The Mystery of Self-Deceiving, Chapter 22
CHAP. XXII.
Of eight more deceits in the same kinde.
TO go yet forwards in these deceits; The fifth is, V. Deceit, sliding from the meane to an extreame.when our hearts cause vsus to degenerate from the meane to the extreame, specially that which hath greatest resemblance, with the meane. Wherin our hearts deale with vsus, as the Diuel would hauehave dealt with our Sauiour, when vponupon occasion of his strong faith in his Fathers prouidence, which he had shewed, in resisting his first temptation, chusing rather to liue by this faith in want of bread, then vponupon his motion to commād the stones to be made bread, when, I say, vponupon this occasion, he would hauehave cunningly brought him on in his second temptation, to presumption, in casting himselfe downe headlong from the toppe of the pinacle, as beeing an action, which would carie a great colour of a very strong faith indeede Peter hauing made a notable profession of his faith, Thou art the Christ, the sonne of the liuing God, and beeing therefore much commended by our Sauiour, presently thereupon tooke occasion to fall from the true boldnesse of faith to the sawcines of presumption, in aduising his Master to decline the crosse, whereupon the saluation of all the elect depended. So likewise from iust & lawfull zeale, how easily through this deceitfulnesse, do wee stray into blind boldnes, and vnaduisednesse? as the common people of their owne heads throwing downe images, and the Brownists as they call them, in separating from our Churches; the like was the zeal of Peter in drawing out his sword, in his masters quarrell, and cutting off Malchies eare: as also of two of his fellowes, calling down for fire from heauen, to consume the inhospitall Samaritanes. In all these zeale degenerated, and became like wine turned into vineger. As also in the Israelites, when thy were carried so farre in their zeale and indignation against the Iudg. 21. 1.Beniamites that they sware rashly they would none of them giuegive any of their daughters to wife to a Beniaminite. So should a whole tribe hauehave perished, and the Church and common wealth hauehave beene weakened and impaired. What madnesse was this in punishing others, so farre to exceed that therein also wee should punish our selues? Like the hands and other outward parts in the parable, which denying to minister foode to the bellie, because as they said it was idle and lazie while they laboured, did thereby pine and consume themselues. And yet to this did the deceitfull harts of the Israelites bring them vponupon occasion of their iust and lawfull zeale. So easily may the Diuell cast in his wilde-fire into this fire of Zeale. Thus from the iust reuerence of holy men came in religious adoration; as wee may see in the examples of Cornelius and Iohn rebuked by Peter, and the Angell. So also, from godly sorrow how easily doe our deceitfull hearts carrie vsus to immoderate and excessiue pensiuenesse, from beeing poore in spirit to be desperate in spirit. As the Apostle sheweth, admonishing the Corinthians, that they would comfort the incestuous sinner, and release him of his excommunication, least hee should vponupon occasion of longer continuance in his iust sorrow, be swallowed vp of despaire. For wee are not ignorant, 2. Cor. 2. 11.saies the Apostle, of Sathans wiles, namely how hee laboureth to bring vsus from the iust meane to the excesse. And as it is Sathans, so also is it one of our owne hearts deceits; his deceits, by our consenting being made ours, as I shewed in the beginning. Thus from the true practise of mortification, in taming & keeping vnderunder our flesh by abstinence, many hauehave brought thēselues to too great an austeritie & seuerity. Hence the whippings, and such like exercises of the Papists. Hence the discipline that hath bene vsed in monasteries, and the practise of some, that would neuer eat but running, least they should feele some pleasure, and delight in eating. Timothy was caught in this errour, when vnderunder the colour of abstinence, for the reproouing of the luxurious Ephesians, he had 1. Tim. 5. 23.so farre macerated his body, that the Apostle was faine to prescribe him Phisicke. This may teach vsus what an eye we had neede hauehave ouer our selues, euen in the practise of the best things, because nothing more easie, by reason of the deceitfulnesse of our harts, then to mixe something of the extreames with the meane; so that wee can hardly bee angry without sinning, beleeue without presuming, repent without despairing, fear without doubting, be merry without vaine lightnesse, bee sad without heauy and vnprofitable dumpishnes.
The sixth deceit is, when we incroach vponupon God VI. Deceit, Incroaching in the vse of things lawfull.in those things, wherein hee hath giuen vsus some liberty in his word, going beyond the bounds he hath there set vsus. God hath giuen vsus liberty, yea indeede hath imposed a necessity vponupon vsus to seeke the maintenance of our owne credit and good name, that so we might be the fitter instruments of glorifying him in our seuerall callings, but heereupon, as S. Austen Confess. 10. 36. Itaque nobis qu niam propter quaedam humanae societatis officia necessarium est amari & timeri ab hominibus, instat aduersarius vbi{que} spargeus in laequeis Euge, Euge, vt dū auidè colligimus incautè capiamur, & a veritate tua gaudium nostrum deponamus, & in hominum fallacia ponamus, libeat{que} no… amari, & timeri non propter te, sed pro te.hath well obserued, through the deceitfulnes of our hearts, we are drawne on to desire, and delight in the louelove; the reuerence, the praise of men it selfe, and to like well enough of it to bee loued and reuerenced, not for Gods cause, but euen in Gods stead. But this deceit is specially in the vse of things indifferent, as meat, mirth, marriage, recreation, sleepe, apparell, and such like. Of all which, God indeed hath granted vsus the vse, yet not so, but hee hath confined vsus within certaine limits, and as vntounto the sea, hath set vsus our bounds, saying: Thus farre shalt thou goe, and no farther. Now our deceitfull hearts hauing once gotten this by the ende, that such and such things are indifferent, and so may lawfully be done, thinke they are then on a sure ground, and so care not how farre they lash out; as though there were no restraint in the vse of things indifferent. And thus it is strange to see, how that which is lawfull drawes on that which is not conuenient, yea and what horrible sinnes are swallowed downe vnderunder the name of things indifferent. Come to a swinish Epicure, that makes his belly his God, and tell him of his abuse of Gods creatures: he will answer presently; why straiten you my liberty in the vse of the creatures, which Christ hath purchased for me? Hath not God giuen vsus wine to make glad the heart? Yes to make glad: but drunkennesse and surfeting makes it heauy. Take Luc. 21. 34.heed saith our Sauiour, least your hearts be made heauy with surfeting and drunkennesse. Thus wee see how easily our deceitfull hearts remooue the auncient Prou. 23. 10.bounds set by God, which to do, but with men, is a deceit not to be suffered. And so it steales on further till at length it bring vsus from Christian liberty, to a most vnchristian libertinisme, and luxurious licentiousnesse. Behold then heere a noble deceit, while men thinke they take and vse their liberty, indeede they loose it. For in the vse of these things, wherein God hath made them free men, they make themselues bondmen, beeing brought vnderunder the power of those things which they vse, as the Apostle elegantly speaketh. For they so inthrall themselues to the lust of their senses, and of their bellies, that though their owne, and others destruction be sometimes ioyned with the vse of some of these things, they cannot yet forbeare. Which seemed to bee the fault of some of the Corinthians, couering their intemperancy, and louelove of their bellies, whereby they hazarded some of their brethrens soules, with the pretence of Christian liberty. So much the Apostle not obscurely intimates, when vntounto that deceitfull obiection, All things are lawfull, he frameth this answere, But I 1. Cor. 6. 12.will not be brought vnderunder the power of any thing. I will not make my selfe a slaue to my bellie, whose Lorde I should bee. So also God hath giuen vsus liberty to deale in the world, and worldly occasions. But here, an inch beeing giuen, wee take an ell, rushing our selues ouer head and eares in them, to the preiudice of faith in Gods prouidence, and of the exercises of piety. So God hath giuen this liberty to his ministers, to take of their flockes sufficient maintenance. He that attends vponupon the altar, may liue of the altar. In epist. Conceditur tibi vt de altari viuas, non vt de altari luxuricrisBut Bernard obserued it in some of his time, that thence tooke occasion to riot, and rufflle it out vponupon the altar, though yet the Scripture saith not the minister may luxuriously lauish it, but onelyonly liue of the altar. The Scripture also permits feasting and merry-making. But how easily heere doe wee ouershoote our selues? not onelyonly the common sorte in their quaffings, carousings, health, and scurrillous mirth, but euen the better sort also exceeding the bounds of moderation. Austen confesseth his errour Confes. 10. 31. Crapula nonnū. quam subrepit seruo tuo.heere. Lord, saith he, drunkennesse is farre from mee; let it not once come neere me: As for gluttony, it steales somtimes vponupon thy seruant. I pray thee remooue it farre from me. But who is there that sometimes is not carried away beyond the measure of temperancy? Thus parents, because of the lawfulnesse of naturall affections, fall to cockering of their children. In all these & such like cases, we must be as ielous of our selues, as Iob was of his children in feasting. For heere the deceit is so much the more easie, by how much our suspition of it is the lesse, presuming vponupon the law fulnesse. But we must oppose to this deceit that of the Apostle, All things are lawfull, but all things are not expedient. Circumstances of time, place, persons must bee considered. Otherwise that saying is true. He that will doe all lawfull things, all that hee Clem.may, will quickly come to doe vnlawfull things, something that he may not.
The seuenth deceit is, when vponupon some care of doing VII Deceit, Iusteling out a greater good by a lesse.a lesser good, we iustle out the greater, and that oftentimes when it is most seasonable. Martha was thus deceiued, when her care of performing one good dutie, in giuing the best, and most respectfull intertainement to Christ, shee could, deteined her from the hearing of the worde, a matter of far greater moment. Thus many, that read not all the week long, knowing yet that reading is a dutie commanded by God, will therefore bee reading of the Scriptures in the sermon time, at the Church. Some also are at home in their priuate prayers, and meditations, when the Church is assembled together, & with priuate seruice exclude the publique. Others in hearing of the worde, while they minde the method, and order of the preacher, & matters of knowledge, they neglect that which concernes affection. And diuers such like. Heere remember, that howsoeuer in euill things, that rule be false, of euils choose the least, yet in good things the contrary is true, Of goods choose the greatest.
The eigth deceit is, when hauing performed some VIII. Deceit, After successe good to grow secure.good seruice to God, we thereupon take occasion to be the more carelesse and secure. Like boyes, who after they hauehave followed their bookes hard in the schoole, thinke then they are priuiledged to sport & play reakes. So is it with vsus. Wee may easily feele this disposition in our selues, to bee ready to please our selues in vnlawfull liberties, when we hauehave pleased the Lord in lawfull duties. We may see it in Ionah, after his embassage faithfully discharged to the Niniuites, breaking foorth into anger against the Lord: and in Ezekiah, after his notable seruice, both of prayer in sicknesse, and of thanksgiuing after deliuerance, fowly ouershooting himselfe in a vaine ostentation of his treasures to the Babilonish Embassadour. Therefore, after a lightning take heed of a foyle. Neuer hauehave wee greater cause to tremble, then after wee hauehave well acquitted our selues in the performāce of some good duty. Thē wil our harts be seeking of vnlawful liberty, & offring to steale away from God, that after their paines in his seruice they might refresh themselues with some pleasure of sin.
The ninth deceit is, when the flesh doth peruersly imitate the spirit in vsus; when, as the Diuell transformeth IX. Deceit, The fleshes peruerse imitation of the spirit.himselfe into an Angell of light, so our fleshly and corrupt hearts into the similitude of spirituall, & renewed. How is this? Specially in the raising vp of many good, and holy motions, meditations, desires, and affections in our minds. For example, otherwile in prayer, or in hearing of the word, there come into our minds, such, and such thoughts, and good purposes of doing this or that good worke; sometimes also many good affections, as of greefe for our sins, and such like, which yet are nothing to our present, either praying or hearing. Heere our deceitful harts will be ready to thinke these come from the spirit of grace; but the trueth is they come from our owne carnall hearts, and the Diuell together, both mutually conspiring to deceiue vsus. For the spirit of God hath no such office to draw away mens minds from hearing the worde. No, it openeth the hart, it boareth through the eares thereof, and maketh vsus to attend. So the spirit of God hath nosuch office: neither as to trouble mens minds in praier with thoughts impertinent. No, the spirit is the spirit of prayer, and chaseth away all stragling thoughts, and keepeth our mindes steddy, and attentiue in prayer. Therefore assure thy selfe, heere is noble iugling. These thoughts suggested, though in themselues Diuine, yet the spirit that suggests them in this fashion, is not diuine, but fleshly, or diabolicall.
The tenth deceit is, when in temptation our hearts betray vsus, like Iudases, into the diuell hands. If one X Deceit, trechery in temptation.liuing familiarly with vsus, so that wee reposed some trust in him, should yet, walking abroad with vsus, and seeing some enemy come to offer violence, run away from vsus, would wee not account him a deceitfull person? much more if hee should conspire with the enemy, and take his part against vsus. So is it heere with our hearts, that lye continually in our bosomes, and pretend great kindnesse, and friendship, no sooner yet can the Diuell set vponupon vsus with any temptation, but they forsake vsus, yea they deliuer vsus vp into his hands. Heerein dealing with vsus as the false hearted men of Keilah would hauehave done with Dauid. As Dauid mistrusted them, so should we these hearts. Wee need not to aske the question, as Dauid did of the men of Keilah, Will they deliuer vsus? 1. Sam. 23. 11.Wee may assure our selues they will. Such is the depth of their falshood. Iudah when he went out in the morning to the sheepe-shearing, had no such purpose, as to commit incest with Thamar, but yet for all that being tempted, see how his owne heart deceiued him, and gaue him the slippe, yea thrust him into the hands of the temptation. And alas! who sees not this falsenesse of his owne heart, yea euen then when wee goe forth into the world with a purpose against such and such sinnes? yet no sooner are the least rising and tempting occasions offered to our eies, eares, or other senses, but wee are caught presently.
The eleuenth deceit is, by holding vsus occupied in thinking of some good thing to come, to make vsus XI. Deceit, by minding future good to neglect present. 1. Sam. 10. 7.neglect our present dutie. Heere we should remember that saying of Samuel to Saul, When this shall come to passe, namely thy kingdome, doe that which comes next hand. It is a folly to leaue certainties for vncertainties. Thou hast certainty of that which is present. If thou wilt lay holde vponupon the present occasion thou maist. But as for that which is to come, thou art wholly vncertaine, thou knowest not whether there will euer be any occasion of good for thee to lay holde of, or no. Heerein mee thinkes the deceit of our heart is like the practise of Tobiah, & Sanballat against Nehemie, who would hauehave drawen him away from the repairing of the citie by calling him to conference, and consultation with themselues; Neh. 6. 2. 7.so our harts do often diuert vsus from the prosecution of many good purposes, by casting other odde impertinent matters in our way, like as in a case farre vnlike the Philistimes diuerted Soul from the pursuit of Dauid, or as the foxe diuerts the huntsman sometimes from following the hare. But in this case we must be wise to answer our hearts, as Nehemiah Vers. 3.did his crafty aduersaries, I hauehave a great worke to doe, and I cannot come downe, why should the worke cease, while I leaue it, and come to you?
The twelfth deceit is, when admittance being gotten XII. Deceit, Perking of the handmaid aboue the mistresse.for somthing, because of some other thing wheron it should wait, as a handmaide on her mistresse, yet this handmaid beginneth to perke aboue her mistresse, and to incroach and vsurpe vponupon the chiefest place. Austen shewes this deceit in himselfe in his sensuall delighting in singing of Psalms, in regard of the sweetnesse of the sound, and contentment of his eares therein. Of which he thus writeth. But oftentimes the delight of my eare deceiueth mee, whiles Confess. 10. 34. Sed delectatio carnis mea saepè me fallit, dum rationem sensus non ita comitatur, vt patienter posterior sit, sed tantum quia propter illam meruit admitti, etiam precurrere ac ducere conatur. Ita in his non sentiens, &c.sense does not so follow reason, that it can patiently indure to come behind it, but hauing gotten to bee receiued onelyonly because of it, would therefore go before and hauehave the chiefty. So I sin in these things not perceiuing it: but afterward, I perceiue it. The naturall delight in singing of Psalms is lawfull if it be subordinate, and subseruient to the spirituall delight in the matter it selfe. But heere was Austens deceit, that the naturall delight, in the sound, did ouertop the spiritual delight in the substance of the Psalme. So it is lawfull to delight in the witty speeches that are in sermons, so we vse this our delight in the witte, to confirme our delight in the grace of the same speeches. But heere is the deceitfulnesse of our hearts, that our affection to the witte is farre more intense then to the grace, and that in affecting the witte of a sermon, we feele our affection to the grace somthing slaked and cooled. This is as if one who is welcome to a place, only because he is in my company, and comes as my shadow, should yet, after he were receiued into the house for my sake, cause my friend to thrust mee out of the doores, that he may hauehave all the welcome, & kinde intertainment alone.