The Mystery of Self-Deceiving, Chapter 13

The Mystery of Self-Deceiving · Chapter 13

p. 138CHAP. XIII.

Of the deceit of the heart in translating the sinne from our selues vponupon some other cause.

THE fourth deceitfull tricke in cleering our selues, when guilty, is that of Translation, when by laying the fault vponupon some other cause, we would altogether disburden our selues thereof. Wherein the heart of man is so subtle, that if it can finde out any other thing or person, that in the least sort may seeme to be but rhe least peece of an occasion, that shall bee sufficient to free it selfe of all manner of blame. Harpasle a blind woman in Seneca, would not Epist. 50. Nescit se caecam, subinde roga… paedagogum, vt migret. Ait domum tenebrosá esse.yet be perswaded that she was blind, but found fault with the house wherin she was, as being ouer-darke: so fareth it with vsus in our spirituall blindnesse, and other such like defects, hard is it if wee finde not out p. 139somthing, that must ease vsus of all the burden of the blame.

As first of all, how vsuall is that translation vponupon the flesh. O say the prophane, as of olde in Austens time, so still when charged with their wickednesse; not we, but the flesh, We of our selues hauehave good 1. VponUpon the flesh. Multi concupiscentijs carnalibus victi committunt quae{que} facinora, et immundicijs tam pessimis volutantur, quas turpe est etiam dicere, et dicunt sibi ista verba Apostoli, non ego &c. Aug. Phil. 3.Phil 3wils to doe otherwise, we like, and approue of the best things, but the flesh ouermasters vsus, that as a violent streame carries vsus awaie. And therefore wee trust we may say with Paul, It is no more we that do it, but sinne that dwelleth in vsus: but this is a grosse deceit.

For first they should consider who Paul was that vsed these words, and of what sinnes, not open and grosse, from which euen his Pharisaisme was free, but of inward infirmities, whereby he felt the perfection of his good workes to bee hindered. How shamefull then is it to bring that in defence of open scandalls, which is spoken concerning priuie and secret infirmities?

Againe none can say concerning their sins, that they are not theirs, but the fleshes, saue they, who besides the flesh hauehave the spirit incountring the flesh. But in these kind of men, in whose mouths this excuse is so ordinarie, there is no strife at all betwixt the spirit and the flesh. For they are nothing but flesh, neither is there any thing in them but corruption. Therfore it is an idle speech for them to say, not wee but the flesh, that is, not wee, but we. For what else are they but flesh, in vnderstanding, memorie, will, affections, soule, and bodie, &c? But yet when they are to commit some sin, they feel some resistance. True: p. 140but this resistance is not from the mind renewed, and The differēce of the combat in the vnregenerate from that which is in the regenerate. Rom, 7. 22.so consenting vntounto, and delighting in the Law, as holy and good, as in Paul; but from the minde onelyonly inlightened, to see the fearefull punishments, that shal follow vponupon the sin. And hence it is that the combat in the regenerate is in the same faculties of the soule, betwixt the will and the will, the affections and affections; because as eueryevery part of their soule is partly carnall, partly spirituall, so also the will & affections. Whence it comes to passe, that when the renewed part, of the will carries vsus to good, the vnregenerate part, that is the flesh, swaies vsus to euill. But the combat in the vnregenerate, is betwixt diuers faculties of the soule; as betwixt the vnderstanding and the will, betwixt the conscience and the affections: The will and affections of an vngodly man doe not holde backe, or make any resistance, when hee is tempted to sinne: for they are wholly carnall, and hauehave not either the least hatred of the sinne forbidden, or louelove of the Law forbidding it, and therefore they are set a gogge, and drinke in iniquitie, Iob, 15, 16.as the fish doth water: but onelyonly his conscience, inlightned by God to see the terror of the punishment, causeth a demurre to bee made. Herod in his incest may feele inwardly some obiections alleaged against it, but yet he loues his incest with al his hart and in like manner hates the seuenth commaundement forbidding it, and wishes with all his heart there were no such commandement. Those obiections therfore are made not by his will delighting in the Law, and so saying; How can I do this and sinne against God? but by the minde terrified with the p. 141threatenings of the Law. The voice of Dauids conflict with himselfe in his adulterie was this, I consent to the Law, that it is most holy and iust in forbidding adulterie, Sed illud [bonū] placebat et vinceb. t… hoc [malum] lib…bat et vinciebat. Aug. confess. l. 8. c. 5.and therefore I cannot wholly giuegive my assent to this adulterie. The voice of Herods strife in his incest is this, I consent to the Law that it is true in threatening incest with the curse of God, and feele terror in the apprehension of it. So that the opposition which the regenerate make against sinne, is from the apprehension of the goodnesse of the commandement: the opposition of the vnregenerate, from the apprehension of the truth of the threatening: the former from louelove, the latter from feare.

Now though this bee sufficient to discouer this deceit to those that will deale faithfully with themselues, in the examination of their owne hearts: yet, for the further stopping of the mouth of iniquitie, that excellent speech of the Apostle is to be remembred, The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against Gal, 5, 17.the flesh, and these are contrary one to the other, so that ye cannot doe the same things that ye would. Where the flesh is resisted by the spirit, it neuer wholly preuailes, but in spite of it teeth is broken of her will, it cannot doe that it would, but in these men the flesh doeth whatsoeuer it would; the action of sinne is as ready as the temptation; they liue, they lye, they wallow, and tumble themselues in their sinnes; they make a daily trade of their vncleannesse, prophanenesse, worldlinesse: shall any man now perswade mee that the spirit is in them, struggling with the flesh? Certainely if there were but the least dramme of the spirit to resist, the flesh p. 142should not sinne thus freely, without interruption: it should not alwaies hold the reines, and sit at the helme. I beate my body, that is, I molest and vexe the 1. Cor, 9. 27. cleered.flesh, the olde Adam, that is in me, and marke what followes, I bring it in subiection. Where then the flesh alwaies flourisheth and triumpheth, and is neuer brought vnderunder, there neuer is any true resistance, there is no spirit, the aduersarie that should trouble it.

Obiect. But it will be said, did not Dauid in his adulterie do that which his fleshly will would? Ans. No; not whollie, not fullie. For first of all, by reason of the resistance of the spirit, hee could not take that fulnesse of pleasure, which a venereous Epicure would. Further, the flesh would hauehave had him slept securely, and gone on stoutly still in that sin, and to hauehave done as much to others, as to Bathsheba, but because of the contradiction of the spirit gainesaying the flesh, he could not so blesse his soule in his sinne, hee could not lye tumbling in his mire, but was forced to rise vp, and wash himselfe in the waters of repentance. And wilt thou, that after thy sitting downe to sinne, neuer risest againe, Exod, 32. 6. Caro concupiscit aduersus spiritum, si non cōcupiscet et spiritus contra carnē fac adulterium. Si autem spiritus concupiscit aduersus carnē, luctam video, victum non video. In euang. sin Ioh. ser. 43.vnlesse it bee as those Israelites, that sate downe to eat and drinke, and rose vp to play, that is to the doing of some worse matter, wilt thou plead the combat of the flesh, and the spirit? Excellently S^t. Austin. The flesh lusteth against the spirit. If the spirit doe not also lust against the flesh, then commit adultery: For what should hinder? But if the spirit lust against the flesh, then I may see thee indeed shrewdly assaulted, wholly vanquished I cannot.

p. 143Well then the vnregenerate cannot excuse their sinnes by the flesh, because the flesh, and they being al one, in accusing the flesh, they accuse themselues. What then? may the regenerate? Neither: for wheras the flesh in them is onelyonly a slaue and captiue, deadly wounded by God, at first conuersion, and daily awed by the contrariety of the spirit, that they yet should be foyled by the flesh, that the flesh should so farre preuaile with them, as to bring forth the fruits of disobedience, this seemeth rather to adde, then any whit to diminish of their sin: for as for the wicked, they are nothing but flesh, they hauehave no aduersarie to the flesh in themselues, that might buckle with it: but the godly they hauehave the spirit, which of it selfe as Christ saies, is prompt and ready, but that wee by Math. 26.Matt 26our sloth and negligence disable it. Therefore the Scripture vponupon these grounds exhorts the godly to good duties, because of the regeneration of their nature, whereby they are in some measure inabled to subdue their corruption, and so to performe obedience; as S. Iames, hauing made mention of our new birth: Of his owne will begat he vsus, by the word of Iam. 1. 18. 19.Jas 1:18Jas 1:19truth, thereupon inferreth, Wherefore let eueryevery man be swift to heare, slow to speake, &c. And S. Peter, hauing exhorted to louelove one another, with a pure heart 1. Pet. 1, 22, 231 Pet 1:221 Pet 1:23feruently, annexeth this reason, Being borne a new, not of mortall seed, but immortall &c. Now it is shameful for a man, that hath strength, & is furnished with weapons, to suffer the theefe to take his purse from him: so is it for the regenerate man, whom God in his regeneration hath indued with spirituall life, and strength, whereby he might be able to striue against p. 144and make his part good with the flesh, to suffer it to robbe him of any spirituall grace. Specially when as the flesh in them is as an vnderling, crushed & trod vnderunder their feete. What a shame is this for a man to be ouercome by his base vassall, who was once alredy before ouercome by himselfe. This therefore is matter of humiliation, and deeper aggrauation of our sinnes, that God hauing disarmed the flesh, and subiected it to vsus, yet we by our fauouring of it, as the Israelites the Canaanites, hauehave nourished a snake in our owne bosomes, and hauehave suffered it to grow to that head, that it should bee ready to ouertop vsus. Therfore the Apostle doth not extenuate but aggrauate, the factions of the Corinthians, by this, that these things came from the flesh in them, and were fruites of their carnalitie. Therefore hee saies by way of vpbraiding, yee are yet carnall. Mans deceitfull heart 1 Cor, 3. 3.would hauehave holpen the matter with this, Alasse! though we be regenerate, yet wee are still also carnall in part: and the flesh will bee working. But the holy Ghost retorts it thus: as you are naturally carnall, so by your new birth, yee now are become spirituall: what a shame then is this for you, that the spirit performes his office no better in quelling the flesh, that the flesh is still so lusty and liuely in you, that one would thinke you were wholly carnall and not spirituall at all, that after so long a time of your regeneration, you are yet so carnall, the flesh still carries so strong a hand ouer you. This shifting then of the fault to the flesh, is idle, whether in the wicked, or in the Godly.

The second translation of sinne is vponupon the times, p. 1452. VponUpon the times.and places, where we liue, and the wickednes of men with whom we conuerse. Because the times generally are so corrupt and euill, therefore we thinke if we be corrupt in them, the fault is not ours, but the times. S. Pauls argument is cleane contrary, Redeeming the time▪ because the daies be euill. The badnesse Ephes, 5, 16.of the times did not serue with S. Paul for a cloake to excuse our conformitie to the times, in wasting our time wickedly, as others doe; but as a spurre to excite vsus to bee so much the more carefull of our selues, not to be swaied with the common streame, in the idle and prodigall expense of our time, but to rescue it out of the hands of sinfull vanities, and to spend it wholly for the good of our owne souls. And good reason hauehave we to make this vse of the corruption of the times; for, if the aire be generally infectious, had we not need to be so much the more strict in our diet, and carefull in the vse of wholesome preseruatiues? Surely the worse the times are, the neerer grow they to their ende, and therefore so much the more apprehensiue ought we to be of the occasions of good, bycause the daie, in which onelyonly wee can worke, is declining apace, and that fearfull night approacheth wherein none can worke.

But yet, for all this, it is no lesse vsuall for men to vse this excuse in defence of their owne enormities Non ego sum ambitiosus: sed nemo R…mae aliter viuere potest. non ego sūptuos. sed vrbs ipsa magnas impensas exigit. Non est meum vitium, &c.now, then it hath beene heeretofore. Seneca sheweth how in his time many would be ready to pleade thus for themselues, I am not ambitious: but no man can liue otherwise in Rome. I am not prodigally sumptuous; but the city will put a man to great charges. It is not my fault that as yet I am not entred into a setled course of p. 146life. It is my youth and hot bloud that doth this. But Quid nos decipimus? non est extrinsecus hoc malum, intra not est, in visceribus ipsis haeret.as he excellently addeth, Why do we deceiue our selues? This euill is not from without, from any extrinsecall cause, it is within vsus; it stickes in our very bowels. If we liued elsewhere, in other places, and companies, vnlesse our hearts within were changed, we should stil bee the same men. For, that it is not in the place, that we are thus and thus peruerted, will appeare euidently, if we cast our eies vponupon others, that hauehave liued in as euill times and places, and yet like fishes, reteining their sweetnesse in the salt sea, like Salamanders, vnscorched in the fire. It matters not so much how great the fire bee which lighteth vponupon a Igni. non refert quam magnus, sed quò incidat: nam etiā maximum solida non receperūt; rursus arida, et corripi facilia scintillam quoque fouent vsus{que} ad incendium. Sen. ep. 18place, as of what quality the thing is, whereon it lighteth: for euen a great deale of fire falling vponupon hard and solide substances would not once kindle, and a little sparkle in drie chippie combustible matter hath quickly burnt vp all. So it skils not so much what the place bee, as what the mind. Mindes well disposed, and carefully watching ouer themselues hauehave continued in the corruptest places without spot, as Ioseph, Nehemiah, Daniel, Obadiah in the courts of Pharaoh, Artaxerxes, Nebuchadnezer, Ahab; and S. Paul maketh mention of Saints in Neroes court, that monster of nature. Contrarily, the mind Philip. 4. 22.Phil 4:22being secure, or otherwise ill disposed, the best places hauehave beene no priuiledges against sinne. Witnesse Adam, that sinned in Paradise, the Deuill, that fell in Heauen, in Gods own court. Lo falling in Gods court, and standing in Neroes. Lot continued chast in Lot in peruersa ciuitate iustus in monto peccauit.filthie Sodome, and yet fell grieuously in the solitary & retired mountaine: vniustly then are places charged.

p. 147As vniustly, in the 3. place, are our callings, & the 3. VponUpon our callings.imployment, of them; which, say many, are such, that they must needs neglect the kingdom of God in praier, reading, meditation, sanctificatiō of the Saboths; which if to doe be sin, not they but their callings must be called into question. But we must know that no calling is a calling away frō God, no vocation is an auocation Mar. 2. 27.Mark 2:27from godlines: but as our Sauior speakes of the Sabaoth, so also may it be said of our callings, Man was not made for callings, but callings for man, that is, for his good, not for his hurt or hinderance of his soul. Certaine therfore it is that this is but a deceitful excuse: for Dauid, & Daniel takē vp with the many, & waighty affairs of ciuil gouernment (alas, what are thy occasions to theirs) they yet could find leysure to pray thrise a day. And tel me, thou, who thus pleadest the troublesom distractiōs of thy calling, do they so possesse thee, that thou canst neither sleepe, nor eat and drinke? for all thy businesses, I dare say, thou dost not wholy depriue thy selfe of these necessary comforts. And art thou yet to learn, that these are not so necessary for the body, but the exercises of Gods seruice are as necessary eueryevery way for the soul? Remēber the examples of the woman of Samaria, leauing her pitcher Iohn. 4. 28. Luc. 2. 15.John 4:28Luke 2:15at the well, and of the shepherds, leauing their flocks for the busines of Christ; & learn by them that our particular callings must giuegive place to the generall calling of Christianity. And good reasō. One kindnes deserues another. Our general calling of Christianity is not so vniust, as to seize ordinarily vponupon al the time of our particular callings: therefore Christ will rather Mat. 14. 23. Luc. 6. 12.Matt 14:23Luke 6:12rob his eies of sleepe, & pray all night, then, by praying p. 148al the day time, rob his personall calling of it due time: Why then should our particular callings be so vnkind as to encroach vponupon our generall calling, and to take from it that little time of the morning & euening, not content with her owne so large allowance: like the rich man in Nathans parable, that stole from the poore man his one onelyonly sheepe, hauing many of his owne. It had beene more tolerable for the poore man, to hauehave taken one of the rich mans. And of the two it is more allowable for the generall calling, to make bold with the time of our personal, then contrarily: both because our general calling hath not the tithe of that time which the personall hath, as also, because the workes of this calling are farre more worthy and excellent, as those which directly and immediately respect God himselfe. And yet thou wouldest not allow this for a iust excuse in him, that all the sixe daies hath neglected his particular calling, that he did attend, all that while, praier, reading, meditation. How then should thine owne neglect of Gods seruice vponupon the Sabaoth, and the mornings and euenings of other daies bee excused, thinkest thou by the following of thy worldly occasions? for as vnderunder pretence of praier and meditation wee may not become Monks, and wholly giuegive ouer our occasions in the worlde: so neither, vnderunder pretence of our worldly occasions, may we become prophane worldlings, and whollie forsake the worship of God.

Others blame the condition of their life, O say they 4. VponUpon condition of life.wee are poore men, that hauehave nothing to liue by, saue these hands. Can we needy handicrafts men, p. 149or poore labourers be diuines? Yea so much the rather, foreign; Chrysost. hom. 22. ad pop. Ant.saies Chrysostome, may you practise true diuinitie. When wrath, enuy, and other such like corruptions should be curbed, doth pouerty then let thee? or are riches able to master, and mortifie such affections? Doth pouerty hinder thee from being humble, sober, temperate, watchfull in praier? or is it not rather a great furtherance to thee in all these? Doth not pouerty serue to tame, and meeken thee, to take downe thy pride, to pricke thee to prayer? Or what vertue is there that needeth money for the practice thereof? Thou wilt say liberality: yea but euen this vertue also, saith that Father, hath shined more brightly by reason of pouerty. The poore widdows two mites were a better alms, then all the rest of the richer sort. See then how thou slanderest thy pouerty, the mistresse of so many vertues. Remember S. Paul a poore tent-maker, and yet no lesse holy in Acts, 18, 3.his shop among his tents, then in his studie among his bookes and parchments; and by his example learne how thy shop may bee vsed euen as an oratorie, or 2. Tim. 4. 13. foreign. Philip. 3. 20.2 Tim 4:13Phil 3:20place of greatest deuotion. Neuer tell me thy handy labours abstract thy minde from heauenly meditations. Paul a tent-maker, working with his hands, could yet say, Our conuersation is in heauen. Neuer complaine of the pinches of pouerty, that they lay thee open to the Deuils temptations. Who euer richer them Adam in Paradise? Who euer poorer then Iob on the dunghill? yet in Paradise, Sathan foyled Adam: in the dunghill, Iob foyled Sathan.

Well, if the fault bee onelyonly in pouerty, and not in thine owne corruption, then giuegive thee a more liberall p. 150portion of these outward thinges, and we shall see thee mend presently. And so happily thou persuadest thy selfe. But how deceitfully, the miserable experience of others may teach thee, who, of poore becomming rich, hauehave, withall, of naught become worse.

In the fift place ye shall heare some transferring 5. VponUpon outward occasions.the fault vponupon the outward occasions, whereby they were entised to sinne; not considering that the outward obiects themselues are dumbe, and say foreign. Arist. eth. 3. Iob. 31.Job 31nothing, and that it is only their owne corruption that entiseth them. For they that hauehave made a couenant with their eies, as did Iob, they can looke vponupon the wine, when it sprinkleth in the glasse, and not inordinately long to drinke, they can behold faire, and beautifull women, and yet not intemperately lust after them. They, that hauehave put the knife of mortification to their throates, can sit at a rulers table swimming with all manner of dainties, and yet not exceede the boundes of sobriety. What? must the table be accused? no, thine owne appetite, thrust (saith Salomon) thy knife, not into the table, but into thine Pro. 23. 2.Prov 23:2owne throate. So, must women be taken away? noe, Math. 18. 9.Matt 18:9but thine owne eye, that is the corruption in thine eie, saith our Sauiour. This causeth thee to offend. Chrysostome hauing said, the beauty of a woman is a Ad pop. Ant. hom. 15.great snare, presently corrects himselfe, nay rather, saith he, not a womans beauty, but a mans lusting looke. Let vsus not accuse the thinges, but our selues, let vsus not say, let there be no women, but let there not be adulterie, and fornication; neither let vsus say, let there not be a belly, but, let there not be gluttonie; &c.

p. 151Sixtly, Many there are that father their sinnes vponupon the Diuell. It may be indeed the Diuell was 6. VponUpon the Diuell.the father begetting: but, for all that, their owne naughtie heartes might well enough bee the mothers conceiuing, and bringing them foorth. And what could that father hauehave done without this mother? The Deuill cannot preuaile against vsus, but by the helpe of our owne corruption. Hee might strike fire long enough, ere there would be any burning, did not we finde him tinder. Therefore S. Iames saies, eueryevery man, when he is tempted, is entised, and Iames. 1. 14.Jas 1:14drawen away by his owne concupiscense, though yet the Deuill hauehave a hand, and that no small one, in tempting of vsus. Yet because he doth only allure vsus, and laie baites for vsus, but not constraine vsus, he hath only a persuading sleight, not an inforcing might, he cannot Astu…iam suadendi, non potentiam cogendi habet. August. in Psal. 91.Ps 91make vsus sinne against our wils, because our owne concupiscense carieth the chiefest stroke; therefore he so speaketh, EueryEvery man is tempted, not by the Diuell, but by his owne concupiscense. And therefore, howsoeuer the same Sathan, that tempted Dauid to Si Satanas loqueretur & taceret Deus haberes vnde te …x…usares. Modo aures t…ae positae sunt inter monentē D…ū, & sugg…r…n…em Satanam, quare huc fl…ctuntur, hinc aue…ūtur. non cessat Satanas suad remalum: sed nec cessat Deus admonere bonū.number the people, had his finger also, in all likelihood, in that matter of Vriah, yet Dauid accuseth, not Sathan, but his owne corruption, In sinne was I conceiued. But let vsus heare what S. Austen saith to such, as thus excuse themselues. If Sathan, saith he, only spake, and God held his peace, then mightest thou hauehave some matter of excuse. But now thine eares are set in the midst betwixt gods admonitions on the one side, and Sathans suggestions on the other side, why doe they incline themselues, to these, and turne away from those. Sathan ceaseth p. 152not to persuade that which is euil: but neither doth Si aliquid persuadente Satana m…li fe…e…i…, dimi…te S…ta…am, accusa…e, vt accusatione tua Dei ve… iam … r…are. …xp… …is illum acc…sar… q… non habet v…niam? te accusa, & accipis indulgen iā. 7 VponUpon Constellations. In Psal. 31. & 140. Mathematicus …ibi fab…las laqueoris tuorum vendit, vt non vel gratuitā compares mortem. Emis enim mortem à mathema…ico pretio, q…i cont…m…sis…i vitam à Xro. gratis. Mars ergo homicida non tu: & Venus adultera, non tu: vide ne pro Marte & Venere tu damneris. Nonne arripi… verberat & da disciplinam in dom… sua. Respondeat illi Vxor si potest, Venerem caede. 8 VponUpon God Iames. 3. 13.Ps 31Jas 3:13God cease to aduise vsus that which is good. If by the persuasion of Sathan thou hast done any euill, let Sathan goe, accuse thy selfe, that thou maist by this accusing of thy selfe obtaine Gods pardon. Desirest thou to accuse him that can hauehave noe pardon? Accuse thy selfe, & thou shalt forthwith be pardoned.

Seuenthly, Others there are that flee vp into the heauen, and there flie vponupon the starres, and constellations. Such, Austen complained of, that, giuing eare to the deceites of the Astrologians, bought death of them with their money, deerely, meane time contemning life, offered them by Christ, freely. The vsuall plea of these men was, in their adulteries, to accuse Venus, in their murthers, Mars. Belike then, saith Austen, very sweetely scoffing at them, Venus is the adulteresse, not thou, Mars the murtherer, not thou. But take thou heede least thou thy selfe be damned in stead of Mars, and Venus. If the Astrologian himselfe should take his owne wife in wanton behauiour with other m…n, will he not discipline her, and correct her for it? let her then see, if shee can tell him, that Venus is to be beaten, and not she.

Eightly, Others yet, being more audacious, ascend higher, and goe beyond the starres euen to God himselfe, to charge him with their sinnes. Thus did Adam, when he said in defence of his owne eating, the woman thou gauest me, she gaue me it, closely taxing God himselfe, as if he should hauehave said, vnlesse thou hadst giuen me this companion, I had not eaten. Saint Iames seemes to aime at these, when he saith, let no man when he is tempted say he is tempted p. 153of God. God, that hateth, forbiddeth, threatneth, punisheth sinne, can he possibly tempt vntounto sinne? yea, but thou saiest he decreed my sinne, for nothing comes to passe, without his will. The second causes moue not, vnlesse they bee mooued by the first. I answer, The first cause is not the cause of the errour that is in the motion of the second, though it be the cause of the motion. As in the wheeles of a clocke, the principall wheele, with it's motion, turnes about the lower, yet if there be any error in the motion of the lower, it is no cause at all therof. Now sinne is not properly any motion, but an errour in the motion of thy heart. Gods will being the first cause, is the cause of thy hearts motion, for Acts 17.Acts 17in him we liue, mooue, and hauehave our being, but if there be any sinne, any errour in the motion, thine owne will is the cause thereof. For all that God hath to doe about it, is his voluntarie permission, whereby he, withdrawing his grace from thee, leaueth thee to thy selfe, as not beeing bounde vntounto thee. He doth not vrge thee, or presse thee vntounto sinne. He doth not infuse, or instill into thy minde any wicked motions, as doth Sathan. He only setteth the baite, or the net, and doth not restraine thy concupicense from carring thee to it: for he owes thee no such seruice: but he doth not take poles, as Sathan doeth, and driue thee violently into the net. And yet if Sathans temptation could not excuse Adam, how much lesse then gods desertion.

The last traslation, which now I will speake of, is 9 VponUpon our brethren, theirvponupon our brethren, whom if, in any sort, wee can drawe into the society of the same sinne, with our p. 154selues, we thinke presently our selues sufficiently discharged. Now we lay the fault vponupon our brethren diuerse waies.

1 VponUpon their counsell, persuasion, or intreatie, 1 Importunitie of perswasion, or intreaty.specially if importunate. Thus we shall heare manie say, such a one he persuaded me, he gaue me ill counsell, he importuned me, and would neuer giuegive ouer till I had yeelded. This is rife in theeues mouthes, going to execution, ô if it had not binne for such a one, I had neuer come to this. I may thanke him. Nay thou maiest thanke thine owne naughty heart, so fit a prey for euill counsell. Thus Adam, in the beginning, laid the fault vponupon his wife, and she vponupon the serpent. Whereas indeede it was not so much, the serpents wordes, as her owne eares, so greedily bibbing in the poison of his wordes, which she should hauehave blamed. Aaron also was cunning in this kinde of translation, when being chalenged by Moses for his sinne, in makinge the Exod. 32. 22.Exod 32:22golden calfe, he put it off to the people, Thou knowest this people is set vponupon mischiefe, and they said vntounto mee, Make vsus gods. Thus Aaron thought hee had ridde his handes of this sinne, but the scripture settes it faster on him, then that euer such shiftes should take it of, Aaron made them naked. Here also was Pilates deceit in washing his handes, thinking all the blame stucke in the high priestes, and the rest of the Iewes, that so vrged him with their clamorous importunity. Saul likewise had this excuse ready at his fingers endes, the people hauehave spared &c. And 1. Sam. 15. 15. Vers. 19.1 Sam 15:15when yet Samuel againe vrged him, wherefore hast thou not obeyed the voice of the Lord? he still held him p. 155close to this defence, yea, saith he, I hauehave obeyed, but the people tooke, &c. till the second replie of Samuel Vers. 20.wrung from him this holde, and made him say, I hauehave sinned, I hauehave transgressed the commandement of the Lord, because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.

2 VponUpon the cōmandement, or example of our superiours. 2 Commandement or example.Thus children, if they were commanded doing of euill by their parents, seruants, if by their masters, subiects, if by their Magistrates, thinke themselues sufficiently excused. If there be sinne in that they hauehave done, they thinke the commander shall answer to God for it. Thou wittall, would this be a good answer before an earthly magistrate in case of treason, felonie, yea or a farre lesse matter, to say, Sir, my Master commanded me? or hast thou here so much witte to saue thy selfe from the danger of mans law, as not to venture vponupon thy superiours commandement? and hast thou so little witte, as to thinke Gods lawes are lesse seuere then mans, that this answere, my father, my husband, my master, my magistrate commanded mee, may serue thy turne before Gods tribunall? darest thou not steale, for all thy masters commandement, for feare of the gallowes? and yet, because of thy masters commandement, wilt thou dare to prophane the Saboath, without all feare of hell? thou thinkest that the command of that authority, which is ouer thee, will lessen thy sinne. Nay rather it will aggrauate it. For if thou didest sinne of thy selfe, without the command of man, then thou diddest, simply reiect gods commandement. Now thou reiectest p. 156it with a farre greater disgrace, and disparagement to God. For besides reiecting the onelyonly wise God, thou preferrest before him base and foolish man. And so by this meanes thy sinne is doubled. For first thou sinnest in neglecting Gods word, and secondly in regarding mans before it. The authority then of our superiours commandement, or example will little stead vsus, when God shall come to skan our sinne. The Apostle dehorting the Corinthians from fornication, remembreth them of that 1. Cor. 10. 8. cleared.1 Cor 10:8fearefull iudgement that befell the Israelites for this sinne, three and twenty thousand of them fell in one day. Now Moses mentions foure and twentie thousand, wherof 1000 were the chief princes of the people, the other three and twenty were those of the inferiour sort, who fell into this sinne prouoked by the instigation, and example of their princes. What thinke wee should be the reason that the Apostle should rather insist in the speciall punishment of the people, then in the common, and generall punishment both of Princes and people together? Some of the learned say that the Apostle Iun. parall. l. 2. par. 37. Quam frigida & ieiuna sit eorum defensio, qui exemplo &c. potētiorum se tutos putant si in maleficia consenserint, aut ruerint praeter officium suum.would hereby teach the Corinthians, the sillinesse, and weakenesse of this excuse, whereby men vse to defend those sinnes, whereunto they were swayed by the force of their Gouernors authority, and example. For, though this 23. thousand of the people had their princes example, euen a whole thousand of them, going before, and drawing them after, yet they were drawen by them, as well into the same punishment, the same destruction, as the same sinne.

p. 1573 VponUpon the prouocations of others, who iniurie, grieue, and exasperate vsus either by word, or deed. 3 Prouocations.As in chasing, and swearing it is vsuall, why what should one doe, when he is thus abused? such dealing, as this, would anger a very Saint. So saith the quarrelous, and contentious man, if it were not for my ill neighbours, I should liue more quietly, and peaceably. True; if it were not for one ill neighbour of thine, that is an euill, and naughtie heart, full of gall, and bitternesse. Whence, saith Iames, notably meeting with this deceit, are strifes, Iames 4. 1.Jas 4:1and contentions? O saies the deceitfull heart of the wrangler, not from mee, but from such, and such, as prouoke me by their iniuries. No saith Iames, they are from the lustes that fight in your members. Thou hast a troublesome heart, distempered with many inordinate passions, and that is the cause of thy rage, and fury. For many men hauehave receiued farre greater iniuries with farre lesse adoe. If the sea should ascribe her raging to the windes, it might easily bee conuinced, because the same windes blowe vponupon the riuers, and yet they are quiet. The reason then is not the windes, but the vastnesse that is in the sea it selfe, which the little riuers wanting are not disquieted in like manner with the windes. If thy heart were not so vast, and great, as it is, it would be nothing so turbulent, nor boisterous, though the windes raged farre more fiercely, then now they doe. Shake cleere water in the glasse, and iogge it as much as you will; still it reteineth it cleerenesse and purity: but let such water wherein there is mudde at the bottome be stirred, p. 158and presently it will be faeculent, corrupt, and obscure It is the mudde, and mire of thy corrupt affections, that makes thy heart so troublesome, when it is stirred with iniuries. A heart free from this mud, would be free from distemper, though neuer so much tossed and shaken. Then againe; what sense is there in this, that, because men prouoke thee, therefore thou must prouoke God? what if men anger thee? hast thou no body to wrecke thy anger vponupon, but God? wouldest thou excuse thy seruant, if being angred, and vexed by some of his fellow-seruantes, he should ease his stomacke Chrysost. ad pop. Antioch. hom. 22. foreign. &c.vponupon thy selfe? and further, what reason is there in this, that, because men hurt thee in thy body, goods, or name, thou must therefore wounde thy selfe in thy soule, and conscience; which thou dost, when, vponupon occasion of these iniuries, thou boylest in choler, and swellest in malice against him that wronged thee. What a folly were this, if, being hurt in the hand, we should goe about to help our selues by dashinge out our braines against the walles? Our brother hurteth vsus in our estate. This bringes no losse to our soule. But when our reuengefull affections are vp, they bring hurt to our soule, euen the guilt of sinne, in transgressing Gods commandements. Neuer then harpe so much vponupon this, he hath wronged me, thus and thus. Foole, none wrongs thee but thy self. He hath takē away this & that. Fool, thou takest the best thing frō thy selfe. Thou talkest of that which man taketh frō thee; but consider withall what God hath giuen thee, euen in this his taking away. Man hath taken away some p. 159temporall commoditie: God giueth thee an occasion of increasing thy spirituall commodities, in shewing of true patience, humility, meekenes, and such like graces. This which God now giueth is farre aboue that, which man taketh from thee. And yet, wise man that thou art, because man takes from thee the lesse, therefore thou thinkest thou maiest take from thy selfe the greater. It is grosse deceit then to excuse our sinnes, manifest wronges to God and our owne soules, by the wronges that others doe Leuit. 24. 10. 14Lev 24:10Lev 24:14vsus. That blasphemer in the law, had this excuse, that it was in heate, being prouoked by the contention of that other partie. Yet for all that God would hauehave him stoned to death. So Moses transgressiō, Psal. 106. 32. 33.Ps 106:32Ps 106:33at the waters of Meribah, was occasioned by the vntowardnes, & rebelliō of the Israelites, yet this could not excuse him before God, but, for all that, he must be debarred frō entring into Canaan.

4 VponUpon the discouragements, and hindrances wee 4. Discouragements.receiue from others, as it were rubbes to vsus in the way of godlinesse. O say some concerninge the performance of good duties; if we might be countenanced by authority, holpen by our ministers, set foreward, and hartened by those with whom, and of whom we liue, oh then how zealous should we be? but because we hauehave so many pinches, and pul-backes this way, we thinke our coldnesse, and backwardnesse in religion not so liable to censure. Thus many people impute their not profiting, to the minister, and the manner of his teaching. And if they had such a minister, oh how should they thriue then. But as he in Seneca hauing a thorne in p. 160De tranquill. animi.his foote complained of the roughnes of the way, that that was the cause of his limping, so these, hauing thornes in their owne heartes, which make the word vnfruitfull, complaine of the thornes in their ministers tongues, and make this to be the cause of their so slowe proceedings. Contrarily, many ministers they blame their people, and thinke that, if their hearers would giuegive them such incoragements, in regarde of countenance, maintenance, desire to learne &c, as some other people doe their ministers, they should then performe the worke of the Lord more carefully, and comfortably, then now they doe. But the truth is, the cause principally is in our owne corruption, which being not reformed, no incoragements to godlinesse will much further vsus, but being once redressed, no discoragements can much hinder vsus. Therefore, if a good, and throughly mortified Christian should liue vnderunder one of Ieroboams priests, or with bannished Dauid in a drie desert, where there were no water, yet he would thriue in the power of godlines; Psal. 63. 1.Ps 63:1on the other side, an vnsound Christian, though he liued vnderunder Christs owne ministery, as did Iudas, yet he would come to nothing. So a good prophet, as Moses, Ieremy, and others, though yoked with neuer so crooked a people, would yet thence take occasion of prouoking their owne zeale. An euill one, though he liued among the violent ones, that take the kingdome of heauen by force, would yet be cold, and carelesse. Let vsus not then deceiue our selues, to Matth. 11. 12.Matt 11:12lay our owne fault vponupon the want of meanes, and so indeed vponupon God himselfe. For that wee hauehave p. 161not those meanes we so much seeme to desire, and in the hauing whereof we promise our selues such great matters of our selues; whence is it, but from God, that hath denied those meanes vntounto vsus? O if we liued vnderunder such a mans ministerie, if we enioyed the dally companie of such, and such Christians, how should wee prosper then? why? but God hath not so disposed that we should. If there were such necessity of, and efficacy in those meanes, as we thinke, he would not withhold them. Thinke we not that God is in stead of all meanes to his, abundantly supplying them with the presence of his spirit; who as hee was a little sanctuary to his Ezek. 11. 16.Ezek 11:16people, when they were dispersed among the heathen, so likewise still to vsus now a little ministerie, a little colledge of Christians, when his prouidence hath depriued vsus of these meanes. But lo an euident conuiction of our deceitfulnesse of heart. For when we hauehave those very selfe same helpes, by the want whereof we excused our selues, yet our former dulnesse, and deadnesse still sticketh by vsus, we are the same men that before. And of the deceitfull excuse of Translation so much.