Kaina kai palaia Things new and old, or, A store-house of similies, sentences, allegories, apophthegms, adagies, apologues, divine, morall, politicall, &c. : with their severall applications / collected and observed from the writings and sayings of the learned in all ages to this present by John Spencer ...

To blesse God for the Revelation of himself in the Scripture. [ 1556]

IT is recorded of Ptolomey King of Egypt,* 1.1 that however he had then gleaned up two hundred thousand Volumes, he sent Demetrius the Keeper of his Li∣brary to the Iews, to have a Copy of their Law, the Book was sent, and Se∣venty learned Men along with it,* 1.2 that they might translate the same into Greek; Ptolomey sets them to work, puts them into severall Cells or Chambers, that they might not converse together: After some time and large expence, every one returned his papers, not varying in the least from the truth of the Original. Such was the Love that Ptolomey had to the Law of God at that time, that he spared no cost or pains till he had it, being called the Septuagint at this day.

But how are we then bound to blesse God,* 1.3 that we need not send so far, or spend much to have the Book of the Law and the Gospel too, the whole Scriptures, not onely in our houses, but in Gods house, where they are read, and orthodoxally ex∣pounded, that it is but opening the casement and light flowes in upon us, so that if the height of our thankfulnesse to God, and the best of our desires be not thereto to know and to do, we are not worthy the name of Christians.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Eusebii hist. lib. 5. cap. 8.
• * 1.2

  Irenaeus.
• * 1.3

  James Con∣nyers Serm. at S. Pauls, 1635.