\ oftht eleceitfuln~(fo ttndguile of Mans !Jedrt~ 63 as being encompaffed wit~ many enemies, as ~ci~g in danger from within and from Wtthout; now the decettfulncffe of the heart doth wholly neglect this duty, and thefe little thieves within,do open the door for the,greater ones without: ' The devil and the world, and linne, do fo eafily deceive thee, becaufe thy o~n heart doth _deceive thee; thereupon thc~e is no firict watch kept, there ts no conftant and dulypraymg, and attending againll: all temptations; and thou mayefl: fay, /If it .were an enemy or an open advcrfary that did work my ruine it might be better born, but its thou 0 friend; my heart that i~ alwayes with me,that liveth and moveth within me. ·I fhall conclude with an Ufe of InllruClion; concerning thefc corollaries or main ncceffary particular points. 1, Is the Heart thus deceitfull,Thmhew nece{fary u it to k.fep V[e• . clo/e to the Scripture \vhich cannot lye or deceive ~u ! When in matters of Religion we go afcer our own hearts or our own imaginatiom, which the Scripture fo often forbids; or when webelieve our own fpirirs or other mens fpirits, without the word,thi~ is eo follow an ignu fatum. In Rdigion and Piety,it is a dangerous argument to· fay, Me thinks this is piety, and . me thinks this is fit w&riliip, when we have not the Scriptu&:e tommand : Tpere are no fuch lying and falfe books,as that..of thy own heart is, and therefore wander not from the word, fo neither believe affections, enlargements, or llrong impreffions upon thy fpirlt, though obtained by prayer,unlelfe warranted by the word: This deceit is dulce venenum, fweet poy.;. fon,and many have greedily fwallowed i't down. - - 2. Is the heart deceitful? then beleeve'not thy {elfin fuch reafonings as thefe arc; Ifl had fuch power, if1had fuch au. thority, if1had fuch an efiate>or fo much wealth, I would do · this or this.: herein tnany 4o greatly erre, for when God many times gives them their hearts defire, they do no more good then oth~rs ; .th~y grow as p~oud and earthly ~s orhers,magi- · flratm VlrHm matcat.It was fatd of one Remanemperor,Dignm ' imperio, in all mtns judgements,ji non imperaffet; Thus thou th-in_keft before thou haft honour, wealth, thou· wouldeft be fo ti~hteous, fo jtfft, fo holy, but when thou art r.aifed up · to fuch apin~cle, thou throwefi thy felfheadloeg into fuch " finnes ·.
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