vâ— quiet hearts and say why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou â—o vnquiet 〈◊〉 me yet hope in God Psal 42.11 43.5 after they must turne in to God 〈◊〉 bleeding heart and 〈◊〉 weeping eyâ—s and say with Hezechiah in his lamentable song O Lord I am opressed vndertake for mee or ease mee Esay 38.14 At any hand hauing faith in God they may not for any thing distrust his saâ—uation Abraham would not giue his saluation for last though hee was to offer vp that earnest of it that God had pledged to him in Isaac the feed of promise Gen. 22.3 Rom. 4 18. The Apostle S. Paul was perswaded and this must bee our resolution that neither death nor life nor Angels the euill you must thinke for the good will not can or shall separate vs â—s it could not him from the loue of God which is in Christ â—esu our Lord Rom 8.38.39 the same â—postle would not giue away his saluation because so great a sinner but takes faster hold because Christ came to saue sinners of which â—ee was chiefe 1 Tim. 1.15 so the father of the child that had a dâ—mbe spirit though of little faith when hee came to Christ for hee said If thou canst doe any thing â—elpe vs yet hee would not lose euen that little saith which hee had but crying with teares said Lord I beleeue helpe my vnbeloofe Marke 9.22.24 Iob would beleeue euen beyond death for though the Lord would kill him he would trust in him Iob 13.15 Iob knew by his saith that hee that takes away life is able to make to liue hee knew the cup of despaire to be the cup of death and did feare it as much as man would to drinke poyson And thus we see that wee must maintaine our saluation against all obiections of Satan the litterall Scripture or our own misjudgements for so did this woman a woman of excellent faith who had many sore skirmishes which shee endured being scarce warme in the Gospell a very cold blast began in her face welcom'd her to Christ her Physicion seemingly gaue her ouer the courteous Sauiour answered nothing and when he spake it was no better than if he had said nothing the Disciples entreated forâ—â—er but to no purpose and Christ said speaking to the eare tha◠〈◊〉 might doe nothing for 〈◊〉 et this woman would haue no nay for reposing on Christ in the generall promise she doupted not but hee would make good what hee had spoken though she knew not how and she had reason for it for God wil not go from his word he wil neuer denie himselfe 2 Tim. 2.13 the reasons why Christians must beleeue nothing in barre to their saluation are For first Reasons it is an iniurie to God who hath decreed it whose promises are all yea and in him Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 Secondly it is a wrong done to the sufficiencie of Christs bloud that was the price in their redemption 1 Pet. 1.19 And thirdly it teareth the seale which the spirit hath set vnto their saluation for after they beleeue they are sealed with the holy Spirit of promise Eph. 1.13 a second reason they that cast away their hope for saluation and cast not anchor there doe wilfully damne themselues hauing neither the life of repentance in them nor the new life of one borne to God Christians must not doe so and true Christians will not Thirdly they must beleeue the word that saith Whosoeuer beleeueth that is with repentance and in a holy life shall not perish Iohn 3.16 Now beleeuing so and being such how can they beleeue against their saluation and not discredit the word that saith otherwaies A reproofe of their too great feare Vse 1. who hauing lined orderly in the Gospell and hauing been sorry with a godly sorrow where they failed or did otherwaies do for all this in their feare ioyne with Satan to put out their name where God hath writen it who hath written it in the booke of life to whom I say bâ— the word of the Lord that they should rather labour their owne comfort and reioyce that their name is there Luke 10.20 Phil. 4.4 Obiect but they will say how shall we be assured that our names are written in heauen if we knew it wee should bee glad indeed Answ I answer doe ye loue the brethren that is the godlie and doe yee know that yee loue them this is a token and well fare a good token that yee haue passed from death vnto life 1 Iohn 3.14 doe yee hate sinne and loue righteousnesse though yee doe the euill ye would not and not the good yee would it was a principall Apostles case Rom. 7.19 the seed of God is in you and yee grow into heaven 1 Iohn 3.9 Doe ye sâ—â—ue to the pâ—ritâ—cation of heart and 〈…〉 your hope is authenticall for as hee that hath this hope must purifie himselfe as God is pure 1 Iohn 3.3 so hee that doth so may well hope with a seeing hope to bâ—e sâ—ued Dâ—e yâ—e ascend vp by staires in your sâ—lues to the election of God and can yee finde the steps of it in your effectuall calling in the Gospell in your holy conuersation in it also in your spirituall Sonneship which is your adoption in Christ can ye truely say that yee are called that yee are sanctified that ye are Sonnes and so iustified ye are Gods elect ones and shall most surely bee glorified Rom. 8.30 yee know the commandements but doe ye worke at them dayly in your obedience by killing sinne and quickening grace if ye doe these things ye shall soiourne with God in his temple on earth and dwell with him in his glorious Temple in heauen Psals 15.1 and further doe yee make your calling and election sure 2. Pet. 1.10 it is sure in God but doe yee make it sure to your selues by infallible signes and true effects of grace if yee can doe so your saluation is sure enough though neither signes nor effects bee free from weaknesse for what hath perfection here but sinne finally doe yee beleâ—ue the generall promise in the word with true though imperfect application hee that will bee saued must beleeue in the Sonne of God to his saluation Iohn 3.16 and hee that so beleeues knowes himselfe to be vnder the generall promise and one in the generall pardon comprehended and therefore dâ—res to applie it as particularly as if hee saw his owne name written in it for so euery Prisâ—ner at the barre when any generall pardon is out will bring it home to himselfe in his owne particular case Now what common Prisoners at mans barre doe shall not beleeuing and truely humbled Prisoners in sinne doe before the barre of Ichouah or will euerie malefactor condemned in barre of iudgement pleade the generall pardon for himselfe and shall a iustified that is pardoned sinner doe lesse and not make the generall promise to belecuers particular to himselfe this is too much feare and
betweene the outward Court and the Sanctuary was rent at Christs death Matth. 27.51 and then hee said to the prisoners goe forth Esa 49.9 The vse is for instruction Vse 1. teaching that great grace is come to vs the sinners of the Gentiles that wee haue great cause of glorying in God for his mercifull health We that were dead in sin and trespasses are quickned Ephes 2.1 now wee are written among the liuing in the Gospell whose names before where not in the booke Our dutie in this case is to beware that wee race not the booke by our contempts neither blotit and our names in it with the pen of our sins Rom. 11.20 21. Be we aduised then how we ioyne in answer with those who bidden to the great Supper absented themselues by their farmes yoakes of Oxen Luke 14.18 19. God hath pitied vs let vs not be cruell to our selues he loued our saluation aboue the life of his Sonne Iohn 3.16 let vs not vnderualue it with Esau to a portion of meat Hebr 12 16. nor let vs with the Papists open a shop of our owne doings when the Lord hath done alfour works for vs Esa 26.12 for God hath not giuen vs this great stock of his gracious bounties to set vp for our selues but to occupie for him Matth. 25.25 much lesse to put it out to bad vses or to consume it on our lusts Iam. 4.3 Is the saluation of God come to the Gentiles and if to any to vs of this nation it reproueth the cold affections of the most among vs who receiue it with no better welcome The Lord hath cast the seed of his word and the precious stone of his Gospell among vs where others labour and trade with earthly wares he hath made vs the Merchants of a rich Iewell wherein is life saluation but this ignorance that is among vs and this vntowardnesse that is in vs either to learne the good will of God or to practise that wee know hath made vs the merchants of the earth and not Merchants of so heauenly a treasure It cannot bee denied but that great grace is come vnto vs that the Lord hath set vp his Altar in this Realm for his worship but as when the Arke of God was with great gladnesse receiued of the Bethshemits after it came from the Philistims but with little reuerence vsed it became the death of 50000 and 70 persons who died in that contempt 1 Sam. 6.19 so it is to be feared and almost to bee looked for that if generally more care be not taken that the Arke of the Gospell haue better rooms among vs welcome to vs than now it hath or of late hath had that euen that worthy thing which otherwaies would haue bin our life will proue our death and the death of all the whole Realme without such redresse of our waies as one well saith what can bee thought but that which otherwaies should haue beene and would haue beene the water of life to saue vs will bee but a sea of waters to drowne vs and become for a sweet powder of health a strong dose of destruction and for meat to feed vs poyson to kill vs and for a word of glad newes a word of the saddest that euer was heard So much for the occasion of this conference in the Pharises the other occasions follow out of the text of S. Marke Marke 7.24 25 26. And entred into an house would haue no man know it but he could not be hid For a certaine woman whose young daughter had an vncleane spirit heard of him came and fell at his feet The woman was a Greeke a Syrophenician by nation and shee besought him that hee would cast the Deuill out of her daughter IN these words which we take vp for supply of what S. Matthew hath not we haue the other occasions of the following conference where concerning it the Euangelist S. Marke speaketh of certaine adherent circumstances and then of the occasions themselues and first there is a barre set against the womans comming to Christ for he would not bee knowne and then it is remoued for he could not be hid Christ neuer shewed himselfe but his power was great full of excellencie and wonder yet as Ioh. 7.3 6.10 so here hee shunned all opennesse He was alwaies worth the seeing yet here and now he would not be knowne And now this humble minde in Christ who though he might haue honoured himselfe would not Doct. doth teach all Christians to bee humble in their gifts When Christs brethren would haue him to get credit by seeking to be openly knowne he would not ante-date his fathers time nor goe openly to the feast but secretly and in no shew Iohn 7.4.10 In the Chapter before some would haue made him a King but his hand such as it was then being not fit to hold the Scepter he got him froÌ„ them to a mountaine where was no companie Iohn 6.15 Further he commandeth his to learne of him and what is the lesson it is to bee meeke and lowlie in heart Mat. 11.29 Hereupon the Apostle S. Paul biddeth Christians to cary the minde that was in Christ who emptied himselfe of all outward glorie and made himselfe of no reputation Phil. 2.5.7 so humble he was in his rare excellencies and high place that he washed the feet of those who should haue worshipped at his feet Iohn 13.5 and thus Christians though of neuer so great gifts and eminent place should be humble in them for what are their drops to his full sea Reasons the reasons First much good will come vnto vs by doing so for where the ambitious and proud are tossed vpon a restlesse sea of cares we shall finde rest vnto our soules Matth. 11.29 where they haue a storme of perturbations in their mindes wee shall finde nothing but a sweet calme of quiet affections in them Secondly it shall be for our greater honour for they that humble themselues shall bee exalted Luke 14.11 Men shall lose nothing by humilitie as they shall get nothing by pride by which what man euer made a sauing bargaine the lower or deeper we lay the foundation the stronger the building is Luke 6.48 and so the humbler in grace the surer of grace and who hauing any good thing would not bee sure of it Thirdly by pride in our gifts wee pull from God to take to our selues as our owne that which is his and can this glorying be good which is so vniust The vse is for reproofe of thâ—se that swell as if they had a Tâ—â—panie because their gifts exceed the common rate of vulgar or ordinarie Vse Christ would not be knowne but such would not bee hid Moses countenance shone and he knew it not Exod. 34.29 these knovv all and more too but thus following their owne shaddow they driue it further from them the way to catch it is to fall downe vpon it so they that praise
been so strange as it was strange for a Cananite to shew such a faith one effect whereof is here shewed in the humble gesture shee vsed comming to Christ for she fell at his feet so low she was so humbly she came vnto him which teacheth Doctr. that they who come in nature of Petitioners to God must come humbly to him as vpon both knees when wee come to worship before his face we must kneele before the Lord our maker Psal 95.6 the godlie will enter with reuerence Dauid was vncouered before the Arke 2 Sam. 6.20 and men like Dauid will be bare headed speaking to God In this matter the Publican to shew a deiected minde stood afarre off Luke 18.13 where the Pharise not humbled pearched higher Ezechiel prophecying fell downe vpon his face Ezek. 11.13 so did the foure and twentie Elders in heauen Apoc. 4.10 5.8 a president for vs on earth The reasons Reasons In such the heart must be humbled 1 Chr. 17 16 17 18.19 and where that goes low the bodie cannot but goe low with it it being the mouing wheele of the bodie and of the whole man where it bends the knee will bend and both fall downe and we vpon both Secondly he is worthie for as the foure and twentie Elders said Apoc. 4.11 hee made knees and all and can wee giue him lesse than his owne Christ therefore fell on his face Matth. 26.39 or as Marke reades fell on the ground when hee prayed Marke 14.35 Christ gaue so much to his Father and shall we giue lesse or if wee fall vpon the knee to a mortall Prince shall wee not fall downe flat before the Lord that made vs The vse is for taxation of some proud Vse and vnciuill beggers in Gods house who pray sitting and couered to whom I say as one once well said if euerie knee were of gold it could not be too good to be giuen to him euen vnto the dust of the ground who filleth this house Wee will not speake to a great man and our hats on how dare we then be couered speaking in prayer to the great God if we had him in any reuerence the knees would doe reuerence that come before him therefore of Saint Iames it is written that his knees became hard as a Camels hoofe with often and long kneeling in prayer but it may be written of some in the booke of their shame that their tender knees cannot endure to touch the hard ground when they should bow downe to pray if they vncouer the head that 's all they neither fall on their faces nor downe on their knees in worshiping I speake of those that are young and haue able bodies for all are not such and they that be not may stand vp which is a fit gesture in prayer and vsed by the godly Patriarchs Isaac Iacob and others the Pharise stood praying and is not reproued for that Luke 18.11 and so did the Publicane who went home iustified more than hee 13.14 But the humbler the heart is the lower will the bodie goe in prayer therefore in signe of humilitie children aske blessing vpon their knees we are not worthie to gather vp those crummes of grace that fall from our Lords table and are wee too good to aske them on our knees and bare headed Indeed God requireth the heart the knee doth litle seruice and the hat off as litle reuerence yet as out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Matth. 12.34 So from an humble heart proceeds the humbling of the bodie the humble bending of the knees and our humble vncouering before that Arke of presence at Church Hypocrits are prodigall enough this way in their double diligence and Iudas kisse but all that which they doe with such an outwardnesse and farre from the heart haue no thanks from God but where Christians doe as much vnder as they ouer it argueth saue where necessitie giues the Law a proud and vnhumbled soule So much for that the woman did what she said followeth She besought him Or according to S. Matthew Cried vnto him IN these words wee haue the manner of this womans petition and in the words following the matter for the manner she besought Christ not coldly but by crying vnto him Christ called not to her She cried to him so strōgly did her faith work Common beggers when they would haue an almes will cry for it but this cry was of an other nature stirred vp another way euen by the renewing of the holy Ghost shed on her abundantly or richly through Christ Tit. 3.5 6. and this made her to crie in the Spirit Doct. as well as with tongue and voice By this meanes shee was strong in faith strong in prayer and so wee learne that powerfull faith causeth powerfull prayer Iacob was a man of singular faith therefore hee made strong and preualent prayer Gen. 32.26.28 Moses one that saw God face to face was a great beleeuer and he also is said to make crying prayer when no voice was heard Exod. 14.15 Hanna likewise prayed with a troubled spirit but in no voice of words her faith spake her tongue said nothing 1 Sam. 1.12.13 and the Prophet that had within a fire of faith brake forth into a flame of words he beleeued and therefore could not but speake Psal 116.10 Ichosaphet prayed powerfully his faith had made him a good Oratour 2 Chr. 20.6 7 8 9 12. Daniel in the captiuitie was not behinde him his feruent faith gaue him a hot breath in prayer Dan. 9.2 3 5 19. and zealous prayer such as Elijah made is called by S. Iames the prayer of faith Iam. 5.15.17 18. the reasons Reasons Prayer is a fruit that groweth vpon the stalke of faith called therefore as was said the prayer of faith and therefore what the tree of it is such is the fruit of more or lesse earstnesse as wee more or lesse beleeue Therefore as our faith is so are our prayers warme faith hot prayer litle faith small prayer no faith no prayer they increase or decay together Secondly they that haue faith with power are more spirit than flesh which none are but they that haue the spirit in a good measure which is the spirit of grace and of supplications Zechar. 12.10 and then how can they but make strong prayer that haue the spirit of prayer all that haue faith with power haue this power and therefore powerfull faith powerfull prayer for this faith is resembled to fire and vnto life the greater fire the greater heat the more of life the stronger motion The vse is for the right triall of our faith Vse where we may iudge of it by our prayers they that pray coldly haue but a weake faith or small fire within but they that otherwaies are of great faith runne a spirituall descant with Daniel in their prayers Dan. 9.19 their heart is prepared and they are not as the dull and sloathfull in their deuotions
one cannot be without the other Hee that puts away good conscience in his life puts away faith they come together and go together 1. Tim. 1 19. 3.9 Paul might earnestly as with the hold of faith behold the counsell who had liued in all good conscience from the day of his conuersion to that day Act. 23.1 But with what face of faith can they appeare before God or man who hitherto haue had no cleare conscience toward either Act. 24.16 And who therefore being men of no conscience are men of no faith The grant of the womans request followeth Bee it vnto thee euen as thou wilt OR with such a faith aske what thou wilt and it shall not be denied thee Heere the womans request is granted with the aduantage for bee it as thou wilt is a large ouerplus shee expressed no more but her daughters freedome from Satans possession but more is granted euen what shee will as was said before her daughters cure was but that some thing in hand for a greater matter and both the greater and lesse are yeelded to such a faith which is the pâ—â—â—ciple and câ—iefe in the good issue of this conference betweene Christ and her where we haue first the generall issue and then the particular effect In the first the booke was drawne in the second it was signed with the health of the womans daughter and there Christs hand was to the booke Quest But might the woman haue had what shee would aske and what if shee had asked her house full of gold and precious stones should shee haue had it Answ I answer true faith such as this woman had will aske within the word and promise and no otherwise and to such and to no other is this large grace offered 1 Iohn 5.14 it is not entrusted to greedie persons and couetous that haue no faith in a true faith there is no vaine wishing or woulding but what God is pleased to giue that and more than that it will not aske but here where so much is granted to the woman more than she durst presume to aske Doctr. wee learne that God is a most bountifull giuer what wee dare not aske for our vnworthinesse hee for his owne worthinesse will giue vnto vs commonly his gift is larger than our prayers if wee pray in faith The Israelites asked but bread and God gaue them Angels food Psal 78.25 Elijah prayed that it might not raine and it rained not on the earth for three yeeres and a halfe Iam. 5.17 the King asked life and the Lord gaue him a long life Psal 21.4 Salomon desired wisdome and God gaue it him and more 1 King 3.9.12 The prodigall asked to bee a seruant in the house and the father receiued him in equall tearmes with his eldest brother Luke 15 19.22 23. so the repentant Malefactor asking no more but to bee remembred of Christ in his kingdome receiued answer that that day hee should bee with him in paradise Luke 23.42.42 thus more is giuen to our prayers than is asked asking as this woman did The reasons Reasons all the reason for this is in Gods nature who is a bountifull giuer Iam. 1.5 hee makes a kings dinner and biddes vs poore beggers to it Matth. 22.1 2 3. and thus as the heathen Monarch once said to a poore man to whom hee gaue a citie refusing it as too great and much for him that the matter was not what became him to receiue but what was fit for him to giue so heere the matter is not what wee are worthie to receiue but what pleaseth him the worthy God to giue and now he that spared not his owne Sonne but gaue him to death that wee should not die what will hee not doe for vs Rom. 8.32 or was hee so liberall in his Sonne and will hee pull backe in small matters Papists are here reproued Vse 1. who adde to Gods bountie in mans saluation his gift in it is rather ouer than short yet they will helpe it with making some part of payment where all is free but hee that made this dinner is a King Matth. 22.1 and Kings when they haue royally dined their Subiects doe not take a shot of them either then our Papists beleeue not that God is so bountifull as we haue heard the God that giueth liberally and doth not as some meates in the stomacke vpbraide the receiuers Iam. 1.5 or they offer manifest contempt to his bountie and goodnesse A comfort to humble sinners Vse 2 who finde in themselues no matter able to draw any thing from God for such may say with the Prophet returne vnto thy rest O my soule for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee Psal 116.7 If wee say wee are not worthie our vnworthinesse hauing it in a true account and rightly humbled for it will rather open the face of God than set him out with vs for blessed are the poore in Spirit Matth. 5.3 God keepes no ordmarie and heere hee payes best who in his true repentance and vile esteeme of himselfe confesseth hee hath nothing to pay such as being thirstie indeed are called to the waters of his rich grace to drinke at will Esa 55 1. and this Christian soule is thy best buckler to warde off the stroke of insufficiencie which Satan the obiector will offer at thy weake estate in a day of temptation for no more is required for satisfaction to the iustice of God in thy many sinnes but with submission to God and repentance for sinne from a soule of sorrowes to confesse thy great vnworthinesse and the liberalitie of thy Host for the reckoning is which is soone made there 's nothing to pay and yee are welcome buy Wine and milke as Esay saith without money and without price Esa 55.1 And thus the booke was drawne The signing of it followeth out of Marke 7.29 and Matthew 15.28 Marke 7.29 And he said vnto her for this saying goe thy way the deuil is gone out of thy daughter and Matth. 15.28 And her daughter was made whole from that very houre THE booke drawen in the former sentence is signed in this of Marke and the other of Matthew Marke vseth the trope of a metonomy putting her saying for that that caused it the effect for the cause the cause was her faith which thrust out such a saying or made her so to say hereupon Christ said for this saying that is for that faith that caused it or because of it goe thy way or take my word the deuill is gone out of thy daughter not of his owne accord but by power of authority from me This woman was a woman of great faith yet Christ helpes it with a seale of sensible matter in her daughters cure Doctr. 1 and so it is plaine that God for the helpe of his weake seruants signeth their faith and his other graces in them with outward things God made a promise to Abraham and writes it in his owne flesh and in the
can hinder that they should not take effect in their iust execution Thirdly Christ is the Sauiour of his people and this was the name giuen him by the Angell Matth. 1.21 but how should hee saue his people if he could not by a larger power destroy his peoples enemies how can hee dwell in them and not put out the vsurper Luke 11.22 and how should we doe then and who shall treade Satan vnder our feet if Christ doe not or could not Romans 16.20 A comfort to all Christs members Vse 1. for the power of their head is to saue their heads and the subiection of the deuils to Christ is their victorie ouer them in him The life the deuils haue is but a vanquished life or life of repryuie in prison till the day of the last generall assizes the day of their full damâ— nation and so they are of no power against any of Christs true members being as dead Lyons and Christs members being as Daniel among the Lyons Dan. 6.22 S. Iames makes them no better than Cowards who if a man turne againe will flie Iam. 4.7 come against them with faith and they are gone 1. Pet. 5.9 Obiect You will say but it seemes not so Answ I answer what matter for seemings for seeme as it will it is so the brazen Serpent seemed a liuing Serpent and terrible but was not Indeed in the reprobate seed the deuils draw breath in the seed of grace they gaspe as a dying man and draw their last breath of hope here and hence They got downe Christ by our sinnes laid vpon him and to this day they nible at his heele his members and seruants by their owne sinnes but their Scull is broken Gen. 3.15 and Christ hath triumphed ouer them vnto their vnrecouerable perdition made an open shew of them after the old Roman solemnitie and spoyled them for euer Coloss 2.15 A terrour to all the wicked enemies of Christ Vse 2 for he that hath subdued the deuils the stronger can casily master them the weaker shall then the blasphemers of Gods name shall drunkards whoremongers oppressers of the needie sabbath-breakers and other sinners thinke to carry out their matters still as they haue done when he that is Soueraigne Lord of the deuils shall make enquirie after them to their full destruction in the hells The men of Samaria speaking of Iehu say two kings could not stand before him and how shall we 2 King 10.4 not onely not two kings but not all the deuills of hell stronger than all kings not strengthened with Christ could make their part good against him that hath the keyes of death and hell Apoc. 1.18 euen Christ the Lord and shall weake men being vngodlie and sinners be able to make head against him no verilie for the vngodlie shall not stand in the iudgement nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous Psal 1.5 The consequent of Christs speech to the woman followeth And her daughter was made whole from that very houre S. Marke addeth Chap. 7. V. 30. that When shee was come to her house she found the Deuill gone out and her daughter laid vpon the bed BOth S. Matthew S. Marke pitch vpon one thing onely S. Marke hath a circumstance which S. Matthew hath not and that is that When she came to her house shee found her daughter laid vpon the bed because it is like not perfectly well though much better than before the deuill being gone that cast her into those fits and so she had no more of them though not quite from weakenesse the remainder of her former distempers And now where the woman found it to be as Christ had told her wee learne Doctr. that what Christ the truth saith is done his word and deed are one also Gods promise in the word is sure nothing can make it vneffectuall Rom. 3.3 yea all his promises in Christ are yea and in him Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 Christ himselfe saith heauen and earth shall passe away or runne into nothing before any word of mine shall passe or not stand in force Matth. 24.35 and it cannot be that the word of God and consequently of Christ-God should take no effect or faile in performance Rom. 9.6 Hence I conclude that Gods promises and the promises of Christ-God are as certainely done as made no tract of time can anull them Reasons Galatians 3.17 The reasons One reason may be taken from an attribute in God and Christ which is truth in the abstract Iohn 14.6 1 Iohn 4.6 Deut. 32.4 In the concrete hee that is true may be false but truth can neuer Secondly a second reason may bee taken from an impossibilitie that God or Christ should lie it cannot bee saith S Paul Rom. 9.6 and so said Samuel 1 Sam. 15.29 or if an honest man will keepe his word is it possible that God or that Christ who is God should breake his truth may bee in men and is in the blessed Angels but truth in men and Angels is as those things that are set with the hand in God and Christ-God as things that grow naturally and without hand and if it bee impossible that God should sin it is impossible he should Hebrews 6.18 Habac. 1.13 then he cannot deceiue which in true account is to sinne The first vse is Vse 1. for the reproofe of those who are not followers of God or Christ in what they say for as it was said of the Pharises and Scribes in Moses chaire they say and doe not Mat 23 3. they can promise by the â—ll but pay by the inch their mouthes talke of vanitie and their hand is the hand of falsehood Psal 144.8 their words and deeds fall out by the way and many promise largely yea and shake hands vpon the same who yet keepe no promise May not such mens words well bee called winde for as when the winde blowes we heare a sound but cannot hold the same so when such promises are so made wee heare a sound of words but beside words which wee cannot hold there is nothing to hold by but a winde of promises that turnes with euery weather Gods promises are yea and Amen 2. Cor. 1.20 theirs are yea and nay not careing how many they make nor how few they keepe but as Peter said to lying Ananias while it remained appertained it not to thee Act. 5.4 so I say to thee before thou didst open thy mouth to thy neighbour was it not in thy power to promise or not but hauing promised the power is gone from thee to the other and not keeping promise thou lyest both vnto God and vnto man God taketh hold of thy words though man cannot and let this teach vs to hold in and not to speake rashly lest as a riuer ouer flowing wee leaue much slime behinde vs the slime of many and great vntruthes And further let vs consider what we are in Gods booke by our many promises not kept and so blot the booke by