266 The deceit fttlne of Mans heart. a Cor.7.í4,16: Mar.IO.17,Z1,, Ruth Y.io.r4. learne wee not the like wifdome here, not to pro- mile any great matters of our (elves, fince we have fuch deceiving hearts , as will shame us in the end, if we prefume any thing flue on them.It is a flume. to us, when others, of whom wee have promifed much unto our friends, (hall deceive,us : Therefore the Apoftle, having promifed Titus no fmall things concerning the Corinthians, faith he was not alba- geed in that whereofhe had boafied ofther#a unto Titus, becaufe their doings had abundantly justified his flings. Thereby infinuating , what a flame it would have beetle unto him, ifthe Corinthians had deceived that hope, and confidence which bee had of them. O, then what a foule fhame muff it needs bee, when our own hearts fmall deceive us in that which wee have promifed of them to God ? Suffer we not then our tongues to run over in this kinde, left it fare with us,as with that fame young man in the Golpel, who carne running in all the haft to our Saviour , crying out, Good Maffer, what good thing,nufi I doe to get eternaa life ?therein fecretly promifieg that bee would bee willing to doe any thing Chrift fhould command him; For it is as if he fhould have faid , O let me but know what is to be done,and be it what it will be,lo, here I am ready preft to doe it. But when Chrift told him what was to be done, Go fell all, and give to the poore,&e. then he flunke, and fhrunkeback. For how many are there, that through this kinde of deceitfulneffe, deale with God as Horpha did with Naomi , making her beleeve that nothing fhould be able to feparate them! there was no hoe, but the muft needs follow Naomi
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