A commentary or, exposition upon the divine second epistle general, writtenA commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written

2 To man; promises are due debts. There might happily have been no sin in ⟨p. 69⟩not promising, there is a sin after promise in not performing. There is more alliance, than affiance in the world: Frater quasi ferè alter, keep thy word with him as with thy self. But how should he keep touch with man, that breaks with God, with his own soul! If this point seem obscure, there are too many in this City whose lives may comment upon it. Curant ut debeant, non ut solvant. They take care to owe, they think they ought not to pay. These are worse than the Prodigal; he lived on his^s own portion; these like the unjust steward live on another mans portion. They bear the name and wear the livery, but have not the souls of Christians. A debtor that can pay and will not, makes himself uncapable of pardon. Such men think to set all on CHRISTS score; and to say Dimitte nobis debita nostra, forgive us our debts, is sufficient: though they leave out the other part of the petition, As we forgive others. But God does not forgive spiritual debts where men have no care to pay temporal debts. Why but there is more virtue in the seed of the woman, than can be venom in the head of the Serpent; and repentance makes all reckonings even. But^t be not deceived, God is not mocked. If they mock him, he will mock them:^u he that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh, the Lord shall have them in derision: neither can there be repentance without restitution. A thief takes away thy purse, asks thy pardon, says he is sorry for it, but keeps it still: thou sayest he does but mock thee. If God could be cozened with tricks, how many politic worldlings would go to heaven, whose portion is in the in fernall depth.

2 To man; promises are due debts. There might happily have beene no sinne in ⟨p. 69⟩not promising, there is a sinne after promise in not performing. There is more alliance, than affiance in the world: Frater quasi ferè alter, keepe thy word with him as with thy selfe. But how should he keepe touch with man, that breakes with God, with his owne soule! If this point seeme obscure, there are too many in this Cittie whose lives may comment upon it. Curant ut debeant, non ut solvant. They take care to owe, they thinke they ought not to pay. These are worse than the Prodigall; he lived on his