And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.

Ver. 9. Know thou the God of thy father, and serve him.] Deum cognoscere et colere. Rightly to know and serve God is the whole duty of man, saith Lactantius; this, therefore, is fitly charged by dying David upon his dearest son Solomon. To any blind obedience God bindeth not his servants; as the Popish padres do their novices.

With a perfect heart.] That there be no halving.

And with a willing mind.] That there be no heaving, hucking, or shucking, as they say.

All the imaginations of the thoughts.] Those very first motions of the mind, the principles of all practice.

But if thou forsake him.] This maketh against those desperadoes who take liberty to live as they list, and then say for defence of their sinful practices, Si sum ex praedestinatis, quicquid faciam, perinde est.

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