The deceitfulneffe of Mans heart. 267. Naomi tnto Judea : but thee was loone intreated to ftay behinde, and take her leave. The Prophet ofea Hof.6.T., bringeth in the Ifraelites., renewing their covenant with the Lord,in very ferious manner; Come, let ur return to the Lord, &c. One would think here were an excellent fpiric offincerity. But God,difcerning guile in this their fo hot and haft)/ zeale, pafFeth this fentence upon it ; What {Ball I doe unto thee o Ephraim? &c. All thy righteou fneffe is as the morning dew. And therefore when our hearts promife any thing to G od,whether openly or fecretly, we muff delire Gods flrength to enable us for performance: as David, having.promifed, I willl¿eep thy Statutes, prayeth , forfak. e me not over -tong. Yea, 'we muffin this cafe deale with our hearts as Iofhua did with the Ifraeliter, promifing their fervice to the Lord : O fayes Whim, yee cannot ferve the Lord, he is ajealous God, &c. So we in like manner muff propound to our felfe the difficulty of doing any good thing: both in regard of our reeaknef, and Satans wili- neffi. And as in being furety to man for our brother, the Scripture exhorts us to be well advifed what we doe ; fo much more ought wee to be heedful', and conlderate in this furetifhip to God for filch falte hearts as theleare,thatweighing wefl our o.vn inability to doe fo much as the leaft good, we may never prefume to undertake any fuch matter,cther- wife than in the deni.,ll of our felves, and in the ear - neft craving of the pretence of the fpiric , without whom wee can neither promife, nor performe as we ought. CéiAP. Pfal irg,g; iofhz4.16,r7, 18, 19. Prov.6.r.
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