Works of Joseph Hall, Sermon 5 – Dedication 20
THE GREAT IMPOSTOR, LAID OPEN, OVT OF
IER. 17.9.
The heart is deceitfull aboue all things.
I Know where I am; in one of the famous Phrontiſteries of Law, and Iuſtice: wherefore ſerues Law and Iuſtice, but for the preuention or puniſhment of fraud and wickedneſſe? GiueGive me leaue therefore to bring before you, Students, Maſters, Fathers, Oracles of Law and Iuſtice, the greateſt Cheator and Malefactor in the world, our owne Heart. It is a great word that I hauehave ſaid, in promiſing to bring him before you; for this is one of the greateſt aduantages of his fraud, that hee cannot bee ſeene: That as that old Iugler Apollonius Thyanaeus, when he was brought before the Iudge, vaniſhed out of ſight; ſo this great Impoſtor, in his very preſenting before you, diſpeareth and is gone; yea ſo cunningly, that he doth it with our owne conſent, and we would be loth that he could be ſeene: Therefore as an Epiphonema to this iuſt complaint of deceitfulneſſe, is added Who can know it? It is eaſie to know that it is deceitfull, and in what it deceiues, though the deceits themſelues cannot bee knowne, till too late; As wee may ſee the ſhip, and the ſea, and the ſhip going on the ſea, yet the way of a ſhip in the ſea (as Salomon obſerues) wee know not: God askes, and God ſhall anſwer; What hee askes by Ieremie, he ſhall anſwer by S. Paul, Who knowes the heart of man? Euen the ſpirit of man that is in him. 1 Cor. 2.11.If then the heart hauehave but eyes enow to ſee it ſelfe by the reflection of thoughts, it is enough: Ye ſhall eaſily ſee & heare enough (out of the analogie and reſemblance of hearts) to make you both aſtoniſhed and aſhamed.
The heart of man lies in a narrow roome, yet all the world cannot fill it; but that which may be ſaid of the heart, would more than fill a world: Here is a double ſtile giuen it; of deceitfulneſſe; of wickedneſſe; either of which knowes no end, whether of being, or of diſcourſe. I ſpend my houre, and might doe my life, in treating of the firſt.
See then, I beſeech you, the Impoſtor, and the Impoſture; The Impoſtor himſelfe, The heart of man; The Impoſture, Deceitfull aboue all things.
As deceitfull perſons are wont euer to goe vnderunder many names, and ambiguous, and muſt be expreſt with an [alias] ſo doth the heart of man; Neither man himſelfe, nor any part of man hath ſo many names, as the heart alone; For eueryevery facultie that it hath, and eueryevery action it doth, it hath a ſeuerall name: Neither is there more multiplicitie, than doubt in this name; Not ſo many termes are vſed to ſignifie the heart, as the heart ſignifies many things.
When ye heare of the heart, ye thinke ſtraight of that fleſhie part in the center of the body which liues firſt; and dies laſt; and whoſe beatings you finde to keepe time all the body ouer; That is not it which is ſo cunning; Alas, that is a poore harmeleſſe peece; meerely paſſiue; and if it doe any thing, as the ſubminiſtration of Vitall ſpirits, to the maintenance of the whole frame, it is but good; no, it is the ſpirituall part that lurkes in this fleſh, which is guilty of ſuch deceit. We muſt learne of witty Idolatry to diſtinguiſh betwixt the ſtocke and and the inuiſible powers that dwell in it. It is not for me to be a ſtickler betwixt the Hebrewes, and the Greeke Philoſopher…, and Phyſitians, in a queſtion of naturall learning, concerning the ſeat of the ſoule; nor to inſiſt vponupon the reaſons why the ſpirit of God rather places all the ſpirituall powers in the heart, than in the braine; Doubtleſſe in reſpect of the affections there reſident, whereby all thoſe ſpeculatiue abilities are drawne to practiſe; It ſhall ſuffice vsus to take things as wee finde them, and to hold it for granted, that this Monoſyllable (for ſo it is in many languages) compriſes all that intellectiue and affectiue world which concerneth man; and in plaine termes to ſay, that when God ſaies The heart is deceitfull, he meanes, the vnderſtanding, will, affections are deceitfull.
The vnderſtanding is doubly deceitfull; It makes vsus beleeue it knowes thoſe things which it doth not; and that it knowes not thoſe things which it doth: As ſome fooliſh Mountebanke, that holds it a great glory to ſeeme to know all things; or ſome preſuming Phyſitian, that thinkes it a ſhame not to profeſſe skill in any ſtate of the body, or diſeaſe; ſo doth our vaine vnderſtanding; therein framing it ſelfe according to the ſpirits it meets withall; if they bee proud and curious, it perſwades them, they know eueryevery thing; if careleſſe, that they know enough.
In the firſt kinde; What hath not the fond heart of man dared to arrogate to it ſelfe? It knowes all the ſtarres by their names; Tuſh, that is nothing; It knowes what the ſtars meane by their verie lookes, what the birds meane by their chirping, as Apollonius did; What the heart meanes, by the features of the face; it knowes the euents of life by the lines of the hand: the ſecrets of Art, the ſecrets of Nature, the ſecrets of State, the ſecrets of others hearts, yea the ſecrets of God in the cloſet of heauen; Yea, not onelyonly what God hath done, but what he will doe: This is (Sapiens ſtultitia) a wiſe folly, as Irenaeus ſaid of his Valentinians; All Figure-caſters, Palmeſters, Phyſiognomers, Fortune-tellers, Alchymiſts, fantaſticke proiectors, and all the rabble of profeſſors of thoſe foreign,Acts 19.19. not ſo much curious as idle Arts, hauehave their word giuen them by the Apoſtle, Deceiuing and deceiued; neither can theſe men make any worſe fooles, than their hearts hauehave made themſelues;foreign. and well may that Alexandrian tax bee ſet vponupon them in both names, whether of actiue, or paſſiue folly: And (as it commonly fals out, that ſuperfluous things rob the heart of neceſſary) in the meane while, thoſe things which the heart may and ſhould know, it lightly miſ-knowes: As our ſenſes are deceiued by diſtance, or interpoſitions, to thinke the ſtars beamie and ſparkling, the Moone horned, the Planets equally remote, the Sunne ſometimes red, pale other ſome: ſo doth alſo our vnderſtanding erre, in miſopinion of diuine things; It thinkes it knowes God, when it is but an Idoll of fancy, as Sauls meſſengers, when they came into the roome, thought they had the true Dauid, when it was but a Wiſpe; it knowes the will of God, when it is nothing but groſſe miſ-conſtruction: ſo as the common knowledge of men, though they thinke it a Torch, is but an Ignis Fa…nus to leade them to a ditch: How many thouſand Aſſyrians thinke they are in the way to the Prophet, when they are in the midſt of Samaria? How many millions thinke they walke fairely on to heauen, when indeed they are in the broad way that leads to deſtruction? Oh poore blinde Pagans, halfe-ſighted Turkes, bleare-eied Iewes, blind-folded Papiſts, Squint-eied Schiſmaticks, purblind ignorants, how well doe they finde themſelues pleaſed with their deuotion, and thinke God ſhould bee ſo too; when it is nothing but a mixture of meſpriſon; ſuperſtition, conceitedneſſe; and (according to the ſeldome-reuerently-vſed prouerbe) whiles they thinke they hauehave God by the finger, they hold a deuill by the toe; and all this, becauſe their heart deceiues them. If careleſſe, and loth to bee at the paines of knowing more, it perſwades them they know enough; that they cry out of more, as he did on the ointment, (Vt quid perditio hac?) What needs all this waſte? and makes them as conſcionable for knowledge, as Eſau was for cattle, I hauehave enough, my brother, keepe that thou haſt to thy ſelfe; or as contentedly-reſolute, as the Epicure in the Goſpell: Soule take thy eaſe, thou haſt knowledge enough laid vp for many yeeres.
From whence it is, that too many reſt ſimply (yea wilfully) in their owne meaſure, not ſo much as wiſhing more skill in Soule-matters; applauding their owne ſafe mediocritie; like the credulous blinde man that thought he now ſaw a ſhimmering of the Sunne-beames, when indeed his backe was towards it: Hence it is that they ſcoffe at the fooliſhneſſe of preaching, ſcorne the forward bookiſhneſſe of others, fearing nothing but a ſurfet of Manna, and hating to know more, than their neighbours, than their fore-fathers; and thus are led on muffled vp in an vnfelt ignorance, to their graue, yea, (without the mercy of God) to their hell.
And as in theſe things there is a preſumption of knowing what we doe not; ſo contrarily, a diſſimulation and concealement of the knowledge of what we doe vnderſtand; The heart of man is a great lier to it ſelfe this way; Saint Paul ſaies that of Pagans, which I may boldly ſay of Chriſtians, they hauehave the effect of the law written in their hearts; yet many of them will not bee acknowne of one letter ingrauen there by the finger of God: Certaine common principles there are (together with this law) interlinearily written in the Tables of the heart, as that we muſt doe as we would be done to; That there is a God; That this God is infinite in iuſtice and truth, and muſt bee ſerued like himſelfe; theſe they either blot out, or lay their finger on, that they may not bee ſeene, purpoſely, that they may ſinne freely; and faine would perſwade themſelues they neuer had any ſuch euidence from God: ſo putting off the checks of conſcience with bold denials; like the harlot of Iericho, (but worſe than ſhe) that hath hid the Spies, and now out-faces their entertainment: Wherein the heart doth to it ſelfe, that which Nahaſh the Ammonite would hauehave done to Iſrael, put out his owne right eie, that it may not ſee that law whereby it might be conuinced, and finde it ſelfe miſerable. Thus the vnderſtanding of man is eueryevery way deceitfull in ouerknowing; miſ-knowing, diſſembling; in all which it is like an euill and vnfaithfull eye, that either will be ſeeing by a falſe glaſſe, or a falſe light, or with diſtortion; or elſe wilfully cloſes the lids that it may not ſee at all; and in all this deceiues vsus.
The will is no leſſe cunning; which though it make faire pretences of a generall inclination to good, yet (hic & nunc) in particulars, hangs towards a pleaſing euill; Yea though the Vnderſtanding hauehave ſufficiently informed it of the worthineſſe of good, and the turpitude of euill, yet being ouercome with the falſe delectableneſſe of ſinne, it yeelds to a miſſe-aſſent; Reaſon being (as Aquinas ſpeakes) either ſwallowed vp by ſome paſſion, or held downe by ſome vicious habit: It is true, ſtill the Will followes the Reaſon, neither can doe otherwiſe; but therefore, if Reaſon miſ-led be contrary to Reaſon, and a ſchiſme ariſe in the ſoule, it muſt follow that the Will muſt needs bee contrary to Will and Reaſon; Wherein it is like a Planet, which though it be carried aboue perpetually by the firſt mouer, yet ſlily creepes on his owne way, contrary to that ſtrong circumuolution: And though the minde be ſufficiently conuinced of the neceſſitie, or profit of a good act, yet for the tediouſneſſe annexed to it, in a dangerous ſpirituall …codie, it inſenſibly ſlips away from it, and is content to let it fall; As ſome idle; or fearefull Merchant; that could be glad to hauehave gold, if it would come with eaſe, but will not either take the paines, or hazard the aduenture to fetch it: Thus commonly the Will (in both reſpects) Water-man-like lookes forward, and rowes backward; and vnderunder good pretences doth nothing but deceiue.
The affections are as deceitfull as either; whether in miſſe-placing, meaſure, or manner.
Miſ-placing: They are fiery where they ſhould be coole; and where they ſhould burne, freeze; Our heart makes vsus beleeue it loues God, and giues him pledges of affection; whiles it ſecretly doats vponupon the world; like ſome falſe ſtrumpet, that entertaines her husband with her eyes, and in the meane time treads vponupon the toe of an Adulterer vnderunder the board: That it loues iuſtice, when it is but reuenge; That it grieues for the miſſing of Chriſt, when indeed it is but for the loaues and fiſhes; That it feares God, when indeed it is but afraid of our owne torment; That it hates the ſin, when it is the perſon; That it hates the world, when it thruſts God out of doores to lodge it.
Meaſure: That we louelove God enough, and the world but enough, when as indeed the one louelove is but as the cold fit of an ague, the other an hot; we chill in the one, no leſſe than we glow in the other; when wee make God onelyonly a ſtale to draw on the world; That we doe enough hate our corruptions, when (at our ſharpeſt) we doe but gently ſneape them, as Hely did his ſonnes; or as ſome indulgent parent doth an vnthriftie darling; whom he chides, and yet feeds with the fewell of his exceſſe; That we hauehave grieued enough for our ſinnes, when they hauehave not coſt vsus ſo much as one teare, nothing but a little faſhionable winde, that neuer came further than the roots of our tongue; That we doe enough compaſſionate the afflictions of Ioſeph, when we drinke wine in bowles; That we feare God more than men, when we are aſhamed to doe that in preſence of a childe, which we care not to doe in the face of God.
Manner. That our heart loues, and hates, and feares, and ioyes, and grieues truly, when is an hypocrite in all; That it delights conſtantly in God, and holy things, when it is but an Ephraims morning dew; That our anger is zealous, when it is but a flaſh of perſonall malice, or a ſuperſtitious furie; That we feare as ſonnes, when it is as cowards, or ſlaues; That we grieue as Gods patients, when we fret, and repine, and ſtruggle like franticks againſt the hand of our Maker. Thus (to ſumme vp all) the heart of man is wholly ſet vponupon cozenage; the vnderſtanding ouer-knowing, miſ-knowing, diſſembling; The will pretending, and inclining contrarily; The affections mocking vsus in the obiect, meaſure, manner; and in all of them the heart of man is deceitfull.
Ye hauehave ſeene the face of this Cheator; looke now at his hand; and now ye ſee who this Deceiuer is, ſee alſo the ſleights of his deceit; and therein, the faſhion, the ſubiect, the ſequell of it; from whence we will deſcend to our Demeanure towards ſo dangerous an Impoſtor.
The faſhion of his deceit is the ſame with our ordinary Iuglers; either cunning conueyance, or falſe ſemblance. Cunning conueyance, whether into vsus, in vsus, from vsus.
The heart admits ſinne, as Paradiſe did the Serpent; There it is, but by what chinkes or cranies it entered, we know not; ſo as we may ſay of ſinne as the Maſter of the feaſt in the Goſpell ſaid to his ſlouenly gueſt, Quomodo intraſti? How cameſt thou in hither? Corruption doth not eat into the heart as our firſt Parents did into the apple, ſo as the print of their teeth might be ſeene, but as the worme eats into the core, inſenſibly; Neither is there leſſe cloſeneſſe when it is entred; I would it were as vntrue a word, as it is an harſh one, that many a profeſſedly Chriſtian heart, lodges a deuill in the blinde roomes of it, and either knowes it not, or will not bee acknowne of it; eueryevery one that harbours a willing ſinne in his breſt, doth ſo: The malicious man hath a furious deuill; the wanton an vncleane deuill, a Beelphegor, or a Tammonz; the proud man a Lucifer, the couetous a Mammon; Certainly, theſe ſoule ſpirits are not more truly in hell, than in a wicked heart; there they are, but ſo cloſely, that I know not if the heart it ſelfe know it; it being verified of this citadell of the heart, which was ſaid of that vaſt Niniu…, that the enemie had taken ſome parts of it, long ere the other knew it: What ſhould I ſpeake of the moſt common, and yet moſt dangerous gueſt, that lodges in this Inne of the heart, Infidelity? Call at the doore, and aske if ſuch a one hoſt not there; They within make ſtrange of it, deny it, forſweare it; Call the officers, make priuy ſearch, you ſhall hardly finde him: Like ſome Ieſuite in a Popiſh dames chamber, he is ſo cloſely contriued into falſe floores, and double wals, that his preſence is not more eaſily knowne, than hardly conuinced, confeſſed. How eaſie is it to ſay, that if infidelitie did not lurke in the hearts of men, they durſt not doe as they doe; they could not but doe, what they doe not? Durſt they ſinne if they were perſwaded of an hell? durſt they buy a minute of pleaſure with euerlaſting torments? Could they ſo ſleight heauen if they beleeued it? Could they be ſo loth to poſſeſſe it? Could they thinke much of a little painfull goodneſſe to purchaſe an eternity of happineſſe? No, no, men, fathers, and brethren; if the heart were not Infidell, whiles the face is Chriſtian, this could not be. Neither doth the heart of man more cunningly conuey ſinne into, and in it ſelfe, than from it; The ſin that ye ſaw euen now openly in the hands, is ſo ſwiftly paſt vnderunder the board, that it is now vaniſhed; Looke for it in his fore-head, there it is not; looke for it vnderunder his tongue, there is none; looke for it in his conſcience, ye finde nothing; and all this by the legier-de-maine of the heart: Thus Achan hath hid his wedge, and now he dares ſtand out to a lot; Thus Salomons Harlot hath wip't her mouth, and it was not ſhe: Thus Saul will lie-out his ſacrilege, vntill the very beaſts out-bleat, and out-bellow him; Thus the ſwearer ſweares, and when hee hath done, ſweares that he ſwore not; Thus the vncleane fornicator bribes off his ſinne, and his ſhame, and now makes challenges to the world of his honeſty. It cannot be ſpoken how peeuiſhly witty the heart of man is this way; neither doubt I but this wilineſſe is ſome of the poyſon that the ſubtile ſerpent infected vsus with in that fatall morſell: They were three cunning ſhifts which the Scripture recordeth of three women (as that ſex hath beene euer noted for more ſudden pregnancie of wit) Rachel, Rahab, and the good wife of Bahurim; The firſt hiding the Teraphim with a modeſt ſeat, the ſecond, the ſpies with flaxe-ſtalkes, and the third Dauids ſcouts with corne ſpred ouer the Well; but theſe are nothing to the deuices that nature hath wont to vſe for the cloaking of ſinne; God made man vpright, ſaith Salomon, but he ſought many inuentions: Is Adam challenged for ſinne? Behold all on the ſudden it is paſſed from his hand, to Gods; The woman that thou gaueſt me: Is Saul challenged for a couetous and diſobedient remiſſeneſſe? the ſinne is ſtraight paſſed from the field to the Altar; I ſaued the fatteſt for a Sacrifice to the Lord thy God; So the one begins his ſin in God, and the other ends it in him: Is Dauid bewitched with luſt to abuſe the Wife? the Husband muſt be ſent home drunke to hide it, or if not that, to his long home, in a pretended fauour of his valour: Is a griping Vſurer diſpoſed to put his money together to breed a monſter? he hath a thouſand quirks to cozen both law and conſcience: Is a Simoniacall Patron diſpoſed to make a good match of his peoples ſoules? it ſhall be no bargaine, but a gift: he hath a liuing to giuegive, but an horſe to ſell. And ſure I thinke in this wiſe age of the world, Vſurers and Simoniſts ſtriue who ſhall finde the wittieſt way to hell: What ſhould I ſpeake of the ſecret frauds in contracts, booties in matches, ſubornation of inſtruments, hiring of oathes, feeing of officers, equiuocations of anſwers, and ten thouſand other tricks that the heart of man hath deuiſed for the conueiances of ſin; in all which it too well approues it ſelfe incomparably deceitfull.
The falſe ſemblance of the heart is yet worſe; for the former is moſt-what for the ſmothering of euill; this is for the iuſtifying of euill, or the diſgrace of good; In theſe two doth this act of falſhood chiefly conſiſt; in making euill good, or good euill. For the firſt; The naturall man knowes well how filthy all his brood is, and therefore will not let them come forth, but diſguiſed with the colours and dreſſes of good; ſo as now eueryevery one of natures birds is a Swan; Pride is handſomneſſe, deſperate fury, valour; lauiſhneſſe is noble munificence, drunkenneſſe ciuility, flattery complement, murderous reuenge, iuſtice; the Curtizan is bona foemina, the Sorcerer a wiſe man, the oppreſſor a good husband; Abſolom will goe pay his vowes; Herod will worſhip the Babe. For the ſecond; ſuch is the enuy of nature, that where ſhee ſees a better face than her owne, ſhee is ready to ſcratch it, or caſt dirt in it; and therefore knowing that all vertue hath a natiue beauty in it, ſhe labours to deforme it by the fouleſt imputations. Would the Iſraelites be deuout? they are idle; Doth Dauid daunce for ioy before the Arke? he is a foole in a Morris: Doth Saint Paul diſcourſe of his heauenly Viſion? too much learning hath made him mad. Doe the Diſciples miraculouſly ſpeake all the tongues of Babel? They are ful of new wine: Doe they preach Chriſts kingdome? they are ſeditious; The reſurrection? they are bablers. Is a man conſcionable? he is an Hypocrite: Is he conformable? he is vnconſcionable: Is he plaine dealing? hee is rudely vnciuill: Is he wiſely inſinuatiue? he is a flatterer: In ſhort, ſuch is the wicked craft of the heart, that it would let vsus ſee nothing in it owne forme; but faine would ſhew vsus euill faire, that we might be inamored of it, and vertue vgly, that we might abhorre it; and as it doth for the way, ſo doth it for the end; hiding from vsus the glory of heauen, that is laid vp for ouer-commers, and ſhewing vsus nothing but the pleaſant cloſure of wickedneſſe; making vsus beleeue that hell is a palace, and heauen a dungeon, that ſo we might be in louelove with death; and thus both in cunning conueyance, and falſe ſemblance, The heart of man is deceitfull aboue all things.
Ye hauehave ſeene the faſhion of this deceit; caſt now your eies vponupon the ſubiect: And whom doth it then deceiue? It doth deceiue others, it can deceiue it ſelfe, it would deceiue Satan, yea God himſelfe. Others, firſt: How many doe we take for honeſt and ſound Chriſtians, who yet are but errant hypocrites? Theſe Apes of Satan hauehave learned to transforme themſelues into Angels of light; The heart bids the eies looke vpward to heauen, when they are full of adultery; It bids the hands to raiſe vp themſelues towards their Maker, when they are full of bloud; It bids the tongue wagge holily, when there is nothing in the boſome but Atheous profaneneſſe; It bids the knee to bow like a Camell, when the heart is ſtiffe as an Elephant; yea if need be it can bid a teare fall from the eie, or an almes or iuſt action fall from the hand, and all to g…ll the world with a good opinion; In all which, falſe chapmen and horſe-courſers doe not more ordinarily deceiue their buyers in ſhops and faires, than we doe one another in our conuerſation: Yea, ſo crafty is the heart, that it can deceiue it ſelfe; By ouer-weening his owne powers, as the proud man; by vnderunder-valuing his graces, as the modeſt; by miſ-taking his eſtate, as the ignorant; How many hearts doe thus groſſely beguile themſelues? The firſt thinkes hee is rich, and fine, when hee is beggerly and naked; ſo did the Angell of Laodicea: The ſecond is poore in his owne ſpirit, when hee is rich of Gods ſpirit: The third thinkes that he is a great fauourite of heauen, when he is rather branded for an out-caſt; that hee is truly noble, when he is a ſlaue to that, which is baſer than the worſt of Gods creatures, ſinne: Let the proud and ignorant worldling therefore know, that though others may mocke him with applauſes, yet that all the world cannot make him ſo much a foole as his owne heart.
Yea, ſo cunning is the heart, that it thinkes to goe beyond the deuill himſelfe: I can (thinks it) ſwallow his bait, and yet auoid his hooke; I can ſinne, and liue; I can repent of ſinning, and defeat my puniſhment by repenting; I can runne vponupon the ſcore, and take vp the ſweet and rich commodities of ſinfull pleaſure; and when I hauehave done, I can put my ſelfe vnderunder the protection of a Sauiour, and eſcape the arreſt: Oh the world of ſoules that periſh by this fraud, fondly beguiling themſelues, whiles they would beguile the Tempter.
Yet higher: Laſtly, as Satan went about to deceiue the Sonne of God; ſo this fooliſh conſort and client of his goes about to deceiue God himſelfe: The firſt paire of hearts that euer was, were thus credulous, to thinke they ſhould now meet with a meanes of knowledge and Deifying, which God either knew not of, or grudged them, and therefore they would bee ſtealing it out of the ſide of the apple, without God, yea againſt him: Tuſh, none eye ſhall ſee vsus; Is there knowledge in the moſt high, ſaith the ſottiſh Atheiſt? Lord hauehave not wee heard thee preach in our ſtreets? hauehave not we caſt out Deuils in thy Name? ſayes the ſmoothing hypocrite; as if hee could fetch God ouer for an admiſſion into heauen. Thou haſt not lied to man, but to God, ſaith S. Peter to Ananias. And pettiſh Ionas, after hee had beene cooled in the belly of the Whale, and the Sea, yet will be bearing God downe in an argument to the iuſtifying of his idle choler, I doe well to be angry to the death. But as the greateſt Politicians are oft ouertaken with the groſſeſt follies (God owes proud wits a ſhame) the heart of man could not poſſibly deuiſe how ſo much to befoole it ſelfe,Pſal. 94.10, 11. as by this wicked preſumption: Oh yee fooles, when will ye vnderſtand? He that formed the eye, ſhall he not ſee? Hee that teacheth man knowledge, ſhall not hee vnderſtand? The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanitie. A rod for the backe of fooles, yea a rod of iron for ſuch preſumptuous fooles, to cruſh them in peeces like a Potters veſſell.
Ye hauehave ſeene the faſhion and the ſubiect of this deceit: the ſequell, or effect followes; eueryevery way lamentable; For hence it comes to paſſe that many a one hath had his heart in keeping fortie, fiftie, threeſcore yeeres, and more, and yet is not acquainted with it; and all becauſe this craft hath kept it at the Priſcillianiſts locke, Tu omnes, te nemo; It affects to be a ſearcher of all men, no man is allowed to come aboard of it; And if a man whether out of curioſitie, or conſcience, bee deſirous to inquire into it (as it is a ſhame for a man to be a ſtranger at home; Know ye not your owne heart; ſaith the Apoſtle;) it caſts it ſelfe, Proteus-like, into ſo many formes, that it is very hard to apprehend it. One while the man hath no heart, (foreign) ſaith Salomon; Pſal. 12.Then hee hath (foreign) an heart, and an heart, ſaith Dauid; and one of his hearts contradicts another; and then how knowes he whether to beleeue? And what certainty, what ſafety can it bee for a man to liue vnacquainted with himſelfe? Of this vnacquaintance, ſecondly, ariſes a dangerous meſpriſon of a mans ſelfe, in the nature and quantity of his ſinne, in the quality of his repentance, in his peace and intireneſſe with God, in his right to heauen, and (in a word) in his whole ſpirituall eſtate. Of this meſ-priſon, thirdly, ariſes a fearefull diſappointment of all his hopes, and a plunging into vnauoidable torments: Wherein it is miſerable to ſee, how cunningly the traiterous hearts of many men beare them in hand all their liues long; ſoothing them in all their courſes, promiſing them ſucceſſe in all their waies, ſecuring them from feare of euills, aſſuring them of the fauour of God, and poſſeſſion of heauen (as ſome fond Bigot would bragge of his Bull, or Medall, or Agnus Dei; or as thoſe Prieſts that Gerſon *Qui publicè volunt dogmatizare ſeu praedicare populo, quod ſi quis audit miſſam in illo d…e non erit caecus, nec morietur morte ſubitanea, nec carebit ſufficienti ſuſtentatione, &c.taxes, who made the people beleeue that the Maſſe was good for the eye-ſight, for the mawe, for bodily health, and preſeruation) till they come to their death-beds; But then when they come to call forth the comforts they muſt truſt to, they finde them like to ſome vnfaithfull Captaine, that hath all the while in Garriſon filled his purſe with dead paies, and made vp the number of his companies with borrowed men; and in time of eaſe ſhewed faire; but when hee is called forth by a ſudden alarum, bewraies his ſhame and weakneſſe, and failes his Generall when hee hath moſt need of him; right thus doe the perfidious hearts of many, after all the glorious bragges of their ſecurity, on the bed of their laſt reckoning, finde nothing but a cold deſpaire, and a wofull horror of conſcience; and therefore too iuſtly may their hearts ſay to them, as the heart of Appollodorus the Tyrant ſeemed to ſay vntounto him; who dreamed one night that hee was fleaed by the Scythians, and boyled in a Caldron; and that his heart ſpake to him out of the kettle (foreign) It is I that hauehave drawne thee to all this. Certainly neuer man was, or ſhall bee frying in hell, but cries out of his owne heart, and accuſes that deceitfull peece as guilty of all his torment: For let Satan be neuer ſo malicious, and all the world neuer ſo paraſiticall, yet if his owne heart had beene true to him; none of theſe could hauehave hurt him. Let the reſt of our enemies doe their worſt, onelyonly from the euill of our owne hearts, good Lord deliuer vsus.
It were now time for our thoughts to dwell a little vponupon the meditation, and deploration of our owne danger and miſery, who are eueryevery way ſo inuironed with ſubtlety. If we looke at Satan, his old title is, that old Serpent; who muſt needs therefore now, by ſo long time and experience, bee both more old and more Serpent. If we looke at ſin, it is as crafty as he; Leſt any of you be hardened through the deceitfulneſſe of ſinne: If at our owne hearts, wee heare (that which wee may feele) that the heart is deceitfull aboue all things. Oh wretched men that we are, how are wee beſet with Impoſtors on all hands; If it were more ſeaſonable for vsus to bewaile our eſtate; than to ſeeke the redreſſe of it; But ſince it is not ſo much worth our labour to know how deepe the pit is, into which wee are fallen, as how to come out of it, heare rather (I beſeech you) for a concluſion, how wee may auoid the danger of the deceit of our falſe heart; euen iuſt ſo as wee would preuent the nimble feats of ſome cheating Iugler; Search him, watch him, Truſt him not.
Looke well into his hands, pockets, boxes, ſleeues, yea, vnderunder his very tongue it ſelfe; There is no fraud ſo ſecret, but may be deſcried; were our hearts as crafty as the deuill himſelfe,foreign. they may be found out; Wee are not ignorant (ſaith Saint Paul) of Satans deuices; much more then may we know our owne; Were the hearts of men (as Salomon ſpeakes of Kings) like vntounto deepe waters, they hauehave a bottome; and may bee fathomed; Were they as darke as hell it ſelfe, and neuer ſo full of windings, and blinde waies, and obſcure turnings, doe but take the lanthorne of Gods law in your hand, and you ſhall eaſily finde all the falſe and foule corners of them; As Dauid ſaith of the Sun, nothing is hid from the light thereof; Proue your ſelues, ſaith the Apoſtle; It is hard if falſhood be ſo conſtant to it ſelfe that by many queſtions it bee not tripped: Where this duty is ſlackned; it is no wonder if the heart bee ouer-run with ſpirituall fraud; Often priuy ſearches ſcarre away vagrant and diſorderly perſons; where no inquiry is made, is a fit harbour for them; If yee would not hauehave your hearts, therefore, become the lawleſſe Ordinaries of vncleane ſpirits, ſearch them oft; Leaue not a ſtraw vnſhaken to finde out theſe Labaniſh Teraphim that are ſtollen, and hid within vsus, And, when we hauehave ſearched our beſt, if we feare there are yet ſome vnknowne euills lurking within vsus (as the man after Gods owne heart prayes againſt ſecret ſinnes) let vsus call him in that cannot be deceiued; and ſay to God with the Pſalmiſt, Search thou me, ô Lord, and trie mee; Oh let vsus yeeld our ſelues ouer to bee ranſackt by that all-ſeeing eye, and effectuall hand of the Almighty. All our daubing, and cogging, and packing, and ſhuffling lies open before him, and he onelyonly can make the heart aſhamed of it ſelfe.
And when our hearts are once ſtript naked, and carefully ſearcht, let our eyes be euer fixedly bent vponupon their conueyances, and inclinations; If we ſearch and watch not, we may be ſafe for the preſent, long we cannot; for our eye is no ſooner off, than the heart is buſie in ſome practiſe of falſhood; It is well if it forbeare whiles we looke on, for The thoughts of mans heart are only euill continually; and many a heart is like ſome bold and cunning theefe, that lookes a man in the face, and cuts his purſe: But ſurely, if there be any guardian of the ſoule, it is the eye; The wiſe mans eye (ſaith Solomon) is in his head; doubtleſſe, on purpoſe to looke into his heart: My ſonne, aboue all keepings keepe thy heart, ſaith he; If we doe not dogge our hearts then in all our wayes, but ſuffer our ſelues to loſe the ſight of them, they run wilde, and we ſhall not recouer them till after many ſlippery tricks on their parts, and much repentance on ours. Alas, how little is this regarded in the world? wherein the moſt take no keepe of their ſoules, but ſuffer themſelues to run after the wayes of their owne hearts, without obſeruation, without controlement; What ſhould I ſay of theſe men, but that they would faine be deceiued, and periſh? For after this looſe licentiouſneſſe (without the great mercy of God) they neuer ſet eye more vponupon their hearts, till they ſee them either fearfully intoyled in the preſent iudgements of God, or faſt chained in the pit of hell, in the torments of finall condemnation.
Thirdly, If our ſearches and watches ſhould faile vsus, we are ſure our diſtruſt cannot; It is not poſſible our heart ſhould deceiue vsus, if we truſt it not; Wee carry a remedie within vsus of others fraud; and why not of our owne? The Italians not vnwiſely pray God (in their knowne prouerbe) to deliuer them from whom they truſt; for wee are obnoxious to thoſe we relie vponupon, but nothing can leeſe that which it had not; Diſtruſt therefore can neuer be diſappointed: If our hearts then ſhall promiſe vsus ought (as it hath learned to profer largely, of him that ſaid, All theſe will I giuegive thee) although with vowes and oathes, aske for his aſſurances; if he cannot fetch them from the euidences of God, truſt him not: If he ſhall report ought to vsus, aske for his witneſſes; if hee cannot produce them from the records of God, truſt him not: If he ſhall aduiſe vsus ought, aske for his warrant; if he cannot fetch it from the Oracles of God, truſt him not; And in all things ſo beare our ſelues to our heart, as thoſe that thinke they liue amongſt theeues and cozeners; euer iealouſly and ſuſpiciouſly; taking nothing of their word, ſcarce daring to truſt our owne ſenſes; making ſure worke in all matters of their tranſactions. I know I ſpeake to wiſe men, whoſe counſell is wont to be asked, and followed, in matter of the aſſurances of eſtates; whoſe wiſdome is frequently imployed in the triall, euiction, dooming of malefactors: Alas, what ſhall it auaile you that you can aduiſe for the preuention of others fraud, if in the meane time you ſuffer your ſelues to be cozened at home? What comfort can you finde in publike ſeruice to the ſtate againſt offenders, if you ſhould carry a fraudulent and wicked heart in your owne boſomes? There is one aboue whom we may truſt, whoſe word is more firme than heauen; When heauen ſhall paſſe, that ſhall ſtand; It is no truſting ought beſides, any further than he giues his word for it. Mans Epithet is, Homo mendax, and his beſt part, the hearts, deceitfull. Alas, what ſhall we thinke, or ſay of the condition of thoſe men, which neuer follow any other aduice than what they take of their owne heart? Such are the moſt; that make not Gods Law of their counſell; As Eſay ſaid of Iſrael,Eſa. 57.17. Abijt vagus in via cordis ſui: Surely they are not more ſure they hauehave an heart, than that they ſhall be deceiued with it, and betraied vntounto death; Of them may I ſay, as Salomon doth of the wanton foole, that followes an harlot; Thus with her great craft ſhe cauſed him to yeeld, Pro. 7.21.and with her flattering lips ſhe intiſed him: And he followed her ſtraight wayes, as an Oxe that goes to the ſlaughter, or as a foole to the ſtocks for correction. Oh then, deare Chriſtians, as euer yee deſire to auoid that direfull ſlaughter-houſe of hell, thoſe wailings, and gnaſhings, and gnawings, and euerlaſting burnings, looke carefully to your owne hearts; and what euer ſuggeſtions they ſhall make vntounto you, truſt them not, till you hauehave tried them by that vnfaileable rule of righteouſneſſe, the royall law of your Maker, which can no more deceiue you than your hearts can free you from deceit.
Laſtly, that wee may auoid not onelyonly the euents, but the very enterpriſes of this deceit, let vsus countermine the ſubtill workings of the heart. Our Sauiour hath bidden vsus be wiſe as Serpents; What ſhould be wiſe but the heart? And can the heart be wiſer than it ſelfe? Can the wiſdome of the heart remedie the craft of the heart? Certainly it may. There are two men in eueryevery regenerate breſt, the old and the new; And of theſe (as they are euer plotting againſt each other) wee muſt take the better ſide, and labour that the new man, by being more wiſe in God, may out-ſtrip the old: And how ſhall that be done? If we would diſpoſſeſſe the ſtrong man that keepes the houſe, our Sauiour bids vsus bring in a ſtronger than hee; and if we would ouer-reach the ſubtiltie of the old man, yea, the old Serpent, bring in a wiſer than he, euen the Spirit of God, the God of wiſdome; If we would hauehave Achitophels wicked counſels croſſed, ſet vp an Huſhai within vsus: The fooliſhneſſe of God is wiſer than the wiſdome of men. Could we but ſettle God within vsus, our craftie hearts would be out of countenance, and durſt not offer to play any of their deluding tricks before him from whom nothing is hid; and if they could be ſo impudently preſumptuous, yet they ſhould be ſo ſoone controlled in their firſt motions, that there would be more danger of their confuſion, than of our deceit. As ye louelove your ſelues therefore, and your owne ſafetie, and would be free from the perill of this ſecret broaker of Satan, your owne hearts, render them obediently into the hands of God; giuegive him the keyes of theſe cloſets, of his owne making; beſeech him that he will vouchſafe to dwell and reigne in them; ſo ſhall we be ſure that neither Satan ſhall deceiue them, nor they deceiue vsus; but both we and they ſhall be kept ſafe and inuiolable, and preſented glorious to the appearance of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt: To whom with the Father, and the holy Ghoſt, be all honour and glory, for euer and euer. Amen.
FINIS.
The Beſt Bargaine.
A SERMON PREACHED TO THE COVRT AT THEOBALDS, on Sunday, Sept. 21. 1623.
By IOS. HALL.
SIC ELEVABITVR FILIVS HOMINIS
Io 3.
ANCHORA FIDEI:
LONDON, Printed for THOMAS PAVIER, MILES FLESHER, and John Haviland. 1624.
TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE WILLIAM EARLE OF PEMBROKE, LORD high Chamberlaine; CHANCELLOR of the Vniuerſity of Oxford; One of his MAIESTIES moſt Honourable Priuy Counſell.
RIGHT HONOVRABLE,
LEt it pleaſe you to receiue from the Preſſe what you vouchſafed to require from my pen: Ʋnworthy I confeſſe either of the publike light, or the beames of your Honours iudicious eies; yet ſuch as (beſides the motiue of common importunity) I eaſily apprehended might bee not a little vſefull for the times; which, if euer, require quickning: Neither is it to no purpoſe that the world ſhould ſee in what ſtile we ſpeake to the Court, not without acceptation. This, and what euer ſeruice I may bee capable of, are iuſtly deuoted to your Lordſhip, whom all good hearts follow with true Honour, as the great Patron of learning, the ſincere friend of Religion, and rich purchaſer of Truth. The God of Heauen adde to the number of ſuch Peeres, and to the meaſure of your Lo: graces and happineſſe.
Your Honours in all humble and faithfull obſeruance, IOS: HALL.