'Thegreat lmpojlor. conceitedneffe: and( according to the feldome-reverently-ufed proverbe) whiles A they think they have God by the finger,they hold a Devill by the tOe 1 and all this, b<e1ufe their heart deceivesthem. It carcleffeand loath to be atthepainesofknowing ' more, it per[wades them they know enough; that they crie out of more, as he did on theoiotment,(VI qnrdptrditio h£c ?) What needs •11 this wa!l? and makesthem a~ 1 confcionable for knowledge, as E(•• was for cattel, / h•vccnough, my brothtr, krep th41 tho" h•Ji to thy {t/fe; or as contentedly-refolure,as the Epicure in the Gofpell: Soul t•fe thy oa(e, tltM IJAjl kllowledge emugT1 l•idupfor many7e•w. I From whence it is, that too manyrell fimply(yea wilfully) in their owne meafure, not fo much as wi01ing more skill in Soule-mmers; applauding their owne fate meB clio<ritie\ like the credulous blind man that thought he now law a !hitnmering ofthe · Sunne beames, when in deed his b1ck was towords it: Htnce it is that they tcoff<t at the foolifhnetle of preaching, {come the forward bookiflilleffeof othttt, tearingnothin• but a furf<t of Manna, and hating to know more than their neighbours, than thei~fore-fathers; and thus are led on muffled up in an tmfelt ignorance, to their grave, yea,(without the mercy of God) to their hell. And as in thefe things there is a prefumptionofknowing what we .!oe not; fo contrarily, a diqimulation and concealment of the knowledge of what we doe underftand1 The heart ofman is agreat lier to it felfe this way\ Saint P•ul fayesthat ofPagan>,which I may boldly fa.y of Chri!lians, They have the effttl ofthe Lawwritten C in their hearts; yet many o!them will not beacknowneofone letter ingraventhere by the finger ofGod.- Cerraine common principles there are(togetber Y<lth this taw) inrerlinearily written in the Tables of the hean:,as, That we mu !I doe as we would be done eo 1 That there is a God; Thatthis God is infiniteln ju!lice andtruth,and mu !I be ferved like himfelfe; thefe they either blot out, or lay their finger on,that they may not be feen, purpofely, that they may finne freely; and faine Would perfwade themfelves they never had any (uch evidence from God : fo putting off the cheeks of con[ciencewith bold denials1likethc harlot of Iericho,(but worfe than fhe )!bat hat\1 hid the Spies, and now out-faces their entertainment: Wherein the heart d<Xh tb it felte,tbat which Nah-fh the Ammonite would have dohe to Ifracl, put out his owne D right eye, that it may not feethatlaw whereby it might be convihced ; and findeit felfe miferable. Thus the under!landing of man is, every way deceitful! in overknowing, miC: knowing, diffcmbling; in all which it is like an evilland un!aithfull eye,that either will befeeing by a falfe glalfe, or a falfe light, or with di(\ortion'; or el!e wilfully clofes the lids that it may not fee at all1and in all this deceives us. The will is no lelfe cunnings which though it make fa ire pretences ot a general! inclination to good, yec(bit 6· WIINC) in particulars, hangs towardsa pleafinb cvi 11 ; Yea though the under!landing have fufficiently informed it of tbe wonhineffeof good,and the turpitude of evill, yet being overcome with the fa lie deletlableneffe offinne, it yeelds to a mif-afient; Reafon being (as Aq,.iw,u fp,akes) either [walE . !owed up by fome pallion, or held downe by fome vicious habit: 1t is rrue, !lill the I Will followes the Rea{on, neither can doe atherwi(c , but therefore, if Rea[onmifled be contrary to Reafon, and a fchifme arile in the foule,it mu(!: follow that the Willmu!lneeds b~ contrary to Will and Reafon; Wherein it is like a Planet, which though it be carried about perpetually by the fir!l mover, yet !lily creep•,on his owne way, contrary to that !lrongcircumvolmion :And though the minde be fufficiently convincedoftheneceflity, or profit ofa good atl, yet forthe tedioufneffe annexed to it, in a dangerous fpirituall acedie,itinfenfibly flips away from it, and iscontent to let it fall; As fomc idle, or fearefull Merchant, thatconld be glad to have gold, if it wouldcornewith ea(e, but will not either takethe plines, or hazard theadventure tO fetch it: Thus commonly the will (in both refpeds) Waterman-like lookes forward, and rowesb~ekward; and under good pretences cloth nothing bnt deceive. The affedions are as deceitfull as either; whether in miC-placing, meafure, or manner. Mif-placing: They are fiery where they fhould he coole; and where they fhould bumo, treeze; Our hean: makes us beleeve it loves God, and gives him pledges of affetlion1
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