Chap. 3 r. As Expo/iron upon the Books of J o a. Vert g 341 Secondly , As deceit is a fin againtt the light or lawofna- ture; fo againft the expreffe lawes bothofGod and man. I need not quote the !awes' of men againft it; What nation orCoï7- mon.wealth 'lath not enacted lawes and declared penalties a- gainft it ? i need not flay to prove it a fin againtt the law ofGod; who for beds all kind of deceit,in thole two negative lawes ; 7h6u t?oaIt not ;hale; Thou ¡halt not beare fe/fe witnet againff thy neighbour. What ever fine colours men put upon falfe dealing, the bell of it mutt come out under this plaine cenfure, healing. The D:ceaver (hall be ranked and numbred among theeves. And what foever fine colours men put upon falle fpeaking it mutt come under this plaine cenfure of lying and falte-witnes- bearing. Deceit croffeth all the lawes of commerce and con- verfe with men, and breakes afunder all the tyes and bonds of humane focietie; what can wecall ( except downe-right blaf- phemv againft God) more odious then that which Both to ? Thirdly , Deceit is (in force fence ) far worfe thenopen vio- lence ; we cry out ( and wel we may ) againtt theeves and rob- bers, who affault honelt travellers upon the high way, and take their purfes ; yet Deceit is more dangerous and detrimental then that, becaufe we have no defence againft it, nor (in molt ca is ) remedy for it ; yea 'cis done, and that not feldome, under the notionoffriendthip and courtefie. Now as it is a more odious Tura `'é7"`r' vìr eJ pér Rnr{ crime to poyfon aman whomwe invite toour table, then to kill rc- him openly in the field; Becaufe poyfon is then conveyed fee; et- ,,,F;,, lyand under a pretence of kindness So to wrong thole wlòom we invite to deale with us, is worfe then doing it by open inva- fion or violence. Let none thinke this a fuperfluous warning; For as our hearts are deceitfull, fo they are eafily drawne to tale deceit. Sosne ( that I fay not many) men would deceave God himfelfe. That's the btineffe ofall hypocrites, and they are more ( as we fay) then a good many. Nowwhat an hypocrite is in religious, the fame is a deceitfull man in civili things. The one would de- ceive God, theother men, Yea loch is the bafenes and vilany of our deceitfull hearts, that we often yea ofteneft deceave our felves ; And indeed we are alwayes ( though not at all inten- tionally ) contriving and plotting our owne ruine, whilewe pre- tend to pleafe and hope to rayfe our felves, by deceaving, that iffy
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