The Trial of True Wisdom, Section 52
§ 52.
Secondly, If we ſhall look upon the moſt cunning Politician, with a ſingle eye: judge righteous judgement, and not according to appearance onelyonly, we ſhall finde that the greateſt Polilician is the greateſt fool. For he turns all his Religion into hypocriſie, into Statiſme, yea, into Atheiſm, making Chriſtianity a very foot-ſtool to policy.
I confeſſe they are wiſer in their generation, then the children of light; and are ſo acknowledged by Chriſt himſelf, Luke 16. 8. But why? not that there is a deficiency of power in the godly, but will: for could not David go as far as Achitophel? could not Paul ſhew as much cunning as Tertullus? Yes, ſurely if they would: But becauſe their Maſter, Chriſt, hath commanded them to be innocent as doves; They have reſolved in an heroical diſpoſition with Abraham, Gen. 14. 22. that the King of Sodome ſhall not make them rich. No crooked, or indirect meanes, ſhall bring them in profit; they will not be beholding to the king of Hell for a ſhooty. And hereupon the Foxes wiles, never enter into the Lions head.
But to ſpeak of them as they are: Theſe cunning Politicians, in ſtead of being wiſe as ſerpents, they are wiſe ſerpents. They are ſo arted in ſubtleties, through time and practice, that they are neer upon as wiſe, as that old ſerpent the Devill. Indeed he hath one trick beyond all theirs; for like a cunning fencer, he that taught them all their tricks, kept this one to himſelfe, namely, how to cheate them of their ſoules. But take a ſhort Character of them.
They are ſuch cunning diſſemblers, that like Pope Alexander the ſixth, what they thinke, they never ſpeak. Why is this cast away, ſaith Iudas? Crafty cub, he would have had it himſelf. They are like a fellow that rides to the pillory, they goe not the way they look. They will cut a mans throat under colour of courteſie, as Ulyſſes by gold, and forged letters, was the meanes of ſtoning Palamides, even while he made ſhew of defending him. And then to wipe off all ſuſpition from themſelves, their geſture and conntenance ſhall be like Julius Caeſar's; who ſeeing Pompey's head fell a weeping, as if he had been ſorry for it, when by his onelyonly meanes it was cut off. So like Rowers in a boat, whileſt in their pretence they look one way, in their intent they goe the quire contrary: As our Saviour found it to fare with the Phariſees, and Sadducees, Matth. 16. 1, 3. which made him to conclude, with, O hypocrites! Nor ſhall any man be able to determine, either by their geſture, words, or actions, what they reſolve, though like Hebrew letters, you ſpell them backward. OnelyOnly this you may be ſure of, that they do not intend, what they pretend; Like as in jugling feats, though we know not how they are done, yet we know well, that they are not done as they ſeem to be.
Now if they can any way advantage themſelves by anothers ruine, and do it cunningly; as Iezabel did, when ſhe killed Naboth, by ſuborning falſe witneſſe against him, and proclaimed a Faſt before the murther: Though all ſuch policy be but miſery, and all ſuch knowledge, ignorance, Yet, ô how wiſe they think themſelves! but they are groſly miſtaken: for wherein does this their great wiſdom conſiſt? but firſt; in being wiſe to deceive others: as the Old ſerpent did our firſt Parents; or ſecondly in the end to deceive themſelves, as the ſame ſerpent did, which brought a curſe upon himſelfe for ſo doing, Gen. 3. The crafty Fox hugg'd himſelfe to think how he had cozened the Crow of her break-faſt: but when he had eaten it, and found himſelf poyſoned with it, he wiſht the Crow her own again. Wealth got by deceit, is like a piece of butterd ſpunge, an Italian trick, it goes down glib; but in the ſtomack ſwells, and will never be got out again. The gains a man gets by deceiving, at laſt he may put in his eye, and yet ſee himſelfe miſerable. Sin is the greateſt cheater in the world, for it deceives the deceiver.