A Crystal Mirror, Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
Of the Hearts Treachery.
1. FRom deceitful perſons, the firſt, paſs we on to deceitful things, the ſecond; and the Sequel will evidence in the Iſſue, that the heart of man is not onelyonly as deceitful as both, but more than ſo: 'tis deceitful above all perſons, and above all things. (1.) The Serpent was more ſubtle than all the beaſts of the field, Gen. 3. 1. and beguiled Eve, v. 13. making her to eat forbidden fruit. [Hanachaſh Hiſheani Vaokel] The ſerpent beguiled me, and I did eat. Oh how oft have you cauſe to cry out to Jehovah (as ſhe did) that your heart hath beguiled you, and you did eat the forbidden fruit of Sin! The Hebrew word [Naſha] ſignifies, to ſurpriſe one by laying Ambuſhments, as Joſh. 8. 7, 19. Alas, every Creature-comfort (in the fallen ſtate) hath an Ambuſhment (a Serpent lying in ambuſh) in it: [latet Anguis in Herbâ] there is a Snake in the Graſs, a Snare in every diſh. You may cry out with the Sons of the Prophets, [Mors in ollâ] there is death in the pot, 2 King. 4. 40. Had Eve thought there had been death in the Apple, ſhe would never have ſwallowed ſuch a gilded bole or morſel. 'Twas pleaſant to the eyes, and fruit to be deſired; but the ambuſh (of the ſubtle ſerpent in it) ſhe diſcerned not: oh the crafty and deceitful Devil, that lays an ambuſh of real death, under the coverts and colours of ſeeming life! hence he is call'd [foreign] 2 Cor. 11. 3. uſing [foreign] his crafty ſubilety to cheat us of all graces, but eſpecially of our ſimplicity; and therefore doth he muſter up all his forces, and lyeth in ambuſh, all his frauds do deceive and deſtroy us.
2. This old Serpent, when he was but young, out-witted our firſt Parents, even in their ſtate of innocency: now that he is old, and we but young, (all are but children) Eph. 4. 14. how eaſily may he beguile us, eſpecially having ſomething of himſelf in us, (which he had not in Chriſt, Joh. 14. 30.) to betray us into his hands! this ſubtle ſerpent hath his [foreign] ſet Ambuſhes, and compoſed Stratagems, 2 Cor. 2. 11. whereby to raviſh and corrupt our [foreign] or judgments: you cannot be ignorant (if you be a Chriſtian in truth, if you have but more than the title of a Chriſtian) of the cunningly-moulded-methods, (even in your perſonal experience) of the darts and depths of Satan, wherewith he deceives you: and he plays not at ſmall games, but deceives whole Nations, (as well as ſingle perſons) Revel. 20. 3, 8. even Gog (the covert enemy) and Magog, (the overt or open one) the Pope and the Turk; yea, he deceives the whole world that lies in wickedneſs, 1 Joh. 5. 19. This [Interpolator Creaturae] or broker and bruſher up of the vain things of the World, (as Tertullian calls him) ſets an alluring Gloſs upon the Creature, and fits every one a penny-worth, as he finds inclinations; he hath an Apple for Eve, a Grape for Noah, and a Vineyard for Ahab; he hath a wedge of Gold for Achan, and talents of Silver for Gehazi, &c.
3. 'Tis more than manifeſt, that this grand Pyrate at land, (as well as at ſea) hangs out falſe Colours, till his prey come within compaſs of his chain; and that this ſublime ſophiſter, and old Impoſtor, can (both in himſelf and inſtruments) cog a Die, wherewith to cheat you, Eph. 4. 14. [foreign] which is [Artifex fallacia, or, fallax artificium] a cunning ſleight of Gameſters and Cheaters, ſuch a conquering couzenage, that thereby (were it poſſible) he would deceive the very elect, (even) fundamentally and finally, Matth. 24. 24. as others are. An eminent inſtance of this cheating Devil, you have concerning Saul (afore-mentioned) to whom Satan (that old Serpent) did counterfeit Samuel in ſpeech and Habit, and with great gravity (Samuel-like) upbraided him with ſparing Agag, &c. Before the fact was done, he tempts Saul to it, under the colour of an act of mercy; and why ſhould he be ſo cruel to his fellow-creatures? not a word of any ſtumbling-block Satan lays in Sauls way, to hinder this ſeeming work of Mercy before his doing of it: but now when 'tis done, (though it was done through his tempting him thereunto) he preſſeth it with all aggravations upon his Conſcience (in his day of diſtreſs) as an heinous and horrible ſin, that he might drive them into deſpair: and he plaid the Sophiſter with Saul, in the prophetical part of that paſſage of Pageantry (as well as in the Hiſtorical) [to morrow thou and thy Sons ſhall be wtih me] 1 Sam. 28. 19. wherein he could not mean [Heaven] with true Samuel, for that is too good a place for bad Saul; nor [Hell] with himſelf (the true Satan) for that is too bad a place for good Jonathan: but the ſtate of the dead; the old deceiver inſinuating to Saul thereby, that the Souls of all men, (of the good as well as of the bad) do go to the ſame place, and ſeeking to blot out of him therewith all knowledge and apprehenſion of eternal life: oh miſerable comfort in diſtreſs! and no better can thoſe expect that run to Witches, &c. for eaſe: the Paraſite and tempter before ſin, will be a Tyrant and Tormentor after it; when he hath accompliſhed his end, his flattery goes no further, but turns into fury.
4. Although Satan be all this, and much more againſt faln Mankind, which makes him their greateſt adverſary, yet hath a man a worſe enemy than he, to wit, his own ſuperlatively-deceitful and deſperately wicked heart: every one carries a tempter in his boſome, whereby he is drawn away and enticed, Jam. 1. 14, 15. [foreign] entiſed, as a fiſh by a bait, yea, drawn away by his own byaſs of luſt: the Devil hath onelyonly an inſinuating ſleight, not any forcing or conſtraining might; mans own concupiſcence carries the greateſt ſway and ſtroke therein: thence it is ſaid, that [Deceit] as well as all other Soul-defiling-evils, come out of the heart, Mark 7. 22, 23. Satan might beſiege us days without number, and without ſucceſs too, if a treacherous party were not within, to let down the Drawbridge, and to ſet ope the Gates of the City for his entrance and entertainment: There is deceit in the heart, Prov. 12. 20. and therefore Chriſt tells you, it comes out of the heart; what is in the Well, will be in the bucket: ſurely they are redeemed from deceit, (indeed) Pſal. 72.14. that have a cover for their heart; (that well which is ſo full of crawling luſts) to wit, the cover of Gods Spirit, Iſa. 31. 1. Every veſſel that wanteth a cover was unclean, Num. 19. 15. ſo is the heart that is open to Satans ſquibs for ingreſs, and ſinful thoughts for egreſs.
5. The ſecond thing (next to the old Serpent) is Antichriſt, the man of ſin, call'd primo-genitus Diaboli, the firſt-born of the Serpents ſeed, that grand Impoſtor, whoſe coming is after the working of Satan, with lying wonders, and all deceivableneſs, 2 Theſ. 2. 9, 10. that beaſt which doth great wonders in the ſight of men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth, Revel. 13. 13, 14. This Son of perdition cheats the world [foreign] with wonders of a lye, (which is an uſual Hebraiſm) to denote the notorious fallacy and falſhood of his wonders: they are either lying prodigies, or prodigious lyes; ſuch (as ſome of themſelves ſay) are for the moſt part falſe, yet were deviſed for good intentions. This Ludovicus Vives (one of their own) further confirmeth; affirming, that the Author of the Golden (or rather lying) Legend, had a brazen face, corrupting the lives of their Canoniz'd Saints with abundance of lyes; and that the deviſers of thoſe Fables did not ſet down what their Saints did, but what themſelves would have had them done: And the Doctrines of Popery are like their Miracles, lying Doctrines; it being no other than a Farrago of falſities and old Hereſies: for (as the Centuriſts ſay, the old Hereticks fled (at the light of truth) and hid themſelves in the Popiſh Clergy. And whence doth all this ariſe, but from their own treacherous and deceitful hearts, whereby they are given up (judicially) to believe all thoſe lyes, becauſe they received not the truth in the love of it, 2 Theſ. 2. 10, 11. that is the great Goſpel-ſin which is puniſhed by the righteous God with ſtrong deluſions, vile affections, and juſt damnations: ſelf-deceit is an Idol that all the world worſhips, as well as it doth the Beaſt, in its three Sons, ſelf-conceit, ſelf-will, and ſelf-love.
6. The third thing is falſe Prophecies, Doctrines, and teachings, the publiſhers whereof are called deceitful workers, 2 Cor. 11. 13. that (like Solomons Harlot, 1 Kin. 3. 20.) would take away the living child, to wit, the Scriptures of truth, from out of our boſomes; and lay, inſtead thereof, the dead child of their own brain-ſick notions, and vain traditions: Theſe are ſaid, by good words and fair ſpeeches, to deceive the hearts of the ſimple, Rom. 16. 18. you have need therefore to look well to your inheritance, (as Kin. 21. 3.) that you be not beguiled of it by fraud, as well as by force: theſe have cunning craftineſs, and by a ſlight hand can cog a Die; (the common practice of cheating Gameſters) lying in wait to deceive, Eph. 4. 14. inſomuch, that if it were poſſible, they would deceive the very elect, Matth. 24. 24. which they cannot do (fundamentally and finally) becauſe the deceived and the deceiver are (both) with the Lord, Job 12. 13, 16. However, unſtable Souls (ſo called, 2 Pet. 3. 10.) are blown like Glaſſes into this or that form, at the pleaſure of their breath: And whence flow all thoſe falſe divinations? the Prophet tells you, Jerem. 14. 14. & 23. 26.) they are (all) the deceits of thoſe deceivers hearts, impudently lying to the Holy Ghoſt, (as Act. 5. 3.) fathering the falſities of their own hearts upon the Spirit of truth: Thus the deceitful heart firſt deceived thoſe deceivers, and then theſe deceivers did deceive credulous Souls with the deceits of their hearts.
7. The fourth thing is the deceitful bow, Pſal. 78. 57. Hoſ. 7. 16. a ſlack or warping bow, [Reſheth Remjiah] Arcus doli vel doloſus ſeu fallax, Hebr. will be ſure to deceive the Archer that ſhoots in it: 'twill turn back into belly, as the Archers phraſe is; and though he level both his eye and his arrow never ſo directly to the mark, and think confidently with himſelf to hit it, yet in the event the Arrow (through the warping of the bow) flyes a quite contrary way, yea, and ſometimes reflects upon the Archer himſelf: Non ſemper feriet, quodcunque minabitur Arcus; the bow ſmites not all it threatens, and [telum ob arcus obliquitatem aliud minatur, & aliud ferit, interdum ctiam retrò in jaculantem reflectit] The illfaſhioned or caſting-bow will turn in the ſhooters hand, and ſend the Arrow ſometimes one way, and ſometimes another way; yea, and ſometimes it rebounds into his own ſides: or if it be a rotten bow, (though otherwiſe fair to look upon) when an Arrow is drawn to the head, it breaks in the hand, and deceives the Archer: the ſame thing happeneth, when the ſtring of the bow is naughty, and breaks when the Arrow is drawn: This is no leſs than a Divine Scripture-Allegory. Behold, ſuch a fallacious, warping, and rotten bow is mans deceitful heart; his purpoſes and promiſes are the arrows that he puts upon the ſtring, the mark he aims at is Repentance, to the which (in affliction eſpecially) he looketh with an accurate and intent eye, as though he would repent indeed; but alas, his heart deceives him, as being unſound in Gods Statutes, Pſal. 119. 80. and hence it is, that his promiſes and pretences do fall at his foot, or vaniſh in the air as ſmoke; thus a deceiving (as well as a deceived) heart, turns him aſide, Iſa. 44. 20. as it did thoſe falſe Iſraelites: oh then look to the ſecret warpings of your own heart; and ſeeing you are Gods bow, you muſt be bent by him, and ſtand bent for him, Zech. 9. 13. thereby you ſhall be like Jonathans how that never returned empty, 2 Sam. 1. 22.
8. The fifth deceitful thing is Riches, Mark 4. 19. they have deceitfulneſs in them, as well as uncertainty, 1 Tim. 6. 17. Riches have never been true to thoſe that truſted in them, but ever have proved a lye in their right hand, Iſa. 44. 20. hence are they called lying vanities, Jon. 2. 8. and compared to a flock of birds ſitting upon a mans ground, which upon the leaſt fright, takes the wings and flyes away: Riches have wings (ſaith Solomon) and rather than want, they will make to themſelves wings, Prov. 23.5. yea, though they have not the wings ſo much as of a little ſparrow wherewith to fly to you, yet will they make to themſelves the large wings of a great Eagle, wherewith to fly from you: oh how many have Riches ſerved, as Abſaloms Mule ſerved her Maſter, whom ſhe lurched, and left (in his greateſt need) hanging betwixt Heaven and Earth, as if rejected of both: a ſpark of fire may ſet them on flying, a Thief may ſteal them, a wicked ſervant may embezel and purloin them: a Pyrate or ſhipwrack at ſea, a Robber or bad debtor at land, yea an hundred ways ſets them packing: they are as the Apples of Sodom, that look fair, yet crumble away with the leaſt touch: golden deluſions, a meer Mathematical Scheme or fancy of mans brain, 1 Cor. 7. 31. Act. 25. 23. The ſemblances and empty ſhews of good, without any reality or ſolid conſiſtency: nec vera, nec veſtra; as they are ſlippery upon the account of verity, ſo they are no leſs in reſpect of propriety and poſſeſſion, for they are winged birds, eſpecially in this, that they fly from man to man, (as the birds do from tree to tree) and always from the owner of them: this is a ſore deceit and cozenage, yet your heart is more deceitful, inaſmuch as it will deceive you with thoſe deceitful Riches, à quo aliquid tale eſt, illud eſt magis tale: they are ſo, becauſe the heart is ſo.
9. The time would fail me to ſpeak of all the deceitful things that the holy Scriptures calls ſo, beſides thoſe here inſiſted upon, as the ſixth deceitful things is favour and beauty, Prov. 31. 30. [Sheker haken vehebel haiophe] gratioſitas & venuſtas, is deceit and falſity (as the Hebr. ſignifies) in the very abſtract; not onelyonly as it is ſometimes, but a painted and borrowed beauty; but eſpecially as it laſteth not long, ſoon fadeth, ſatisfyeth none, brings forth its own diſdain, and gives occaſion to many ſins, to wit, Moroſity, Wantonneſs, Pride, Idleneſs, Imperiouſneſs, &c. though it be true and genuine (without painting) if it be not ſeaſoned and ſanctified with the fear of God: alas, the beſt beauty in the world is but skin-deep; an herd of Small-pox, (wherein God turns the faireſt Creature inſide outward, to let them ſee that corruption, as Jobs phraſe is, is their Mother, or ſome fore fit of ſickneſs,) ſoon and ſuddenly blaſts it. And though it doth eſcape both thoſe, yet old age or death will wither it at laſt; All fleſh is graſs, and the glory thereof, as the flower of the field, fadeth away, Iſa. 40. 6. not onelyonly as graſs, but is graſs; and the flower [of the field] is more apt to be blaſted and troden down, than the flower of the Graden: how many have foul Souls in fair bodies! as Abſalom, &c. 'Tis the fear of God that makes one all glorious within, (though the world diſcern it not) Pſal. 45. 13. without which, beauty is but as a jewel of gold in a ſwines ſnout, Prov. 11. 22. Such are like an Aegyptian Temple, a goodly Fabrick without, and nothing but ſome filthy Ape or baſe Crocodile (adored as a God) within; or like thoſe painted Sepulchres, Matth. 23. 27. that had a beautiful outſide, but nothing within, ſave ſtench and rottenneſs; and in a word, their very locks, looks, and lips do lye, having fair faces, v. 25, 28. and foul hearts; no one means hath enriched Hell more (ſaith one) than this: better it is to have the rich Pearl (a godly Soul) in the ruder ſhell of an ordinary body, than any Auxiliary or Artificial (yea) or natural beauty, without the fear of God, which are then but as an ugly toad in a golden Cabinet, notoriouſly deceitful, yet not ſo much as your heart, inaſmuch as you would not be deceived with beauty, if your heart did not firſt deceive you.
10. The ſeventh deceitful thing in Scripture, is deceitful dreams, Iſa. 29. 8. [in quibus fieri videntur, quae tamen fieri non videntur] ſaith Tertullian, thoſe things ſeem to be done in dreams, which yet are never ſeen to be done at all: Auguſtine writes a Chapter [de ſomniorum ludibrüs] ſhewing ſuch a cheat to be in them, that even falſe things ſeem to perſwade me ſleeping, of the truth of them, even ſuch as cannot be true to me waking; I own (ſaith he) and (at leaſt ſeeminly) act, while ſleeping, ſuch things as I utterly diſown when awakeing: Thus, Lord (cryeth he in his Confeſſions) I my ſelf do differ from my ſelf; where (Lord) is my Reaſon, that reſiſts thoſe things when I am waking? is it aſleep, when my ſenſes are aſleep?
11. And Solomon ſaith, multitudes of dreams (as well as of words) as there may be ſome matter in them, ſo they (both) want not their vanity, Eccleſ. 5. 3, 7. Dreams are either natural or ſuper-natural: (firſt) the natural, which are exceeding fallacious, ſo not to be (much) regarded, unleſs in Phyſick, to diſcover our conſtitutions, and in Divinity, our beloved ſins: Thus the ambitious man dreams of his honours, the covetous of his Coffers, and the voluptuous of his pleaſures; non ſomno ſed ſomnio diſcernuntur] they are all diſcerned what they be, not by their ſleep, (for that is alike to all) but by their dreams in their ſleep: yet are thoſe natural dreams but [vanae jactationes negotioſae Animae] the idle toſſings of a buſie mind: the Soul of man (finding all the ſenſes faſt bound up in ſleep) entreth then into the ſhop of the fanſie, and operates there, uſually, according to the affairs and employments of the day paſt, Eccleſ. 5. 3. [dreams come through multitudes of buſineſs] yet variety of vanity is found in them, as idleneſs, or unprofitableneſs, troubleſomneſs, confuſion, contradiction, abſurdity, as well as falſhood, and which is worſt of all, the vanity of ſinfulneſs. (2.) Supernatural dreams, which be twofold, firſt from God, either to comfort, Matth. 2. 19. or to chaſten, Job 7. 13, 14. ſecondly, from the Devil, which are either meer illuſions, whereby he gulleth the mind, as that of Job 4. 12, 16, 17. is ſuppoſed to be; or ſubtle inſinuations, wherein he faſtneth upon the Saints ſuch ſins while they are ſleeping, which he cannot prevail with them to commit when awaking; the evil ſpirit, as he is a ſpirit, negotiates with mans ſpirit.
12. Thus (and much worſe) will your heart deceive you with falſe dreams, (which you are commanded not to hearken unto) Jerem. 29. 8. & 23. 25, 32. they are call'd [falſe dreams] becauſe they are fallacious in deceiving you; and they are call'd [your dreams] becauſe you have an itch after them, you liſten to them and (at laſt) pays dear for them: as in downright dotages, thinking all the time you ſleep there is truth and reality in all your ſelf-pleaſing conceptions; but when you awake, alas, 'tis but a dream, all vaniſheth away; and you do find you have been but deceiving your ſelf all the while: juſt ſo your heart (while you are aſleep in the ſtate of ſin) will fill you with many ſelf-flattering conceptions, as (1.) that your perſon is not ſo bad as others, Luk. 18. 11. and therefore you have no need to be better: alas, this at beſt procures you but a milder Hell. (2.) That your ſtate is bleſſed, bleſſing your ſelf in a falſe peace, Deut. 29. 19. Pſal. 49. 11. Luk. 12. 19. Revel. 18. 9. (3.) That your actions are good, which may be right in your own eyes, and yet be no better than ways of death, Prov. 16. 25. but if once God awake you, by calling you with a ſtrong voice, ſhaking you with a ſtrong hand, and pricking you in the heart-vein by his convincing Spirit; then you will finde your ſelf groſsly gull'd with your dreams: if you would not dream, ſleep not; Self-examination is as rubbing of the eyes after ſleep.
13. The 8th deceitful thing is deceitful Weights; to which may be added Meaſures, Mete-yards, and Ballances; Mic. 6. 11. Amos 8. 5. Hoſ. 12. 7. Prov. 11. 1. and 20. 16. 23. Levit. 19. 36. Deut. 25. 13. 15. All theſe may be deceitful, and defrauding in bargaining with Chapmen; yet the original of the wicked uſe of falſe Weights, &c. is from a deceitful heart: 'Tis ſaid, their Mete-yards, in thoſe Scripture-times, were deceitful in their meaſuring for one Chapman in wet weather, and for another in dry: for Leather-lines will be longer in a foul ſeaſon, but Cords of Hair or Hemp will be longer in a fair one: Meaſures may be filled up with froth, though otherwiſe they be large enough. And God expreſly ſaith, that a man ſhall not have in his bag divers weights, a great and a ſmall; neither ſhall he have in his houſe divers Meaſures, a great and a ſmall; they muſt not be kept (ſo much as) neer him, Deut. 25. 13, 14. for others may uſe them, though he do not. And againſt the uſe of falſe Weights, &c. this may be ſaid briefly: (1.) That ſuch as be falſe and deceitful, are an abomination to the Lord, Prov. 11. 1. & 20. 23. If ſo, then thoſe which are juſt and true be pleaſing to God. (2ly.) Thoſe that are juſt, be ſaid to be the Lords work, Prov. 16. 11. If ſo, then ſuch as be unjuſt, are no leſs than the Devils work. (3ly.) The bleſſing of a long life is promiſed to him that is juſt in thoſe things, Deut. 25. 15. and thoſe that deal deceitfully in them, are accurſed, Mich. 6. 11, 12, 13, 14. Wealth gotten by ſuch fraud, will lurch a man, as the Devil doth Witches when they come into Priſon. (4ly.) To be juſt herein, is to be like God; who is ſaid to do all things [numero, pondere, & menſurâ,] in number, weight, and meaſure; and all juſt, (5ly.) Such as deceive with them, are call'd Canaanites, [he is a Merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand,] Hoſ. 12.7. Hebr. Canaan, a Money-merchant, that matters not how he gets it, ſo he may but have it: whereby Ephraim made himſelf rather ſeem to be of the Baſtard-brood of Cain, and of curſed Cam, than of the Off-ſpring of plain Jacob, that could ſay to Eſau, I have enough, my Brother. Thus Merchants were call'd Canaanites, as Mathematicians are call'd Caldeans.
14. Beſides, (6ly.) 'tis againſt the Royal Standard (both of Nature and of Scripture) [quod tibi non vis, alteri ne faceres,] ſaith Terence; and our Lord ſaith the ſame, Whatſoever ye would that men ſhould do to you, do ye even ſo to them, Mat. 7. 12. This is the ſealed Weight and Meaſure of the Law, by which you muſt converſe with all men: you muſt love your neighbour as your ſelf. Now no man loves the paſſive part of being defrauded, therefore he muſt not love the active part of defrauding others, 1 Theſſ. 4. 6. They that live thus unconſcionably, ſhall be ſure to die as uncomfortably. Such Cheats as theſe (and worſe) you will finde in your own heart: As, (1.) you will weigh your own ſins in one balance, and the ſins of others in another; thus Judah did Tamars ſin, in paſſing that ſevere doom, [let her be burnt] Gen. 38. 24. but when he comes to ſentence himſelf for his own ſin, he deals more ſoftly, [ſhe hath been more righteous than I] v. 26. Thoſe are deceitful weights, weighing the ſins of others with great weights, and our own ſins with leſſer. (2.) You may meaſure out to your ſelf ſix whole days, and yet curtail Gods ſeventh day, or miſ-employ it. If the very falſe weights and meaſures (themſelves) be abominable, how much more are they abominable that uſe them, Prov. 20. 10. and in the more noble materials, the worſe abomination: you ſhould meaſure out a whole ſeventh day to God, that gives you whole ſix days for work; and not buy with a great meaſure, and ſell with a little one. (3.) You may be ſleight in weighing your ſtate (as well as actions) in the balance of deceit; it ſhould be in the balance of the Sanctuary, as the Bereans did, Act. 17. 11. elſe, as Belſhazzar, you will be found light, Dan. 4. 25, 27. do all without partiality [foreign] 1 Tim. 5. 21. not tilting the balance on the one hand: while you judge your ſelf, judge impartially.
15. The ninth deceitful thing, is a deceitful witneſs or teſtimony, Prov. 14. 25. [in thee are men that carry tales] Hebr. men of ſlanders, Ezek. 22. 9. or Pedlars, (ſuch as drop one tale here, and another there) tale-bearers, Exod. 23. 1. Levit. 19. 16. And a tale-hearer, is as bad as a tale-bearer; the one carries the Devil in his tongue, and the other carries him in his ear: 'tis as ill to be the receiver, as to be the raiſer of a falſe report: Satan (himſelf) was firſt a ſlanderer, and then a Murderer; and his Agents firſt do take away the credit of the Church, (her vail) and then wound her, Cant. 5. 6. The Primitive Chriſtians were firſt belyed, and then cruelly tortured: thus were they doubly Murthered, firſt by detraction, and then by deadly dealing. If a good name be better than riches, Prov. 22. 1. then defaming a man is worſe than robbing of him; Actum eſt de homine, quando actum eſt de nomine; he that hath got an ill name upon him, is half hang'd: 'Tis well worth your noting, that not only thoſe which make the lye, but alſo thoſe that love it (when 'tis made to their hands) are (both of them) ſhut out of Heaven, Revel. 22. 15. 'Tis an ill ſigne men love lies, when they do ſo much liſten to them, Prov. 17. 4. The Devil doth never ſtarve his work for want of Inſtruments; he hath his Tale-bearers, and Tale-hearers, yea and Tale-believers too: he hath his Knights of the Poſt, that can lend an Oath for a need to any Cauſe or Party, that can blow abroad (as with a pair of bellows) Prov. 6. 19. Hebr. that can vent them freely and boldly, and will not ſtick to ſwear contraries, if required. Such were theſe men of Belial, that Jezabel ſuborned againſt innocent Naboth, 1 King. 21. 10. and that were ſuborned againſt the Proto-Martys Stephen, Acts 6. 11. and againſt Chriſt (himſelf) Matth. 26. 59. deſperate Wretches, incarnate Devils, that would ſwear any thing, as they were inſtructed by their Maſters; miſreporting Chriſt's words in turning [deſtroy ye] into [I can deſtroy] and [this] into [made with hands] yet God confounded the language of thoſe deceitful witneſſes (as he had done the Babel-builders of old, Gen. 11. 7. ſo he doth to this day) they diſagreed in their teſtimonies among themſelves, verſ. 60, 61. and Mark 14. 56, to 59. with John 2. 19. Now if this (that is but the Effect) be ſo abominable, how much more is the Cauſe? A deceitful heart is worſe than their deceitful mouth, Pſal. 109. 2. or tongue, Pſ… ▪ 52. 4. and 120. 2. for 'tis the ſource and fountain thereof, Mark 7. 22. Matth. 15.19. Oh how oft may your heart be a falſe witneſs to your ſelf (being privy to all your actions, 1 Kin. 2. 44. 1 Joh. 3. 20.) when filthily flattered and ſuborned with carnal Fallacies! 'twill not then cry, Oh what have I been, or oh what have I done! Jer. 8. 6. happy is he that hath the anſwer of a good Conſcience, 1 Pet. 3. 21. and can appeal (with Peter) from Conſcience to Omniſcience, John 21. 15. 17.
16. The 10th and laſt thing is deceitful Juggling and Enchantment; As (1.) that of the Sorcerers of Egypt, pretending to imitate Moſes in his Miracles, Exod. 7. 11. 22. and 8. 7. yet all but juggles; their frogs were mere phantaſms, not gathered upon heaps, as thoſe (Moſes brought) were, verſ. 13. 14. Had they been real Frogs, the plague had been increaſed by thoſe, as if God had not ſent enough, but the Devil muſt ſend more; which yet he could not remove from Egypt, God muſt do that by Moſes prayer. (2.) That gawdy and goodly Repreſentation of the Glories of the World (Matth. 4. 8. the devil ſhewed Chriſt) had no reality in it, but was a cheating phantaſm; For 1. the glory of any one Kingdome cannot be ſeen from the top of any one Mountain. 2. None can ſee the glory of London from High-gate, but by going into it 'tis done. 3. Real Glory cannot be ſeen [foreign] in a moment of time, Luke 4. 5. but ſucceſſively, one part of it after another: The Prince of the Air painted an airy Horizon only, and ſhewed (as God did Canaan to Moſes from Piſgah, Deut. 34. 1, 2.) a mere Map of all the Riches and Royalties of the World in lively Colours; ſo 'twas but a Picture, not it ſelf. (3.) Thus Judiciary Aſtrologers (that call men off from a due obſervation of Divine Providence, which numbers our very hairs, Mat. 10.30. and orders even contingent things, Exod. 21. 13. Deut. 19. 5.) whoſe Art doth ariſe from a natural itch (in fallen Mankinde) of knowing what God would not have known, Deut. 29.20. Acts 1. 6, 7. And were there any certainty in that Art, no doubt but the Devil (himſelf) would have the beſt knowledge of it (both by the ſubtlety of his Nature, and by his long Experience in the world) yet hath he been oft deceived in his fallacious Oracles. And 'tis remarkable, that the Caldaeans (who were undoubtedly moſt skilful in that Art) could not foretel the ruine of their own Empire: Neither can Fortune-tellers foretel their own Scourgings and untimely Death. This is ſuch a cheat and deceit, that wiſe Cato (though an Heathen) did wonder how ſuch kinde of perſons could forbear laughter, when they met one another, ſeeing they knew ſo well how they did notoriouſly gull ſo many credulous people; therefore liſten not to them.
17. (4.) And laſtly, the Cheats of Wizards or Witches (both white and black) that have Colluſion, as well as Deluſion in them; (1.) The white Witches (or wiſe men, or wiſe women, as they are ignorantly miſcalled) that are ſaid to cure Diſeaſes, and to help perſons to loſt Goods; alas, 'tis only done by Colluſion, one devil (for more deviliſh ends) giving way to another: The Devil may take off what he (himſelf) hath laid on; his Cures are only for a time, and 'tis for ſome greater miſchief; he may reſtore thoſe Goods that he (by his Agents) hath ſtollen, that he may be worſhipped of thoſe to whom they are reſtored: but without all peradventure, 'tis better to want your Goods, or your Health (it ſelf) than to go to the devil for them; they can never come from him with a bleſſing. Your Lord would have nothing of the devils giving, Math. 4. 9, 10. And as if there were no God in Iſrael, why ſhould you go to the Devil at Ekron? 2 Kin. 1. 2, 3. the God of your mercies ſcorns you ſhould ſeek him in vain, Iſa. 45. 11. 16. 19. (2.) the black Witches (ſo called) are (themſelves) cheated by Satan, and made to believe that they are transformed into Cats, Birds, &c. all which is but a deluſion, for no ſuch tranſmutation can be, but either by Creation or Generation; 'tis not by the firſt, for there cannot be two Creators; nor by the ſecond, for Generation muſt be in time, and not in an inſtant. Thus the Devil deludeth them with conceits, (which are plain deceits) that they are got over ſea into forrain Wine-Cellars, whereas (all that time of thoſe conceits) they are ſo faſt aſleep, that they cannot be awakened; and whatever is done, (if any thing) of that nature, 'tis all done by their Familiars: but above all, they are cheated at laſt (thoſe witches) with a witneſs, who cannot ſave themſelves from the ſtroke of Juſtice, by all their familiars, but are always lurched by them at length: when Witches fall into Juſtices hands, then thoſe familiars, which had (as it were) worn out their ſhooes in the Witches ſervice formerly, will not now go bare-foot for their help; and then it is, that the Circle of the Halter is too ſtrong for all their ſpells.
18. Yet all thoſe cheats and deceits do ſpring originally from a deceitful deceiving, and a deceived heart, Iſa. 44. 20. the pride of the heart deceives thoſe Sorcerers, Wizzars, and Witches, Obad. v. 3. making them think themſelves ſome great matter, whereas there is no ſuch matter, but their hearts do befool them into a fools paradiſe, and puts ſuch a trick upon them, as the ſerpent did upon Eve, Gen. 3. 13. [the ſerpent hath deceived me] where the ſame Hebrew word is uſed as here: a deceived heart (that ſo oft deceives them) may well ſay to them, as the heart of Apollodorus (the Tyrant) ſeemed to ſay in the boiling kettle to him, (as before) It is I that have drawn thee to all this evil. This is apparent in Simon Magus (who bewitched the Samaritans) he was bewitched (himſelf) with his own bewitching heart (which was in the gall of bitterneſs, and in the bond of iniquity, as bitter to God, as gall is to man, and in ſuch a bond as could not be looſed) this made him think himſelf (baſely, and blaſphemouſly) that he was the great power of God, who was but a blab or bladder blown up (as a bubble) by the Devil, and of his own heart, Act. 8.9, 10, 11. 21. 23.