The Mystery of Self-Deceiving, Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
Of the deceitfulnesse of the heart in regard of others.
TAking then the anatomizing knife of the word, and ripping vp the belly of this monster, I finde such an infinite number of the veines of deceitfulnesse, and those so knotty and intricately infolded together, that hard it is distinctly, and cleerely to shew them all. Neuerthelesse, God assisting, wee shall doe our best endeauour. I thinke therefore that all the deceitfulnesse of the heart, discouered to vsus in the word, may be reduced to these two heads. First, the deceitfulnesse, whereby we deceiue Deceit of heart twofold.others only: Secondly that, whereby also we deceiue our selues.
The former is not that, which heere the Prophet 1. Deceiuing others only. And it is twofold. 1. Dissimulation.so much aimeth at. And therefore we will not so much insist vponupon it. It shewes it selfe specially in two things; in dissimulation, and simulation, in dissembling and concealing that which indeede is, and in feigning, and counterfeiting that which indeede is not. Dissimulation is either of euill or good. The dissembling of euill is threefold: Of euill to 1. Of Euill.bee done or in doing: secondly, from being done: thirdly already done.
The hearts deceitfulnesse in hiding that euill 1. To be done.which shee purposeth to doe or is in doing, is to make faire euen of the quite contrary. And therefore in hir witty wickednesse, shee inuenteth some colourable pretence to shadow hir malice and mischiefe. When Herod intended woluishly to worrie Christ, he pretended yet religiously to worship him. Simeon and Leui cloked their purposed massacre of the Sichemites, with the conscience of circumcision: Absalom his treason, with the religion of his vow: Ioab his perfidiousnesse to Abner, and Amaza with friendly words, and siren-like salutations: Ismael his murtherous minde toward those eightie men, with his Crocodile teares: Iudas his couetousnesse, Ier. 41. 6.with a shew of a liberall and mercifull affection towards the poore: and the Iewes their enuie against Christ, with their dutie to Caesar. Thinke ye that the Iewes cared for Caesar? No, none so impatient of his yoke as they: But they had murtherous hearts, thirsting for our Lords bloud; that was the true cause; and the cause of their malicious heart was their euill eye, that could not indure the glorious brightnesse of his grace. But if they should hauehave alleaged that, all the world would hauehave cried shame on them: therefore to hide the odiousnesse of their fact, they set on it the faire maske of loyaltie to Caesar. Thus alwaies in the persecutions of Iosephs coate. Gen. 37. 32. & 39. 16.Ioseph, his coate shall be brought forth, as it was once by his enuious brethren, that sold him; by his whorish mistresse, that standered him. Some one specious and plausible pretence or other shall be deuised by the wicked, to saue their credit in the world. So like rowers in the boate, whilest in their pretence they looke one way, in their intent they go the cleane contrary. This trick of deceitfulnesse the heart hath learned of that arch-master of deceites, the Diuell. Who sometimes will needes become a Preacher of the truth, as when he said, These are the seruants of the most high God &c. Iesus of Nazaret, I know who thou art, euen the holy one of God: but Mark. 1. 24.yet he then plotteth mischiefe, thinking by one truth, to conuey and wind into our minds an hundred lies. Thus truth is made to vsher falshood: for euen in those his sugred glozing words, wherin he preacheth Christ the Sauior of the world, it is easy to spy out war in his hart, for it is to be marked, how Beza in hunc locum.he calleth him Iesus of Nazaret, thereby to nourish the error of the multitude, that thought he was borne there, and so not the Messiah, whose birth Ioh. 7.they all knew ought to be at Bethlem. Iesus then, and the holy one of God are butter and oile, as was afterward, Psal. 55.Good master thou regardest no mans person; but Iesus of Nazaret, that is a sword, as was afterward, Is it lawfull to giuegive tribute? And so that which Salomon speaketh of the flatterer, that he spreadeth a net Pro. 29. 5.before his brothers feete, is true in those flattering speaches. The diuel sometimes giueth the truth: indeede he doth but set a snare to catch the truth in. As Saul, a good scholler in this schoole did for Dauid, in giuing him Michol to wife: I will giuegive him hir, saith he, that shee may be a snare vntounto him, and that the 1. Sam. 18. 21.hand of the Philistims may be vponupon him. Heere is a goodly show of speciall fauour and good will, euen such, as simple Dauid was in a manner rauished with it, to thinke that his meanesse should be honoured with so great a marriage. But it is but a baite couering the hooke, honie, poyson. These of all other are the most secret deceits, which are thus mantled and masked with the disguised pretences of speciall Nulla occulti … res insidiae, quā hae quae latent in simulatione officij aut in aliquo necessitudin… nomine Tull. de amic. Pro. 20. 28. explained. foreign.louelove and kindnesse. And therefore Salomon not ignorant heereof, when he commends bounty and munificence in a prince, he associates truth thereto. Bountie and truth doe gard the King, that is to say a true (not a trecherous bounty: for there is a false and lying bounty, deceiuing those on whom it is bestowed. And as in the prouerbe there are giftlesse gifts. Such as was that of Saul to Dauid; bread in one hand, a stone in the other. Infinite were it to speake all that might be spoken heere. It is so common a practise in the world, yea and it is counted wisedome for men thus to vayle their intents with pretences, Sapientia h…i… mundi est cor machinationibus tegere, sensum verbis velare, quae falsa sunt vera oftendere, quae vera sunt falsa demonstrate; Gre. foreign. Greg. ad Euseb. Pro. 18. 8. cleared.their meaning with their words, that the truth may be thought false, and falsehood true. When they meane to strike the head with one hand, they wil first stroke it with the other, or, as he saies, with one hand they will claw on the head, with the other smite on the cheeke. The tale-bearer when he comes to set his brothers good name at sale, how cunningly, how artificially will hee traduce? meaning to bite his brother, hee will first kisse him. But well did Salomon preferre a friends wounds before such kisses: for these kisses are Iudas kisses. They wound mortally: the other medicinally. Therefore excellently doth Salomon character him, The wordes of the whisperer (as Tremellius reades it, are like to the words of those that are often knocked: but they goe downe into the bowels of the belly. So deepely doe they pierce. When he begins first to open his packe, he will fetch a deepe sighe, professing that because of his great louelove to the party, he is very sorrie for him; and so at length with a sad countenance, with eies cast downe, with a slow, and Vehementer doleo quia vehementer diligo, At{que} sic cum masto vultu, oculis demissis, cum quadam tarditate, & vocis plangitu procedit maledictio. Bernard.lamenting voice, as though the offence of his brother were to him as a blow with a cudgell, out comes the slaunder: loe a cunning cranke of deepe and diuilish deceitfulnesse, so to disguise murthering malice, that it shall be taken euen for motherly merciemercy, to lament & crie as if himselfe were beaten, whilest he, with the scourge of his viperous tongue vnmercifully lasheth others.
So also vnderunder the colour of zeale and hatred against sinne, doe some couer their hatred against mens persons in their bitter censuring of them. And others vnderunder the colour of giuing thankes to God hide their vaine ostentation of their owne vertues, as that Pharisee, that said, Lord I thanke thee I am Luk. 18.not as this publicane. But as Chrysostome saies, this Sed ne hoc quidem profectò sufficit ei. non enim gratiarum actio est alijs exprobraro delicta, supor eos qui peccauerunt iactanter insurgere.would not serue his turne: for it is no thanks-giuing to to vpbraide others with their faults, and boastingly to insult ouer those which hauehave done amisse.
But heere wee should do the Church of Rome iniurie to leaue hir out, who indeede carrieth away the bell from all others in this kinde of deceitfull painting and colouring: vnderunder the name of Christs spouse playing the filthy harlot; vnderunder the title of the Church fighting against the Church; vnderunder Ecclesiae nomine armamini & contra Ecclesiā dimicatis.the colour of Religion taking away the vigour of it, and in a worde making the shew of godlinesse to be only a cloake of wickednesse. I would rather set out this in Master Foxes words, then in mine owne, he Actes & monum. vol. 2. in the beginning of Luthers story.hath so liuely and in the right colours described, or rather deformed this monster, thus writing of hir. As in doctrine, so in order of life, and deepe hypocrisie was shee corrupted, doing all things vnderunder pretences and dissembled titles. VnderUnder the pretence of Peters chaire, they exercised a maiesty aboue emperors and Kings: VnderUnder the visour of their vowed chastity reigned adulterie: vnderunder the cloake of professed pouerty, they possessed the goods of the temporaltie: vnderunder the title of being dead to the world, they not only reigned in the world, but also ruled the world: vnderunder the colour of the keyes of Heauen to hang vnderunder their girdle, they brought all the estates of the world vnderunder their girdle, and crept, not only into the purses of men, but also into their consciences: they heard their confessions, they knew their secrets; they dispensed as they were disposed, and loosed what them listed. And so much for the first deceitfull dissimulation of euill to be done.
The second is, when the euill which wee are ready The second from being done.to doe, is yet, by a subtill kind of violence kept in, so that it comes not forth into the outward act. Thus many there are that politiquely, by a smooth and close carriage, smother, and presse in many of their vices, which if they should break forth, might hinder them in their designes or desires. An example wee hauehave in Haman; who though inwardly bee swelled with malice against Mordecaie, because of his stiffe knee, and stout heart: yet, as the Scripture saies, he refrained himselfe; he brake not forth into Ester 5. 10.any distemper of words, but craftily concealed and confined his anger within the bounds of his owne bosome; least otherwise the successe of his bloody plot, already assented to by the King, might hauehave beene hindred; when as by this meanes, the grosse abuse of the King in his false suggestions against the Iewes, and feigned pretences of the publique good would soone hauehave come to light, and that the true cause was but a matter of priuate spleene against Mordecaie. Thus many, whilest they are in petition Maxim pars bominum hunc morem habet. Quod sibi volunt, dum id impetrant boni sunt: sed id vbi p…nes se hab…nt ex bonis pessumi & fraudulentissimi sunt. Plaut.of some office, or in expectation of some profit or preferment, how witty, how wily are they in the dissembling of their greedy, griping, cruell, ambitious, auaritious, and other vitious dispositions, which might make any rub in their way? There are not so many, nor so cunning deuises for the hiding of naturall infirmities of the body (as the crookednesse of the legges, or back, want of a tooth, or an eye, or such like) as in such cases the deceitfull heart will find out for the hiding of the vnnaturall deformities of the soule. But let once their desires be granted, then they shew themselues, then the waters before stopt, and damned vp run ouer, and rage furiously. Hence it was that the prophet well acquainted with the craft of these foxes; praies, Let not the wicked hauehave his desire O Lord, performe not his Psal. 140. 8. inlightened.thought, least he be proud. Why? was he not proude before? yes, in his very wishes he was proude, but then pride was locked vp, and imprisoned; now Pride a prisoner, and pride a free-man.his desire being satisfied, it would walke abroad and play reakes. The meaning then of the prophet is, that the wicked, that before the obtainement of his purpose, was proud inwardly, but yet in policie repressed it, would now be proud outwardly, and open the flood-gates, that the current might runne amaine. And surely so it is often times, that as Saul hid himselfe in the stuffe, when he was to be chosen King, so the wicked in the like cases, whē they look, either by election, or other means, to get this or that, very closely hide, though not with Saul, themselues, yet their filthy stuffe and baggage within? And that with no lesse subtill sleights, then once Rahel hid the idols, Rahab the spies. They wil make euen those, that do more narrowly marke them, beleeue, that they hauehave discarded, and sent away packing those corruptions, which yet lie secretly harboured in the closets of their hearts. As Rahab bore the Ierichuntines in hand the Israelites were gone away, when as they lay hid vnderunder the stalkes of flaxe, vponupon the roofe of the house. Such stalkes of flaxe, such cloakes of shame, as the Apostle foreign. 2. Cor. 4. 2. Iosh. 9 4.speaketh, as it were the torne ragges, and worne shoes of those guilefull Gibeonites hauehave all such that walke craftily, to hide their filthinesse from the eies of the world. In which regard the Scripture very fitly hath called them generations of vipers: for as the Math. 3. 7. Plin. l. 11. c. 37viper hath his teeth buried in his gummes, so that one would thinke it were a harmelesse beast, and could not bite, so also hauehave these deceitfull hypocrites their secret corners and conueiances, wherein they so cunningly couch their wickednesse, that one would take them of all others, to be the most innocent. To this appertaineth that similitude of our Sauiour Luk. 11. 44. Woe be to you Scribes and Pharisees, Luk. 11. 44. opened.hypocrites, for ye are as graues which appeare not, and the men that walke ouer them perceiue not. As the deepe graue hides the stinking carcase, and keepes in the stench from offending any mans smell, that men walke ouer them and yet neuer perceiue the euill sauour that is within: so the deepe, and dissembling heart of man is a cunning digger of such graues, naie it selfe, as it were, is a graue, wherein their rottennesse and corruption lies so closely couered, that hardly the sharpest noses of such as conuerse with them shall be able to smell them out. So powerfull is policie in the wicked to restraine their corruption from scandalous eruption: more by farre sometimes than is grace in some that are truely religious▪ For looke how Isaack made shewe of strangenesse with Rebecca his wife, when the knowledge of that neerenesse might hauehave hazzarded his life: so do euil men counterfeit a kind of strangenesse euen with their best beloued sinnes, where open samiliaritie might be dangerous. But as Isaack was at length discouered, whcn Abimelech saw him sporting with hir: so these close companions let them be heeded continually, but with something more attentiue an eye, and it will be hard, but sometime or other, wee shall take them napping, and (as beggers feigning lamenesse without their crutches) without their veyles, euen very familiarly sporting themselues with those sinnes, by the crafty for bearance whereof they formerly deceiued vsus.
The third deceit in dissimulation is to dissemble and The third already done. Pro. 30. 19. 20. vnfolded.conceale euill already done. The strumpet when shee hath eaten stollen bread, yet shee hath such a dexterity in the wiping of her lippes, that not the least crumme shall hang on to bewray hir, not the least signe of hir wantonesse shall appeare. And therefore boldly shee saies, I hauehave done no wickednesse. And this shee caries so closely from the eye of the world, that Salomon shewes it to be as hard to finde it out, as those things which are hardest; namely, as the way of an Eagle in the aire, not to be seene after once flowne away; the waie of a Serpent on a stone, gliding away, without leauing any impression of hir body behind, and afterward creeping into some hole of the earth; the way of a Ship in the Sea, swiftly caried away with the windes; and lastly as the way of a man Piscator in Math. 1. & Muffet in hunc locum.with a maide that is a close and chast virgin, that is kept close from the accesse of strangers. Looke how hard it is for a man iudged vnworthy, to get an honest modest virgin, kept close in her parents house (which is made no lesse difficult then to get a flying Eagle) so hard it is to discouer a whore, to conuince hir of hir wickednesse. Thus is the way of an adulteresse, that is as hard to find out as any of the foure forementioned things. Her deceitfull heart is so fruitful a hatcher of shifts and euasions. And this is naturall to all the sonnes of Adam, after the example of their Father, when they hauehave done euill, presently to runne into the thickets to seeke out couerlets to hide their nakednesse. Sometimes by grosse and palpable lying, otherwhile by the neater and finer kind of lying; I meane that sophisticall, Iesuiticall equiuocation: a tricke the Deuill their master hath taught them by his owne example; but so much the worse in them than in him: for that hee equiuocated to hide his ignorance of that which hee could not reueale: These equiuocate to hide their The Diuels equiuocation not so bad as the Iesuites.knowledge of that they can and ought to reueale: for being sometimes posed with some questions concerning future euents, and not knowing well what to answere, and yet not willing to loose his credit with his blind worshippers either by silence or plaine speech, he shaped his answeres in such an ambiguous houering manner, that which way soeuer the euent should fall out, it could not fall out amisse to his answere; because, being vpheld with this prop of equiuocation, it would stand true euen in contrary euents. Thus when in his Prophets he was demaunded by Ahab concerning his going to war 1. Kings 22. 6. opened.against Ramoth Gilead and the successe thereof, hee answered, Go, the Lord will deliuer it into the hand of the King. Yea, but of what King, thou lying equiuocating spirit? whether into the hands of the aduersary King to be subdued, or of it owne King to be rescued and deliuered? This hee determines not, but speaketh suspensely & vncertainly to gul Ahab, and make him runne headlong vponupon his owne destruction. And yet heere once againe marke, how the Diuels equiuocating is not all out so bad, as the The Diuell confesseth equiuocation to be lying, which is more then Iesuites will doe.Iesuites: for he confesseth his equiuocating to be plaine lying; I will go saith he and be a lying spirit in the mouthes of the Prophets. He was only an equiuocating spirit in their mouthes: for the words in some sense, and as the Deuill might interpret them might bee true, and yet hee grants that his wordes, though neuer so qualified with equiuocating quirks, were no better then lies. But the Iesuites, not hauing so much as the Deuils ingenuity in thē, stick not to iustifie their equiuocations as iust and lawfull. The wicked deceitfulnesse whereof the Diuells practise, euen of it selfe alone, without his confession, is sufficient to discouer; for (besides the example already mentioned, and his daily practise in his crooked Oracles among the Heathen) thus dealt he at the first with our first parents, telling them that by eating the forbidden fruit, their Gen. 3. 5. illustrated.eies should bee opened, and they should bee as gods, knowing good, and euil. Now the knowledge of euill is twofold: first, a pure and simple knowledge of it, in it selfe. 2. A feeling, and experimental knowledge of it, in our selues. The Diuell indeed meant onelyonly this latter, possessing yet the minds of Adam and Eue, with an apprehension, and expectation of the former. Now if the diuell should hauehave bin chalenged for deceiuing, had not his defence beene ready with this shield of equiuocation; might he not hauehave said, euen that which Moses hauing reference to this his speech speaketh ver. 7. why? are not my words true? are not your eies now opened to see your error, which before you saw not? do not you know your selues to be naked, and so hauehave not you that knowledge of euill which I promised, euen a knowledge arising out of your owne experience? and yet for all this, Paul for this fact calls him a cosener, and 2 Cor. 11. 3. Ioh. 8. 44.our Sauiour a Murtherous lyer. This wont of his hee kept with Christ himselfe; when shewing him onelyonly the shadowes, & imaginary representations of things hee saide, All these will I giuegive thee. A Math. 4, 9.great catch sure; euen iust nothing. Thus also plaied he with Saul, taking vponupon him to foretell future euents in the hands of God, To morrow thou and thy 1. Sam. 28. 19. interpreted.sonnes shall be with me, that is shall dye. How came the deuil to be of Gods counsell, that he can so certainly determine the ende of any mans daies which are numbred with God? no, he doth not define it certainly, but speakes darkly, and deceitfully; for [to morrow] doth not only signifie the day immedately following; but also the time to come indefinitely, The word (to morrow) how taken. Math. 6. 34. Exod 13. 14. Quid sit fututurum …ras fuge quarere. Hor. foreign. Anacr.and at large, as in that of our Sauiour, Care not for to morrow, and in that of God, when thy sonne shall aske thee to morrow, what is this? that is, heereafter in the time to come, and in that of the Poet. Seke not what shall be to morrow, and, I care onelyonly for to day, who knowes to morrow? Now indeede Saul did not dye the next day after this conference, as will appeare to the more diligent peruser of the whole context of that history. Yet Satan seeing some likelihoods of it, ventred so to speak, as if the next day he should hauehave died: but withall, because hee was not sure of it, he so tempered his speech with the ambiguity of the word, to morrow, that his credit might be saued, though Saul had not died til a yeare after. Thus we see how the Diuel as he is the Father of lies in generall, Ioh. 8. 44.so also of this more handsome, and cleanly māner of lying, wherewith the deceitfull heart of man vseth to dissemble, and hide it shame. Not but that it aboundeth with variety of diuerse other such like knacks, and deuises: for we see how Dauid could goe about to cloake his adultery, first by sending for Vriah home, and then commanding him to goe to his wife. 2. When this tooke not, by making him drunke, thinking Wine would perswade him better then wordes. 3. When neither this would fadge, by murthering of him, and marrying of his wife: but of all other fetches none to this of the artificiall lye, disguised by equiuocation, All other lies are the Diuels brats, Iohn. 8. 44. but this is his first borne. And this is most in request with his Schollars at this day, and therefore wee hauehave the longer insisted vponupon it. And so much for dissimulation of euill.
Dissembling of good is, when wee conceale, and 2. Of good.smother that grace, and conscience which is in vsus, beeing in such places, and companies, where such things may bee preiudiciall vntounto vsus. Thus many Protestants, being in places of idolatry honour the Masse with their presence. Thus many of the conuerted Corinthians ouertaken with the humane 1. Cor. 10. 13. interpreted. foreign.temptation as Paul termeth it, that is a temptation arising from humane frailty; too much fearing men, gratified their idolatrous acquaintance with their presence at the idols feasts. And so by an outward shew of idolatry they did hide that inward hatred of idolatry, that the Lord had wrought in them. Thus also did Peter himselfe, ouercome with the Gal. 2.same temptation, Iudaize in the presence of the Iewes, conforming himselfe to their ceremonies, contrary to his owne, both knowledge Acts 10. 15. 28. and former practise, Gal. 2. 12. And thus some professors, beeing in the company of the prophane, will not sticke to game, to gusle, and sweare with them: eueryevery way so carrying themselues, that they seeme to care for nothing more in such companies, then that their language may not bewray them to bee Galileans, or their countenance to bee such as those which are going vp to Ierusalem. O my brother Math. 26. Luc. 9.what a shame is this for thee, to be ashamed of that which is thy crowne, thy glory? How vnworthy art thou of the Grace of God, who offerest it, and so God himselfe so vile and indignity? If it be a shame among men for a childe, though neuer so much aduanced aboue his poore Father, to bee ashamed of him, in regard of his meannes, what thē for vsus to be ashamed of our heauenly Father, so full of glory and maiesty? If it were a shame for Dauid to play the naturall foole, much more for a Christian to play the prophane foole, to make shew of Dissimulation of euill is not so bad as dissimulation of good. pro. 17. 7wickednesse. Surely yet of the two deceits, this is farre the worse, to make men beleeue wee are not religious when wee are, then contrarily. True indeede; The lip of excellency doth not become a foole, it is naught when wicked men will be vsing gratious speech, to seeme religious: but much lesse doth lying beseeme a worthy man: it is farre worse when good men will vse the fashions of the wicked. For in the dissembling of vice, and feining of godlines, though we do hurt to our selues, yet we may do good to others by our example; causing them to doe that in truth, which our selues doe onelyonly in hypocrisie. As oftentimes stage plaiers, by feined mourning, wring forth true teares out of the spectators eies. But in the dissembling of our grace, & making semblance of wickednes, as we hurt our owne, so also the souls of many others, fleshing and hardning themselues Nullus potest simulare se malum quia per opera bona nullus simulat semalū, si autem opera mala faciat, malus est. Thom. 2a. 3ae. qu. 3. art. 1.in sinne, by our example.
But here, haply, some will say, that it is impossible for any to faine himselfe to bee wicked; forasmuch as none can counterfeite wickednesse by doing that which is good: & he that doth that which is euill, it is no counterfet, but a wicked man indeed.
Answ. 1 There are many indifferent actions in 1. Thes. 5. 22.themselues, which yet hauehave an appearance of euill, by the doing whereof a man may feine wickednes.
2 In many euill actions there is a twofold euill. First, the euill it selfe that is done; Secondly, the euill that is signified by that which is donne. As in Iosephs swearing by the life of Pharaoh, in Peters Iudaizing, in Iehoshapats joyning with Ahab in affinitie, and society of warre, besides the euill of the actions themselues, there is a further euill signified, namely that Ioseph is as prophane as the Aegyptians, Iehoshapat as idolatrous as Ahab, Peter as superstitious as any of the Iewes. Now howsoeuer they that do euill are indeed euil in regard of the first kind of euill, yet not in regard of the second. When a professour weares long haire, he doth euill, but yet he is not euill in that kinde of wickednesse, which this action seemes to importe. For to weare long haire is commonly a badge of a royster, or ruffian, yet the professour is not such a one indeed. And therfore he makes shew of that euill to be in him, which indeed is not. For as a man may bely himselfe in wordes, as hee that told Dauid hee had slaine Saul, 2. Sam. 1.when indeede he had not; so also in his deedes, which also hauehave their language. And this is, when we do some lesser euill, that caries with it a foule note, and shrewd suspition of a greater euill, of the which yet we are innocent. If Ioseph with his mouth should hauehave said, I care for the true God as little, as the Aegyptians, who seeth not, but that he should hauehave feyned that wickednesse to bee in himselfe, which in truth was not? Now by swearing by Pharaohs life in effect hee said as much.
These be the deceits of dissimulation: The deceit 2. Simulation.of simulation is specially, that whereby men make shew of that grace and godlinesse which either they hauehave not at all, or else not in that measure they make shew of, being specially swayed with the sinister respects of gaine and glory. To make shew of more grace then indeed is, may be incident to the godly: but to make shew of grace when there is not any at all, no not so much as the least liking of it, this is peculiar to the wicked. With whom that mischieuous Machiauilian precept so much preuaileth; That vertue it selfe should not be sought after, but Machiauels maxime.only the apparance; because the credit is a helpe, the vse a cumber. Wherefore as Iakob, to get Isacks blessing, put on Esaues cloathes; so do these hypocrites, to get the blessing, and praise of men, in outward habite apparrell themselues like Christians. And as Iakob thereby deceiued Isack, so doe these oftentimes the most iudicious Christians; like as the figge-tree with her leaues deceiued Christ, and as the empty boxes in Apothecaries shops, with their faire titles written vponupon them, deceiue the ignorant commers in. Though their hearts be base, and vile earthen pots, yet they must be ouerlaidē with the siluer drosse of glozing, and glorious wordes. Thus hypocrites speake not out of, but contrary to the abundance of their hearts. When their lips, like good mens, scatter knowledge, their hearts at the same time, naughtinesse. They knowe themselues to hauehave lions teeth, and yet womens haire must Pro. 2. 3. Reuel. 9. 8.on, to be wolues, and yet the sheepes cloathing must on, to be dragons, and yet the lambes hornes must on; and that, as once among the Iewes many rude vnlettered, and vnnurtured rustickes wore the rough garment of the Prophets; namely to deceiue Some Ezech. 13. 4.painters hauehave had such a gift in the liuely expressing of the formes of birds and other beasts, that true birds and liuing beasts hauehave beene deceiued in taking them for their mates. But the hypocrite puts downe the painter: for by his glozing and glistering shewes in all outward workes hee doth so perfectly resemble the true Christian, that hee deceiueth not, as the painter, silly birds, but reasonable men, yea learned and experienced Christians. Whence it commeth to passe, that as the horse neighed at the picture of a horse as if it had beene a Aelian.true horse, and as the calfe in the epigramme, went Hypocrites outwardly may go as far (if not further) then the best Christians. Vt qui conductin funere plorant, dicunt & faciunt propè plu…a d…lentibus ex anim…. Hor. Adulatio quam similis est amicitiae? non imitatur tantum illam, sed vincit & praeterit. Senec. ep. 45. Ingen…si…r est ad excogit andum simulatio veritate. Plin.to suck the teats of a painted cow; so euen sometime the wisest Christians, alike deceiued with the counterfeits, imbrace and interteine them as their fellowes, thinking to sucke some sweetnesse of grace out of them: for as the Aegyptian iuglers outwardly represented Moses miracles, and so deceiued Pharaoh: so do hypocrites the pietie and zeale of Christians, and thereby bleare the eies of the godly. nay oftentimes, as false gold in glystering goes beyond true, and once their hired mourners in lamentation beyond the deceased parties owne friends, and fawning flatterers in outward complements of friendship, beyond true friends themselues; so may hypocrites in outward workes seem to carry it away from the soundest Christians. Hypocrisie though it be but the ape of Christianity, and propoundeth it only for outward imitation; yet heere, for al that the imitation exceedeth in some points the sample, the picture the patterne. Is the true Christian hot in praier? he will sweat: Is he something more sorrowfull? he will weepe and blubber. In preaching cries he? he will roare. In hearing doth he but lift vp his hand? hee will lift vp his voice. Doth hee but sigh softly? he will cry out a maine. Doth he run? he will gallop. Doth the true-hearted Publicane look Luk. 18.with his eies on the ground? the hypocriticall Iewes will hang downe their heads like bul-rushes, Es. 58.when yet their hearts stand vpright enough. Doth Timothie weaken his constitution by abstinence? The Pharisee will neuer giuegive ouer till his complexion be wholly withered and wanzed. Doth Paul Math. 6. foreign.correct his body with milder correction, as it were a blow on the cheeke? The Iesuite will martyr his 1. Cor. 9. 28. foreign.sides with the seuerer discipline of scorpions: whether will not pride & vain-glory spur on the hypocrite? Gods glorie carries the sincere Christian no further then to martyrdome. There is the highest pitch of outward workes, performeable by a Christian and yet vain-glory driues the hypocrite thether also. As St. Austen notably shewes, writing vponupon Hypocrites may suffer martyrdome. Psal. 44. 21. 22. Quid est nouit occulta? quae occulta? &c.those words of the Psalmist: Thou knowest the secrets of the heart: That for thy sake wee are slaine continually. What meanes this (saith the learned father) he knoweth the secrets of our hearts? what be these secrets? Surely these, that for thy sake wee are slaine all the day long. Thou and I may see a man to be slaine: but why he is slaine thou canst not tell. This God knowes: it is hidden from vsus. Euen in the very Catholique Church P…es enim vid…r… m…rtif…ari hominem: quare mo…fic…ur n…scis. Deus hoc …. R…s in …c…ul… est &c. qui causa … gloriae pa…rentur. Qui hoc fa…er…nt …ctatione magis qu…m dilectione.thinke yee there neuer were any Catholiques, or that now there may not bee some, that would suffer only for the praise of men? If there were not such kinde of men, the Apostle would not hauehave said, Though I giuegive my body to be burned, and hauehave not charity, I am nothing. There maybe some therefore that may doe this, rather in the vanity of boasting, then in the sincerity of louelove. So farre Austen. whereby it may easily appeare how strange are the feates, and feinings of mans deceitfull heart. Iugglers delusions are more easilie espiable then these of a false, and feining heart. Hence it is that in Scripture hypocrisie is compared to leauen; which our eies cannor distinguish from dowe by the colour; but onelyonly our palate by the tast. Luk 12. 1.Our handes are more competent judges for these deceiuers, then our eares; which will soone be bewitched with their goodly, and glorious wordes. But let vsus begin to handle them but a little, & presently wee shall feele such a roughnes, such a thorninesse, that we may truly say, The voice of Iakob; but the handes of Esau.
And thus much briefly for the first branche of this doctrine of the hearts deceitfulnesse. The vse Vse. whereof is two fold.
First, to teach vsus wisedome and warinesse in giuing intertainement in our hearts to others; that wee do not presently set open the dores to let in all. No, though they be such as come commended vntounto vsus, with al the grace that outward showes can lend them. Otherwise, if we be negligent heerein, as once the Patriarkes by their readinesse to hospitality, in stead of men receiued holy Angels; so we contrarily, by our readinesse to beleeue, making our hearts common Innes for eueryevery one to lodge in, in stead of holy Angels, may quickly receiue the foule and filthie fiends: for false Prophets themselues, as Christ tels vsus, come in sheepes cloathing, and so the Diuel himself transfigured into an Angell of light. How humbly did those captaines present themselues before Ieremie desiring his praier, his counsel, and promising obedience? and yet they had resolued before hand what to do, & did but dissemble in their hearts, in their so religious a show of comming to the Prophet. How easily may good Ieremies Ier. 42.be deceiued with such faire showes? In the Apostles times did not the false seducers which serued not the Lord Iesus, but their owne bellies, yet Rom. 16. 18. 2. Pet 2. Coloss. 2.with faire and flattering speech deceiue the hearts of the simple, and make merchandise of their souls? Did they not make great shews of more then ordinary humility & mortification? or what austerity is there among the Papists, or what zeale in wooing and winning of Proselites, with which that of the Pharisees may not compare? Try wee then the spirits before we trust them, for though men may compose their faces and fashions to neuer so great showes of piety, yet for all that seauen abominations Math. 7 16. interpreted.may lye couched in their deceitfull hearts. And therefore when our Sauiour tels vsus that by their fruites we shall know false Prophets, hee meaneth not so much the fruits of their liues, which in outward apparance, and in the indgement of men, may be as good, as the true Prophets; (for they come in sheepes clothing) as of their doctrine. That wee must heed specially, trying it by the word, and not be carried away with the pompous ostentation, either of their words or works.
So also among our selues, wee must not presently reach foorth the right hand of fellowship to eueryevery one that beginneth to cry Lord, Lord; but first we must weigh them in the ballance of the Sanctuary, to see whether they be current mettall, or no. Iehues question is fit for all good Christians to propound to such as Iehu was, before they admit them into their society, Is thy heart vpright? As Christ 2▪ Kin. 10. 15. Iohn. 2.would not trust some that seemed to trust him, because he knew them well enough, so neither should we, because wee doe not know them. See how scrupulous the Christians were at first to receiue S. Paul Acts 9.into their company, which was not so much dainty nicenesse, as iust cantelousnesse, whereto the deceiptfulnesse of mans heart doth necessarily vrge vsus. It is not good indeed to wrong any man with groundlesse suspitions, so neither is it good to wrong our selues with ouer easie credulity. The same spirit that saith, Charity beleeueth all things, saith also that a foole 1. Cor. 13.beleeueth all things. And charity is no foole. As it is not easily suspitious, so neither lightly credulous.
Secondly we must all take notice of this corruption of our hearts, wherby we are ready to deceiue our brethren, what by feigning, what by dissembling. As Saint Iohn speaketh of sinne in generall, so 1. Iohn. 1.I of this particular, if we say we hauehave no deceitfulnesse of hart, we deceiue our selues, &c. We are ready to take notice of this in others, and wee may heare foule mouthed persons casting the aspersion of hypocrisie vponupon such as deserue it farre lesse then themselues. For these carnall and loose Gospellers, they, of all others, are the grossest hypocrites, that in their outward profession they make in the publique worship of God, hauehave a forme of godlinesse, but Ps. 50. 5. 17. 18 19.indeed hauehave denied the power thereof beeing reprobate to eueryevery good worke, that by making couenant with God in sacrifice, seeme to be Saints, yet by breking couenant, in their slanders, thefts, adulteries, shew themselues to bee Diuels; and therefore as the Diuell in the Gospell was commanded silence, when he began to take the name of Iesus into his mouth, so also these. What hast thou to doe to take my name into Psal. 50. 16.thy mouth? &c. And yet these hypocrites, that cannot see the huge beame of hypocrisie, in their own eye, must needs be tampering with the little mote in their brethrens. O that once we could learne to leaue this prying into others, and turn our eies vponupon our selues; for the Prophet heere saith, The heart not of this kind of men, or that, but in generall chalenging vsus all, The heart is deceitfull. Either then deny thy selfe to be a man, or confesse they deceitfulnesse. And indeede whose heart is there that can Hypocritarum maculam non habere aut paucorum, aut nullorum. Aug. de temp. ser. 59.plead guiltlesse? who can with good conscience before Gods tribunall say, I am not sowred with this leauen? nay how true is Salomons complaint? EueryEvery man boasteth of his owne goodnes; but who shall finde a faithfull man? as in that one particular of liberality, so in the generall of Christianity, that performeth full out as much in works, as he maketh shew of in words. Such a one is a blacke swan, an odde man, scarse one of a thousand, to be wondred at with our Sauiours Ecce. Behold a true Israelite, &c. How many Iohn 1. Multis enim simulationum inuolueris tegitur, et quasi velis qui husdam obtenditur vnius…uiusque natura. fr…ns, oculi, vultus persaepe mentiuntur, oratio vero saepissime. Tull. ad Q▪ fratrem. 2. Cor. 1. 13. interpreted.couers and curtaines hath eueryevery ones heart drawne before it to hide it selfe? The eies, the forehead, the countenance lye often, the tongue how often? who can say of all that euer he hath written, that S. Paul of his epistles to the Corinth. wee write no other things then those you read? that is, that which you read written is indeede written, as well in our hearts, as in this paper; and so of his speeches, and countenance, I speake no other things, then those you heare, I hauehave no other face then that you see; which as the painted strūpet cannot say, so neither can the guilefull dissembler, that painteth ouer his malicious and dogged countenance with laughter, and sweet smilings, and such like semblance of faire The best vncasing of the hypocrite is when he vncases himselfe, & so preuents Gods vncasing.and louely lookes; Ransacke we therfore our owne hearts, and finding any of the vizors of deceitfulnesse, let vsus take them off by repentance. This is the best vncasing of the hypocrite, namely when hee shall vncase himselfe: not when God shall vncase him by iudging him, but when he shal vncase himselfe by iudging, and humbling himselfe: not when God shall do it by condemnation, but himselfe by reformation: not when God shall wash out thy paintings with the dashing tempests of his iudgements, but when thy selfe shalt wash them out with the sweet dewe of thy repenting, and weeping eies, being angry with thy selfe for thy former deceit, and now turning showes into substance, shadowes into truth, a double heart and clouen tongue, into a hart of simplicity, and lips of sincerity. Polus an actor on the stage in the representatiō of griefe remembring Oppleuit omnia non simulachris n…c imitamētu, sed luctu atque lamentis veris et spirantibus. Gell. noct. Act. l. 7. c. 5.the death of his owne sonne, fell from his personate feined mourning, to weepe in good earnest, and to cry out amaine, in the bitternesse of his spirit: so shouldest thou, who hitherto, as an actour on the stage, onelyonly to please men, hast made semblance of repentance; fall from thy fictions, to repent seriously, and in good sadnesse. But alasse how many of vsus do quite contrary to that of Polus? for hee Itaqu… cum agi fabula videretur, dolor actitatus est.performed the truth of that, whereof only the imitation, and resemblance was expected; we onelyonly the simblance of that, whereof the very truth it selfe is expected. He wept indeede, when he was thought onelyonly to counterfeite: we counterfeite griefe, when we are, at least would be, thought to grieue indeed. But it shall be best for vsus to imitate him, and in the middest of our histrionicall and hypocriticall repentance, to turne to the true practise of repentance, plucking of our vizors, and making our owne faces as faire as our vizours. It is fearful, which somtimes is reported to hauehave fallen out, when among a company of counterfeit Diuels, on the stage, the true Diuell shall come in and chase away these fained: but it is comfortable, when among the company of many painted, and gilded graces, the trueth of grace it selfe at length commeth, causing all those showes to goe away, as the body the shadow.
Thus if thine owne hand shall vnmaske thee, it shall bee for thy credit, and comforte, if not, but thou wilt rather stay, till Gods hand come to vnmaske thee, (for certainly eueryevery hypocrite must be vnmasked either by God or himselfe; O happy he that by doing it himselfe can saue both God a labour, and himselfe paine! Thou shalt finde how fearefull a thing it is to fall into the hands of God, which shal pluck thy mask from thy face, and thy head from thy body, both at once; he will vnuizour, and vncolour thee thou coloured hypocrite, he will strike thee thou painted wall, to thy Acts. 13. 3.shame and confusion. It may be in this life, by giuing thee ouer into the hands of Sathan, and the power of his temptations, that thou shouldest fall into Apostasy, and with Demas imbrace the present 2. Tim. 4.world. For such as professe onelyonly in hypocrisie, and together with their outward professiō of the truth, receiue not inwardly the louelove of the trueth, vntounto such the Lord shall send the efficacy of error that they 2. Thes. 2.should beleeue lies. But if, in this life, God thus detect not thine asses eares vnderunder thy Lions skinne, assuredly he will do it throughly, in the life to come, at the last day, when he shall strip thee starke naked of all thy cloakes of craftines, wherewith thou veiledst thy shame heere, and present thee before that generall assembly, as it were on the stage, a laughing stock to men and Angels.