Samuel's encounter with Saul. I Sam. chap. 15 from ver. 13 to ver. 30.…Samuels encounter with Saul. I Sam. chap. 15 from ver. 13 to ver. 30.…

A most lively pattern of this,¹ David setteth down, of the people of Israel, out of former histories, saying: When he slue & plagued them, then they sought him, and they returned, and sought God early, and they remembered that God was their strength, and the most high God, their Redeemer: but they flattered him with their mouth, and dissembled with him, with their tongue: for their heart was not upright with him, neither ⟨p. 287⟩were they faithful in his covenant: whereby may be gathered most clearly, that though they sought to God, for fear of punishment; yet such was their falsehood, that in their hearts they loved him not: and therefore, could not mean well and truly, not having due consideration, in their good speeches, what they said: And yet this is the best dealing, that such deceivers and dissemblers can afford him: for, as Traitors set on the rack, do utter much, who yet love not the Magistrate, who racks them: so sinners confess much under the cross; but by constraint and violence, not willingly and humbly to justify God in his punishing of them, nor ⟨p. 288⟩for that they are persuaded he loveth them, and therefore they can show none to him again. And therefore, if men can do no more, but so, idest, confess in their afflictions, some faults to God, as the boy under the rod: if neither before their afflictions, they gave true testimonies of their repentance, nor after, bring forth fruits of amendment. They are in no better account with God, then they, who never made any profession, or protestation of amendment, at all.

A most liuely patterne of this,¹ Dauid setteth downe, of the people of Israel, out of former histories, saying: When he slue & plagued them, then they sought him, and they returned, and sought God early, and they remembred that God was their strength, and the most high God, their Redeemer: but they flattered him with their mouth, and dissembled with him, with their tongue: for their heart was not vpright with him, neither ⟨p. 287⟩were they faithfull in his couenant: whereby may bee gathered most cleerely, that though they sought to God, for feare of punishment; yet such was their falshood, that in their hearts they loued him not: and therefore, could not meane well and truely, not hauing due consideration, in their good speeches, what they said: And yet this is the best dealing, that such deceiuers and dissemblers can afford him: for, as Traytours set on the racke, doe vtter much, who yet loue not the Magistrate, who racks them: so sinners confesse much vnder the crosse; but by constraint and violence, not willingly and humbly to iustisie God in his punishing of them, nor