God never did nor will allow any others whether they be Jewes or Gentiles to do but very sharply reproveth them for it Isa 48.1 2. They are called by the name of Israel and againe Isa 48.1 2. they call themselves of the holy City and stay themselves upon the God of Israel and they sweare by the name of the Lord and make mention of the God of Israel but not in truth nor in righteousnesse Hence observe 1. in that wicked men usurpe this title and glory in it how glorious are all Israelites indeed their enemies themselves being judges 2ly it is a hainous sinne for any to challenge this title when it belongeth not to them as it is a Capital crime for a varlet to pretend to be a Kings son and heire 3ly the spirit of God accounteth it to be blasphemy Rev. 2.9 saith he I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jewes and are not 2ly This is not a bare and empty title but accompanied with so much honour and happinesse as none on this side heaven can expresse or fully conceive of 1. John 3.1 2. Behold what manner of love the father hath bestowed on us that we should be called the sons of God! Beloved now are we the sons of God and it doth not yet appeare what we shall be but we know that when he shall appeare we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is whence we collect 3ly That they and onely they shall surely enjoy all the honour and felicity which heaven can afford in the life to come who continue to walk aright in the good old way which hath been set before you as Christ hath certified all believers Joh. 14.1 2. In my fathers house are many mansions I go to prepare a place for you and I will come againe and receive you that where I am there ye may be also v. 3. and then shall you find experimentally and confesse that this glory doth infinitely exceed the fame which you have heard of it 4ly Yea even in this life having once received the first fruits of the Spirit in your hearts he will so certify you of the truth hereof and your propriety therein that you shall rejoyce with joy unspeakable and glorious 1 Pet. 1.8 even in the midst of manifold troubles temptations and persecutions v. 6. O therefore pray the Lord with all importunity to cause * Isa 30.21 your eares to heare a voice behind you saying This is the way walk ye in it when ye turne to the right hand and when ye turne to the left that Jesus Christ may say of you as here he did of Nathanael Behâ—ld an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile Amen FINIS
oath and say Lord I have many enemies too strong and subtile for me but be thou my strong rock I have a deceitfull backsliding heart but thou art a true God purge out mine hypocrisie and heale all my backslidings Thou requirest that I should serve thee in holiness and righteousness without feare but thou hast bound thy self as wel to me as mee to thy self grant me thy grace and power to do thy will Da Domine quod jubes jube quod vis and banish far from me all slavish feare by planting thy love in mine heart for perfect love doth cast out slavish feare 1 Joh. 4.18 2. This covenant is established in the hand of a mediator Jesus Christ who hath paid our whole debt Heb. 12.24 though we cannot satisfie for the least farthing and he is able to work all our works in us and for us Isa 26 12. Adam indeed soon brake his covenant though he were in innocency because he stood by his owne strength but the second Adam God and man is our upholder who is bound in the covenant of grace with us and for us to whom the Lord hath said In an acceptable time have I heard thee and in a day of salvation have I helped thee and I will preserve thee and give thee for a covenant of the people to establish the earth to cause to inherit the desolate heritages that thou maist say to the prisoners go forth to them that are in darknes shew yourselves Isa 49.8.9 God promiseth to help and preserve him that he may help and uphold us Are we in darkness he will be our light Are we weak he the Lord Jehova wil be our everlasting strength Do we fall he will raise us up Psal 37.24 Though we break the covenant he hath kept it to the utmost Thirdly To render us yet more secure Act. 2.38 39. God hath confirmed this covenant that he wil be our God and guide unto death by outward seals commonly called Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords supper as circumcision is called the seal of the righteousness of faith Rom. 4.11 As also by the inward seal of his holy Spirit who beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the children of God Rom. 8.16 as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 1.21 22. Now he which establisheth us with you is God which words with you are added lest some weaker Christians should demur and surmise that the Apostle and strong christians may well say so but we may not be so bold Yes saith the Apostle you may avouch somuch as well as I or any other He who establisheth us with you in Christ and hath annointed us is God who hath also sealed us and given the earnest of the spirit in our hearts Here is a seal and an earnest both mentioned and annexed to Gods covenant and oath that we might have strong consoâ—atiâ—n who have fled for refuge to lay hold upâ—n the hope set before was Heb. 6.18 Argumen 2 Secondly That which mov d God to enter into covenant with them was his love God loveth them for the love of God is the original and fountaine of all the Saints blessedness and dignâ—â—y which two may all along be distinguished but cannot be separated The primary product of this love is our election from all eternity Eph. 1.4 which is therefore called the election of grace Rom. 11.5 The object of this grace is the Israel of God as appeareth by the Lords compellation Isa 44.1 2. Heare now O Iacob my servant and Israel whom I have chosen Thus saith the Lord that made thee who will also keep thee Feare not O Iacob my servant and thou Jesurun Whom I have chosen The consideration hereof emboldened David against all his ranting enemies Psal 4.2 3. O ye sons of men said he to them how long will you turne my glory into shame But know or be it known to you that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself These only have their names written in the Lamb's book of life Rev. 21.27 whereas all others who have forsaken the Lord the fountain of living waters shal be written in the Earth Jer. 17.13 They are built upon the rock of ages the foundation of God which stands suâ—e 2. Tim. 2.19 all others shal be like the chaff which the winde driveth to and fro Psal 1.4 Secondly This love moved God to send his onely begotten son in the fulness of time into the world to die for them that whosoever beleeve on him might not perish but have eternal life Joh. 3.6 Here we have the privative part of our happiness they shall not perish but be delivered from hell and the positive part they shall have eternal life Reader stand here and meditate what the terrors and torments of hell are from whence Christ by his death hath freed us and what the joyes and glory of Heaven be which he hath purchased and prepared for us And when you can fully conceive how great these two are or how great Christs love is who hath done both these for us then and never before will you be able to conceive how great the beleevers honour and happiness shall be Thirdly As the love of the Father induced him to give us his Son Isa 9.6 so the love of the Son moved him to give himselfe for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour Eph. 5.2 and that he might redeeme us from all iniquity Tit. 2.14 and consequently from hell Now might the damned Spirits be certified that they should at last be released out of those intolerable torments which they suffer and we have deserved and in the end be invested in celestial glory thought it should be graâ—â—ed them not til after some thousand of yeares first expired what a great mercy would even they account it And will not you seek to know this how you may escape hell and attain everlasting glory Sect. 3 Argument 3 Thirdly On these his bâ—loved hath Iesus Christ conferred his Sâ—cred spirit a gift of gifts that thereby we may know that he dwelleâ—h â—n us and we in him 1 Illumination 1 Joh. 3.24 By whom we 1. are enligh ened to know what is the hope of his calling and what are the riches of the glory of his inhâ—ritance in the Saints Eph. 1.18 How earnest was bl ssed Paul who rightly apprehended this mercy of illumination in praying for others that they might have it who waâ—ted it and in rendering thanks for them who had obtaâ—ned it And will not you be affâ—cted therewith to seek it till you find it and to bless God for it when you have it 2 Vivification 2. By the operation of this Spirit are they qâ—ickâ—ned who were dead before in trespasses and in sins Joh. 6.63 Now put these two together Prov. 15.30 If the light of the body be so pleasant as Solomon averreth how much more delightfull is the light of the soul and if temporall
who are so far transported with rage that in way of private revenge they commit the horrid sin of murther as Joab slew Amasa and Abner men more righteous then himselfe All these I say are farre from Jacobs spirit and consequently are none of his spirituall seed Sect. 9 Instance 12 12. Israel is a worthy pattern to all in oeconomical and family duties 1. He was a dutifull child to his parents he obeyed his father and mother his father when he was decrepiâ— by reason of old age and his motheâ— though the weaker sex Genes 28.7 and for this among other his vertues his father blessed him and his mother loved him intirely Yea God also blessed him who hath made many great promises to all obedient children Eph. 6.1 2 3. Children saith the Apostle obey your parents in the Lord for this is right Honour thy father and mother which is the first commandement with promise that it may be well with thee and thou mayest live long on the Earth whereas God hath denounced grievous threats against stubborn and unruly children Pro 30.17 The eye that mocketh at his father and despiseth to obey his mother the ravens of the valley shall pick it out and the young eagles shall eat it the meaning is In cruce Corvos pascere Horat. he shall come to a shamefull end as the common proverb importeth 2. When Jacob was grown up to be marriageable he was not Esau-like his owne carver to choose where he lusted but submitted himself to be disposed oâ— in wedlock as his father and mother â—hought good Genes 28.1.2 Thou â—halt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan said his father Isaac to him Arise go to Padan Aram and â—ake thee a wife of the daughters of Laban thy mothers brother and he did so Add to this the testimony of St Paul 1. Cor. 7.38 where he saith the father is to give his virgin in marriage 3. Iacob was a diligent and faithfull servant twenty yeares together to Laban a fraudulent and churlish master as he pleadeth with him for himselfe at their parting Genes 31.38 I have beene with thee 20. yeares they ewes and thy shee goats have not cast their young and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten that which was torne of beasts I brought not unto thee I bare the losse of all that was stolen whether by day or night In the day the drought consumed me and the frost by night and my sleep departed from mine eyes v. 40. And he appealeth to the knowledge of Rachel and Leah Laban's daughters to whom he thus spake Genes 31.6 ye know that with all my power I have served your father With this precedent agreeth the Apostolicall precept Servants be subject to your masters with all feare not onely to the good and gentle but also to the froward 1. Pet. 2.18 not with eye-service as men pleasers but in singleness of heart fearing God and whatsoever ye do do it heartily as unto the Lord and not unto men knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance for ye serve the Lord Christ Coloss 3.22.23 This may let all idle false purloyning servant who like Onesimus before his conversions do their masters harme instead of good or who Ziba-like slander deceive those who retained and do maintaine them for better ends to know that they feare not God nor be the servants of Iesus Christ yet will he pay them their wages even the wages of sin eternal death unless with Onesimus they repent 4. He reformed and cleansed his household and all that were with him and brought them to the publike place of Gods worship Gen. 35.2 Bethel As David went with his traine to the house of God Psal 42.4 and Joshuah professed as for me and mine house we will serve the Lord Josh 24.15 But how many may be found in our times who absent themselves from the assemblies of God Saints Hebr. 10.25 even upon the Lords dayes though no necessary impediment either of sickness or other justifiable cause detaine them or if they come yet their children or servants are left to themselves to goe whither they will and to do what they please contrary to the expresse commandement of God which requires all masters with their children and servants and all within their gates to sanctifie the sabbath 5. He taught them before they came how to prepare themselves charging them to cleanse themselves and to change their garments Genes 35.2 that they might come with reverence into so great a presence for holiness becometh thine house O Lord for ever Psal 93.5 So the preacher instructeth us to keep our feet when we go to the house of God and be more ready to heare than to give the sacrifice of fooles Eccl. 5.1 whereas many consider not that they do evil when they lend God their bodily presence in his courts though they lay not aside malice and all guile and hypocrisies and envies and evill speakings as God commands 1 Pet. 2.1 and that is the reason why many joyne with others in praying and hearing and it profits them not neither are they accepted with God as Cain offered up sacrifice as well as Abel but God had respect to Abel and his sacrifice but to Cain and his sacrifice he had no respect Genes 4.4 5. 6. Among other sins Iacobs care was that they should put away their idols Genes 35.2 put away saith he the strange Gods that are among you and they gave unto him all the strange Gods which were in their hands and all their ear-rings which were in their eares and he hid them under an oake that they might never be found againe v. 4. In like sort the Lord enjoyneth his people to abolish all the reliques of idolatry Deut. 7.25 26. The graven images of their Gods shall ye burn with fire thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them nor take it unto thee lest thou be snared therein for it is an abomination to the Lord thy God neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thy house lest thou be a cursed thing like it but thou shalt utterly detest it and thou shalt utterly abhor it for it is a cursed thing O that this most strict charge were well regarded by all even such as are called protestants then would they quickly remove out of their houses and closets all popish pictures of Christ the Virgin Mary and other Saints and angels and sacrifice them to the flames before they be cast themselves into the lake of fire and brimstone Here let not any of them think that the sorry distinction of the Rhemists between the images and pictures of heathenish Gods and the true God and Christ Rhemish on 1 Iohn wil availe any thing Sect. 5 For the commandement runs Thou shalt not make to thy self the likeness of any thing in heaven above or the earth beneath And they are Christians to whom Saint John writeth 1 Joh. 5.21
Having in the former v. layd down that it is life eternal to know the true God aright he closeth his Epistle Little children keep your selves f om Idols Amen Keep your selves not onely from the adoration of them but from the Idols themselves the making the having the keepin of them is condemned as Tertullian expoundeth these words keep your selves from Idols that is not onely from their service which he calleth Idolatry but from a Ab ipsâ effigie eorum indignum enim ut Imago Dei vivi imago idoli mortui siat Lactan. l. 2. c. 19. Non est dubium quin religio nulla sit ubicunque simulacrum est the very Image of them Lactantius also affirmeth that there is no Religion wheresoever any Image is Add b Ephih epist and Joan episcop Hierosoll to these the practice of Epiphanius who tore in peeces the Picture of Christ painted in a cloth hanging up in a Church at Anablath against the Authority of Scripture 7. Jacob loved his wife Rachel most intirely Gen. 29 30. So are all husbands commanded to love their wives as Christ loved his Church and gave himselfe for it Eph. 5.25 and he is so far from being a true Israelite that he is no man who hateth his own flesh verse 29. as they do who in stead of nourishing and cherishing their wives are bitter and churlish to them as St. Paul's phrase is Col. 3.19 By flesh understand the wife in this place so saith God at the first institution of marriage a man shall leave his Father and mother and shall cleave unto his wife and they two shall be one flesh Gen 2.24 Yet notwithstanding Jacobs great love to Rachel when she grew impetuous through envy to her Sister and male contentednesse for want of children and brake out into distempered offensive words to God saying to him Give me children or else I dye Jacobs anger was kindled against her and he sharply rebuked her saying Am I in Gods stead who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb Gen. 30.1 2. So let not the love of the persons of our dearest friends so far blind our eyes or stop our mouths as to make us connive at their faults or to spare to reprehend them for the same for then should we turne to be their enemies Levit. 19.17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart saith God thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sin upon him The like may be truly affirmed of withholding due correction from our children when they deserve it Prov. 13.24 He that spareth his rod hateth his Son but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes 8. As Jacob was most carefull for the soules of his wives and children so was he not improvident for their outward estates and comfortable subsistance in this present life no lesse do his words to Laban import Gen. 30.30 Thou knowest how I have served thee all the while since my first comming Now when shall I provide for mine owne house also Usually very nature teacheth men to be provident for their posterity for Children saith the Apostle use not to lay up for the Parents but the Parents for the Children 2 Cor. 12.14 But it is Grace not nature which teacheth us here how to keep within the right bounds of moderation that we lay not up Curses for our Children in the roome of blessings as all wicked and unjust dealers do who get riches to lay them up for their Children but God layeth up their iniquity for their off-spring Job 21.19 Some there are in these last and perilous dayes who being without naturall affection as was long since foretold 2 Tim. 3.3 do run into the contrary extreame and take no more care of their wives and Children then the Ostrich doth of her eggs which she leaveth on the earth and forgetteth that the foot may crush them or that that the wild beasts may break them and she is hardned against her young-ones as though they were not hers Job 39.14 15.19 This Ostrich is an embleme of a debosht spendthrift who wasteth his time and meanes in riot and revelling in whoring gaming surfitting and drunkennesse like the Prodigal Luke 15.13 nothing regarding what becommeth of wife or Children nay he is worse then the Prodigal for we read not that he had either wife or child againe he is worse then an infidel as the Scripture determineth 1 Tim. 5.8 If any provide not for his own and especially for those of his owne house he hath denyed the faith and is worse then an infidel Instance 13 Israels life we have seen to be well ordered in holynesse towards God and righteousness towards men let us now attend him to his deaths-bed and there shall we see his end to be like his life he dyed in the faith praying and blessing his sons Heb. 11.13.21 Perseverance in grace is the last and surest badge of a true Israelite which sets the Crown upon his head Revel 2.10 He that is faithfull til death shall receive a crown of life whereas they that begin in the spirit and end in the flesh who fall away with Demas for worldly profit 2 Tim. 4.10 or for fear of persecution shall loose their reward Prov. 14.14 The Apostate or backslider in heart shall be filled with his owne wayes It had beene better for such never to have known the way of righteousnesse then after he hath known it to turne from the holy Commandement delivered to him 2 Pet. 2.22 Sect. 10 Thus have I transcribed in this large use of information an authentick Copy of the true Israelite blessed is every one who writeth after it I have also for the greater perspicuity for contraries illustrate one the other laid down who they are that deviate and swerve from this holy standard 2Vse for terror Branch 1 By all this which hath been delivered to you and proved it will evidently appeare that there are but few yea very few Israelites indeed under Heaven Jer. 5.1 For runne through the City A Recaputulation yea through the world and see what swarms and multitudes there are of Ignorant persons yea grossely and wilfully ignorant men and women 2. of unbelievers and misbeleivers 3. Of impenitent wretches yea opposers of the doctrine of Repentance 4 Of such as make little conscience either of their thoughts or words 5 Of such as despise Gods word and hate Gods people 6 Of such as love the applause of men more then the praise of God alone 7 Of Hypocrites Lyers Jugling Equivocators base flatterers and deceivers 8 Of such as like Jehojakin swerve from the gracious examples of holy men Jer. 22.15 16 17. Or Ahaziah like follow the counsels and walke in the wayes of the wicked 2 Chron. 22.3.4 5. As 1 of such who choose rather to be the servants of sin and Satan then of God and righteousnesse 2 who are covenant breakers with God 3 proud and arrogant spirits 4 forsakers of God 5