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The Mystery of Self-Deceiving · Daniel Dyke

The Mystery of Self-Deceiving, Chapter 15

CHAP. XV.

Fiue deceits of the heart in perswading to sinne.

HEtherto of the first deceit, which is in iudging: 2. In perswading,the second followeth in perswading. And that is either to the doing of that, which is euill, or to the 1. To do euill. Whereomitting of that which is good.

In the first kinde there are diuers deceits.

The first is to colour grosse sins with mild termes, I Deceit, painting of sinne with vertues colours.and so to present it vntounto vsus, not in it own proper colours, but painted and gilded ouer with some shews of vertue, that it might the more easily winde and insinuate it selfe into our affections. This is like their deceit that dye course cloth in fine colours. Thus haughtinesse comes masked in the habit of magnanimity, Superbia c…lsitudin…m imitatur, curi…sitas affectare v•. studium scientiae, ignorantia q…o{que} innocētiae nomine t…gi…ur. Effusio liberalitatis vmbram obtendi…. Conf. l. …. c. 6. vitia… obis sub virt…tū nomine ob repunt. Temeritas sub titulo fortitudinis latet. pro cauto timidus accipitur. Sen. ep. 45.curiosity would be taken for the desire of knowledge, ignorance shrouds it selfe vnderunder the name of innocency and riotousnesse shadowes it selfe vnderunder the title of liberalitie saith Austen. So likewise pestilent heresie hides it selfe vnderunder the name of profoūd knowledge, and deepe learning. Reuel. 2. 24. Pride goes vnderunder the name of cleanlinesse and neatnesse: Machiauelisme & worldlines, Prou. 23, 4. of wisedome and policie: impudency of presence of spirit, and lawfull audacitie: rashnes, of fortitude: timorousnesse, of cautelousnesse: base niggardlinesse, of iust parsimonie: drunkennesse, of good fellowship: couetousnesse, of good husbandrie. And hence is that deceitfulnesse of riches, in the parable of the sower. How are riches deceitfull? The deceit is in the couetous rich mans heart, that couers his vnsatiable coueting and desire of gathring riches with the gentle & honest name of thrift, and frugalitie. Thus wrong and iniustice deceiues Aug. in Psa. 46often, vnderunder the colour, and in the appearance of mercy and compassion. As when wee releeue the needy with other folks goods, or (to vse Austens example) when wee fauour a poore man hauing an ill cause, against a rich man hauing a good. In like manner giddinesse carries a blush of zeale: and choler, and furie of valour, and manhood. Whence that speech touching the fiery spirited man, He hath mettle in him. And it is mettall indeed, but digged out of the mine-pits of hell, base and reprobate mettall which neuer receiued the image and impresse of Gods spirit. And yet, as they that hauehave ill eyes, will mistake one man for another: specially, when they somewhat resemble one another; though otherwise the difference betweene them bee palpable; and so salute a stranger for a friend: so our pore-blinde hearts deceiued with that shadow of resemblance, which vice sometimes carrieth of vertue, doe oftentimes imbrace and receiue grosse vices, in steade of glorious vertues. For as the Prince of darkenesse, the Diuell doth sometimes transforme himselfe into an Angell of light, and become a white Diuell; (for. 1. Tim. 4. 1. 3. abstinence from meates, and marriage, sauouring (one would think) of great mortification, are yet doctrines of diuels: so also can the works of darknesse transfigure themselues into the workes of light. Not only those workes of light, whereunto they seem to come somwhat neerer, but euen those, (O strange iugling!) from which they are farthest distant. For yellow, or some such middle colour to be taken for white, is no such great deceit of the eies: but that blacke should bee taken for white, this is a strange deceit indeede. And yet this is the deceit of our hearts to shape out diuerse vices vntounto vsus, like those vertues, to which they are most extremely contrary. For example, not onelyonly base deiection of mind goes vnderunder the account of true humilitie, but euen pride it selfe, as in those that seeke praise by disabling, and dispraysing themselues; as in Diogenes treading vponupon Platoes chayre, and saying, Plato I trample vponupon thy pride, who therefore worthily had that answere returned him, Thou tramplest on Pride with greater pride. Thus was it in those heretiques in Pauls time, so humble, that they would not presume to come to God immediatelie, Col. 2. 18.they would not dare to worship him, but the Angels. And yet of these men, in whom humilitie made so great a noyse, the Apostle is not afraide to say, that they are puft vp in their fleshly mind: lo a proud humility. And such is that of the Papists, in whipping themselues: for in these things they swerue from the wisedome of the worde, and follow their owne inuentions. And what greater pride, then for a man to thinke himselfe wiser then God, to leaue the direction of his worde, and to exalt his owne fancie aboue it? Thus Dauid describeth the proud man. Thou Psal. 119. 20.hast destroied the cursed proud. But who are these? The next words tells vsus, that doe erre from thy commandements: And afterward in the same psalm, ver. 85. The proud hauehave digged pits for me. But who bee those proud ones? which conforme not themselues to thy law. Let there be neuer such shewes of humility, if therein we prefer our owne wils to Gods, it is but pride varnished with some colours of humility. Peter Iohn. 13. 8.no doubt, thought himselfe humble, when hee would not let Christ wash his feet. But this was only the deceitfulnesse of his owne heart. For indeed he was proud in so doing; because, in refusing to obey Christs commandement, hee made himselfe wiser then Christ. Alike deceitfull was the Baptists humility in refusing to wash Christ, that was Peters in refusing to be washed by him. Had wee not neede Mat. 3.now to hauehave our eies in our heads, least otherwise our cunning hearts obtrude vice vponupon vsus, in steede of vertue? what more effectuall argument can they vse to allure our affections to the louelove and liking of sinne, then to set this false glosse vponupon it? When the strumpet would entise the younker to commit follie Prou. 7. 14.with her, she doth not giuegive her sinne the right name of filthines which it deserued, for that would hauehave driuen him away, but shee hangs out the Iuybush of a sweet and louely title, therwith inueigling the youth, Come let vsus take our fill of louelove, and delight our selues in daliance. Beastly whoredome is but louelove and daliance. So the sluggard qualifies and mollifies Moderatio ignauia d•. Sen. ep. 45. Ecclesiast. 4. 3.his shamefull sloath with the sweet name of peace, and so lulls himselfe a sleepe in his sinne, Better is a handfull with quietnesse, (so hee termes his sloth) then two handfulls with labour and vexation. Thus our hearts, bawds for the filthy strumpet, sin, teach hir this tricke of deceitfulnesse, to correct her naturall deformitie, with these artificiall paintings, that so we might be caught the sooner. But as the heat of the sunne, or of the fire wil easily discouer the painting of the harlot, by melting it away: so will the heat of Gods word, if we bring this painted & trapped strumpet thereto, plainely shew, that her beauty came out of the boxe of a deceitfull heart. And then when these daubings are washed off frō this Iezabell, that we may see her in her owne hue, wee did not so much louelove hir before, but, as Ammon did Thamar, wee shall twise as much loath her afterward.

2. Deceit, which our hearts vse to insnare vsus, is 2. Deceit consisting of two branches.to make show of being very reasonable, and shamefaced, in crauing but a little at our hands; bearing vsus in hand, that if this little bee granted, they will rest contented therewith and wil demand no more. Where in truth there is a double cosenage.

1. That there are some sinnes which are but little That there are little sins. Math. 5. 19.ones. This was part of the Pharisees leuen, calling some commandements of God but little commandements, not much to bee regarded. So now many account faith and troth to be put petty oaths. Fornication is iudged but a tricke of youth; Though yet S. Paul (to vse the words of that most reuerend man Mr. K…ewstub on 7. cōmand. 1. Cor, 10. 8.of God) in stead of that cloake of naturall infirmity and heat of youth, wherewith we vse to couer this sin, puts vponupon it a bloudy cloake bathed in the bloud of three and twenty thousand all smitten in one day for this so light a tricke. And S. Paul elsewhere Ephes. 5. 6.hauing dehorted from fornication and some other sinnes, which our deceitfull hearts vse to extenuate, addeth this watch-word; bee not deceiued. These things are more then tricks, more then matters of sport, or iest: for, for these things comes the wrath of God vponupon the children of disobedience. What now? are those little sinnes, which bring on vsus the great wrath of so infinite a maiesty? And is it now but a tricke to goe to hell? whether the weight euen of these little sinnes, as it were small sands, will sinke the ship of our soules, as well as our greater and grosser sinnes, as it were the heauier burthens of the shippe. Small leakes in ships, and small breaches in walls, beeing neglected leese both shippes and cities. And such tradesmen, as in their accounts regard not small summes, will quickly prooue banke routs. Disobedience, Aug. de doctr. Chr. l. 4. Quod minimū est minimum est: sed in minimo fidelem esse, magnū est. Nam sicut ratiorotunditatis eadem est in nūmulo exiguo, qua et in magno disco, ita vbi parua iustè geruntur non minu…tur iusti…iae magnitudo; hinc Apostolus acriter adeò increpat in re parua. 1. Cor. 6. propter iustitiā, charitat…m, quae in rebus quamlib…t paruulis magna sunt.though in neuer so small matters, as in eating of an apple, gathering a few stickes on the Sabaoth, looking into, and touching of the Arke, is yet in Gods account, no small matters. For how seuerely hath hee punished all these, then which yet what can wee imagine slighter? But it is not the smalnesse of the things that lessens either our obedience, or disobedience. There is the same reason of roundnesse in a small ball, which in a greater one: and so of obedience, or disobedience, in smaller or greater matters. A little thing is little, but faithfulnesse, and so also vnfaithfulnesse in a little, is a great matter. For it is Gods commandement that ties to obedience in lesser things, as well as in greater: and that is despised, as well in the breach of the lesser, as of the greater. Let vsus not then thinke that any sinne is little; since the very least are committed against so great a God, and bring vponupon vsus so great a danger. More by far, in some respects, then do those, which wee count the greater. For in the greater we sooner come to the sight of them, and so to repentance for them: whereas in the lesser, we not discerning them, through this deceitfulnesse of heart, to bee sinnes at all, goe on in them, without repentance; and so, through irrepentance, in the lesser, lye open to that danger, which by repentance, wee happily escaped in the greater.

2. Besides this, there is also another deceit, that Frō these little ones to bring vsus to greater. Confes. l. 8. c. 5. non erat q• resp…nderē nisi tātū verba lenta, et somnolenta: Modò, ecce modò, sine paululū. Sed modò, et modò non habebant m…dū. et sine paul…lū ibat in longum.if we will yeeld to this little, we shall no further bee importuned for any more. For howsoeuer the beginnings of sinne are very modest and mayden like, and the sluggard craues but a little sleepe, but a little slumber, as Austen in his first conuersion: yet sinne is of an incroaching nature, like the riuers, smal at the first rising, it spreads, and inlarges it selfe in going, as a gangrene it creepes on by degrees, from one part to another, till in the ende it hauehave consumed the whole. So that grant it but her little, and this little will quickly come to a great deale. GiueGive it but an inch, and it will take an ell. Let the serpent but winde in his head, and hee will draw his whole body after. When the Leuites father in Law had drawne him to stay till noone, he drew him on further to stay all night, yea and till towards the euen of the next day. Iudges 19. If he had named the whole time at first, and prayed him to hauehave stayed two daies longer, he had neuer obtained it. But at first, crauing onelyonly halfe a day, he comes at length to get two daies. If our hearts should dem and all that they will bring vsus to in the ende, they would neuer bee heard: but through their deceitfull modesty of asking but a little, by degrees they quickly entise vsus on to more. How true this is, will easily appeare, if either we look to the matter of faith, or of manners. For the matter of faith, or doctrine; witnesse the Popish superstition, in most of her horrible heresies, which were not so grosse at the first, as now they are, but after that the seedes and foundations of them were secretly laide in the ground in the primitiue Church, the degenerating ages that succeeded, added, one this peece, another that, till at the length, in processe of time, they came to that monstrous deformitie which now we see. The primacie of the Romane Bishop at first, was onelyonly in regard of order and honour, not of the power & iurisdiction, which afterward he obtained. Monastic all life at first was only for safety in time of persecution: & the monasteries of the ancient were not much differing from our colledges. The vse of images in Churches was first onelyonly historicall. Afterward, thus much being granted, the idolatrous hart of man neuer gaue ouer, till the religious vse obtained. Such is the danger of yeelding but to the very least occasions, and beginnings of errour and idolatry. Milesius his image came out of his priuate parlor into the common hall, then into the street, next into the Churchyard, then to the porch of the Church, after that, to be on the wall, last of all it gat vponupon the altar it selfe. After Ahaz had made his wicked altar, and offered vponupon it, he brought it into the temple, first setting it by the brasen alter, but then he broght it further into the house, and aduanced it to a higher place, and set it on the northside of Gods altar. Lo 2. King. 16, 12. 13. 14.how idolatry secretly, and by stealth creepes in, and gets roome of the truth, first for one arme, then for another; then for the other parts, till at length the truth it selfe be wholly iustled out. If error got but once into the belfrey, it will neuer leaue till it be Doctor F…lke.in the chancell: if it may be suffred to be in the porch it will not be long but you shall see it possessed of the Church it selfe, and ietting it in the pulpit. What shall we say then to those reconcilers of vsus and the Romanists, that would hauehave vsus yeeld in somethings vntounto them? Assuredly, if once the sluces be opened the waters must needs runne a maine: if the gate Patente perta impossibile est mal…m vlterus non precedere.be set open, the besieging enemy will enter, What shall we say likewise to those, that thinke it no such great matter to yeelde vntounto showes and appearances of idolatry? as for trauailers into idolatrous places to shew some kinde of reuerence to the hoast, to kisse the Popes toe, if yet these be shewes onelyonly of idolatry. Certainely these are but shooing-hornes to draw on further matters. Therefore the least sins in eueryevery commandement are reproached with the name of the greatest, as the vnchast glaunce of the eie with adulterie, and Paul cals the Corinthians sitting downe at the idolaters feast, though without all intent of honouring the idol, by the odious name of idolatry: because these lesser and petty matters 1. Cor. 10. 14.(as we count them) make way, and paue a causey for the greater. Hence it was that Iob freed himselfe, Iob. 31. 27.not onelyonly from the grosser idolatry, but euen from the least shew of it, in outward fashions; not onelyonly from worshipping the sunne and moone, but euen from his hands kissing of his mouth, a Adorare, est manum …r… admone…e.gesture onelyonly of adoring. And because heerein our hearts notably iuggle, therefore he saith. If mine heart hath beene deceiued in secret, or if mine hand hath kissed my mouth. Thereby shewing that it is a part of our hearts deceitfulnesse to draw vsus on first to these matters of lesse account, that afterward wee might the more easily digest the greater. Of this Moses seemeth to speake, when he saith to Israell, Beware lest your hearts deceiue you, namely vponupon occasion of that great prosperity before spoken of, that going backe, at the first onelyonly from your feruor, and zeale in my true seruice, at length, by degrees, you should worship strange Gods, and bow downe vntounto them. Wherefore Deut. 11. 16.let no man deceiue himselfe, saying, O this is but a small matter, why should any stand so much vponupon this? Yea but this small matter is a strong cart-rope to plucke greater after it. A little leuen leaueneth the whole lump. A little sparke often kindles a great fire, deuouring to destruction. Assuredly in the iustice of God, punishing smaller sinnes with greater, they that make no conscience of smaller vntruths, in time come to hauehave such large consciences, & wide throats, that they can swallow down grosse errors, as it were great gobs at once. Hauing fallen to the Diuels porridge, they will shortly eat of his flesh, and from eating of the huskes of grapes, they will come at length to eat of the grapes themselues, and from this to the drinking of wine it selfe. For whereas it is onelyonly the commandement of the Lorde that binds vsus in the greater matters, hee that hath boldly begun to shake off this yoke in the lesser, what is there that can holde him fast to the Lord in the greater? Chrysostome is very zealous in this point, writing Gal. 1. 6.vponupon those words of Paul concerning those that vrged the ceremonies of Moses, But there are some that Atqui vnum aut alteru duntaxat praescriptum inauxerāt. &c. Qd pusillum quiddam perp… ram a…mix…ū totum corrump…t.would ouerthrow the Gospell of Christ. Why but, saith that Father, they retained the Gospell, onelyonly they would hauehave brought in a Iewish rite, or two. And yet the Apostle saies that heereby the Gospell is subuerted, to shew how but a little thing, beeing vntowardly mingled, mars al. For as in the Kings coine, he that clippes off but a little of his image stamped thereon, imbaseth the whole peece: so if any shall ouerthrow but the least parcell of the truth, it is wholly corrupted, from these beginnings Sanae fidei vel minimā pa…ticulam.proceeding alwaies to worse things: where are they now who condemne vsus as contentious, because of our disagreement with heretikes?—let them heare what Paul saith, namely that they did ouerthrow the Gospell, who brought in but a little innouation. So dangerous did this holy man hold it, to yeeld though neuer so little, to errour, because of this deceit, whereby the whole truth is secretly vndermined. Wee would not giuegive place saith Paul, by subiection one houre to Mosaique rites vrged by the false Apostles that the trueth of the Qui paululum quiddam rerum nouari… inauxerant.Gospell (indangered belike by those rites) might continue. If we neuer so little sippe of the cup of errour, we shall drinke our full draught, yea we shall go on in carousing, till we be drunke therewith. If we begin neuer so little to nibble vponupon these meats, wee shall fill our selues with them, and eate till we surfer.

Neither is this perswasion from the smalnesse of the sinne deceitful onelyonly in matter of doctrine, but also of life, and conuersation. Witnesse the many experiences of Gods children, who, winking at smaller sinnes, hauehave beene plunged into greater, and yet (so cunningly and closely is this deceit carried) they hauehave not espied the change. For that which our Sauiour speaketh concerning the grouth of grace, that it is insensible, like to that of the corne, where the Mark 4. 26. 27. 28.seede springs and growes, first the blade, then the eares, then the ful corne, the husbandman not knowing how, may as trulie be said concerning the grouth of wickednesse; After that the smaller seedes of this vnhappy cockle and darnell are once receiued into our harts, they shoot forth, and still rise higher, and higher, without our feeling or discerning: because of this creeping, stealing, and deceitful pace of sinne whereby step by steppe, by little and little it ascendeth vp in vsus, til it be come to his full height. Hence that admonition, Remember from whence thou art fallen. For we, because we fall by degrees, our harts Apoc. 2. 4.deceitfully getting this little, do not so well perceiue how farre we are fallen, til we cast backe our eies to that high hill where we stood before, and then wee see how miserably we hauehave beene deceiued.

Flatter we not then our selues in this deceit. Say not of any of thy infirmities, as Lot of his Tsoar, oh is not this a little one? may I not bee dispensed with, for this little, so I go no further? may I not giuegive mine eye liberty to wander a little in wanton glaunces? may I not let loose the reines to my tongue to friske it out a little, in some idle, and lasciuious speeches? may I not vnshakle my feete, and giuegive them leaue to carry me to such and such places? May I not doe all this, so I doe no more, so I breake not out into the outward acts of vncleannesse? No more, O foole? How canst thou chuse but do more? Thinkest thou a dogge will runne away from thee, as long as thou castest him bread? or that flaxe will not conceiue flame, when thou puttest fire thereto? or that thou canst carrie burning coales in thy bosome, and not be burnt? No no. If once thou hast let loose the reins to these madde horses, thou maist not looke to stay them when thou wouldest. If once thou giuest leaue to thy corrupt affections to begin to play their parts, Non obtinel is vt desinat: si inciperes permiseris. Imbecillis est primo &c. vires dum procedit parat. excluditur facilius quā expellitur. facilius non recipiuntur quam exeunt. sen. ep. 116. Aliquatenus inquis timere, a liquatonus dolere permitie. S…d illud aliqua tenus longe producitur, nec vbi vis finem accipit. Ibid.thou shalt hardly make them giuegive ouer. Though at first they be but weake, yet afterward they raise vp their spirits, and get strength in going. Easier it is to keepe them out, then to trust them out. Heare not then these cunning insinuations of thy heart, oh but a little idlenesse, but a little wantonnesse, a little foolishnes, and then wee hauehave done; oh but this little stretches it selfe farre. This somewhat goes a great way, and will not stay where we would. The Prouerbe is false heere, Modicum non nocet, A little hurts not. Yes a little hurts a great deale. Little sins vsher great ones, and bring them into the closets of of our hearts. And heere behold a notable peece of cunning fraud in these crafty hearts of ours. In perswading and inueagling vsus to sinne, they vrge hard that it is but a little they craue: what? will you sticke with vsus for so little? but when this little is once yeelded them, then they tell vsus, that hauing done so much, it makes no great matter, if now we goe a little further: We cannot bee much worse, then wee are. As when we hauehave mispent some part of the day in idlenesse, then it reasons thus with vsus. Now thou hast lost this part of it, thou canst do no great good with the remainder: it were euen best to be idle still. The like may bee saide in the matter of lying, theeuing, vncleannesse. When we hauehave but yeelded a little, then our hearts tells vsus, wee hauehave cracked our credit with that we hauehave done already; we were as good go forward now, as stand still. Hence it is, that Opert…t gna…iter impud…ntem esse, qui semel, &c.when men hauehave once begun to sinne in any kinde, they hauehave so lustily lashed on: As Iakob in his lying to his Father Isacke, first, I am Esau, &c. then beeing demanded how he came to his venison so quickly, he goeth further, most indignely abusing the holy name of God himselfe, The Lord thy God brought it to my hand. So Saul in his swearing and cursing: first, Cursed be the man that eateth food till night: then, As 1 Sam. 14 24.the Lord liueth that saueth Israell; though it bee Ionathan he shall die. And againe, God do so, and more also, vnlesse thou dye the death Ionathan. So Peter, from Psalm 39.one deniall, rushes on to a second, a third; and from a simple deniall, to a deniall with execration. Ouer shooes, ouer bootes, as wee say. So like in this regard are the waters of sinne to those in Ezekiel. For they come stealing on vsus by degrees, and arise from the ankles to the knees, and so higher and higher. Yet heerein vnlike, that they stay not at the chinne, as those do, but goe ouer head, and eares, and drowne vsus in perpetuall perdition. Wee must then carry a strait hand ouer our hearts, and be as farre from gratifying them in these their littles of sinne, as wiser Physitians are their patients, in their littles of meats and drinkes hurtfull. For it fareth with vsus in sinning, as in eating, where one bit drawes downe another; though at first wee purposed to eat little, or nothing. And as wee get a stomache, and prouoke our appetite, sometimes by eating, so is our fitnesse for, and desire after sinne increased by beginning to sin. For as eueryevery good worke increaseth our holinesse, and so hability for obedience, according to that of S. Paul, Rom. 6. 22. cleered.Being made the seruants of God ye hauehave your fruit in holinesse: so eueryevery sinne addeth to our pollution, leauing behind it a kinde of staine in the soule, whereby it is the readier for further disobedience. Whence it comes to passe, that hauing begunne to say yea to sinne, but for a little, we find it so hard afterward to say it nay in farre greater matters, and hauing satisfied the smaller requests of sinne wee are made farre more easie, and inclinable vntounto her greater demands. Hence that warning of the Apostle. Bee not deceiued. Euill wordes corrupt good manners. Your deceitfull heart will beare you in hand, that it matters not so much for wordes. It is but a small matter, … 9. c. 8.what words or phrases one vses. But the truth is, euil Primoribus labris sorbeb…t exiguum. Itaque ad illud modicum qu…idiana modica a…d…nd…, quoniam qui modica negligit …paulatim deci…; in eam consuet… d… nem l…psa erat vt pro…è iam plenos mero calicules inbianter bauriret. Confess. 6. 8.words, as small as you make of them, will bring on euill deedes. Monica Austens mother (as himselfe reports it) when she was a maide, began to sippe a little wine, as she poured it forth for her parents. But marke what followed vponupon this sipping. Dayly adding saith S. Austen vntounto her first little new littles, because he that maketh no bones of small matters, by little and little will fall to greater, shee came to that passe, that she could with great greedines draw dry almost whole cups ful of wine. Lo what comes but of sipping, and kissing the cup. But the example of Alipius, related also by the same Father, is farre more remarkable; who beeing importuned by his companions to go to those bloudy spectacles of the gladiatorie combats, at length with much adoe he yeelded, yet purposing with himselfe, (and telling them so much,) that he would keepe his eies shut, and so be absent, euen whilest he was present, ouercomming Si corpus meum trabi…, nuquid e… … et o…ul…s &c. Adero itaque a…sens et sic et v…s, et illa superab….both his friends, by going with them, and also the sights to which he went with them, by beeing but a blinde beholder of them. But being come thither, and vponupon the fall of one of the fighters the people making a great outcrye, hee could no longer hold his eies shut, but longing to see what the matter was, opened them, fixed them vponupon that barbarous sight, and fedde them with the cruell pleasure thereof. So that now, saies Austen, he was not the same Et non erat iam ille qui venerat, sed v…us de turba ad quā venerat. Spectau…, clamauit, exarsit, abs…lit inde secum insantā qua st…mularetur redire non tantum cum illis a quibus prius abs… est, sed etiam prae illis &c.he that came thether, but one of that multitude to which he was come, a right companion of those with whom he came. He beheld and looked on with the rest, cried out with them, was inflamed with them, and carried thence that madnesse, which wrought in him an itch of returning, not onelyonly with them that brought him thither, as a companion, but before them, as a captaine and ringleader of many others. But among all examples there is none to that of Salomons. The beginning of whose ouerthrow was from this deceit. It had been a hard matter for so excellent a man at the first dash to hauehave beene brought to that height of defection; no. No man suddenly becomes notoriously wicked, specially Nemo … è ….hauing bene eminently vertuous before, but step by step, piece and peece, heere a little, and there a little. Loe therefore how Salomons deceitfull heart foyled him; first onelyonly drawing him to the more immoderate vse of pleasures, in themselues lawfull, perswading him yet that he should still, together with the vse of them, retain his wisdome, his piety. But in Eccles. 2. 3.the euent it prooued otherwise. As the louelove of pleasures went in, so the louelove of godlinesse, went out by degrees, his zeale cooled, his forwardnesse slaked. The excessiue vse, & louelove of lawful pleasures brought him first to a defectiue louelove of Gods word, and from thence to the louelove of vnlawfull pleasures in women; and then bodily adulterie brought him at length to spirituall, euen to fearfull idolatry, as is obserued by Nehemiah.Neh. 13. 26.

Our wisedome then must be to take heede (as the Apostle admonisheth) of this deceitfulnesse of sinne, Heb. 3. 13.least we be hardened, and habituated in sinne. For a habit, and hardnesse in sinne comes not at first, but by degrees, when, by receiuing the seede of euill, and entising thoughts, wee come to conceiue, and then, as Iames sheweth, lust hauing conceiued, sinne is brought forth, and being brought forth is perfited by Iam 1. 14. 15 Dum seruitur lib. dini facta est consuetudo, et dum consuetudini non resistitur facta est necessitas. Aug. conf. 8. 5. Nobis quia regred… non est facile, optimū est non progredi. Ten. ep. 116.daily practise, which bringeth custome, and custome necessity. So that now wee are miserably inthralled to sinne. Sith then wee cannot well bee rid of this ghuest, if once intertained, let vsus bee warie how we enter into the least parley with him; since when we are once entred but a little into this countrey, wee know not well how to get out, it is best for vsus not to come neere so much as to the confines, and borders thereof. It is not good comming within the reach of the Lion, for feare of being caught. Neither is it good to come neere the bankes side, for feare of falling. Chrysostome tels vsus that it is a safe rule, not only to auoide sinne it selfe, but also things seeming indifferent, Hom. 15. ad pop Antioch.that may toule and draw vsus on to sinne. And he instances in laughter, and quipping, and delicious feasting, from whence hauehave flowen many mischiefes. These indifferent things, at least so seeming, foreign.he accounteth the edge of the hill, and bids vsus take heede how we vse them. And in truth though such things may seeme nothing, yet there is much deceit, and danger in them. They are like Elias his cloud, which at first seemed very little, no bigger then ones hand, yet by and by it ouerspreads the whole skie, and causeth a dashing shower. Wherefore as the Prophet, in the first rising of the cloude bad the king hye him to his chariot, to auoide the tempest so must we, foreseeing the danger of a great tempest euen in these so little clouds, flye to our shelter presently. The Iewes beeing forbidden to make couenants with the Gentiles, they also absteined from drinking with them, because that was a ceremony vsed in striking of couenants, and so it might hauehave drawen them on thereto. And Eue hauing receiued a commaundement from God onelyonly not to eat, saies she must not touch the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and euil. For touching might Quemadmodū in corporibus qui vulnera neglexerūt febres gignunt et putrefactiones, ac mort…m deni{que} …itidē et in animis qui pusilla dissimulāt, maiora inuitāt. Chrys. in Gal. 1.hauehave drawne on tasting. The like warinesse if wee shall vse, then may wee escape this deceitfull snare of our false and fraudulent hearts. Otherwise if wee be too too regardlesse of smaller matters, of the occasions and preparatiues to sinne, quickly shall wee be caught. And as in the body little prickes of a pin neglected hauehave bred wrancklings in the flesh, and thence worse matters hauehave followed, euen death it selfe at last: so here in the soule, our conniuence & ouer fauourable indulgence to our smaller sinnes cannot but inuite and call, yea and with a magneticall kinde of attraction forcibly draw vntounto vsus further, and far more dangerous mischiefes.

The third deceit is to tickle our affections, and set 3 Deceit tickling of our hearts with the meer pleasure of sinne.our desires afloate, by presenting vntounto vsus the meere and pure pleasure of sinne. For howsoeuer the pleasure of sinne bee a painfull pleasure, a soure-sweete, which hath much bitternesse mixed; yet our hearts cunningly hide and conceale that. The flesh by vehemency of temptation raiseth such clouds, that the light of our vnderstanding is taken away, as in Dauid, in his adultery, the flesh did so possesse him with the apprehension of the present pleasurable delight of his sinne, that hee could not thinke of that shame, that greefe, those wounds of conscience, those broken bones, those sharpe corrections that were to follow. Psalm. 51.Thus the Diuell dealt with our Sauiour, hee shewed him the world, and all the glorie therof. But there was also much griefe as well as glorie in the wosld: but hee would shew him none of that. So there is farre more gall, and bitternesse, then honie and sweetnesse in sinne; yet our deceitfull harts will not let vsus take any notice thereof. like the Israelites, that could remember the flesh pots and onions, but not the brickes, not the bondage of Egypt. Thus wee Eccles. 11. 9.deuide that of Salomon, Go to yong man, let thy heart cheere thee in the daies of thy youth, &c: suppressing that which followes, But know that for all this, God will bring thee to iudgement. Thus the impure wanton Prou. 9. 17. 18.deceiueth himselfe, who harkeneth to the sweet voice of the flattering harlot, Stolen waters are sweet and the bread of deceit is pleasant. But hee knowes not, saith Salomon, that the dead are there, and that hir ghuests are in the depth of hell. This deceit is much like that of boyes, hiding a pinne in a faire rose, and so pricking those that smell of them; or like that of tradesmen, that shew their chapmen the better part of the cloath, and hide the worse. But to deliuer our selues from the danger of this deceit; we must, when we are thus tempted with the sense of present pleasure, cast our eies beyond it, and looke behind it, to see the long tail it hath of many sorrows, & vexatiōs. We must labor as well to foresee what is to come as we see what is present: doth the Diuell shew thee, as once our Sauior a goodly sight of honor, glory, pleasure, profit, &c. in sin? That thou maist not be inueagled therwith, thou must put down his sight with another sight of shame, terror, torment here & in hel, & other such like attendants of sin, which are to bee seene in the word. Think as wel of the soure sauce, as of the sweet meat, as wel of Iaels nayle to pierce our temples, as of her milk, & lodging to relieue our thirst & wearines; as wel of Dalilahs scissers to cut our hair, as of her lap to lul vsus asleep; as well of the pricking, as of the pleasantnes of the haw-thorns. The Greek Poet saies wittily, If the paine of the headach were before the plesure of the wine, none would be drūk. If we could foreign &c. Anacreon.in our apprehensiō, feel the paine of sin before hand, wee should escape the snake that lie, hid vnderunder the greene grasse, the hooke that lies couered vnderunder the pleasant bait. This is Salomons aduise in the temptation to drunkennes euen then when our teeth are set on water with the pleasant colour of the wine sprinkling Pro. 23 31. 32. Pro. 5 4.& leaping in the glasse, to remēber that yet in the end it wil bi…e like a serpent, & hurt like a cockatrice. And so in in tēptation to vncleannes by the fair speech, 2. Sam. 2. 26.& alluring beauty of the harlot, to remēber that her latter end is bitter as wormewood, and sharper then any two-edged sword. For heere truely hath place that speech of Abner, to Ioab, Knowest thou not it will be bitternesse in the latter ende. Sinne may well bring with it a flattering pleasure in the entrie, but it alwaies closes with a bitter remorse in the end.4 Deceit, presuming of merciemercy.

The 4. deceit is, when it perswadeth vsus to sin, vponupon hope of Gods mercy for pardon. This is a very vsuall & dāgerous deceit. Like that of the diuels to our Sauior, Cast thy selfe downe headlong, for the Angels shal bear thee vp. So our harts to vsus, cast your selues, implūge your selues into this or that sin: The mercy of God shall help you out. Poyson thy selfe: heer is a coūter-poyson. Break thy head: here is a plaister. Surfet: here is a Physitiō. An intollerable thing it is, that the mercy of God, the only inuiter and prouoker of our obediēce, through the sophistry of these naughty harts of ours, should be made an allurer & very baud as it were to al filthines. There is mercy with thee, saith Psal. 130. 4.the Prophet, what? that thou mightest be despised, blasphemed? no; that thou mightest be feared. And the louelove of Christ constraines Paul to dutie. Therefore 2. Cor 5. 14.see what noble deceiuers our hearts are, that can make that an entiser to sinne, which of it selfe is the only powerfull, and constraining perswader to godlinesse. But let them take heede least their hope of merciemercy be not presumption. As a man passing ouer a bridge, which his false spectacles make to seeme broader, then indeed it is, being thereby deceiued, goes besides the bridge and so is drowned: so is it with those, whose deceitfull hearts make the bridge of Gods mercy larger then it is, they are in danger of falling beside it into the waters of eternal destruction. For thogh Gods mercy be of the largest extent, yet it is bounded with his truth. And therefor vsually in the Scriptures wee finde these two coupled together, Gods mercy & his truth. So that Gods mercy may not be such, whereby his trueth in anie sorte should be impeached. As it should if it be prostituted it selfe indifferently, and promiscuouslie to all, as well the insolent and impaenitent, as the poore, humble and broken hearted sinner. For vntounto these latter onelyonly is the promise of mercy made. And if to the others the gate of merciemercy should be set open; Gods mercies (as Salomon saies of the wickeds that they are cruell mercies) should bee false, and vniust mercies. But God neuer yet learned so to bee mercifull, as to make himselfe false, and vnfaithfull.

The fifth deceit is, when our hearts the better to 5. Deceit pleading necessity of liuing.hearten vsus to sinne, plead the necessity of liuing in this world, and maintaining our selues & our charges. O wee must needes liue, say some. And vnlesse wee doe thus, and thus (say breake the Sabaoth, lie, sweare, defraud, &c.) wee cannot liue. Esau vnderunder this pretence sold away heauen. He was verie hungrie, & konwing not how to releeue the necessity of hunger otherwise, then by accepting of Iakobs conditions, accepted them. I must maintaine my life saith Esau. At this present I cannot without some food, food I see none but my brothers pottage. This I cannot hauehave, without I buy it with my birthright. And thus he deceiued himselfe. The like deceit wee shall see in Demetrius the siluer-smith, who pleades hard for Diana, and the worship of her images by this very argument, Sirs ye know that by this craft we hauehave our goods. If Diana goe downe, our liuing goes downe with her. Thus would Sathan hauehave beguiled Christ, when in his hunger he perswaded him to releeue himselfe by turning stones into bread. And indeed to get our bread by falshood, oppression, wrōg, or any indirect course is a kind of turning stones into bread. And, what good will such bread doe vsus? Breade made of stones shall turne into stones, euen in the very eating. The bread of deceit though neuer so pleasant, yet in the mouth proues but grauell, saith Salomon. Prou. 20. 17. And no maruell. It was made of grauell and stones. And so returnes to his first substance. Another remedy against this deceit is to oppose a greater necessity of our soules liuing both heere & hereafter with God. What dost thou tel me of the necessitie of thy liuinge here? There is one onelyonly necessity for which there is no excuse, and is, not to offend God. One thing is needfull, saith foreign. Chrysost.Christ, to prouide for thy soule against heereafter, whatsoeuer become of this carrionly carcase of thine. This is the farre greater necessity of the two. It is not then simply necessary for thee to liue heere. Or if it were, yet not to liue by such wicked meanes, which thine owne vnbeleeuing heart suggesteth. Man liues not by bread only but by eueryevery word that proceedes Mat. 4.out of the mouth of God. And the iust man liues, euen this his temporal life also, not by these & those Hab. 2. 4.shifts, but by his Faith. And that is his meat in the want of other things, according to that of the Prophet, Trust in the Lord and doe good, dwell in the land, and feede thy selfe by or with thy Faith, as Tremellius reades it. And thus wee hauehave handled fiue deceits Psalm. 37. 3.which our hearts vse in perswading vsus to sinne. There remaine yet diuers others, which we will speake of in the chapter following.

Of nine more dececits in the same kinde.

THerefore to proceede forward with these deceits; the sixth deceit is, A pretence that we will VI. Deceit, Pretence of doing onelyonly for trials sake.doe such and such things [euill and vngodly] onelie for trialls sake, that by our owne experience we may the better learne the vanitie of sinne. For example, some will go purposelie to see masse, to the end, as they say, that they seeing the foolishnesse, and filthinesse thereof might learne to loath it the more. The like pretence is vsed for seeing of plaies, that by seeing many filthy sinnes (which the Apostles would not hauehave once so much as to bee named) represented and acted on the stage, wee shall learne to hate those vices the more. But God hath appointed better schoolemistresses of the hatred of sinne, then the practise of sinne. Why should we leaue the meanes appointed by God to worke this hatred of sinne, and deuise other meanes of our owne? Is this the best way to learne continency, to exercise and trade our selues in vncleannesse? Was there euer any that learned sobriety by haunting tauernes & ale houses? temperance out of the schoole of Epicurisme? chastity in the stewes? I denie not but God who draweth light out of darkenesse can heale the wound of the viper with the flesh of the viper, & can make sinne, contrary to it owne nature, to work our good, driuing out one poyson with another. What then? because the learned Physitian can heal vsus with poysons, shall wee therefore bee tampering with them our selues? So in stead of health we may quickly meete with death. No, Salomon himselfe was deceiued in this point; as his Ecclesiastes sheweth. And his experience may teach vsus, how dangerous it is to trye the heat of the fire by putting in our finger. Hee gaue himselfe to a pleasurable delicious life onelyonly for triall sake, to make proofe of it, what was in it, that if he could not finde happy tranquility Eccles. 2. 3.of minde, hee might leaue it so much the more willingly. But alas how miserably was he hampered in the snares therof? How was he by this meanes drawne on to that fearfull apostacie in his olde age? shall not his experience make vsus wise? shall any man now thinke hee can safely beare that burden, which hath already broken Sampsons backe?

The seuenth deceit is, when we ground our liberty VII. Deceit, Presuming vpō that good we hauehave.which wee take of sinning, vponupon those good, either graces we hauehave, or actions we doe; perswading our selues that a little dramme of some goodnesse in vsus will waigh downe many talents of wickednesse. For as we can couer in our brethren many vertues vnderunder some one infirmity: so contrarily in our selues (so cunning and crafty are our hearts) manie, not slighter infirmities onelyonly, but euen grosser deformities also vnderunder some one, poor, petty, (happely) show of vertue, rather then vertue it selfe. Thus the ciuill man thinkes his prophannesse and carelesnesse in religion is sufficiently couered vnderunder his vprightnesse, and iust dealing in the things of this life. The glozing hypocrite thinkes his zeale in outward profession may beare him out in his vncharitable, vnrighteous, and vnreasonable dealing with men. As if Herod should hauehave thought his hearing of Iohn a sufficient priuiledge to him for his incest. Thus noblie doe our hearts deceiue vsus, making vsus beleeue that a great heap of chaffe can lye hid vnderunder a little handfull of corne, that a little dimme candle light can chase away the foggie palpable darknesse of Egypt. Whereas the contrary is the trueth, that our little good is rather obscured and eclipsed with our many and great euils. As in the parable of the sower, the thorny ground is said to bring forth no fruit, Luc. 8. 14. and yet before, verse seuen, it was saide that the thornes sprung vp with the seede, so that the seede did not perish in the ground, but sprouted foorth, and yeelded some fruit; and yet because, as Marke saies, the thornes grew vp, or ascended, Mark 4 7. Math. 13. 7.as Mathew speaketh, namely aboue the fruit, therefore the fruite of this ground is no fruit, it lies buried vnderunder the thornes, it is ouertopped, and choaked by them. Lo now, the fruit does not couer the thornes, but the thornes the fruit. It is not said there were no thornes, because of some hopefull beginnings of fruit, but contrarily, no fruit because of the thornes thriuing, and increasing. Were it not absurd to reason thus, what though there bee many poisonfull herbs in the pot? yet there are some good ones, and so the porridge may be good. Nay, if among many good hearbs, there were but one poysonfull in the pot, a man might say truely, Death is in the pot, yea that there were no good hearbe in it; because the poyson of the one hath taken away all the goodnesse of the other. So in truth where there is but any one sinne nourished and fostered, all other our graces are not onelyonly blemished, but abolished, they are no graces. But most of all is this decit dangerous in the true children of God? when they shall the rather presume in some things to sinne, because they are the children of God, members of Christ, and so cannot bee seuered from him, and because they are beautified with so many excellent graces, which they thinke will easily obtaine pardon for some small defects. Thus were the seruants in the primitiue Church deceiued, when vponupon occasion of their calling, they shooke of the yoake, and because they were Gods sonnes, would no longer bee mens slaues. And thus would the Diuell hauehave deceiued Christ, when he would hauehave had him presumed vponupon his priuiledge of beeing the sonne of God, and thereupon hauehave cast himselfe downe from the pinnacle of the Temple. Math. 4. 6. This deceite is so much the more lamentable, in that these considerations ought rather to bee bridles to restrain vsus from sinning, and spurres to pricke vsus on to further grace, and obedience. For the more honour God hath giuen vsus, the greater care should wee hauehave to maintaine it, according to that of Paul: walke woorthy of that high calling. Should such a man as I, saith Nehemie, goe into the temple to liue? Againe, hast thou some graces, some good things in thee? O then disgrace them not with sinne, but make them as gracefull as thou canst, by adding vntounto them what is wanting, that so there may be a sweet proportion, and comely conueniency in the spiritual body of Grace. For as it were an absurd speech to say, I hauehave all other parts of my body seemely, and comely, legges, hands, eies, lippes, cheekes; therefore it matters not for my deformed and misshapen nose; no body can see this blemish among so many ornamēts; yes they will see it, and marke it so much the rather, and the deformity of thy nose is made more conspicuous by the conformity of thy other members: so also alike absurd is it to perswade our selues, that because of some ornaments in our soules, the many monstrous enormities thereof will be winked at. Is any woman so foolish as to thinke because her face is very faire, and beautifull, therefore she may specke and spot it heere and there with mire and dirt? or because her clothes shine and glister, therefore shee may staine them? Whereas the fairer the face, and the garment, the greater is the disgrace of the spot, & stain. So also would any man be so sencelesse, as to thinke thus, because I hauehave a good sute, good stockings, cloake & band, therfore I may wel enough put on an olde dusty, worne, and torne hatte. No; this will disgrace all the rest of his furniture; and it would be nothing so great a sore in the eies of the beholders, if his dublet and hose were tattered, his shooes musty, his stockings broken, &c.

The eighth deceit is, when wee presume the rather IIX Deceit, Hope of making amends afterward.to sinne, because we thinke to make amends for it afterward, by some good deeds, as prayer, confession, alms, &c. The couetous man sees a pray, some rich booty, wherby he may benefit himselfe much, in the iniury and oppression of his neighbour. Yea but his conscience tels him, oppression is sin, how then may he doe it? His deceitfull heart suggesteth, that if afterward hee bee a little more bountifull in giuing of almes, hee shall make an aboundant recompence for his sinne, and so bids him sticke no longer at the matter. In this one particular Austen De verb. Apost. ser. 21. tom. 10. Dicit mihiraptor verum allinarum &c. Agapas facio, vinctis in carcere, &c. Dare te puta…. tollere noli, et dedisti.both propoundeth, and discouereth this deceit very notablie. The extortioner, saith he; saith thus vntounto me, I am not like the rich man in the gospell, I feast the poore, I send sustenance to the prisoners, I cloath the naked, I entertaine the strangers. To whom hee answereth. Thou thinkest thou giuest. Doe not take away, and thou hast giuen. He reioyceth to whom thou hast giuen: but he weepeth from whom thou hast taken away. Which of these two thinkest thou will God hear? Thou saist to him to whom thou hast giuen, be thankful for that thou hast receiued: but on the other side the other man saith, I mourn for that thou hast taken away: God hee saies to thee, foole I bad thee giuegive, but not of other folkes goods. Know thou foole, who ofthy spoiles & rapines giuest alms, that when thou spoylest a Christian, & robbest him, thou robbest Christ himselfe. And if they shall be sent to hell that did not cloath Christ (that is a Christian) when naked, what place shall they hauehave in hell that made him naked when he was clothed? Heere happelie thou wilt say, thou strippest a Pagan, and clothest a Christian. Euen heere will Christ answer thee, oh spare to damnifie me. For when thou who art Parce dammis meis,a Christian doest thus oppresse a Pagan, thou keepest him from becomming a Christian. If thou hast then of thine own, giuegive; if not: better for thee to gratifie none, then to grate vponupon any. So far Austen, excellently shewing the grossnes of this deceit, that we may robbe Peter, if afterward we will pay Paul therwith. This kinde of deceit seemeth to hauehave carried Saul to that his disobediēce, in retaining the fattest of the Amalekites flockes. Hee thought belike the staine thereof would easily bee washed out with the bloud of his sacrifice, whereof hee speakes so much afterward to Samuel. The people tooke it to offer to the Lord thy God in Gilgal. And so the whoorish 1. Sam, 15, 15. 21woman thinkes the like water will purge away all the filthinesse of her lusts. I hauehave peace-offerings (saith Prou. 7. 14.shee, incouraging her selfe, and her youth in their sinnes) at home, and I hauehave paid my vowes. This seems also to hauehave beene the deceit of the Pharisees, as some read that Luk. 11. 41. Yee giuegive almes, (namely of goods gotten by rapine, & pillage) and then all will be clean, the blot of your vniustice you think is sufficiētly washed away. A horrible thing, to think that God will thus be corrupted, & made to wink at our sinne. No: He that offreth to the Lord of the goods of the poore, is as he that sacrificeth the sonne before the Father.Eccles. 34.

But heere is a double deceit. 1. that we can satisfie for our sinnes by any of our workes. 2. That therfore wee may boldly sinne. For first, say that thou couldest satisfie God for the wrong which thy sinne doth to him, maist thou therefore lawfully offer wrong and violence to him? wouldest thou thinke thy neighbour might lawfully steale from thee, if after he would make some restitution? or breake thy head, if after he would giuegive thee a plaister? But then it is not so, that any works of obedience can satisfie for thy former disobedience. If thou wert bound to a man in two seuerall bonds for two seuerall debts, and hauing forfeited one, shouldst afterward pay the other, wouldst thou be so foolish as to think, that by paying this latter, thou hadst sufficiently discharged the former? If a seruant, hauing loytered al one weeke, should painefully labour all the next, would his master yet indure him pleading the last weekes diligence, as a sufficient recompence of the formers negligence? No. For it was his duetie to labour both weekes. So the obedience thou performest to God, is a debt due to him: thou canst not pay one debt with another. If a chapman, hauing gone long in the merchants books, should at length pay for that he tooke last, had hee therefore satisfied for all that was taken before? And yet this is the foppish deceit not of the Papists alone, but of many of our selues also (for naturally there is much of the popish leuen in vsus) to thinke that if after wee hauehave sinned, we be for a while a little more carefull, then ordinarie, of prayer, confession, reading, hearing, and such like exercises, then all is well againe. But Salomon tells vsus, that the sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord. And therefore the exercises of godlinesse performed by such as wallow in sinne without repentance cannot pacifie his wrath.

The ninth deceit is when we perswade our selues IX. Deceit, Pretence of insuing good.to the committing of some sinne, vponupon pretence, either of the consequence of some great good, which otherwise cannot be had; or the preuention of some greater euill, which otherwise cannot bee auoided. Hence that deceitfull rule, of two euils chuse the least. Lot was caught in this snare, when he would hauehave redeemed the greater sinne of the Sodomites against his ghuestes, with the lesse against his daughters, when he would hauehave preuented Sodomy by permission of adulterie. So Herod hauing sworne to gratifie the request of that dancing minion, for the auoyding of the sandes, rushes vponupon the rocke, preuenting periurie, as hee thought, by mnrther. But the truth is, A man is neuer so incompassed betwixt two euils, but he may finde an outgoing Nemo ita perplexus tenetur inter duo vi…ia, quin ei exitus pateat abs…p. 3.without a third. Now as concerning the hope of some good that may insue, here Lots daughters were caught, as well as their father in the former. For when they fell into that foule abomination of incest, in all likelihoode this was that which preuailed with them, a hope they had that by this meanes, in their fathers posterity, the Church of God (otherwise in their opinion neere an end) should bee vpheld, and preserued. And was not here a goodly colour, to commend incest vntounto them, the preseruation of the Church from ruine? But had not Abraham as good a colour for to hauehave spared Isacke contrarie to gods commandement? euen the same that they had, the preseruation, and saluation of all the elect, which hee might feare would hauehave binne buried in Isackes ashes, of whom he knewe the Messiah must come. And indeed if Abraham had not had a sound heart indeed, here had binne fit place for this deceit. The lepers were thus deceiued, when, contrarie to Christes commandement, they diuulged the miracle of their healing. Their reason was to declare Christs glorie, and their owne thankefulnesse. But they should hauehave learned, that as when God commands thinges otherwise forbidden, then they are noe sinnes; as in Abrahams case: so when he forbiddeth thinges otherwise commanded, then they are noe 1. Sam. 14. 24.partes of obedience, whatsoeuer plausible persuasions wee may frame to our selues. Saul also was thus deceiued when for the better ouerthrowing of the Philistimes, he forbad the people to eat any thing til the euening. So Rebecca, when for gaininge the blessing she taught her sonne how to lie. Austen Confess. 1. 16.makes mention of some that iustified the readinge of the immodest, and lasciuious writinges of the heathen Poets vntounto yonge boyes, by the good that comes of it, namely the fining of the tongue, the Hinc verba discuntur. hinc eloquentia &c. Pro. 23. 23.polishing of the speach. That which is good is pretious indeed, and according to Salomons rule, we are to buy it, but yet not to our disaduantage; with the losse only of worse thinges, not of better thinges then that we buie. We must not buy eloquence, and good wordes so dearly; as with the losse of good conscience: we must not redeeme our little finger, with the losse of our eies. For, as excellently Austen, Good wordes are not more easily learned by those filthy writinges: but filthinesse is more confidently practised Non omnino per hanc turpitudinem verba ista commodius discuntur, sed per haec verba turpitudo haec confidentius perpetratur.by reason of those wordes. Whatsoeuer good it is we may thinke to come vntounto by sinning, it is nothing to that hurt wee doe to our owne soules in sinning. It were madnesse to loose a thousande pounde, to gaine an hundreth: much more to loose it for nothing, missing of that hoped for hundreth. So is it here in this deceit. In not sinning: when we are tempted there is an vnspeakeable good: now when wee sin vponupon hope of some great good, first we loose the good of absteining from sinne, of keeping our soules pure from that defilement. This we wittingly loose. Now that great good, we thinke to winne by this losse, is in comparison with this, but as a dramme to a talent. This were bad enough, one would thinke: Yet here is not all. For besides the losse wee purposely put our selues vntounto, we loose also that we hoped to gaine by this losse, both the talent, and the dramme too. As Saul when by his wicked execration, and cruell prohibition of foode to the people thought to hauehave furthered the victorie against the Philistims, indeede he hindered it, as Ionathan obserued. For if the people had not binne out of heart for want of foode, they might far more valiantly hauehave pursued their aduersaries. And so it fareth with vsus, as with the dogge in the fable, that letting fall the flesh that was in his mouth, to catch at the shadowe thereof, lost both that he had, and that he thought to hauehave had, both substance, and shadow too. For indeed that good, which we procure by sinning, is rather a shadowe of good, then any true good. When we doe euill that good may come thereof, though the thing it selfe be good, yet to vsus it is not good. Our sinne in procuring it, hath altered the nature of it. If this were well thought of by some, they would not so deceiue themselues, as they doe, in vsing base shiftes, and indirect, and vnhonest courses, for the inriching of their state, vponupon pretence of doinge good to the Church, whereto they say they shall thus be inhabled. I tell such, that the good which thus they doe to the Church, in them is no good, but turned into sinne. For as in Iob it is said that Iob. 13. 7.we may not lie for God, so neither may wee oppresse, defraude, or do any other euill either for God, or the Church of God. Hee knowes how to prouide for his Church without thee. He will not be honoured, with the price of a dogge, and a whore. He needes not thy vertues, much lesse thy sinnes, either for his owne glory, or his Churches. Deut. 23. 18.Neuer feare, that either of these will fall downe, though they seeme neuer so much to shake, vnlesse thou (as once Vzzah his hand to saue the arke) put vnderunder the proppe of thy sinne. But against this deceit for euer remember that golden rule of the Apostle, Wee may not doe euill, (no not the least) that good (though the greatest) may come thereof.Rom. 3.

The tenth deceit is, when we therefore presume X. Deceit, vrging of our purpose still to continue godly.to go on in our sinnes, because our meaning is, if we may beleeue our heartes, to continue also in the practise of godlinesse, as it were parting stakes betwixt God, and the Diuell. If our hearts should persuade vsus so to inthrall our selues to sinne, as wholie to renounce Gods seruice, and shake off his yoake, this would not so easily bee granted. But now when they beare vsus in hand, that still we shall continue gods seruantes, notwithstanding our seruice performed to sinne, wee quickly apprehend this, and thinke this will bee fine, if wee can both please God, and our own naughtie hearts too. This was Salamons deceit in his first declination, when he began ouer much to hearken to the inchantments of pleasures; that for all his pleasures, hee would still continue his former exercise of piety. But when once he had gon thus farre, to admit of such companions with God, in the seruice of his heart, they could not long indure Gods partnership, nor yet God theirs, and so Salomon at length gaue ouer the seruice of God, and serued idoles. Neuer then let vsus thinke that we can ioyne together thinges so insociable, godlinesse, and wickednesse. It is a hard matter to exercise two seuerall trades: much more two such contrary trades, as these two. Neuer let vsus be so grosse, as to thinke we can reconcile things altogether irreconcileable, God, and Sathan; ye cannot serue two contrarie Masters, God, and Mammon, God, and Bacchus, God, and Venus. The Mammonist flattereth himselfe in his worldlinesse, because hee purposeth still to continue his zeale and forwardnesse in religion. But this is impossible. For how can such a worthy princesse as Grace, indure such rouges for hir bedfellowes, to lodge with hir in our hearts, as are couetousnesse, voluptuousnesse &c. no; grace must hauehave all, or none. If any sinne hauehave but a part, it must hauehave all. Loe then notable craft. If you will let such, and such ghuests in to hauehave some roome, they will not bee any vnquiet neighbours. Grace shall inioie hir roome still. But when once they are got in, Grace is so annoied that shee is faine to depart presently. And so all falles to their share.

The eleuenth deceit is, when wee flesh and confirme XI. Deceit, from humane law on our side.our selues in our sinnes, because of some humane lawes which may seeme to fauour them. Though yet, indeed, they only tolerate them, and not allowe them. Thus the common vsurer deceiueth him selfe, why the law allowes ten in the hundred? yea but the law only stintes, and limites it to ten in the hundreth, and so farre giues way to it, for the preuenting of a greater mischiefe. And this will not be enough to excuse the vsurer in the court of conscience. Thus the Iewes deceiued themselues in the matter of their polygamy, in hauing many wiues and in their diuorces for eueryevery trifle. They thought Moses law had allowed them in these sinnes. Wheras our Sauiour sheweth, Moses onelyonly gaue a toleration, Mat. 19. 18.because of the hardnesse of their harts. So in the matter of maintenance for the ministery, many, though rich and able, yet refuse to giuegive any thing, be cause they hauehave not those things, the tithes whereof the Law requires for this purpose. Yet the Law of God is plaine, let him that is taught make him that teacheth Gal. 6. 6. Numb, 35, 8.him, partaker of all his goods. And againe in the cities which the other tribes must giuegive the Leuites, God wold hauehave this proportiō to be kept; such tribes, as had more cities in their inheritance, should part with more: such as had lesse, with fewer. By the equity of which proportion, those that are richer, are bound to giuegive more to the ministery, then the poorer. And yet, if this colour of humane law wil serue the turne, they may giuegive lesse. For the poorer may hauehave tithes payable by the Law, when the richer hauehave none. But Gods Law requires that, according to our abilitie, whether our estate bee in matters tithable, or not, that matters not with God, wee should maintaine the ministerie.

The twelfth deceit is, when therefore wee flatter our selues in our sinne, and thinke wee may well enough XII. Deceit, from our moderation in sinning.doe it, as long as wee keepe a moderation in sinning, and doe not lash out so farre as doe others. Thus many thinke they need not sticke to ride vponupon the Sabaoth, though for trifling, triuiall causes, so they stay an houre by the way to heare a sermon, & doe not wholly spend it in trauelling, as some doe. Thus many beare themselues out in their hard and vniust dealing with the poore, because they vse not all that cruelty they might, and that others doe; because they onelyonly clip off the wool, and not the liuing flesh: it may bee they take but halfe the forfeiture of a band, it may be they restore halfe of the worth of the pledge, when it is forfeited. So theeues thinke if they leaue some mony in the trauellers purse, and let him scape with his life, which was in their hands, they are so farre from being to bee accused for their stealing, that rather they are to be commended for their mercy, and moderation in stealing. Thus Dauid though hee followed his lust in lying with Bathsheba, 2. Sam. 11. 4.yet he would not lye with her, but being purified, according to the Law. And lying with her so, his deceitfull heart made him thinke hee might the more safely do it. But this deceit is not hard to bee discouered. Doth Dauid indeede make conscience of ceremoniall, and yet none of morall puritie? doth the theefe make conscience of leauing one tweluepence in the trauellers purse, and none of taking many hundreths out of it? So in the remitting of halfe the forfeyture, I aske of thee, whether the same reason that makes thee giuegive one halfe, should not presse thee to giuegive the other also, thou hauing no more right before God to keepe the one part then the other?

The thirteenth deceit is, in wresting the Scripture XIII. Deceit, wresting the Scripture to be for vsus.to make it serue our turne. And if once our deceitfull hearts can finde the least colour for our sinnes there, then runne we away with it, and take libertie to sin boldly. It shall not be amisse to see this in some particulars.

1. For liberty in sinning prophane ones alleadge Eccle. 7. 11. 19. explaned.that of Salomon, Be not iust ouermuch. So a man may be too forward, and precise. And againe, Bee not wicked ouermuch. So then a man may bee wicked moderately.

Ans. The former words are not to be vnderstood of true righteousnesse, as though there could be too much there, but of a deuised righteousnesse of our owne, without the worde of God. Such as is that of the Papists in whipping themselues. Therefore Salomon addes in the same place, Neither bee too wise, Make not thy selfe wiser then God, in prescribing to thy selfe a stricter righteousnesse, then his word imposeth vponupon thee. What then? is this to crye downe the practise of true piety, & mortification commanded in the word? As for the latter words, of not beeing too wicked, they doe not giuegive vsus leaue to bee wicked in any sort, though neuer so little, no more then the Apostle, saying, Let not sinne reigne, doth Rom. 6. 12.thereby giuegive liberty to vsus, that sinne may be tolerated, so it reigne not; or then he doth, when he saies, Let not the sunne go downe vponupon your wrath, thereby giuegive liberty to bee angry till the sunne set. But as there the meaning is, that if it be so that we cannot wholly be free from rash anger (which were to bee wished) yet we should not nourish it, but labor with all speed to quench it: so also heere, that if it bee so we cānot altogether be free from the taint of wickednesse, yet that wee should keepe our selues from lashing out into the excesse thereof, as the common sorte doe, no farther are the wordes to bee stretched.

2. For continuing impenitently in their sins they alleadge that of Salomon, The iust man falleth seauen Prou. 24. 16.times a day, and riseth againe. Which is to be vnderstood of his falling into affliction, and not into sinne. So likewise they vrge that of Ezekiel, At what time soeuer a sinner repents, &c. But they forget that of S. Austen, He which giueth pardon to the repenter, doth not alwaies giuegive repentance to the sinner.

3. For mixt dancing of men and women that of Salomon, There is a time to dance. Answ. Salomon Eccles. 3. 4. expounded.speakes not of such things as we ought to do, or may doe, by the commandement, or permission of God: but of such things, as fall out, and come to passe by the prouidence and decree of God. There is an appointed time, namely in Gods eternal decree, for eueryevery thing, namely that falls out, eueryevery, either crosse, or pleasing accident; for otherwise there is no such time, wherein we are bound to throw away that we hauehave, so as we are to keepe and get it.

4. For vsurie, that in the parable, Why diddest thou not put it foorth to the exchangers, that I might hauehave Math. 25. 27.mine owne vantage. Ans. Grant that this be spoken in allusion to the practise of common and cruell vsurers, yet the Scripture doeth no more allow of the common trade of vsury by borrowing a similitude of them, then of vniustice, in the parable of the theeuish steward, or of theft, in saying, Christ shall come as a theefe in the night, or of the heathens Olympicke Luc, 16. 1. 1 Thess. 5. 2. 1 Cor. 9. 24.games, in comparing the practise of Christianity to those races, or of dancing in that parabolical speech, Wee hauehave piped, and ye hauehave not danced, or of Mat. 11. 17.charmes and incantations, in likening the wicked to the deafe adder, which heareth not the voice of the inchanter.

5. For fornication, that it is indifferent, the words of the councell, Acts 15. ioyning fornication, & consorting it with things indifferent, viz. bloud, & things strangled.

Ans. The reason of that coniunction was the generall account, that those times made of fornication, not the councells owne opinion.

6. For defiling, at the least the outward man with idolatry, Naamans petition, God be merciful vntounto 2 Kings 5. 18. interpreted.me when I come into the house of Rimmon, with the Prophets answer, Goe in peace. Ans. The wordes in the originall, as some learned hauehave obserued, may be reade thus, God be mercifull vntounto mee, for I hauehave gone into the house of Rimmon, so that Naaman, now purposing wholly to cleaue to the true God, craues pardon, for that which hee had done, no leaue, for that he was to doe. The worde is vsed in the same manner in the inscription of two Psalmes together; In the 51. Psalme, A Psalme of Dauid after the Prophet Nathan came to him. For he did not make the Psalme, till after he had beene with him. So in 52. Psalme, A Psalme of Dauid, after that Doeg came, and shewed Saul, &c. And in Psalme 54. After the Ziphims came.

7. For a lawlesse liberty to deale with our owne things as wee list, that in the parable, May I not doe with mine owne as I list. Ans. It is Gods speech, and his peculiar priuiledge, not thine, who hast nothing Math 20. 15.simply thine owne.

8. For temporizing & framing of our selues to all cōpanies, that of the Apostle, VntoUnto the Iewes, I became 1. Cor, 9. 20. opened.as a Iew, &c. An. The Apostle became as a Iew to the Iewes, and as a Gentile to the Gentiles, not in conforming himselfe to any of their impieties: for he nener sacrificed to the Gentile Gods, to make himselfe as one without the Law, to them that were without the Law; but, 1. in the vse of things indifferent. Compassione miscericordiae, non simulatione fallaciae. fit. n. tanquam aeger qui ministrat aegro to, non eumse febres habere mentitur, sed cū animo condolentis, &c. Aug. in epist.2. in a mercifull compassion towards them, tenderly earning in his bowels ouer their soules, not in a crafty counterfeiting of their fashions. Hee becommeth as a sicke man to the sicke, not that feineth himselfe to be sick of the same disease, but that ministreth vntounto him, and, with a bemoning minde, thinketh what he would be glad others should do to him beeing sicke, and does the same to his brother. Diuerse such like wringings of Scripture might bee instanced in. But these are enough to giuegive vsus a say of the deceitfulnesse of our hearts in this kinde.

The last deceit is, the inuenting of inuasions, how to XIV. Deceit, Eluding the Scriptures against vsus.clude such arguments, whether from the Scripture, or from sound reason, as make against our sinne. To shew this in some particulars.

1. When wee plucke and pinch the long haire of ruffians with that pregnant text, It is a shame for a man to weare long haire. Nature it selfe teacheth it; 1. Cor. 11. 14.Answer is made, that it is onelyonly to be vnderstood of such haire, that is as long as womens. But as it is said of the Pharisees, that their Phylacteries were broad, but their expositions of the Law narrow, so it may be said of these men, their haire is long, but their exposition of this Scripture is very short; whiles they restraine the worde, which signifieth to nourish the foreign.haire at large, onelyonly to such a kind of nourishing, as women vse that let it grow downe to their feete. Homer vsing the Apostles word, calls the Graecians nourishers of their haire; who yet I hope did not weare their haire so long as women, that they were faine to bind it vp. Thus in steed of clipping their haire, they clippe the Scripture.

2. The like shift is that which is vsed to decline the stroke of Deut. 22. against stage-plaies, where the Deut. 22, 5.man that putteth on womans apparell is saide to bee an abomination to the Lord. A fearefull thunderbolt. But loe a thicket, which some of Adams sonnes hauehave found to hide themselues from this thundring voice of the Lord; and that is a corrupting glosse, which interprets it of such onelyonly, that weare womens apparell ordinarily, and daily, so as women vse to doe. Yea, but the word is to put on, and it cannot bee denied, but players put it on, when they act womens parts. And the same word is vsed of Dauids putting on Sauls armour, who yet put it off againe presentlie.Iilb…ch. 1. Sam. 17.

3. And lastly, not to exceede in multitude of examples, when the negligence of Pastours is checked with that expresse commandement, feede the flocke, that is, saith the deceitfull heart, either by thy selfe, or by another. And yet Christ biddeth Peter if hee louelove him, and as he loues him; to feede his sheepe. Looke then how thou art to louelove Christ, so thou art to feede his sheepe. If thou thinkest it enough to louelove Christ by a deputy, then maist thou also safelie thinke it enough to feede his sheepe by a deputy.

It might be shewed in many other things besides, how full of subtill and sophisticall witte our harts are in coining of distinctions, and deuising shifts to restraine hatreds as they call them, that is the commandements Odia restringere, fauores ampliare.that make against them. But the question is, whether these distinctions will goe for current, or no, before God. In these cases it is best to take that which is surest, and freest from danger. No danger at all of sinne can there bee in neuer putting on of womans apparell, in wearing our haire in the ordinary shortnes, in feeding the flocke in our owne persons. But the other matters are doubtfull, & questionable. Take heede therefore, least, on thy death bed, thou make this doubt, O what if that were not the meaning of that place, feed the flocke, that is, either by thy selfe, or by thy substitute? How if Christ meant onelyonly feeding by our selues in our owne persons? how then? who seeth not, that when death commeth, then all our quirkes of wit, whereby wee soothed our selues in our sinnes, vanish away as smoake? Venter not then to leane vponupon such broken staues, which will surely faile thee in thy greatest neede.